Gateway to Heaven by Beth Kery Page A

intimate gesture.
    He’d noticed all right.
    He placed his hand over hers so that she wouldn’t remove her finger. She watched him as he used his teeth to scrape ever so gently against the pad and nail of her forefinger. She made a sexy sound in her throat and swayed closer to him. The tips of her breasts pressed against his chest. When she hesitated, Christian whispered—no, he entreated.
    “ Don’t stop. Come here.”
    She came closer and kissed him. He forced himself to say immobile, loving her shy, sweet seduction of his mouth. Her kisses were light and airy at first. After a moment, though, she pressed closer to him and her mouth became more feverish. He restrained himself even when she licked at the seam of his closed lips with the tip of her red tongue, teasing him into opening. That sweet, furtive little caress made the blood pound in his veins. He lost all vestiges of control when she placed her slightly parted lips over his and created suction.
    He raised his hand to the back of her head and kissed her hard and deep.
    Neither of them registered when the cab stopped nor when the cab driver made a loud coughing noise. Megan broke their kiss when he cabdriver spoke drolly, “This is 748 West Adams. We’re not going to get any closer than this.”
    He was uncommonly pleased by Megan‘s flustered, happy, expression as she opened the door of the cab. She looked dazed and beautiful…and extremely well-kissed. He handed a bill to the cabdriver and got out after her. It took him a moment to realize Megan had frozen on the sidewalk and was staring at a man and a woman who stood in front of their building.
    “ Hilary. Terry. What are you doing here?” Megan asked the couple tensely, all traces of her heady expression vanished. “It’s not Emily, is it? Is something wrong?”
    The woman hurried over to her. Christian noticed she gave him an angry, suspicious glance.
    “ There’s nothing wrong with Emily. She’s at Mom’s. It’s you I was worried about. Where have you been?” her aquamarine eyes traveled over Megan’s face, as if searching for bruises. “Why are you dressed like that? Have you been drinking ?”
    “ Yes, some wine. We were at a blues club downtown. Christian Lasher, this is my sister Hilary and my brother-in-law Terry Molloy.” Christian gave a warm greeting and shook Terry’s hand. He dropped his outstretched arm when he saw Hilary’s hostile expression.
    “ Emily mentioned she’d spent time with you, Christian. I was surprised to hear it, since I hadn’t heard about it from anyone else.” Even though Hilary was ostensibly speaking to Christian, her accusatory stare was for Megan.
    Megan blanched. Christian hated seeing her discomposure. He spoke quickly because Megan looked like she was ready to apologize. For some reason, the idea of watching Megan apologize for anything offended him on a bone deep level.
    “ Did Emily say she had a good time?” he asked Hilary.
    “ Yes,” Hilary was forced to admit.
    “ I’m glad. She’s a smart, fun little girl. You must be very proud of her.”
    Terry murmured his thanks for the compliment, but Hilary looked furious at his intrusion. She grasped her sister’s upper arm. “Megan, we need to talk to you. Now. Privately.”
    “ Hilary,” Megan murmured in embarrassment. “Christian and I were…”
    Hilary drew herself up to her full, “big sister” height, which was maybe one and a half inches taller than Megan’s. He could easily see the physical similarities between the two women, although Hilary looked like she was closer to his age than Megan’s. She was undoubtedly a beautiful woman, but that bitchy expression she was wearing effectively cancelled out any charm she might have.
    “ I could see what you and Christian were doing. So could Terry, the cabdriver and just anybody else who walked along here.”
    Christian couldn’t restrain a disbelieving bark of laughter at Hilary’s sanctimonious attitude. “Lighten up, Hilary.