Gale Force

I just can't understand how you can be so convinced and upset about something that has no

evidence.''

Well, that was rich. He thought I was crazy. ''David,'' I said, ''we're not going to convince each

other on this stuff. Are we?''

He shook his head ruefully.

''Then let's stop trying.'' I reached out. He took my hand, and some of the fluttering in my

stomach quieted. ''So if we can have only twenty people at the ceremony, who are we picking?''

He smiled. ''You go first.''

''All right. One name at a time.'' I took a deep breath. ''Cherise.'' Safe. He nodded.

''Lewis,'' he said, which surprised me, but I supposed it shouldn't have. He and Lewis had

known each other long before I ever set eyes on David.

''Um-Paul.''

''Rahel.'' He gave me a quick, apologetic smile. ''I can hardly leave her out of the invitation.

She'd only show up if we didn't invite her.''

She would, just to be a pain in the ass. Dji

that?''

''Counting us? Six.'' He studied me for a second, eyes going gentle again. ''Seven with a

minister. Do you want to invite your sister?''

''Oh hell no,'' I said. ''Psycho sister Sarah is not welcome. She's caused me plenty of trouble

without this. I'll go with . . . Ve

David's eyebrows twitched, either in surprise or amusement, or maybe some of both. Ve

a Dji

Dji

attend,'' he said. ''It might interest her. But she wouldn't come alone.''

''You are not inviting Ashan.''

That got an actual laugh. ''It would be politically wise.''

''And personally stupid because if I see him again, I swear I'll rip off whatever passes for his-

''

He kissed me. It was meant to be a shut-me-up kiss, quick and sweet, but it turned warmer,

richer, and I melted against him like chocolate on a hot plate. ''I'm asking Ashan,'' he said when

he let me up for breath. ''And you're going to play nice if he shows up. Which he won't. But it

will be wise to ask him.''

I made a noise that brides-to-be probably shouldn't make, according to Miss Ma

me again.

We had so much to talk about-flowers, cakes, catering, dresses, tuxedos. . . . We didn't talk

about any of it. Instead, David pressed his lips to the pulse at my neck and murmured, ''I'm

bored with pla

I'd been recovering for weeks, and my libido had taken a serious beating along with my body,

but when he said that, I felt a fast, hot flush of desire. Aside from some gentle play, he'd been

careful with me, knowing I was fragile.

Now he sent waves of energy flowing into me, curing the lingering aches and exhaustion, and I

caught my breath in true, deep pleasure.

''Right here?'' I asked. ''In the car?''

''I think I said before, the seats do recline.'' Being a Dji

to make it happen. My seat slipped back, nearly level, and I made a sound low in my throat as his

warm hands moved over me, sliding the strap of my top down my arm, folding back fabric. . . .

''Wait,'' I said, and sat up again. ''There's a motel half a mile back.''

He looked surprised, and a little disappointed. I kissed him again.

''I'm not saying no,'' I promised. ''I'm saying . . . I want lots of time, and a bed. If it's a

rehearsal, let's make it a full undress rehearsal.''

''Oh,'' David murmured. ''That's all right, then.''

Chapter Five

The rain hit while we were lying twined together, sweaty and completely satisfied, on the motel

bed. It was a nice motel, nothing sleazy, and the rooms were actually quite lovely. Big ocean

views. We'd drawn the curtains, though, for privacy. No matter how much fun it is, some things

really aren't meant to be shared with strangers on the beach.

I listened to the patter of drops on glass and rested my head against his bare chest. He had a

heartbeat, and his lungs worked just like any man's. In fact, he was all the way human in every

way that I could sense, including his postcoital drowsiness. His fingers combed lazily through

my hair, leaving it smooth and shining, the way it had been when he'd first seen me.

''How'd we do?'' I asked, and his hand left my hair to softly stroke my arm, skim my side, wrap

possessively around me.

''I think we need more practice,'' he said. ''I don't think I quite had that last part right.''

''The Russian judge gave it a nine point five,'' I said. ''And you nailed the dismount.''

I loved it when he laughed. Dji

in general. His happiness was contagious, like fever, and I basked in its warmth. We kissed, long

and slow, and I heard the low vibration in the back of his throat. Still hungry. Still wanting.

I knew how he felt. The passion between us wasn't fading; if anything, it was strengthening as

time went on, as we learned each other and found new ways to please. I loved surprising him,

loved the mixture of shock and wicked delight in his eyes.

When my cell phone rang, I flailed for it and switched off the ringer, but I couldn't resist taking a

quick glance at the lit-up display. Lewis, of course. And I had to answer. Otherwise, he'd do

something stupid, such as send the cavalry to bust down the door and catch me doing something

morally questionable.

David groaned, deep in his throat, and buried his face against my neck. ''You have to get it,'' he

said. ''Right?''

''Afraid so,'' I said. ''Put the porno movie on pause for a second.'' I caught my breath, tried to

pretend I was fully clothed and businesslike, and answered the phone. ''Lewis?''

''Took you long enough,'' he said. He sounded tense, which wasn't good. Lewis was one of the

most relaxed people I'd ever known, in general. ''Okay, we've got the package in containment.

Jo-there was also a card.''

''A card? Like, a greeting card?''

''You're not going to like it,'' he said. ''It's a congratulations card. On your wedding. It had a

message inside.''

I went short of breath, and it wasn't for any of the reasons that it would have been a minute

before. ''What kind of message?''

He ignored that question, which didn't bode well. ''Who knows you're getting married?''

''I-not that many people. We haven't officially-I don't know. I didn't think it was a state

secret! My God, I was about to order invitations!''

''I think we'd better talk,'' Lewis said. ''All of us. Warden HQ in New York. There are some

things you need to see.''

''Now?''

''Tomorrow. Let David drive if you're taking the car.''

I bit my lip. Not that I didn't love being in the car with David, but even at the speeds he was

likely to travel it would be at least a fifteen-hour trip. Then again, it kept us mobile, and Weather

Wardens generally didn't do too well in airplanes. We draw storms the way a bug zapper draws

moths.

''See you there,'' I said, and hung up. I dropped the cell phone back on the nightstand and rolled

back toward David. ''Where were we?''

His fingers slowly stroked the column of my throat, down the valley between my breasts, and

across to circle the hard cap of my nipple. ''That depends,'' he said, low in his throat. ''How

much time do we have?''

''How fast can you drive?''

He laughed. ''You wouldn't believe how fast I can drive if I'm properly motivated.''