Birds in Paradise

Part 18

"Pete?" He dragged me out of the alleyway and pushed me against the wall of a surf shop. The shop's yellowy security light blared down on his face. His gaze, hard and dark as volcanic rock, burned into my skin.

"Pete?" I said again, not sure what to make of his odd behavior. He pulled my arms above my head while his free hand traveled over my hip and fingered the edge of my short skirt. "What—what are you doing?"

"Brandi told me I'd find you out here risking your neck again." His voice was low, husky. The sound of it caressing against my cheek reminded me of that night we'd spent in my hotel room and woke up parts of my body that I didn't need to be worrying about right now.

"B-Brandi?" I muttered. Why would Brandi tell Pete about—?

That conniving romantic. That had been her plan. She set me up, dressing me inappropriately and putting me in a dangerous part of town in the middle of the night. She knew Pete would come running.

"Do you know how many people have been murdered in this neighborhood?" he asked as he pressed his body against mine. "How many brushes with death will it take for you to learn to think before you act?"

"B-but—but—"

His lips were on mine. It was more than a kiss. The way his mouth moved against my lips spoke of promises I hadn't dared let myself dream. And his tongue, so gentle, parted my lips and pulled me deeper into his world. I was his for the taking. He released my arms and, with a tenderness that brought tears to my eyes, caressed my cheeks with both his hands.

"Kyra," he groaned, "you're going to be the death of me."

I nodded and sought his lips. All I wanted in the world were his caresses and kisses. Everything else could wait.

"Oh Pete..." I sighed, clasping my hands behind his neck.

But he pried my fingers apart and lowered my hands to my sides. When I opened my eyes I saw that he was shaking his head.

"Kyra," he said his tone growing hard again, "we can't do this."

My knees buckled when he pulled out his gun. I would have slid down the wall if not for the weight of his body holding me up. He rested the barrel of his pistol above me head.

"I wish you hadn't insisted on poking around where you didn't belong. I tried to keep you out of this, Kyra. I tried so damned hard to keep you safe."