Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

Jackson.â€
    â€œMaybe the candles are in here after al ,†he said. “Let me look.â€
    El e went into the bathroom. The door was open and he had a towel loosely wrapped around his hips. His hair was damp and water stil beaded on his skin. She had the urge to lick it off, but she wasn’t going there again, not after the last disaster. He crouched down, peering under the sink, a smal frown on his face.
    â€œTake your pick. I think there’s a hundred in here. Al scented.†He sounded a little disgusted, as if he thought Inez was trying to turn him into a girl.
    El e could barely breathe with the way she felt just looking at him. Every time he moved, muscles rippled subtly beneath his skin. He turned his head and looked at her and she blushed, knowing she hadn’t hidden her thoughts from him.
    â€œYou’re going to get yourself in trouble, woman,†he said. “You’re playing with fire.â€
    â€œI don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can’t stop thinking about you.â€
    â€œWe’re sharing the same mind, El e. It’s rather hard not to.†He shoved several candles into her hands. “Here, go light them while I put on some clothes. Fast.â€
    â€œI could stand here and watch you.â€
    â€œYou could behave yourself and stop thinking I’m a damned saint.†He reached out and touched her face, skimming the pads of his fingers down her cheek before dropping his hand and turning away to look at his bearded jaw in the mirror. “I need to shave.â€
    â€œDon’t. I rather like it. Just trim it up.â€
    â€œAre you sure? I grew it when I was helping out another county. And then I didn’t bother to shave when we went looking for you.â€
    Undercover, he meant. “I like it,†she reiterated, and took the candles into the living room and kitchen. Her entire life her family had simply used their talents to light candles from a distance and make tea and pour it. It felt strange to perform the simple act of lighting a candle and pouring herself a cup of tea. At first it made her feel il , half of a Drake, cut off from her talents, but as she poured a cup of tea for Jackson and added milk, she found herself feeling domestic.
    Jackson came in barefoot, wearing just his jeans, moving up behind her and circling her waist with one arm, pul ing her back against him as he buried his face against her neck. “Is that for me?â€
    She leaned against him—against his strength, her body fitting against his perfectly. “I thought I’d bribe you to get the rest of the tangles out of my hair.â€
    He brushed a kiss along her neck and then teased the sensitive lobe of her ear with his tongue. “I’m easy enough to bribe.â€
    El e let the feeling of comfort and desire wash over her. Instead of being afraid of it, she just absorbed it because Jackson didn’t ask anything of her. He just accepted her and that left her able to enjoy being with him, enjoy his touch and the way he ached for her.
    â€œYou’re easy enough to love.â€
    He grinned at her and took the cup of tea. “I’m going to remember that when we have seven very naughty little girls running around the house and you’re trying to get them al settled down for bed.â€
    She fol owed him to his chair where they could sit and brush out the last of the tangles. “And just what are you going to be doing while I’m chasing them around the house?â€
    â€œStirring them up, of course.†He flashed another grin. “I’l be the papa bear, scaring the hel out of them.â€
    El e sat on the floor in front of him, catching the picture in his mind of Jackson, hands up, fingers curled into claws lumbering around the kitchen chasing screaming little girls with red hair and bright, laughing eyes while she stood there, hands on her hips, trying to look stern. She laughed. “You’re so crazy. Of course you’d do that and get them al worked up before bed. And they aren’t al going to have red hair.â€
    His hands were gentle as he tugged at the tangles. “Yes, they wil . And so wil our poor son.â€
    â€œWhoa. Back up the train. A son?â€
    â€œWel you wouldn’t want me to have to live in an al -girl household would you?â€
    â€œYes.†She turned her head fast and yelped. She glared at him, but he shrugged and