Stealing Shadows - Hiding In The Shadows Part 42

"I ... heard Richardson tell you they'd have the autopsy results in themorning. Then they'll release her body?"

"Yes."

Faith felt a dull ache. Well, what else had she expected? He'd said himself that no one would ever be able to take Dinah's place. And now that it was over, now that he had his puzzle virtually put together and she had the satisfaction of knowing the murderer of her mother and sister was dead, they would go on with their lives.

Their separate lives.

Faith looked down at the floor. Why had she even gotten dressed after her shower and come in here?

Why hadn't she just gone to bed and left him alone?

He obviously wanted to be alone. "I guess ... now that the danger is

past, I can go ... home. Back to my apartment." "I don't want you to

go," he said.

She felt her heart skip a beat, but kept her gaze determinedly down. "I know I just moved into your life for a week, and I want you to know I'm grateful.

I would have been so frightened on my own, and probably dead by now-"

"I don't want you to go," he repeated slowly.

She had to look up then, and met his gaze with a sensation of being

stripped naked of more than her clothing.

Even more slowly, In a tone of realization and reluctance and acceptance, he said, "I ... don't ... want you to go."

Don't question. Not yet. Not now.

Faith was on her feet before she realized she was going to move, and he

was turning toward her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I didn't plan this," she said.

"I know. Neither did I. "

"I ... I'm not ... I couldn't stay if it was only because-"

"It isn't."

Faith pulled breath into lungs starving for air. "Are you sure? It's

only her red polish, her earrings, but I'm not-"

Kane lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.

She heard a broken sound, and realized it came from her, from deep

'inside where something had let go. She felt the hardness of his bodyagainst hers, felt her fingers slide into his hair and her mouth comealive beneath his, and there was something so familiar and intimate andwildly arousing in his touch, his kiss, the strength of his arms around her, that she wanted to cling to him with all her might, all her will.

"You'll stay," he muttered against her lips.

"Yes."

He raised his head and stared down at her, gray eyes molten. He framedher face with his hands, and she could feel them shaking.

Fierce, he said, "I won't be so careful this time, do you understand? Iwon't bite back what I want to say because I'm afraid it isn't what youwant to hear. I won't stop myself from touching you because I'm not sureyou want to be touched. And most of all, I won't let you shut me out ofthe parts of your life that matter to you."

Faith reached up to touch his face. "I love you."

He caught his breath, then kissed her again, his mouth hard now,insistent. He lifted her, carried her from the living room to thebedroom.

She was hardly aware of being set on her feet beside the bed, of helpinghim pull off her sweater and slide the pants down her legs. She wasunb.u.t.toning his shirt, tugging it from his pants, and gasped when hishands pushed aside her bra and held her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Her hands fumbled, but she managed to push his shirt off his shoulders,unfasten his pants. She touched him and heard his indrawn breath,felt the ' spiraling tension inside both of them wind even tighter.

Touching him was necessary; it fed the starving need inside her.

"Ali, G.o.d," he muttered, hoa.r.s.e and desperate.

They were on the bed somehow, the covers thrown clothes scattered. Thelamp let them see, but their hands saw more, movingeverywhere, shaping and fondling and caressing. Lips never more than awhisper apart. Bodies straining to be closer, to merge, to meld.

He felt so right to Faith. So right touching her. So right inside her,filling an emptiness she hadn't known was there, claiming that part ofher for himself.

"I love you," she whispered, and knew she always had.

Chapter SIXTEEN.

"So I guess it's all over now," Dinah said.

"I guess so. "

"Puzzle completed, treasure found. Bad guys vanquished. "You might have

been more help," Faith accused.

Dinah smiled. "It had to happen the way it happened. Things do, you know. So don't feel bad."

"About Kane?"

"You love him. I wanted to, but ... I couldn't, not the way he

deserved."

Faith was surprised. "Why not?"

"Because I knew what was going to happen to me.

I'd known for a long time."

"Couldn't you change it?" "No. Like I said. Things have to happen the

way they happen. And there was you. I knew as soon as we met that you'd play a part in all of it. I just didn't know how."

-its my fault, what happened. I'm sorry.

"I'm not."

Faith was surprised. "No? But-"

'When you come to the end, you understand what's really important."

Dinah looked at her intently. -You understand."

"But all the pain. The fear. I'm sorry you had to go through that." "As I said, things have to happen the way they do.

But I'm sorry you died." Dinah seemed to hesitate, then said, "Somethingalways has to die so that something else can live. You do understandthat, don't you?"

Faith began to feel uneasy. "Yes, but ... I remember now, you said once you found the Macguffin, you wouldn't be dead anymore.

"Yes, that's what I said."

But-"

"I'm not dead, Faith. I never have been, not really.

You're the one who's dead."

Faith stared at her, at the odd little smile, the compa.s.sionate blue eyes. She reached out instinctively, and froze when Dinah reached out as well. After a moment, Faith forced herself to go on, to stretch her hand slowly toward Dinah's.

When their fingers touched, she felt the cool, smooth surface of amirror.

Faith opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She was wide awake, sowide awake that she felt as if she'd never sleep again. Slowly, sheturned her head on the pillow and looked at Kane. He slept with theabsolute stillness of utter exhaustion, muscles totally relaxed. It wasno wonder. This was probably the first decent night's sleep he'd beengranted in weeks.

And, of course, they had made love until nearly dawn, again and again,unable to get enough of each other. She thought he had memorized thetexture of her skin, and she was certain she would always know him,forever, even In total darkness.

Carefully, she eased out from under his arm and sat up on the side ofthe bed. The clock on the night- stand said it was 'just aftereight-thirty.

She made sure he was covered and still sleeping deeply, then gatheredher things and slipped from the bedroom. She took a shower, allowing thehot water to ease the ache of muscles unaccustomed to love- making, toall the unusual exertions of the day before, then dressed and went tothe kitchen.

His special blend of coffee. She stared at the bag for a moment, thendumped an approximate amount into the filter, poured water into the topchamber, and waited for it to drip through to the pot below.

When it was ready, she fixed a cup with her customary load of cream andsugar, then carried it into the living room. She looked at her barewrist, then grimaced slightly. No watch, ever, because they never wantedto keep running for her. Somebody had told her once that it was themagnetic or electrical field of her body. Faith's body.

The clock on the VCR said quarter after nine. She picked up the phoneand called the hospital, asking them to page Dr. Burnett for her. He wasthere, of course. Even early on Sat.u.r.day, he was there.

"Faith is anything wrong?" His voice held a bit of an edge and it tookher a moment to remember their last meeting.

"There's something I need to ask you," she replied, sweeping his angeraside.

"What is it?"

"Before I came out of the coma, did you believe I would?" "Faith, I toldyou how unusual I "You know what I'm asking you."