Eye of the Falcon (Psychic Visions #12)(86)

He was such a miracle. She leaned down and kissed the tip, the soft smooth surface like velvet against her tongue. He caught his breath deep in his throat, his fingers grasping the sheets beside them. She stroked up and down, sliding to gently cup the two globes that fit perfectly in her hand.

“You’re so magnificent,” she whispered.

That startled a laugh out of him.

“No, I mean it,” she protested. She slid her hand back up and down, her fingers measuring, closing, squeezing gently as she explored the lower half of his body, her hands running down the inside of his thighs and calves, back up behind his knees, hearing him laugh as she caught a ticklish spot. She grinned and then sighed happily. When she sat up and stretched her knee over him, he reached out to help her.

Settling into position, she slowly lowered herself onto his shaft. She felt her body stretch past the point of comfort until she relaxed, her body accepting him, as if knowing how very well matched they truly were. When she finally settled deep against his thighs, resting for a moment to catch her breath at the sensation of being filled right to the heart of her, his groan was long and harsh. She watched the shudder ripple up and down his body.

And she realized just how much restraint he had placed on himself. She leaned forward, her hands going to his shoulders, and whispered, “I always did love a midnight ride.”

His eyes opened, and their gazes locked. Slowly she started to ride, her hips rising, lowering, almost coming off on the next movement, and then slamming down again. Faster and faster she rode, arching her back, closing her eyes, and tilting her face to the ceiling. Her body and mind were one as she drove them both to the edge. She could feel the tension inside him, his fingers gripping her hips, slamming her down harder, faster, deeper, and the spring inside her uncoiled, sending nerve endings alive and screaming with joy outward. She shuddered, a long cry escaping. He roared, and his hips met hers, his hands holding her sealed against him, as his body shuddered and spewed deep inside her. She collapsed atop him, shaky, tired and overwhelmed by the moment. He pulled the covers back up and over her.

“I was supposed to do the work,” he whispered.

Answering was almost beyond her. “And I should’ve let you,” she whispered. “Because I think I’m too tired for more.”

“Sleep,” he whispered. “Sleep.”

Her fingers gently stroked his cheek, her thumb crossing his bottom lip, and she whispered, “Now I think I can.” And she let herself cross into the abyss that awaited her.

*

Eagle waited for her to fall asleep. When he heard her deep rhythmical breathing, he slid out from under the covers, quickly dressed, opened one of the windows for fresh air, and checked his watch. He still had an hour before he was to change places with Hawk who kept watch outside.

So much was unknown to them right now. Eagle imagined Hawk moved through the area, checking it out.

That box had been hidden in the far back corner behind other boxes. Had no one been through that linen closet in all these years? How bizarre was that? He heard a board creak outside in the hall. He froze and then slid over to the door, his ear pressed against the side. With a tiny scratching sound at the doorknob, he responded by opening it. Hawk stood there. He had a hot coffee in his hand.

Eagle glanced at Hawk, then at the coffee. “Is that for me?”

“It’s your turn to stay outside. I figured this would help.” He thrust it into his hand. “Heard a lot of talk downstairs. The whispers are starting. The rumor is that it’s Issa. I had a beer in the far corner. They seemed to forget I was there. Until I got up and walked through the room—then there was silence. I’ll go catch four hours.” Hawk tilted his head. “Good night.”

He turned and disappeared into his room. Eagle sat back down again and thought about all the things they knew. He still awaited the appraisal on the jewelry. He checked in with both Gray and his assistant, Tony. The young kid answered the phone on the first ring. He updated Eagle on the birds. They’d been given yet another raptor, which Tony put into isolation and fed, but his wing might be damaged. Gray would take a look.

Eagle’s heart slammed back home. It was where he should be, looking after the birds. They were his responsibility. Hopefully he and Issa would be done here in another day. But he suspected it would be at least two more before they could return. “We’ll be home soon.”

He hung up and called Gray. There was no answer. He left a voice message and hung up. Then he sent a text to the appraiser looking into the jewelry.

When his phone rang again, it was his appraiser. “I don’t know what you’ve gotten into. That jewelry is very rare. It was stolen from a private collection. It belonged to an aristocrat who was well known for his screenplays and mad, crazy, love affairs with young girls. The robbery happened about twenty years ago. And the jewelry was never found, the robbers never caught.”

“Ah. I am pretty sure I know where the jewelry is, but I don’t know who’ll get blamed for the robbery.”

“Tell me what you know.”

Eagle filled him in without telling him where the jewelry was.

“Everything’s over in Ireland? You need to contact the local police to take it from there. This is huge.”

“I’ll contact you as soon as I know more.”

“I can give you twenty-four hours, but that’s it. This is a pretty major case you’re talking about.”