To Love and Protect
Susan Mallery
Follow the lives of these ordinary people as they face life's greatest challenges and triumphs–proving that love and family are the ultimate redemption.Career woman Elizabeth Duncan focused her energy on business rather than on pleasure–except for one special night with Special Agent David Logan, who disappeared on a secret assignment after their brief but sweet encounter.Five years later, while on assignment in Russia, David was shocked when Elizabeth walked back into his life. Nothing had changed between them…except that Elizabeth–and her newly adopted baby, Natasha–were now in danger. David felt he had to protect them. Could he convince Elizabeth that he wanted to watch over her permanently?
As David Logan investigates a black-market baby ring in Russia, he’s reunited with the woman he regretted leaving behind years ago…
Elizabeth Duncan had finally made it to Russia.
David knew her visit had nothing to do with him—they hadn’t been in contact since they’d parted company the evening he’d flown to Moscow. Still, he’d come to this embassy party in hopes of catching a glimpse of her. Maybe more than a glimpse…
He looked across the room and caught a view of a beautiful redhead in a black gown. The slender straps holding up the dress offered possibilities. He began walking toward her.
“Liz?”
She turned slowly, teasing him first with her profile and then with her whole, incredible face. Those large green eyes and full lips. Heat sizzled between them.
“David Logan,” she said, her voice exactly as he remembered. “I wondered if I’d run into you here.”
She’d thought of him…and the news pleased him more than it should have.
SUSAN MALLERY
is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than ninety romances. Her combination of humor, emotion and just-plain-sexy has made her a reader favorite. Susan makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her handsome husband and possibly the world’s cutest dog. Visit her Web site at www.SusanMallery.com.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
To Love and Protect
Susan Mallery
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Be a part of
Because birthright has its privileges and family ties run deep.
One night sealed their passion, then divided them. Could fate—and an adorable baby girl—reunite them?
David Logan: Though they couldn’t be together, David never forgot Elizabeth and the fierce emotions she aroused in him. Five years later, while on assignment in Russia, he saw her and his heart stopped. This time she needed his help, and he was determined not to let her disappear again!
Elizabeth Duncan: She would do anything to protect her little girl, even enlist the aid of the special agent who’d broken her heart years ago. While she couldn’t admit all he’d meant to her, she was grateful…and more drawn to him than ever. Did she dare hope that the three of them would become a family?
The Portland pot is brewing: Behind the scenes, one troubled person pulls strings and creates dangers that no one could have imagined….
Because birthright has its privileges and family ties run deep.
AVAILABLE JUNE 2010
1.) To Love and Protect by Susan Mallery
2.) Secrets & Seductions by Pamela Toth
3.) Royal Affair by Laurie Paige
4.) For Love and Family by Victoria Pade
AVAILABLE JULY 2010
5.) The Bachelor by Marie Ferrarella
6.) A Precious Gift by Karen Rose Smith
7.) Child of Her Heart by Cheryl St. John
8.) Intimate Surrender by RaeAnne Thayne
AVAILABLE AUGUST 2010
9.) The Secret Heir by Gina Wilkins
10.) The Newlyweds by Elizabeth Bevarly
11.) Right by Her Side by Christie Ridgway
12.) The Homecoming by Anne Marie Winston
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 2010
13.) The Greatest Risk by Cara Colter
14.) What a Man Needs by Patricia Thayer
15.) Undercover Passion by Raye Morgan
16.) Royal Seduction by Donna Clayton
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
One
“I need a man with good hands,” Liz Duncan murmured to herself as she studied the sketch, then the beautiful blond female model she’d hired for the afternoon.
“Don’t we all?” Marguerite said as she adjusted the baby she held, then tossed her long hair back over her shoulder. “That’s why they wrote a song about it.”
Liz tilted her head. Something about the scene wasn’t right. The proportion, she thought. With a man holding the baby, the image would be more powerful and evocative. Marguerite’s fingers were too delicate, her palms too narrow.
“A song about what?” Liz asked absently.
“Slow hands, honey. Get with the program. If you’re going to get a man, get a good one. Make sure he knows what he’s doing.”
Liz glanced at the tall, slender nineteen-year-old. “I’m talking about work.”
“I’m not.”
“You never are.” Liz flipped through her sketches, then shook her head. “You can put her down. We’re done.”
“Sure, boss.” She carefully placed the sleeping baby back into the bassinet and lightly touched her cheek. “Thanks for the good time, kid.” She looked at Liz. “You really done with me?”
“Sure. I’ll let the agency know I changed my mind about the assignment, not that you didn’t work out.”
“I appreciate that.”
Marguerite collected her large tote bag and walked out of the room. Liz crossed to the bassinet and stared at the sleeping baby. The infant’s tiny features stirred her heart.
“I wouldn’t mind taking you home with me, little one,” she murmured. “Too bad this is all about work.”
After wheeling the baby back to the nursery, Liz wandered the halls of Children’s Connection, the nonprofit adoption and fertility center that had hired her to do the artwork for its new brochure. She’d been on manhunts before, but never in connection with her work.
“I should give myself hazard duty pay,” she murmured as she rounded a corner and began checking out offices.
She found nine women, three guys over the age of fifty, a hunky guy about thirty, but no strong, masculine types with great hands. Her vision for the brochure was clear—someone holding a baby. At first she’d thought that someone should be a woman, but now she knew better.
She headed toward the exit, thinking the Portland General Hospital next door might be a better source. Maybe she could find an intern or resident to take pity on her. If her luck held, her baby model would continue to nap peacefully. If she could just—
A man reached the front door the same time she did. He pulled the door open and waited politely for her to exit first. Liz stumbled to a stop as she studied his strong fingers and broad palms. His hands looked more than capable—they looked safe. She could see them cradling the baby, offering shelter and security and the perfect resting place for a tired, trusting infant.
“Change your mind?” the man asked.
“Huh?” Liz blinked at him, then realized he was still holding open the door. Was he leaving?
“Wait! You can’t go.” Without thinking, she grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Are you leaving? Do you have a few minutes? Okay, maybe an hour, but no longer. The baby is going to wake up after that. But I’ve got at least an hour, if you do.”
As she spoke, she looked from the man’s hands to his face. He was young, maybe in his mid-twenties. Handsome. Confident. Intriguing. Brown eyes regarded her quizzically while a firm, sensual mouth curved up slightly at the corners.
“What?” she asked, aware that she might not have made as much sense as she could have.
“I’m debating between deranged and charming,” he told her.
She released his jacket. “I suggest charming. It’s more flattering and accurate. I’m occasionally temperamental but almost never crazy. You should hear me out.”
“Fair enough.” He released the door and stepped back.
As he tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, Liz became aware of a subtle tension crackling between them. Not a surprise, she thought ruefully. Dark-haired guys with broad shoulders were totally her type. Combine that with an air of mystery and an easy disposition and she was almost always open to the possibilities.
“Elizabeth Duncan,” she said, holding out her hand. “Liz. I’m a commercial illustrator hired by Children’s Connection to do some artwork for their new brochure. If they love my design enough, they’ll start using it on letterhead and publicity materials.”
“David Logan.” His hand engulfed hers. “I can draw a stick figure that would make you green with envy.”
She chuckled even as she ignored the slightly crooked, very charming tilt to his smile and the way the warmth from his fingers made her want to purr. She was on a schedule, not just because of her deadline but because her other model—the baby—wouldn’t sleep forever.
“So here’s the thing,” she said. “I have approval for my idea, which was a woman holding a sleeping baby. The drawing focuses on the baby, so we only see the woman’s forearms and hands. But when I did a preliminary sketch, it looked all wrong.” She tried to look as innocent as possible. “I need a man instead.”
One eyebrow rose. “Of course you do.”
“I’m serious. You have great hands. The baby is asleep, so all you have to do is hold her. It’s maybe an hour out of your life. Just think, if the people in charge love my design, your hands could be famous. That would have to help with women.”
He chuckled. “What makes you think I need help?”
She had a feeling he didn’t at all. “Okay, fine. It will give you an edge.”
He pulled his hands out of his pockets and glanced at his watch. “Just an hour?”
“I swear. I work fast.”
Twenty minutes later David Logan had to concede that Liz was nothing if not determined. She’d collected a sleeping baby from the nursery and brought both of them to a small, empty office with a huge south-facing window. Sunlight poured in—a rare thing for a mid-October day in Portland, Oregon.
“The light’s great in here,” she said as she slipped off her worn suede jacket. “It’s also quiet so we won’t be disturbed.”
She fussed with the leather executive chair, moving it around until she was happy with the placement. David watched her work, admiring both her ability to focus and the way the light turned her long, wavy auburn hair first gold then red then back to gold.
Liz was beautiful in a fiery, explosive kind of way. Petite, yet curvy, she wore her black jeans skintight and her dark green shirt unbuttoned far enough to show the lace of her bra. Silver earrings dangled nearly to her shoulders.
Her body had been built to drive men insane, but she had the face of an angel. Wide-eyed, full-lipped and innocent. It was a combination that would have caused him to look twice in any circumstances.
She settled him in the chair and then positioned the baby in his arms. He liked Liz’s light touch and the way she got lost in her work. He liked her close enough to cloud his judgment.
“You’re not comfortable,” she said as he held the baby stiffly.
“No kidding. I don’t want to break her.”
“You won’t. Think of this as practice for your future family. Plus, she’s too young to judge and I won’t tell anyone if you mess up.”
“How comforting.”
After she’d fussed a few minutes, rolling up the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt, then unrolling them, she repositioned him again and reached for her sketch pad.
“Stay as still as you can,” she said as she began drawing. “Take deep breaths to relax. Don’t think about me drawing, instead think about that little girl in your arms. She’s so tiny and you’re the only person in the world she can depend upon.”
David glanced down at the baby. He’d never much thought about kids one way or the other, and he wasn’t comfortable holding this one. The only person she could depend on?
“Kid, you’re in trouble,” he muttered.
Liz chuckled. “So not true, David. You’ll be a great dad. Imagine her grown up a little. Maybe three or four. You come in the door from work and she runs toward you. Her whole face lights up with love and excitement. Her daddy’s home.”
Her voice and her words created a powerful image in his mind. He could almost see the little girl racing toward him.
“She’s seven,” Liz continued, her voice low and compelling. “You’re teaching her to throw a ball. This is your daughter and there’s no way she’s going to throw like a girl.”
He grinned. “What if I throw like a girl?”
“Oh, sure. That’s likely.”
He studied the baby he held. Her skin was soft and pale, her mouth a perfect rosebud. Tufts of hair draped across her forehead. He wondered who she was and how she’d come to be at Children’s Connection. Was she being adopted? Did she belong to one of the employees?
“She’s twelve,” Liz said. “Tall and skinny and really awkward. You can see how beautiful she’s going to be, but no one else can. The boys are teasing her and she comes home in tears. It’s been a while since she’s wanted to be daddy’s little girl, but she’s hurt and she crawls into your lap. When you hug her, she feels so small, as if the harsh words could break her. And you want to do anything you can to protect her.”
David felt himself tensing, as if there really was a preteen for him to defend. As if this child was his.
“Why the stories?” he asked.
“All questions will be answered later. Just go with me, okay?”
“Sure. I’m about to find those guys and beat the crap out of them.”
“I like that in a father. Now she’s sixteen and going to her first school dance. She’s as beautiful as you always knew she would be. But she’s growing up and slipping away and even though you know in your head she’ll always be your daughter, in your heart you feel like everything’s different.”
Without thinking, David tightened his hold on the baby. She couldn’t be grown up yet. Not so fast. Not while—
“Done,” Liz said, sounding both triumphant and slightly stunned. “This was fast, even for me. I guess I got caught up in the story, too. You can relax.”
For the first time David realized his muscles ached from holding so still. He shifted the baby against his chest and moved his arm under her.
“I’ll take her,” Liz said as she set the sketch pad down on the table and reached for the baby.
David handed her over, then glanced at the picture.
“That’s amazing,” he said honestly as he gazed at the sketch.
It was exactly as she’d described—a man’s hands holding a baby. Simple, minimalistic, yet evocative. There was power in the drawing. The man’s hands—his hands—supported the baby in such a way that he could feel the protectiveness and the love. This was not a father who would let anyone mess with his kid.
“How did you do that?” he asked. Was it the curve of the fingers, the shadows? Thirty minutes ago he’d never held a baby in his life. Based on this drawing, he’d been doing it for years.
“I drew the baby first,” Liz said as she settled the little girl into the bassinet on wheels. “While I talked, your hold on her changed. I can’t explain it, but you just connected to what I was saying. I waited until you were really into it, then drew like crazy.”
She looked up and smiled. “The talking thing is a technique I learned in a class. The instructor said the best way to get a subject to do exactly what you want is to make him feel what you want people to feel when they look at the drawing. Sounds strange, but sometimes it works.”
She picked up the sketchbook. “They’re going to love this. Which means you’re officially my model and I need you to sign a release.”
The baby whimpered. Liz shook her head.
“Someone is waking up and I’m guessing neither of us is ready to take responsibility for actually dealing with her. Let me run our star back to the nursery, then I’ll get you a release form. Oh, and I have expenses on this job. I can even pay you.”
“Money?”
“That is the generally accepted means.” Her green eyes widened with amusement and anticipation. “Did you have something else in mind?”
Where she was concerned? Absolutely. “Lunch.”
“You’re on.”
David picked a small bistro down by the river. It was not the kind of place dirt-poor, struggling commercial illustrators frequented so Liz was determined to enjoy every second. The trick was going to be focusing on something other than the man sitting opposite her. It wasn’t just that he was handsome and nice and funny, it was the way he looked at her, as if he’d just discovered something amazing about her, and the way he moved his hands when he talked. She had a real thing for his hands.
“Tell me about being a commercial illustrator,” he said when they were seated. “Is all your work freelance?”
It was late, nearly one-thirty, and most of the lunch crowd had already come and gone. She and David had the front of the restaurant to themselves.
She brushed her fingers against the thick white tablecloth and stared longingly at the basket of bread. She’d skipped breakfast, more out of financial necessity than a desire to lose weight, and she was starved.
She nodded in response to his question. “No, boss.” As the waiter appeared with a pitcher of ice water, she explained, “No regular paycheck, either. I find my own jobs, work my own hours. I’m trying to build a portfolio of just the right work, which means I’m picky about the assignments I take. Times can be lean, but I get by.”
“Where does Children’s Connection fit into your plans?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not doing it for the money. There’s very little pay. But the exposure and publicity opportunity is huge. Plus I’m a fan of what they do.”
He leaned toward her. “Were you adopted?”
“No, but my grandmother was. She was Russian. When her parents were killed during the Second World War, she had nowhere to go. Some aid workers took her in and she ended up in Poland. There she met an American nurse who wanted to bring her here.”
His dark gaze moved to her face. “So that explains the great cheekbones.”
“Aren’t you the slick one? Complimenting my appearance while getting information on my past.”
“I have my ways.”
She liked his ways. “Enough about me. What do you do?”
Before he could answer, the waiter returned to take their orders. Liz chose a club sandwich, knowing she could take at least half of it home for dinner, and added on a cup of soup. David picked the burger.
“So typically guy,” she said. “A burger and fries.”
“I have to get my fix while I can.”
She picked up her water glass. “Because you’ll soon be forbidden to eat red meat?”
“Because I’m heading to Europe in about—” He checked his watch. “Eleven hours.”
“You’re what?”
He lowered his voice. “I’m a spy and the government is sending me to Russia.”
“Oh, please.”
He grinned. “It’s half true. I really am going to Moscow, but not as a spy. I work for the State Department.”
“Like I’m buying that. How old are you?”
“Twenty-five. I was recruited out of college.” He held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m a low-level flunky. Trust me, they hire guys my age. Someone has to do the grunt work.”
“An overseas assignment is hardly grunt work.” She thought about her nana. “But to see Moscow…” Someday, she promised herself. Because she wanted to and because she’d told Nana she would.
“Have you been?” he asked.
“No. We talked about going, but Nana’s health was never great. Not that there was tons of money.”
“She must be very proud of you.”
“She was.” Liz reached for the bread. “She died three years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
David’s words were a simple, expected courtesy, yet he spoke them as if he meant them. As if he understood loss.
“Thanks.” She looked at him. “So what exactly is grunt work for the State Department? I don’t guess you carry packages across the border or anything?”
“Sorry, no. But I can probably get you a decoder ring.”
She laughed. “I’d like that. Oh, and maybe some disappearing ink.”
“I’ll check the supply cabinet when I get there.”
“How long are you posted overseas?” she asked.
“It can be years. I’ll be in Moscow at least three.”
Liz felt a twinge of something low in her stomach. Regret? Maybe. She liked David more than she’d liked anyone in a long time.
“What does your family say about that?” she asked.
“I’m one of five kids, so they’re used to their children having lives. Besides, my folks are great. They want me to be happy.”
Nana would have wanted that for her, too, Liz thought fondly. Happiness and lots of babies. To her grandmother, they were forever linked. Unfortunately, Nana had only had one son and that son had only produced one child.
The waiter appeared with their meals. When he was gone, Liz picked up her soup spoon and glanced at David. “Logan, huh? As in ‘the Logans’? The rich computer company family who contribute millions to Children’s Connection?”
David sighed. “I believe it’s very important to give back.” He grinned. “At least I will when I make my fortune. For now, my folks are the generous ones.”
More than generous, she thought. She’d heard great things about the family. Based on how terrific David was, she would guess they were true.
“I assume there’s no Mrs. Logan accompanying you to Russia?” she asked.
He regarded her seriously. “Nope. Mom’s going to stay home, although she did sew my name into the collars of all my dress shirts.”
She grinned. “You know what I mean.”
“I’m not married, Liz. If I was, I wouldn’t be having lunch with you like this.”
“Good. I’m not married, either. Although there are two large ex-football players waiting for me back at the apartment.”
His mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding.”
“No, but don’t sweat it. They’re just roommates.”
“Why do I know that’s a line?”
“I have no idea. I’m telling the truth. They only have eyes for each other.”
After a lengthy lunch they tussled over the bill.
“It’s on me,” Liz said as she reached for the slip of paper David held. “It’s in exchange for you modeling for me. I’m putting it on my expense account, I swear.”
David shook his head. “It’s my treat. I don’t have lunch with a beautiful woman all that often.”
He was so lying, she thought humorously.
“I’m on to you,” she said as he handed the waiter his credit card. “You act all gentle and charming, but the truth is you’re a serious player in the man-woman game. You know all the moves and I doubt you ever spend a night home alone, except by choice.”
He winced. “That’s unfair.”
“But is it wrong?”
He looked at her and smiled. “What about you, Red?” He fingered the fringe on the brown suede jacket she’d just put on. “You play the starving artist, but with really great accessories. I’m going to guess that guys fall all over themselves to stare into those big green eyes of yours.” He lowered his voice. “Tell me that you’ve never done a quick sketch just to impress a potential conquest.”
“Not since high school,” she protested.
“Any nights alone except by choice?”
She considered the question. “Not really.”
“So you’re a player, too.”
“Okay. Sometimes. Guys are easy.”
“Yeah, and nobody gets close.”
She stared at him. How did he know that? Keeping men at arm’s length was something she did well, and she couldn’t always say why. Sometimes she wondered if she didn’t want to fall in love or if she was just afraid of feeling too much.
The waiter returned with the credit card and the receipt. David signed it and pocketed his copy. As he put away his card, he studied her.
“I have eight hours until I have to head for the airport. Want to keep me company for the rest of my last day on American soil?”
She had a thousand things she should be doing and right this second she couldn’t think of even one.
“Sure, but what about your family? Don’t you have to do the goodbye thing?”
“Did it last night. There was a big party.” He rose and held out his hand. “Wish you could have been there.”
“Me, too.”
She stood and tucked her hand in his. His fingers laced with hers.
Liz felt the heat sizzle between them. Her chest tightened, and there was a definite tingle rippling through her thighs. Talk about lousy timing.
They walked along the river until a cold wind forced them indoors, then they settled next to each other in the corner booth of a coffeehouse. The hours slipped by and they couldn’t seem to stop talking.
“Everyone tried to talk me out of pursuing this as a career,” Liz said with a shrug. “Except Nana, but she believed I could do anything. If I hadn’t won the grant right before graduating, I don’t know that I would have had the courage to make a go of my art.”
She laughed. “Art. That sounds so pretentious. It makes me feel that I should be wearing a black turtleneck and talking about the blindness of the masses. Then I remember I’m part of the masses.”
David rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. Her skin was smooth and pale. No freckles, no flaws at all. She had small hands with slender fingers. Sensibly short nails, he thought. No flashy polish, no rings. The plainness of her hands was at odds with the dangling earrings and charm-bracelet watch.
But he liked that the same way he liked her quick smile and easy laughter. He turned her hand over and traced the lines there.
“Which one is the life line?” he asked.
“I have no idea. I hope it’s the really long one. I have a lot of things on my to-do list and I need time.”
“You’ll make it,” he said with a confidence he couldn’t explain.
“Can I have that in writing?”
“Sure.”
He stared into her eyes. There were a thousand shades of green in her irises. Even more variations on red, gold and auburn in her hair. With his other hand, he reached up and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. He let his fingers linger, and her breath caught.
“David, this is crazy.”
“Tell me about it.”
He had to be at the airport by nine. He was already packed, with his luggage in the trunk of his rental car, but instead of thinking about his job and the opportunity he’d been offered, all he could wonder was how he and Liz could be alone together for more than the next couple of hours.
“Tell me more about your family,” she said. “What was it like growing up with a twin sister?”
“You really want to talk about that?” he asked.
Her mouth parted. “We have to talk about something.”
“Why?”
“Because if we don’t—”
Instead of waiting to hear what would happen if they didn’t, he kissed her. A handful of customers filled the coffeehouse. Several college students were having a heated debate on the economy, and an old man sat by himself reading the paper. David didn’t care about any of them. Right now there was only this moment, this woman and how her mouth felt against his.
She was soft and warm, melting into him as her lips returned the soft, chaste kiss he’d offered. Heat flared, as did desire.
She smelled like flowers, clean skin, sunshine and something that could only be Liz herself. Her fingers clung to his where they held hands. Her free arm wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.
He released her hand and pulled her hard against him. Sitting next to her, he knew, it would be difficult to touch her everywhere, but he wanted to try. He wanted to feel her breasts pressing against his chest and know the weight of her body on top of his. Need filled him, making him ache. He was hard and ready, and damn it all to hell if he didn’t have a plane to catch.
“This is crazy,” Liz whispered when he pulled back. “We just met.”
He was pleased to see that her eyes were dilated and her breathing just as fast as his own.
“Some things don’t take very long,” he said. “When they happen fast, they’re usually right.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never reacted this way. Have you?”
He brushed his mouth against hers. “No. Not even close.”
She shivered. “Hold me. Hold me for as much time as we have left. Please.”
He tugged her close and draped his arm around her shoulders. They talked some, kissed some and mostly watched time slip away. At a little past eight, they walked out to the parking lot and got in his rental car. He headed back to the Children’s Connection parking lot where they’d left her car.
Liz couldn’t believe how sad she felt. She’d only known David a few hours, but it seemed more like a lifetime. The thought of him going away, of never seeing him again, broke her heart.
When he pulled up beside her aging sedan, she turned to him. “Do you really have to go?” she asked softly.
He put the car in Park and faced her. “It’s my job, Liz. I’ve been working for this assignment since the day they hired me.”
She ducked her head. “I know. That was silly. If anyone understands giving it all for a career, it’s me. But I just…”
“Me, too.” He touched her chin, raising her head so she looked at him. “I can’t decide if we should stay in touch or make a clean break.”
“I don’t know, either.”
Her chest tightened until it was difficult to breathe. She wanted him—not just sexually, but in so many other ways. She wanted to learn everything about him. She wanted to meet his family and talk about goals and have dates and fights and make memories. If it wasn’t completely crazy, she would swear she’d fallen for him.
“Take me with you,” she said impulsively. “To Russia.”
He cupped her jaw. “You don’t know how that tempts me, Liz. We could keep each other warm through the long winter.”
It could work, she thought frantically. As a freelance illustrator, she didn’t have to punch a time clock. “I could work from there and send my drawings back to my clients,” she told him. “It would take me a couple of days to wrap things up here but I could—”
He silenced her with a kiss. The sweet pressure of his mouth told her his answer even as she struggled not to believe him. Her eyes began to burn.
“I know, it’s crazy,” she whispered.
“But a great dream.”
A dream. That was what this was. A beautiful, perfect dream that could never be real. Take off for Russia? For a guy? Never. Not that David wasn’t great, but what did she know about him?
Torn between what was sensible and what her heart cried out to claim, Liz opened the passenger door and forced herself to slide out into the night.
“Thank you for a terrific afternoon, David Logan,” she said as she fought tears. “I don’t think it could get better than this. We should probably keep the memory intact and not try to repeat it.”
He nodded. “You’re right. But if you ever find yourself in Moscow…”
“I’ll look you up. And when you’re back in Portland, you do the same.”
“Right.”
She stared at him, at his face, his eyes. She was making the right decision. They both were.
“You’re not the one who got away,” she said firmly.
“Neither are you.”
As she closed the car door, she knew they were both lying.
Two
Nearly five years later
D avid Logan generally avoided recreational social events at the embassy. His work required more than enough cocktail parties at which he either had to keep his eye on someone dangerous or extract information without the person in question knowing. He no longer found the endless chatter relaxing or fun. Give him a good covert kidnapping or prisoner extraction any day.
But tonight was different. Even though it was his day off, he found himself nodding politely to people he’d seen at events like this a dozen times before and making inane conversation with spouses of staff members. Even as he explained a point of baseball to a security operative from the British embassy, he kept his eye on the circulating crowd. Nearly thirty American tourists had been invited to the evening’s festivities, including one Elizabeth Duncan from Portland, Oregon.
Liz had finally made it to Russia.
He knew her visit had nothing to do with him—they hadn’t been in contact since they’d parted company the evening he’d flown to Moscow. Still, he’d come to the party with the hope of catching a glimpse of her. Maybe more than a glimpse. He wanted to look at her, talk to her, find out what was different and what was the same.
Funny how after all this time he could remember everything about their time together. While he wasn’t willing to admit she was the one who got away, he would claim a certain interest. He’d never forgotten her. Would she be able to say the same about him?
He concluded his conversation with the British security operative and made his way to the bar. As he crossed the large, crowded room, he glanced toward the entrance and saw a group of Americans standing there.
They wore their nationality as easily as their formal clothing, something that would surprise most of them. His time in Russia had taught David to size up a person in a matter of seconds, and he recognized the well-dressed, well-fed posture of relatively successful Westerners. A few were in Moscow as tourists, some had come to adopt children, and a couple were here for work.
The crowd parted, allowing him a view of a beautiful redhead in a black gown. He wasn’t close enough to see the color of her eyes, but he remembered. A vivid green. He also recalled her curiosity, her humor and her drive.
“Champagne,” he said to the bartender. “Two.”
After collecting the glasses, he made his way through the crowd.
Liz stood talking to a couple in their late thirties. She’d piled her hair on top of her head, which left her neck bare to view. David wanted to move close enough to brush that pale skin with a kiss. Okay, maybe he wanted to do a lot more than that. The slender straps holding up the dress offered possibilities.
“Down, boy,” he murmured to himself as he made his way closer. He was acting as if he hadn’t been with a woman since he and Liz had parted, but that wasn’t true. There had been plenty. Still, none of them had been her.
“Liz?”
He spoke her name quietly. She had her back to him and when she heard the single word she stilled, then slowly turned.
The action gave him a view of her profile first, then her whole face. Humor and surprise and excitement danced in her large green eyes. Her full lips curved up in a smile that both welcomed and beckoned. Heat sizzled, then arced between them.
“David Logan,” she said, her voice exactly as he remembered. “I’d wondered if you were still haunting the halls of the Moscow state department.”
She’d thought of him. The news pleased him more than it should have.
He handed her a glass of champagne. “Here I am,” he told her. “Welcome to Moscow.”
She touched her glass to his and sipped. “Thank you,” she said. “Oh, let me introduce you to—”
She glanced over her shoulder and saw the couple she’d been talking to had discreetly faded into the party. Liz turned back to him.
“I guess I’ll do the introduction thing later.”
“If you’d like.”
He didn’t care if he never talked to anyone else. Liz was the one who interested him.
“It’s been a long time,” he said.
“Nearly five years.” She smiled. “Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t have admitted to knowing the amount of time. Does that sound like I was pining?”
“No. Were you?”
Her smile widened. “Not all the time. And you?”
“When I saw your name on the guest list, I knew I had to come by and see you again.”
“Here I am.”
He glanced at the elegant dress that skimmed her gorgeous curves before settling just above her ankles. Her large, dangling silver earrings had been replaced with gold-and-diamond studs. He recognized the brand of her watch and the air of confidence around her.
“You’ve become successful,” he said.
“Within my little world, yes. Do the paparazzi follow me around? Not exactly.”
“Do you want them to?”
She laughed. “Of course not. I’m simply pointing out that success is relative. I’ve won a few awards, pleased some well-placed clients, moved up the food chain.”
“Good. Still living with the football players?”
“No. It’s just me now, which is really better. When those two fought, they were impossible.”
She wasn’t married. David told himself the information shouldn’t have mattered, but he liked knowing it.
“What about you?” she asked. “How’s the spy business?”
“I’ve been working on improving invisible ink.”
“How’s that going?”
“Great. Only my work keeps disappearing.”
“That could be a problem.”
David sounded the same, Liz thought happily. Still charming, still easy to be with, but he looked different. Harder, leaner, more dangerous. His dark eyes contained secrets. He might joke about invisible ink but she suspected the truth about his job would make her shiver with fear.
He touched her arm and she felt the warm contact all the way to her toes.
“What are you thinking?” he asked. “You just got serious.”
She clutched her champagne glass and forced herself to relax. “You. When I was planning my trip, I wondered if you would be here. I thought about looking you up but…” She shrugged. “It was only one afternoon.”
He stared deeply into her eyes. “It was a hell of a lot more than that.”
Her stomach clenched slightly. It had been more for her, too.
“Sometimes I thought I’d imagined it all,” she admitted. “That we hadn’t really connected that way so quickly.”
“It was all real.”
He moved a little closer. Close enough that breathing didn’t seem all that necessary. Close enough to make her grateful that her dress slipped on and off so easily. Close enough that she thought about kissing him and touching him and having him touch her back. She thought about the large embassy and the empty rooms and how they could—
Liz consciously cleared her head and sucked in a breath. Time to regroup.
“So,” she said, striving for a cheerful tone, “how’s Mrs. Logan?”
He chuckled. “My mother is fine. Busy with her charity work. I’ll be sure to tell her you were asking. She was just here a few weeks ago. My parents visit a couple of times of year. It was cold and rainy for their visit, but you’ve come at a good time.”
Moscow weather seemed like a safe topic. “I’m glad. I’m hoping to have time to see a few things while I’m here.”
“Looking for a tour guide?”
“Maybe. Do you know someone?”
“A great guy.”
David was only a few inches taller than she, yet he seemed so much larger. And safe. She liked the combination of erotic arousal and comfort she felt standing next to him.
“Does he speak both English and Russian?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah. He’s also passable in German but he could dazzle you in French.”
“I’m not easily dazzled.”
“He’s up to the task.”
“Is he?”
“I promise.”
They were talking about more than just a tour of the city, she thought with a combination of excitement and trepidation. “Maybe you could give me his number.”
“I thought I’d introduce you myself. That would make it more personal. How much time will you have to see the sights?”
Liz took another sip of her champagne and realized David had no idea why she was in Moscow. Would the information change things? Silly question. Of course it would.
“I have a couple of days until things get complicated,” she said. “I’m not here on vacation. I’m with the Children’s Connection group. I’m adopting a baby girl.”
David’s expression didn’t change, nor did his body language, which told her she would never want to play poker against the man.
“Weren’t you working with them when we first met?” he asked.
“Yes. I did the artwork for their brochure.”
“And now you’re adopting a baby through them. My family is a big supporter of what they do. That’s why my parents were here. Well, to visit me, too.”
“How ironic we met last time because of Children’s Connection and here we are again, because of them,” she said.
“Remind me to send a thank-you note.”
She still couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He was so cool, she thought. Didn’t he have questions for her?
“Do you want to comment on my decision to adopt?” she asked.
He continued to study her face. “It’s an interesting choice for a single woman,” he said.
“Agreed.” She shrugged. “There are a lot of reasons. I’m successful and I can afford to take care of a baby. My work schedule is flexible—another plus.”
“Most women prefer to wait for home and husband.”
“True enough. I have the home, but I’m not interested in waiting for the husband.”
Getting married would mean falling in love and Liz wasn’t a fan of the process. In her world, romantic love cost too much and she wasn’t willing to pay.
“At the risk of discussing something too personal, why don’t you have a child of your own?” he asked.
“I’m sure you don’t remember, but I was raised by my grandmother.”
“Of course. Your nana.” He raised his eyebrows. “She was Russian.”
“I’m impressed you remembered.” More than impressed. Intrigued.
“It’s the spy training. I never forget a detail.”
Despite their relatively serious conversation, Liz smiled. “You’re still good-looking and charming. I can’t believe someone hasn’t snatched you up.”
“Maybe I haven’t been available.”
“Their loss.”
She meant it. She might not be interested in happily-ever-after, but that didn’t make her any less appreciative of David’s appeal.
He finished his glass of champagne. “Your grandmother was adopted,” he said.
“Right. After the Second World War. She was brought back to the States. She and I used to talk about her life before—how hard things were. Maybe the seed was planted there. When I did the brochure for Children’s Connection, I learned about their international adoptions. At the time it wasn’t practical, but eventually I realized it was something I wanted to do.”
He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to a small sofa in an alcove by a large window. When she was seated, he sat next to her, angling his body toward hers.
“Was the process difficult?” he asked.
He was sitting close enough to interfere with her mental process. She had to consciously focus on the topic to form actual sentences.
“There’s plenty of paperwork. I had to go through a home study and get all kinds of approvals and documents. I had an initial visit to meet Natasha—that’s the baby’s name. That was about a month ago. I was only here for a couple of days. I thought about trying to find you but…”
“There was a lot going on,” he said, brushing his fingers across the back of her hand.
“Right.”
The full days hadn’t been the only reason, she admitted to herself. She’d been cautious. It had taken a ridiculous amount of time to get over David five years ago. She hadn’t wanted the distraction of trying to deal with him now.
But sitting next to him—aware of his heat, the scent of his body and the rapid beating of her own heart—she knew that she’d mostly been afraid and with good reason. The man turned her head.
“I had plenty of doubts about the adoption process and what I was doing,” she admitted. “Was I crazy to fly halfway around the world to adopt a child? But then I held Natasha in my arms and I knew she was exactly what I’d been waiting for all my life.”
“Sounds special.”
“It was. Now I’m here for the second and final visit. Depending on how the process goes, I’ll be in Moscow for anywhere from several days to several weeks. Then I’ll bring her home with me.”
“When does this all start?” he asked.
“I’ll go to the orphanage the day after tomorrow. Until then I’m free.”
He brushed his thumb across the back of her hand. “Is that an invitation?”
She wanted it to be. “Are you interested?”
His slow, sexy smile made her grateful she was sitting and didn’t have to worry about mundane things like staying upright and balancing herself.
“Absolutely.”
The next day David left his office shortly after ten in the morning. He’d gone in to handle a few pressing problems, then had taken the rest of the day off to show Liz around Moscow.
She was trouble, he acknowledged as he took the stairs to the underground garage. Beautiful, seductive and not for the likes of him. Still, wanting and not having was a unique experience—one he was willing to endure for now.
She’d shown up unexpectedly and the surprises kept on coming. Adopting a child on her own would mean a big change. Five years ago she’d been focused on her career. Apparently that was no longer the case.
They were both different, he thought as he slid into his green Fiat and started the engine. He knew the past five years had changed him in ways he would never talk about. There were still dark places in the Russian Federation and he’d been to most of them.
The drive to the hotel took less than twenty minutes. The five-story building stood on a narrow street, butting up against an apartment block and a private school. David parked, then surveyed the neighborhood. Not elegant, but safe.
The lobby had seen better days. Once beautiful Oriental carpeting had faded until the pattern was little more than a shadow. The carved molding was cracked in several places, but the crystal in the chandelier was authentic and original. The clerk behind the registration desk noted David’s arrival but said nothing to him as he took the stairs to the third floor and knocked on Liz’s door. She answered at once, pulling back the door and smiling at him.
“Right on time,” she said. “You’d warned me you might not be able to get away very easily.”
“I was motivated,” he told her as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
She smelled of soap and flowers and female mysteries. Today she wore her hair down and slightly curled. Over her jeans she had on a yellow T-shirt that hugged her breasts in such a way that he knew he would be distracted the entire day.
As he straightened, their gazes locked. That ever-present heat flared until all he wanted to do was push her back into the room, lock the door behind them and spend the day in bed. Naked.
Instead he retreated to the relative safety of the hallway and stuck his hands into his jeans’ front pockets.
“You about ready?”
“Uh-huh.”
Her smile told him she’d been more than aware of his dilemma, but not how she would have reacted if he’d given in to temptation. He liked to think that she wouldn’t have put up much of a fight.
“So what’s on the agenda?” she asked.
“How much of the city did you see last time you were here?”
She checked her fanny pack for her key, then closed the door and followed him into the hallway.
“Practically nothing. Between the jet lag and meeting Natasha, I barely functioned. That’s why I came in a day early this time—so I could get on Moscow time and be more relaxed.”
He led the way to the stairs. “You’re adopting a child. How relaxed could you be?”
“Good point. So basically I’m a tourist who knows nothing and has seen even less.”
He took her hand in his. “Then trust me to show you Moscow. We’ll drive around to give you a general idea of things, then stop at a place I promise you’ll never forget.”
“Sounds great.”
Liz liked the way David’s hand felt holding hers. She liked being close to him. Honestly, she liked a lot of things, including the fact that he was a giant, good-looking distraction. Coming in early so she wouldn’t be so exhausted during the final adoption process had seemed like a good idea at the time, but flying over, she’d realized it also gave her too much time to think about what she was doing. Not that she regretted any part of adopting Natasha. Instead, she worried about being a good enough mother for the delightful baby.
But with David at her side, she could fill her mind with other intriguing topics and different fantasies. Such as how it was possible for one man to produce so many tingles in her body.
He escorted her to a small green car parked down the street. As they took off, she felt a thrill of excitement. She was about as far from home as she’d ever been, in the company of a handsome man, starting an adventure that would change her life. What could be better?
“Tell me about living here,” she said as they turned a corner and entered a busy main street. “Do you have much contact with Russian people?”
“I try to. When I came here I knew a lot in theory, but had no practical experience with another culture.” He shot her a grin. “Now I’m practically a native.”
“Sure you are. Say something in Russian.”
He obliged with a long sentence. She blinked at him.
“Okay, and what did you say?”
“That this was the kind of day meant to be spent with a beautiful woman. Then I said something dirty I can’t repeat.”
She laughed. “Fair enough. So tell me about the people of this city.”
“They’re welcoming and warm. Even to strangers. Especially to strangers. When you’re in someone’s home, there’s plenty of vodka to go around, and plates and plates of food. Guests are expected to bring a gift. Residents are fiercely loyal to their culture and their history. Russian brands are always preferred. Oh, and when you give flowers, always do so in an odd number. No one here wants a dozen roses.”
“Interesting.”
They crossed a wide river and David began pointing out different buildings. There were museums and theaters and more churches than she’d thought possible, each more beautiful than the last.
“The American embassy,” he said, pointing to his left. “You were there last night.”
“The place to run to if I get into trouble, right?” she asked with a chuckle.
David glanced at her. “Absolutely. Don’t hesitate, even for a second. If something happens, go there.”
He sounded fierce and she shivered. “Are you trying to scare me?”
“Just keeping you safe. Life is different here than back in Portland. You need to remember that.”
“Don’t worry. Except for this day of sight-seeing, my trip here will revolve around the orphanage and getting Natasha. I doubt I’ll get into any trouble with that.”
“Good point.”
He continued to drive around, showing her the sights. At last they parked and began to walk.
The June day was sunny and in the high sixties. David had brought her to a tourist area and she saw people from all over the world. She recognized a few of the languages spoken, but not all.
“Do you like it here?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“How long are you going to stay?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve already extended my assignment twice. I could head back to the States if I wanted.”
“Do you want to, or is the spy business too good?”
He took her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “I’m into the James Bond thing. It works with the ladies.”
“Like you need help there.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Seriously, David, you’re not actually a spy, right?”
“I’m an attaché with the Department of Information.”
“And…?”
“And here’s what I brought you to see.”
He stopped walking and pointed to their right. Liz was about to complain that he hadn’t really answered the question when she turned and saw the most amazing structure she’d ever seen in her life.
The building was huge, a mass of colors and different-shaped domes. Parts were familiar, as if she’d seen them in pictures or on television.
“St. Basil’s Cathedral,” David said. “Built in the mid 1500s by Ivan the Terrible. He was said to have blinded the architects after they finished so that they could never build such a beautiful church again.”
“The man earned his title.”
“In every way possible.”
David led her through the church. She couldn’t believe how beautiful everything was, from the flowers painted on the walls to the many icons. Restoration was under way in parts of the church, and she paused to drop money into a box for the fund.
“They’ll be intrigued,” he said as she finished pushing in a five-dollar bill.
Liz winced. “Oops. Rubles, right? I changed money before I came, but I forgot it back at the room. So much for being the sophisticated world traveler.”
He laughed and pulled her close. “I’ll take care of you. Speaking of which, what are you in the mood for, lunchwise? I can offer you everything from traditional Russian cuisine to a place that serves pretty decent Tex-Mex.”
“Let’s go traditional,” she said with a grin. “I’ve always liked beets.”
The restaurant was small, dark and intimate. Liz liked how the wooden tables were covered with thick white cloths and how the oversize chairs seemed to swallow her up.
She and David were seated by a window with a view of the street. Sunlight danced on the polished wood floors.
“Everything is good here,” David said as he handed her a menu.
She glanced down at the laminated cardboard, then laughed. “It’s all in Russian.”
“You did say traditional.”
“Then you’re going to have to translate.”
“Fair enough. What are you in the mood for?”
They sat close to each other, their knees touching, their arms bumping. This afternoon was thousands of miles and nearly five years from their last lunch, but there were still similarities: the need to discover everything about him all at once. The sense of there not being enough time. The wanting that lurked just below the surface.
“Liz?”
“Hmm? Oh, lunch. Why don’t you decide for me?”
He placed their order, then smiled at her. “Nervous about tomorrow?”
“A little. I know Natasha is too young to remember me from my first visit. I just hope I don’t scare her. I’ll get to spend some time with her, but she won’t be returning to my hotel with me for a couple of days.”
“You’ll both need to adjust.”
“Me more than her.” She bit her lower lip. “I want to be a good mother.”
“Why would you doubt yourself?”
“Lack of experience.”
“So you’ll learn as you go. Isn’t that what usually happens?”
“I guess.”
What she didn’t say is that many new mothers had assistance from family members. There were other women around who knew what the different cries meant and what to worry about and what was no big deal.
“How old is she?” he asked.
“Four months.”
“Can she do anything? Walk? Talk?”
Liz laughed. “She’s just learning her multiplication tables, but we’re going to have to wait another week until she masters fractions.”
He grinned. “Is that your way of telling me no?”
“Pretty much.”
“I’m not a baby person. I don’t know from timetables.”
“She can hold up her head and will soon be rolling over.”
He leaned closer. “Sounds exciting.”
A wild and potentially insane idea popped into Liz’s head. She tried to let it go and when she couldn’t, she opened her mouth and blurted it out.
“Would you like to come with me tomorrow when I go see Natasha at the orphanage?”
Three
L iz shifted impatiently in the passenger seat of the station wagon. Beside her, Maggie Sullivan navigated the route from the hotel to the orphanage.
“Nervous?” the Portland-based social worker asked cheerfully.
“You bet.”
“There’s no need to be. All that’s going to happen today is that you’ll get a chance to spend some time with Natasha. If the connection is still there and you want to adopt her, then we’ll move forward with the process. If not, you’re free to leave.”
Liz stared at the other woman. “Does anyone ever do that?”
The pretty blonde smiled. “Not usually.”
“I’m ready to bring Natasha home.”
“Then we’ll make that happen.”
Liz hoped so. The foreign adoption process had been long enough to give her plenty of time to be sure of what she was doing. Her only concern lay in being good enough.
Behind her, the couple in the back seat talked quietly to each other. She’d met the Winstons last night at the hotel. Maggie had arranged a private dinner for the prospective parents to all get to know each other. There were eight couples and Liz. As the only single parent, she had found herself feeling slightly out of place.
Too many people going two-by-two, she thought humorously. Once again she found herself swimming against the tide. Of course this time, should she reach the distant shore, she would find David waiting for her at the orphanage.
She smiled as she remembered how shocked he’d been the previous afternoon when she’d asked him to join her. She’d been just as startled when he’d accepted. Did he have any actual interest in Natasha or was he just being polite? Liz wasn’t sure she cared. At this point she would take any moral support she could get, even that reluctantly given. Besides, it wasn’t as if spending time with David was a hardship. Just being in the same room with him was enough to get her hormones dancing and prancing.
They pulled up in front of the orphanage. Liz recognized the three-story gray stone building from her previous visit. This time the skies were clear and there wasn’t any snow on the ground. A few flowers clung to the bushes by the front door and there was a large garden around back.
But Liz didn’t care about the foliage or even the weather. Her concern and apprehension faded as anticipation took its place. After five weeks, she was going to see Natasha again. How much had the baby changed and grown? Would it take long for them to bond?
She bounded out of the car and hurried up the steps. The Winstons were right behind her, trailed by Maggie.
Liz pushed open the front door and stepped into the large foyer. Several people stood in front of the main desk, but Liz’s eyes were drawn to the right, to the man leaning against a wall. When he saw her, David straightened and approached.
Her heart gave a little shimmy. Already breathless with anticipation at the thought of seeing her baby, Liz found herself even more light-headed at the sight of him. Apparently her body really couldn’t take too much excitement.
He walked up, smiled and kissed her cheek.
“Your eyes are glowing,” he told her. “Somehow I don’t think that’s all from seeing me.”
Man, did he look good. A dark suit, pale yellow shirt and a tie. The combination of success and power made her mouth water.
“Some of it is about you,” she said. “Some is about the baby.”
“If I have to come in second, I’ll accept the position if it’s in relationship to your daughter.”
Maggie walked up and joined them. Liz introduced the social worker to David.
“You’re part of the Logan family, aren’t you?” Maggie asked as she shook David’s hand. “I escorted your parents on their last trip to Russia. They’re both wonderful people.”
“Thank you,” David said.
“Miss Duncan?”
Liz turned toward the voice and saw a teenager hovering in the hallway. Slight, with long dark hair and big eyes, she was pretty, if too thin. Liz searched her memory for the name, then smiled.
“Sophia?”
The teenager nodded shyly, then ducked her head. “Yes. Hello.”
Her English was stiff and heavily accented, but amazingly clear. As Liz’s Russian consisted of da and nyet she wasn’t in a position to complain.
“You’re still here,” she said as she approached the girl, leaving David in Maggie’s well-manicured clutches. “I wasn’t sure you would be.”
Sophia shrugged. “I like to work with babies. They let me.”
“You’re an amazing volunteer.”
Liz had met Sophia on her last visit. The teenager showed up every day to help out with the babies. Liz hadn’t been able to learn much about her family. Maggie said the staff suspected she was an orphan herself and made her welcome. No one knew where she went each night or how she supported herself, but she was brilliant with the children and the orphanage needed all the help it could get.
“How is Natasha?” Liz asked.
“Good. Big.” Sophia smiled. “She makes noise.”
Liz’s heart clenched. “Like she’s trying to talk?”
The teenager nodded. “Many children were sick, but not Natasha. She is strong. She—”
Sophia caught sight of David approaching and froze. Liz quickly introduced the two, mentioning that David worked at the United States embassy.
Sophia relaxed a little when he greeted her in Russian. Liz sighed. If she’d known she would one day adopt a Russian baby, she would have paid more attention when her nana had tried to teach her the language.
“Ready?” Maggie asked.
Liz nodded and the social worker led her toward the nursery.
The babies were kept on the second floor. Cribs filled three large rooms with big windows that let sunlight rain onto the scarred but clean hardwood floors. Stacks of diapers and other supplies lined the walls. In the cribs some babies were sleeping, while others cried. On the other side of the hallway were the playrooms where the staff and volunteers interacted with the babies, a few at a time. But there was never enough staff or resources.
Liz followed Maggie into the middle room, then down the center aisle to the last crib on the right. Liz’s heart beat faster and faster until she wondered if it would simply take flight. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, not when she saw a dark-haired baby happily staring up at a brightly colored mobile made up of carousel horses.
“Natasha,” she whispered as she stepped next to the crib and dropped her purse on the floor.
She smiled down at the big eyes, the chubby cheeks and perfectly shaped mouth.
“How’s my girl? How’s my very best little angel?”
Moving slowly so as not to startle the baby, she picked up Natasha and held her close. Her scent was as familiar as her face. Yes, she’d grown, but Liz would have recognized her anywhere.
“Natasha, I’m back. I told you I’d come back and here I am.”
She knew the baby couldn’t possibly understand or remember her, but Natasha didn’t squirm or complain. Instead she relaxed into Liz’s arms, as if sensing everything was going to be all right.
Liz heard footsteps. She turned and saw David and Sophia walking toward her. The teenager’s expression tightened slightly, as if she were uncomfortable.
Probably all this western emotion, Liz thought humorously. Strangers hugging babies as if their lives depended on the moment. No doubt the teenager thought they were odd.
“You’ve done wonderfully well with her,” Liz told her.
Sophia nodded, then slipped out of the room. David moved closer.
“So this is the lucky little girl who gets to go home with you,” he said lightly. “She’s a beauty.”
“I know. And she’s really smart.”
He grinned. “You can tell that how?”
“Instinct.”
Liz laughed as she spoke. David glanced from her to the baby she held. He didn’t know much about kids, and this one pretty much looked like all the others he’d seen. What made her special was the love in Liz’s eyes.
He hadn’t been able to figure out the adoption angle. Liz was young, healthy—why wouldn’t she have a baby of her own? But now that he saw her with the infant, he knew she was already a goner. Whatever her reasons for coming here, she’d made the decision to fall for Natasha.
Was that what happened with an adoption? Did the parents make a conscious decision to open their hearts to the children? He’d never considered the relationship in those terms—that it was love by choice. Is that what had happened with the Logans when they had adopted him and his sister?
“I’m shaking,” Liz said, then grinned. “I know, I know. You think I’m crazy.”
“No. I think Natasha is a very lucky little girl. You love her with your whole heart. I can tell.”
“Really?” Liz beamed at him. “I do. I just hope she knows it, too. Doesn’t she look great? They’ve really taken care of her.”
“Sophia was telling me that she spends her volunteer time with three different babies, including Natasha.”
“I know. She’s amazing. Maggie told me when I was here before that Sophia is one of their best volunteers. She showed up three months ago and started helping.”
Liz tucked Natasha closer and tickled her tummy. “How’s my best girl? Can you laugh for me?”
Natasha gave a little squeal and kicked her feet.
David glanced at his watch. “I need to head back to my office.”
Liz returned her attention to him. “Thank you so much for stopping by. I know it was weird and a lot to ask, but I’m really grateful.”
“Not a problem. I’m glad I had the chance to meet her.” He touched the baby’s bare foot. “When do you get official custody?”
“I’ll be allowed to take her back and forth to the hotel with me starting tomorrow. All the legal stuff happens after that.”
“So you’ll be missing her tonight.”
“Probably.”
“How about a distraction? We could have dinner.”
Liz sighed. “I would love to but I can’t promise that I’ll be perfect company. I may be a little on edge about the adoption. Is that okay?”
Since thoughts of her had kept him up most of the previous night, he didn’t see the problem.
“Sure. Maybe I can take your mind off things.”
He’d meant the statement casually, thinking more of conversation than bed, but at his words her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.
Instantly heat cranked up in his body. Blood flowed fast and south.
She cleared her throat. “That would, um, be terrific.”
“I was going to offer to cook, but maybe we should go out.” Safer for both of them to be in public, he thought.
“You cook?” She sounded surprised.
“Very well. In fact, I do a lot of things well.”
Their gazes locked. Need grew until it filled the massive room and threatened to push them out of control. David wanted her with a desperation that stunned him. Had there been even a hint of privacy and time, he would have gone to her right then.
But there wasn’t either and Liz held a baby in her arms. Definitely a clue to back off.
“We should go out,” he said at the same moment she told him, “I’ll come to your place.”
The words hung in the air.
What he wanted to do and what he should do battled within him.
He took a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and scribbled down a phone number.
“Call me at the office,” he said as he tucked the paper into her purse. “If you want to go out, I know some great places. If you want to stay in, I’ll cook.”
Then giving in, because he didn’t have a choice, he leaned close and pressed his mouth to hers.
Their lips clung in a kiss that was both sweet and passionate. He could taste her and the promise of what could be between them. He wanted to pull her close and touch her everywhere. He wanted to push his tongue into her mouth to discover what made her moan and squirm and surrender. He wanted a lot of things.
Instead he straightened.
“Call me,” he said as he brushed his fingers across the baby’s cheek and smiled at the two of them.
“I will,” Liz promised.
He walked out, pleased to notice that she’d been more than a little breathless when she spoke.
David arrived back at his office in time for the weekly briefing where ongoing cases were brought up to date and potential problems were discussed.
He collected the files he would need and headed for the conference room. As he walked, he pushed thoughts of Liz out of his head. No way did he want to be distracted by her, even though she was the best kind of distraction he knew.
Forty-five minutes later, most of his staff had filled him in on what was happening in Russia and the other former Soviet countries. Ainsley Johnson spoke last.
“Another child has been taken from an orphanage,” she said, sounded determined but weary. “This makes fifteen in the past twelve months.”
David flipped to his file on the black market baby ring. While he didn’t have jurisdiction to investigate on Russian soil, the theory was that many of the babies were making their way to the States.
“They’re all the same,” she continued. “The babies are all healthy, too young for official adoption, and just vanish from their cribs. They’re between two and eight weeks old, both boys and girls.” She shook her head. “That’s the end of the pattern. Different orphanages have been hit at different times. No one on the staff suddenly goes missing, no one has extra money. Outsiders are carefully screened. So who’s doing it?”
David noticed she didn’t ask why. There was no need; the motive was clear. Money.
He thought about Natasha and how the baby had looked in Liz’s arms. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to either one of them.
“None of the babies taken were up for adoption?” he asked.
Ainsley shook her head. “Technically they would be as they got older, but none had gotten very far in the process. No potential parents had arrived to visit, if that’s what you mean.”
He gave her the name of a couple of contacts. “They might know something.”
“Thanks, boss.”
They concluded the meeting and David headed back to his office. As he went, he wondered about the babies who had been kidnapped. Were desperate couples paying for children they couldn’t get any other way?
From that thought it was a short trip to Liz-land where he quickly got lost in the memory of their brief kiss. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had it so bad. There was definite chemistry between them.
Torn between what he wanted and what he knew was the right thing to do, he briefly considered withdrawing his offer to cook. He had a feeling if she showed up at his place that night, they weren’t going to get to dinner.
“This is so stupid,” Liz said as she brushed the tears from her cheeks.
“You will be back tomorrow, yes?” Sophia said as they walked toward the stairs.
“I know. It’s just that I’m here and I want to take her with me. I hate the thought of her spending another night here. She’s all alone.”
The teenager stared at her. “You love the baby?”
Liz sniffed, then nodded. “More than I can say.” Pain inside of her grew. “I keep telling myself it’s just for a few more hours. Then I can take her with me and we never have to be apart.”
At the front of the orphanage, Liz paused and looked up at the gray building.
“She’s okay here, isn’t she?” she asked desperately. “She won’t think I’ve abandoned her?”
Sophia’s big eyes remained solemn. “She will be here in the morning. Soon you take her to America and give her a good life. So many people come and take babies for a better life. Is right, yes?”
“I hope so.”
Sophia offered a slight smile, then waited with Liz for the cab she’d called. Liz had thought about going back to the hotel to freshen up, but suddenly she couldn’t wait to get to David’s place.
She handed Sophia a piece of paper with David’s address, which she got when she’d phoned him a while ago. The teenager gave it and other instructions to the cabdriver.
“The fare is set,” Sophia told her. “Don’t pay more.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back in the morning.”
Sophia waved and stepped back from the cab. Liz slid onto the cracked seat and slammed the door.
Twenty minutes later Liz stepped out in front of an old, elegant building. Panes of thick glass surrounded the double-door entry. Tall, narrow windows marched across each of the five stories. Small balconies dotted the facade.
Liz paid the taxi fare, then crossed to the front door. A panel there listed occupants with a button next to each name. Only one space was blank. She pushed the buzzer and waited.
“You made it,” David said, seconds later. “Come into the foyer and I’ll be right down.”
When the door buzzed, she stepped into the building.
The entryway was huge—open and at least three stories high. Two old-fashioned elevators stood on the left with a long wooden counter on the right. The arched ceiling was covered with blue and gold tiles.
After a couple of minutes she heard footsteps on the marble and turned to see David hurrying down the curved stairs. He crossed to her and took both her hands in his.
“You’ve been crying,” he said. “What happened?”
She sniffed. “I tried to repair my makeup on the drive over. I guess I didn’t do a very good job.”
“You look beautiful and the signs are subtle. I’m trained to notice. Everything okay?”
She wasn’t sure if he pulled her close or she stepped into his embrace, nor did she know if it mattered. One second he was holding her hands and the next she was in his arms.
She buried her face in his shoulder and did her best to hang on to her control. Deep breaths, she told herself, while she savored the heat of his body and the sense of safety and security that filled her.
“Liz?”
“I didn’t want to leave her. I know that’s completely silly. Natasha has lived in that orphanage since her mother abandoned her nearly four months ago. She’ll be fine. I only have to wait until tomorrow. But I don’t want to.”
She felt his lips brush the top of her head.
“You’re not silly in the least. You love her and you want to be with her. You’re also tired from your trip, and in a strange place. All of that is bound to throw you off.”
“You’re being sensible,” she said, holding on even tighter.
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