Paranormal II: The Summit Part 9

Tension crept into Ben's shoulders. "What did you see?"

Autumn opened her small black beaded purse and took out the copy she had made of the notes she had taken in the middle of the night.

"I wrote everything down. You can look it over whenever you get time."

Ben flicked on the light inside the plush interior of the limo and read each of the lines she had written.

"This is fairly detailed. All three women were attractive, tall and slim, with long blond hair and blue eyes. You say that nothing about them seemed to show a concern for fashion. What does that mean exactly?"

"I'm not sure. But considering they were all fairly young, they were dressed rather simply-not a Tommy Bahama T-shirt in the bunch."

"You guessed their ages...Molly twelve-well, almost twelve at any rate. One of them appears to be about fifteen. The other late thirties."

"That's right."

"You say the house was inexpensively furnished-an older stove, a long table in the kitchen beneath an overhanging lamp. The women seemed to be setting the table for dinner." He looked up. "It says you could see mountains out the kitchen window."

"This was the first time I noticed them."

"Mountain peaks or just hills?"

"I'm not sure. I just caught a glimpse. I couldn't tell if they were granite or sandstone or anything else about them. And nothing about them looked familiar."

Ben's dark gaze moved over her face. "You've dreamed every time we've been together."

"Yes."

He seemed to file that information away, went back to studying the rest of the notes she had made, then carefully folded the sheets of paper and stuck them into the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket.

They reached the location of the benefit, held in a ballroom of the ritzy Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Now that she had given Ben her latest information on the dream, she could relax a little. Maybe even try to enjoy herself.

Well, at least as much as her nerves would let her.

Ben helped her out of the limo and they walked along the red carpet into the hotel, one of the Pacific Northwest's most stunning, with magnificent molded ceilings and Corinthian columns in the lobby and an ornate curving staircase leading up to the Spanish Ballroom on the second floor. Autumn had been there for drinks on special occasions, but this was different. She was a guest here tonight and she was determined to make the most of it.

Ben moved through the lobby like a man who belonged in the elegant surroundings and she clung to his arm.

He leaned toward her. "You said you like to play dress-up. Well, Cinderella, you can't do much better than this."

No, it didn't get any better than this. She was attending a ball with Prince Charming, but just like Cinderella at the end of the night, her coach would turn into a pumpkin and she would return to the real world where she was merely a grammar school teacher.

And Prince Charming would only come looking for her as long as he needed her to help him find his daughter.

Inside the fabulous Spanish Ballroom, they were seated at a round table with six other people, all of them formally and expensively dressed. Ben introduced her, telling them she was a friend of his, a schoolteacher as well as a professional climbing instructor who was currently giving him lessons.

The men looked her over, considered her size and cast her dubious glances, but the women were clearly intrigued. Autumn found herself answering questions about climbing and the skill it required and beginning to actually enjoy herself.

"You see, you're doing just fine," Ben said to her softly. "I knew you would."

"Did you?"

"Yes, I did. You're the only one who seems to doubt your capabilities."

She looked up at him. "Not when it comes to climbing."

"No, not then."

Dinner was served and the speeches began, thankfully not lasting nearly as long as she had feared. Then the eight-piece orchestra began playing slow, romantic Frank Sinatrastyle music-perfect for a Cinderella night.

"Anyone who likes to wear ball gowns must like to dance." Ben shoved back his chair, stood up and offered her his arm. "May I have the pleasure?"

She smiled and accepted. Ben guided her out onto the dance floor and she turned and went into his arms. He looked incredibly handsome tonight. With his dark hair perfectly combed, his solid jaw and tanned complexion, he drew the attention of every woman in the room. She tried to ignore the closeness of his big, hard body, the smooth way he led her in the steps of a waltz, how warm his hand felt wrapped around her own.

"G.o.d, you smell good," he said, cutting into her thoughts.

"Michael Kors-perfume not cologne-and it costs a fortune. I know it's a wicked indulgence but I figure I'm worth it."

"Ahh..." He bent and pressed his cheek against hers as he stepped into a turn. "What other wicked indulgences do you allow yourself, Autumn Sommers?"

Thinking of the tiny pink b.u.t.terfly tattooed on the left cheek of her bottom, her face went warm. She looked up to see Ben watching her, a faint smile on his lips.

"All right, let's have it."

"Not a chance."

"I won't rest until I know what it is."

She shook her head. "Not going to happen."

Ben ran a finger along her cheek. "I'll take that as a challenge. I never could resist a challenge."

The formal evening didn't drag the way they usually did. Instead, Ben found himself enjoying himself, smiling at something Autumn said, pleased by the excitement in her pretty green eyes, her obvious pleasure in such a lavish affair. Most of the women he dated had been to dozens of events like this one. They endured but didn't really enjoy them.

Autumn was different.

In fact, the entire evening had been different from the moment he had opened the door to her apartment and seen her in her remodeled evening gown. He knew it wasn't expensive, but somehow she had made it appear as if it were, and the body-hugging style perfectly showed off her small, toned, nicely curved body.

Until tonight he had thought her merely pretty but he had told her the truth-with her shiny dark copper hair, finely arched eyebrows and delicate features, Autumn was a beautiful woman.

As dessert was served-a tower of chocolate curls topped with whipped cream on a bed of pureed raspberry sauce-he found himself staring into those green cat-eyes and had to remind himself to eat. It was amazing. She wasn't even his type.

He reminded himself of that again as he watched her little pink tongue dart out to lick a smudge of whipped cream from her spoon. She wasn't his type and for all he knew, she could be three bricks shy of a load.

They danced again and he held her a little closer than he should have, surprised to discover how well her small frame tucked into his. Desire spilled through him and he was hard before the music really got started, but then he'd been aroused on and off all night.

He couldn't help thinking about the wicked perfume she wore and the even more wicked something she wouldn't tell him about. It would drive him mad until he discovered what it was and yet he d.a.m.ned well knew how dangerous it was to get involved with her on any sort of personal level.

Still there seemed no way to avoid it.

They were riding in the limo on their way back to her condo when he hit her with his latest demand.

"It was a nice evening, wasn't it?" he said casually, easing into the subject he wanted to discuss.

Autumn looked at him and smiled. "I had a wonderful time, Ben. I didn't think I would enjoy myself but I did. I really did feel like Cinderella."

He straightened a little, gearing himself up for the argument he knew would come. "I hope it won't spoil your memory of the evening when I tell you Prince Charming is planning to spend the night."

"What?"

"Not in your bed...at least not without an invitation."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look, Autumn, you've had this dream of yours every time we've been together. Odds are you'll dream again tonight. If you do, I want to be there when you wake up."

"No way. I am not letting you stay with me. No way, no how, no sir."

He gave her what he hoped was a disarming smile. "You aren't afraid of me, are you?"

Autumn eyed him with suspicion. "There's such a thing as date rape, you know. Maybe once I let you in-"

"I don't have to rape my women. I don't intend to start with you."

She stared at him for a moment, then blew out a breath. "Look, I'll write it all down, just like I did before. I won't leave anything out."

"Let me stay. When you wake up, I'll be there to help you focus. I'll ask you questions while your mind is fresh. Maybe something important will come out."

She chewed her bottom lip, a habit he had noticed, whenever she was nervous. Her lips were plump and glossy and a soft shade of rose. His groin tightened and a shot of l.u.s.t hit him like a fist in the stomach. He couldn't remember the last time a woman had turned him on the way this one did.

"Let me stay," he coaxed, wishing he wouldn't be sleeping on the sofa but next to her in that sweetly s.e.xy canopy bed.

"It's a bad idea, Ben."

"All of this is a bad idea. The whole d.a.m.ned thing is totally insane."

"I know it is-but it's happening just the same."

"Then let me stay. If I'm satisfied your dreams are for real, you'll have my complete cooperation. We'll work together, do whatever it takes to find out the truth about Molly."

The limo rolled to a stop. An instant later, the driver jerked open the door. Autumn turned to get out, but Ben caught her arm.

"What's it going to be, Autumn? We keep dancing around this or we set things in motion?"

Autumn released a long, resigned sigh. "All right. You can stay, but you're sleeping on the couch."

Ben wasn't sure it was truly a victory but he nodded. His driver gave him a conspiratorial wink as he stepped out of the car.

Apparently, his reputation preceded him.

If you only knew, Ben thought. He hoped Autumn wouldn't notice the driver's knowing grin.

Ten.

Autumn unlocked the door to her condo, her nerves kicking in again. For G.o.d's sake, Ben McKenzie was spending the night with her! Well, not exactly with her. Not in her bed, at any rate.

The thought sent a sliver of heat into her stomach. Dear G.o.d, even on the sofa the man would be far too close for comfort. She found him ridiculously attractive and he would be there in her living room, sleeping just a few feet away.

He's there for good reason, she told herself. It's really no big deal. At least it shouldn't be. For one reason or another, Josh had slept on the couch at least four or five times. But Josh wasn't Ben and that was the rub.

Autumn flicked a glance at the tall man standing beside the breakfast bar stripping off his black tuxedo jacket. He tossed it over the back of a chair, then proceeded to remove his black bow tie, unfasten his gold-and-onyx cufflinks and remove the matching studs that closed the front of his pleated white shirt.

When he started to tug the shirt out of his trousers, Autumn held up a hand. "Wait a minute! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm taking off my shirt. You don't expect me to sleep in my clothes, do you?"

"I don't know, I...I mean, you should have thought to bring something with you or...or..."

"Look, I didn't plan this. After I read the paper you gave me with the details of your dream, it seemed like a good idea."

She nervously chewed her lip. "Maybe we should try it a different night when we're both better prepared."

Ben unfastened the last of the studs and his white shirt parted, exposing his chest. It was wide and muscled and lightly furred. Autumn's gaze moved over that hard male anatomy and her stomach contracted.

"You're looking at me like you've never seen a man's bare chest before."

"Well, I-"

"There was good ol' Steven Elliot, remember?"

"Steve wasn't built like you." Autumn closed her eyes, wishing she could call back the words.

Ben stood there grinning. "I think I like you, Autumn Sommers. You have an honesty I haven't seen in a woman in years." He frowned. "At least I hope you do." He turned and walked over to the sofa, which wasn't all that big. "You got an extra pillow I can borrow? Maybe a blanket?"

She went into her bedroom and came out with a blanket and pillow and set them down on the end of the couch. When Ben went in to use the bathroom, Autumn gave him one of the extra toothbrushes she kept for emergencies then waited for him to come out.

Noticing she still wore her evening gown, he paused on his way to the sofa. "Unless you're planning to offer me a nightcap, I suggest we both go to bed."

She quickly nodded. A nightcap with a half-naked Ben McKenzie was the last thing she wanted. "If there's anything you need..."

Ben cast her a slow, sensuous glance that said exactly what he needed. "Actually there is one more thing." The husky note in his voice threw out warning signals, but she couldn't make herself move.

Ben walked over to where she stood in the bedroom doorway. "A Cinderella night wouldn't be complete without a goodnight kiss."