Mind Over Matter

to live it. In any case, they asked for help. It doesn’t take any more than that with Clarissa. Five young girls dead.” She closed her eyes again. “She never speaks of it, but I know she saw each one. I know.” Then she pushed the thought aside, as she knew she had to. “Clarissa thinks of her abilities as a gift…but you’ve no idea what a curse that can be.”
    “You’d like her to stop. Shut down. Is that possible?” A.J. laughed again and drew both hands through hair the wind had tossed. “Oh, yes, but not for Clarissa. I’ve accepted that she needs to give. I just make damn sure the wrong person doesn’t take.”
    “And what about you?” He would have sworn something in her froze at the casual question. “Did you become an agent to protect your mother?”
    She relaxed again. “Partly. But I enjoy what I do.” Her eyes were clear again. “I’m good at it.”
    “And what about Aurora?” He brought his hands up her arms to her shoulders.
    A yearning rose up in her, just from the touch. She blocked it off. “Aurora’s only there for Clarissa.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I know how to protect myself as well as my mother.”
    “From what?”
    “It’s getting late, David.”
    “Yeah.” One hand skimmed over to her throat. Her skin was soft there, sun kissed and soft. “I’m beginning to think the same thing. I never did finish kissing you, Aurora.”
    His hands were strong. She’d noticed it before, but it seemed to matter more now. “It’s better that way.”
    “I’m beginning to think that, too. Damn if I can figure out why I want to so much.”
    “Give it a little time. It’ll pass.”
    “Why don’t we test it out?” He lifted a brow as he looked down at her. “We’re on a public beach. The sun hasn’t set. If I kiss you here, it can’t go any further than that, and maybe we’ll figure out why we unnerve each other.” When he drew her closer, she stiffened. “Afraid?” Why would the fact that she might be, just a little, arouse him?
    “No.” Because she’d prepared herself she almost believed it was true. He wouldn’t have the upper hand this time, she told herself. She wouldn’t allow it. Deliberately she lifted her arms and twined them around his neck. When he hesitated, she pressed her lips to his.
    He’d have sworn the sand shifted under his feet. He was certain the crash of the waves grew in volume until it filled the air like thunder. He’d intended to control the situation like an experiment. But intentions changed as mouth met mouth. She tasted warm—cool, sweet—pungent. He had a desperate need to find out which of his senses could be trusted. Before either of them was prepared, he plunged himself into the kiss and dragged her with him.
    Too fast. Her mind whirled with the thought. Too far. But her body ignored the warning and strained against him. She wanted, and the want was clearer and sharper than any want had ever been. She needed, and the need was deeper and more intense than any other need. As the feelings drummed into her, her fingers curled into his hair. Hunger for him rose so quickly she moaned with it. It wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right. Yet the feeling swirled through her that it was exactly right and had always been.
    A gull swooped overhead and was gone, leaving only the flicker of a shadow, the echo of a sound.
    When they drew apart, A.J. stepped back. With distance came a chill, but she welcomed it after the enervating heat. She would have turned then without a word, but his hands were on her again.
    “Come home with me.”
    She had to look at him then. Passion, barely controlled, darkened his eyes. Desire, edged with temptation, roughened his voice. And she felt…too much. If she went, she would give too much.
    “No.” Her voice wasn’t quite steady, but it was final. “I don’t want this, David.”
    “Neither do I.” He backed off then. He hadn’t meant for things to go so far. He hadn’t wanted to feel so much. “I’m not sure that’s going to make any difference.”
    “We have control over our own lives.” When she looked out to sea again, the wind rushed her hair back, leaving her face unframed. “I know what I want and don’t want in mine.”
    “Wants change.” Why was he arguing? She said nothing he hadn’t thought himself.
    “Only if we let them.”
    “And if I said I wanted you?”
    The pulse in her throat beat quickly, so quickly she wasn’t sure she could get the words around it. “I’d