He kissed a path down her body and back up, caressing every inch of her skin. He brushed his lips over the sensitive skin in the bend of her elbow and on the pulse of her wrist. He trailed kisses down the inside of her thigh and behind her knees, but he avoided the bud that ached in the center of her legs. Just when she was about to beg, he took her with a single thrust, burying himself to the hilt. She arched her hips at the delicious stretch. He slipped his hands underneath her ass and lifted her onto his thighs while moving with shallow thrusts.
She moaned when he caressed her folds, but then his touch disappeared. Only the too-slow pumping continued. A low buzzing noise came to life. An electric shock sparked through her body as something touched her clit with brutal intensity. A vibrator. Her muscles tightened instantly. Her orgasm hit hard and fast, contracting her inner muscles around him. Keeping the toy pushed against her clit, he drew out the shocks until strangled screams escaped her throat.
Only when the tightness inside eased and she had nothing left to give, did he stop. The warmth of his body washed over her as he pressed their chests together without squashing her with his weight. He nuzzled her neck and kissed her shoulder before lifting off her. Cool air assaulted her hot skin. He freed her hands, and then her legs. After massaging her trembling muscles, he untied the scarves around her eyes and mouth. He kissed her lips, tenderly this time, and wrapped his arms around her. He held her for a long time, until sleepiness crept up on her, making her feel warm and fuzzy in the afterglow of their lovemaking. When she fell asleep in his arms, she felt nothing but peace.
After showering and dressing in navy slacks and an off-white cashmere sweater, Lann took Kat breakfast in bed—carob milk and brioche. Then he went in search of Joss. He found Maya, Clelia, and Joss already in the library, seated around the big table on which their research material was spread out.
Joss acknowledged him with a nod. “How is she?”
“Katherine is fine,” he said. “Her body heat and heartbeat are returning to normal. It’s Eve I’m worried about now.”
“I know.” Joss sighed and wiped a hand over his brow. “She’s working too hard.”
“She needs to get out,” Clelia said, “but she won’t budge, not even when I threaten to kick her out.”
Maya wagged her eyebrows. “What she needs is a shag.”
Clelia gave her a reproachful look. “Somehow, I don’t think Eve will agree with you.”
“We’ll take care of it,” Joss said, glancing at Clelia.
His wife nodded. “We’ll take her to town.”
“I hate to point this out,” Maya said, “but we don’t have time to waste on leisure trips to town.”
“It’s either that or risk her sanity.” Lann looked at Maya pointedly. “If it carries on like this, she’ll soon be useless.”
Maya shrugged. “As long as I don’t have to chaperone again.” She smiled. “Can we brief you now that you’re finally awake?”
“I didn’t want to leave Katherine too early,” Lann said.
“Leave your excuses for someone who cares.” Maya grinned. “We don’t want to hear your bedroom talk.” She pulled up a 3D screen. “I made a hit with Richardson. I went through his browser history. He wiped it out, but the ghost tracks always remains in cyber space. My hacker managed to pick up a trail of virtual dust. Following it, he could fish out the sites Richardson had been hitting on with the highest frequency during the last month.”
Lann regarded her, the muscles of his tense shoulders aching. He hoped this was finally going somewhere. “And?”
“He accessed the gossip columns for a national newspaper in Santiago almost as frequently as he pissed. Made a good job of erasing his presence, but not good enough.”
“What does that mean?” Lann asked.
“Does El Día ring a bell?”
“It’s one of the biggest national newspapers in Chile.” Lann frowned as articles popped up on the 3D hologram, one overlapping the next. It was mainly gossip from the social columns.
“So?” Lann shrugged. “I attracted some unwelcome attention in Chile.”
The articles disappeared and a photo replaced them. The head-and-shoulders profile had a blue tint that faded out to be replaced by full color. The attractive face of a brunette stared back at them.
“All the articles were written by her,” Maya said.
“Vanessa.” Lann said the name with distaste. “Could she be Richardson’s source?”
“I’m sure of it,” Maya said. “Why else would he have worked his way through everything she’s ever written with your name in it, and every transcribed interview in which your ass has been mentioned?”
“He could’ve only been researching Lann,” Clelia said.
“He also ran security checks on her, and dug deep into her past,” Maya said.