Stealing Carmen by Gail Faulkner

at her; all eyes would be on him.
     
    His entrance was indeed big. The kids went nuts, Santa scowled and Carmen froze. Then her hands slowly rose to her face, holding her own cheeks, she disguised the tears. A shy smile trembled on her lips.
     
    She was still his.
     
    Jack couldn’t stride across the room and scoop her into his arms. There were little broken bodies clamoring for his attention. Apparently Superman had a huge following at this hospital.
     
    It was twenty minutes before he could even stand next to her as they waved to the children being returned to their rooms. Carmen had composed her face and Santa was forced to leave so the party could end. Fortunately Superman could hang around and assist the beautiful elf.
     
    “You’re mine,” Jack murmured in a toneless whisper only she could hear. He couldn’t force his mouth to say any of the other stuff he knew women wanted to hear. This is what he needed first. Desperately.
     
    Carmen was helping a little boy pile his big present on his lap so the nurse could wheel him back to his bed. She straightened, coming up in Jack’s space as if it were unintentional. “First I’ve heard of that for over a year,” she responded, and turned to help the next child.
     
    Jack was right beside her, gently teasing the little girl as he lifted her, pretending to struggle with her weight and making her laugh. He put the little waif in her wheelchair and responded in Carmen’s ear. “Say it,” he commanded.
     
    Carmen laughed with the little girl and waved her on her way. Her eyes met Jack’s and a brow rose. “I can’t. I don’t trust it,” she told him softly, knowing anyone who could hear them would have no idea what they were talking about.
     
    The last child left. Housekeeping staff was already there cleaning up. Jack didn’t give a damn what those people saw at this point. His hand gripped her arm in a steel hold. He wasn’t marking her but she was in his control.
     
    Carmen frowned down at the hand on her forearm and looked up directly into his eyes as if that would get him to release her.
     
    This time Jack raised a brow. “Not likely, baby girl,” he responded to her unspoken demand that he let go. “We discuss this here and now. I don’t give a shit who hears or sees us.”
     
    Abruptly Carmen turned her body into him, bringing them in contact from knees to chest. “Then make me believe it,” she challenged softly. Her beautiful face radiated strength and determination. This was no melting response to his command.
     
    The air sucked out of the room and Jack was sure there were angels singing the Halleluiah chorus somewhere. Perhaps it was the piped-in Christmas music. The only reason he knew the name of that one was because they said the word so many times and right now he appreciated the sentiment.
     
    Jack didn’t need to hear another word. He ignored the shock at her challenge and took what was his. One arm went around her back, his forearm up her spine and his fist held her hair. The other hand came down on her ass and he had her bent back and taking his kiss hard and deep.
     
    Tasting her sweet mouth was like diving into fizzing soda. She made every neuron and nerve in his body explode in pleasure. There was no holding back as he drank her. He’d been feeling this kiss from about five minutes after he’d closed the door on her so long ago. He’d lived it when there was almost nothing else to keep him going. Getting back to this woman, this mouth, this soul had become the mission he’d complete at all costs.
     
    He’d moved the earth to make it safe for her if he were in her life publicly. At the time he’d told himself he was burnt-out and mopping up the job he no longer wanted. He’d probably committed murder for her. It was complicated, but if the man he’d been hunting his entire career had lived, Carmen would never have been safe as his woman.
     
    All of it was a thinly disguised effort to get back to her. This woman