Homeport

she ordered, then collapsed into giggles. “Did you really steal his bones? I just can’t understand a man who’d steal the bones of a saint. But it’s fascinating.”
    Time to go, Ryan decided, and quickly dug out more than enough lire to cover the tab. “Let’s take that walk, honey.”
    “Okay.” She popped up, then had to brace a hand against the wall. “Oh my, there’s quite a bit of gravity in here.”
    “Maybe there’s not as much outside.” He scooped an arm around her waist and pulled her through the restaurant, laughing himself as she called cheerful goodbyes.
    “You’re a handful, Dr. Jones.”
    “What was the name of that wine? It was lovely wine. I want to buy a case of it.”
    “You were doing a good job of working your way through a case.” He guided her along the uneven sidewalk, across the quiet street, grateful they’d opted to walk rather than take the scooter. He’d have had to tie her on.
    “I’m going to paint my shutters.”
    “Good idea.”
    “Your mother has yellow shutters. So cheerful. Everyone in your family is so cheerful.” Wrapping an arm around his waist in turn, she led him in a wide, drunken circle. “But I think a nice bright blue would suit my house. A nice bright blue, and I’ll put a rocker on the front porch.”
    “Nothing like a porch rocker. Watch your step, up the curb. Atta girl.”
    “I broke into my mother’s house today.”
    “I heard that somewhere.”
    “I’m sharing a hotel suite with a thief and I broke into my mother’s house. Coulda robbed her blind.”
    “You only had to ask. Left turn, that’s the way. Almost there.”
    “It was great.”
    “What was?”
    “The breaking in. I didn’t want to say so at the time, but it was great.” She threw up her arms and caught him neatly on the chin. “Maybe you could teach me how to pick locks. Wouldya do that, Ryan?”

    “Oh yeah, that’s going to happen.” He wiggled his jaw and steered her toward the front entrance of the hotel.
    “I could seduce it out of you.” She turned, plowing into him at the edge of the elegant lobby carpet, and crushed her mouth against his before he could gain his balance. This time his head spun as she sucked the blood right out of it.
    “Miranda—”
    “That’s Abby to you, pal,” she murmured as the desk clerk discreetly averted his eyes. “So how about it?”
    “Let’s talk upstairs.” He dragged her toward the elevator and out of sight.
    “Don’t want to talk.” She plastered herself against him and attacked his earlobe with her teeth. “I want wild, crazy sex. Right now.”
    “Who doesn’t?” said the male half of a formally dressed couple who stepped off the elevator.
    “See?” Miranda pointed out as Ryan yanked her into the car. “He agrees with me. I wanted to jump you ever since I saw you and heard the ping.”
    “Ping.” He was becoming breathless trying to unwind her from around him.
    “I hear pings with you. My head’s just full of pings right now. Kiss me again, Ryan. You know you want to.”
    “Cut it out.” A little desperately, he shoved at her hands before they could unbutton his shirt. “You’re hammered.”
    “What do you care?” She threw back her head and laughed. “You’ve been trying to get me into bed all along. Now’s your chance.”
    “There are rules,” he muttered, lurching like a drunk as she draped herself over him. One of them, he thought, needed a cold shower.
    “Oh, now there’re rules.” Laughing, she tugged his shirt free of his slacks. As her hands streaked over his back, around to his belly, he fought to shoot the key into the lock.
    “God help me. Miranda—Jesus Christ.” Those busy hands had worked their way down. “Look, I said no.” His eyes were crossed when they stumbled inside together. “Get ahold of yourself.”
    “Can’t. Got ahold of you.” She released him only long enough to bounce up, wrap her legs around his waist, fist her hands in his hair, and fuse her mouth to his. “I want you. Oh I want you.” Her breath came fast as her lips raced over his face. “Make love with me. Touch me. I want your hands on me.”
    They already were. He couldn’t stop them from molding that tight lovely bottom. His blood was screaming for her, his tongue tangling with hers. The little beam of sanity that remained in his mind was growing dimmer.
    “You’re going to hate both of us in the morning.”
    “So what?” She laughed again, and her eyes were wildly blue as