Part 17 (1/2)
”Her work for you needs to end and soon. Then she can return to her usual manner. Her husband will have nothing to arouse his suspicions. And my privacy will be restored.”
”I suspect it will be at an end soon.”
”Oh?” She studied him curiously. ”Are you closer to finding your file?”
”I practically have it within grasp as we speak. However, I will no longer be directing Evelyn's activities. I am turning this matter over to ...” He paused. ”Sir.”
She stared. ”Evelyn said he was no longer with the department.”
He shrugged. ”He's back.”
”b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l,” Celeste said under her breath.
”Not exactly the reaction I was expecting.”
”Evelyn was always intrigued by Sir. If she hadn't decided she'd had enough of this life ...”
”What?”
”Nothing.” She shook her head. ”It's no more than an impression I've always had.” She cast him a wry smile. ”There is something quite intriguing and rather romantic about a man one only knows through his words. He could be anyone you imagine him to be.”
”He issued you orders on occasion. Did you imagine him?”
She laughed.
He gasped. ”You did!”
”I am a weak woman, Max.” She moved closer and sank down on the edge of the bed. ”With a wicked imagination.”
”As long as that wicked imagination is reserved for me ...” He pulled her into his arms. ”I suppose I can live with it.”
She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. For a long endless moment, even her imagination could not compete with the feel of his lips against hers, the heat of his body next to hers, the warm, rich, sleep-soaked scent of him. In the back of her mind she wondered what it would be like to wake up with him every morning.
Without warning, he pulled away. ”I have been thinking.”
”Oh no.” She gasped with mock dismay. ”Not that.”
He ignored her. ”I have given some thought to our discussion when you were last here.”
”What discussion was that?”
”About making an honest woman of you.”
She raised a brow. ”Are you talking about marriage?”
He nodded.
”If you cannot say the word, Max, it seems to me there is little to discuss.”
”I can say the word,” he said firmly. ”I've been thinking about your comment that you are not the type of woman I should marry.”
”Oh?”
”I think it's rubbish.” He met her gaze directly. ”I fully intend to marry whomever I wish.”
”Bravo, Max. I have never been prouder.”
His brows pulled together. ”You are deliberately being obtuse, aren't you?”
”Not at all.” She stood, found his dressing gown and tossed it at him, then turned away. It was best for her own sense of purpose not to watch him dress. ”You say you intend to marry whomever you wish and I think that's admirable. Impractical perhaps but admirable.”
”I don't especially want to be admirable,” he muttered behind her. ”What I want is you.”
She shrugged. ”And you have me.”
”Not entirely.” He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. ”Not in the eyes of the rest of the world.” He rested his chin on her shoulder. ”Celeste, would you do me the honor-”
She laughed. ”Don't say it, Max.”
”Why not?”
”Because right now, this morning, this minute.” She shook her head. ”This is certainly not the time and definitely not the place.”
”I should think-”
”Besides, right now, this morning, this minute ...” She pushed out of his arms and swiveled to face him. ”You would not like my answer.”
He stared. ”I wouldn't?”
”I hope not.”
”So is it me or is it marriage?”
She chose her words with care. ”I have no desire to marry at the moment.”
”Which does not fully answer my question.” He studied her curiously. ”Don't you want marriage? A family? Children and all that?”
”Oh, darling, but I do have children.”
His scoffed. ”I know everything there is to know about you. You have no children.”
”Correction, Max,” she said lightly. ”You knew everything there was to know when I worked for the department.”
”We've been together for three years. How ...” He studied her suspiciously. ”Are they my children?”
She laughed. ”I suspect you would have noticed if I had been with child.”