Silence.

“Look, I have people protecting your family,” she said urgently. “You’re the only one at risk, and I know that’s no small concern. But you’ll be doing what you should have done in the beginning. Fighting Santos instead of enabling him.”

Another silence. “I’m not sure you’re right. I’ll pray about it and get back to you.”

It was less than she hoped. She tried to contain her disappointment and impatience. “How soon?”

“I’ll pray,” he repeated. “And I’ll look for a sign.”

Positive. Think positive. “I know it’s the right thing to do. I’ll be waiting for your call.” She paused. “But Santos isn’t waiting, let’s stop him before he makes another move.”

“I have to think.”

She kept her tone level. “Hurry, Montez. There may have been too much thinking and not enough action. Don’t look too long for that sign.”

“I have to be sure.” He hung up.

“From what I heard it appears that Montez wasn’t cooperating,” Cameron said from the doorway behind her. “He’s looking for signs?”

“Don’t you know?” She pressed the disconnect. “I would have thought you’d have been tempted to do a little mental eavesdropping.”

“I gave you my word.” He smiled. “Besides, it wasn’t important enough. I knew you’d tell me.”

“Yes, he’s looking for signs and praying.” She frowned. “But I think I almost had him. Evidently not. It’s still a waiting game. So you can go back to trying to lure Luke into your camp.”

“No, I can’t. He dismissed me. He’s busy doing some kind of research for Kelly.” He came into the library. “So you’re stuck with me, and we both need entertaining. Shall I lock the door?”

As they had locked the door of the summerhouse months ago, when they had first come together.

Damn him. She tried to take a deep breath. Her chest felt tight and her nipples hard and sensitive.

“I’ve been very good,” he coaxed. “All duty and nose to the grindstone. So have you. Don’t we deserve a reward?”

“No, that’s not what this is about.”

“Yes, it is. It’s all how you look at it. It’s about saving lives. But every second of life should be lived to the hilt.” He was only inches away from her. She could feel his warmth, smell the spicy-man scent of him. “I’m all into hilt. Remember?”

The muscles of her stomach clenched. She could almost feel him inside her. “You know I do.” She kept her voice steady. “But I won’t have sex with you, Cameron. Not here, not now.”

“Pity.” He leaned forward, and his tongue slowly outlined her lower lip. She could feel the blood tingle beneath the sudden plumpness the sensation brought. “I thought that might be your reaction with your son in the house. But I wanted you enough to take the chance.” His hand moved lightly over her breast, then paused to rub, squeeze. Why couldn’t she step away from him? She was leaning forward, wanting to tear off her clothes, to frantically seek more. “We both know it’s going to happen. Now or later. But if you change your mind about now…”

Step back.

She couldn’t let him touch her any more, or she wouldn’t be able to stop it from happening.

Hard, so hard.

She whirled away from him and headed for the door. Get away from him. Get away from the way she was melting as he touched her. “I won’t change my mind.” She didn’t look back at him. “I’m going upstairs to work with Luke and Kelly. Then I’ll call Eve and see how Jane is recovering from the operation. I’ll give Montez a little more time to call me, then I’m going back and track him down to see him. As I said, I think I almost had him. He only needs a little more push.”

“So do you,” he said softly. “But I can wait until we’re on the plane going down to give Montez that extra little shove.”

The intimacy of that picture of the two of them on that long flight caused heat to escalate. “Bastard.”

“Impatient bastard,” he corrected. “Life is too short. We can’t afford to do anything but live for the moment. Now go do all those worthy, reasonable things that you’ve planned.”

“I shall.” She headed quickly for the stairs. She wasn’t running, she told herself. The hell she wasn’t. Cameron was the only man who made her unsure of her own ability to resist temptation.

She had almost let him lock that door.

Don’t think of that long plane ride down to Guatemala.

This wasn’t about living for the moment.

It was about making sure that no one ended up dead.

ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Caleb was in the room again, Jane realized drowsily. They had kept her heavily drugged since the operation, and she had been going in and out of consciousness. Sometimes, she’d been aware of Eve, sometimes Joe, but always Caleb in the background, somewhere in the room.

But now he was once again in the chair beside her bed as he’d been so often before the operation.

“Don’t play possum.”

Her eyes opened. “I wasn’t … playing … anything. Still sleepy.”

“I told them you wouldn’t need the drugs. They didn’t listen to me.”

“How … terrible. That they’d pay attention to the doctor’s instructions instead … of yours.”

Silence. “I believe you’re smiling at me. How unusual.”

“It must be the drugs. Even you’re looking mellow to me.”

“Mellow?” He tilted his head. “Then maybe I’d better take advantage of the moment while your defenses are down. Did Eve or Joe tell you that the operation was a success?”

“Joe.”

“Good.” He studied her face. “And you didn’t fight its being a success. That helped to make it work. I was a little worried Basle might have an uphill psychological battle in spite of everything I did to give those arteries a chance to heal.”

“No, I told you that … I knew I wasn’t being … fair. Trevor knew, too. He turned his … back. I’ll do what you all want me to do.”

“That will do until we can bring you back all the way. I made the operating staff promise not to reveal your condition to anyone else. As far as anyone knows, your status is still critical.”

“To keep someone from trying again? It … won’t work.”

He shrugged. “I don’t think so either, but I had to try. It will make Eve feel better.” He leaned forward. “You know that I’ll protect you?”

She could feel the dark intensity, the flames that surrounded him. But at this moment, they didn’t disturb her. “Yes, I’m … not worried about that.”

“You’re not worried about much of anything,” he said dryly. “I think now is the time I should probe a little, don’t you?”

“Not honorable.”

“And since when did you think I was honorable?”

“Never, but I think you have a … code. I just can’t read it.”

He chuckled. “Neither can I.” He tilted his head. “And why do you think I’m so determined to protect you?”

“Sex,” she said emphatically.

“Oh, I’m afraid of having my toy taken away?” He nodded. “Yes, sex has a good deal to do with it. Of course, you’d recognize that aspect. Anything else?”

She shook her head. “Can’t read your code.”

“But you could always read Trevor.” His smile faded. “And when you couldn’t, you knew what there was for you. You’ll never know that with me because it just keeps building and changing.”

“Don’t want to talk about Trevor. Makes me … sad.”

“Fine. So let’s go back to what’s important while you’re still mellow enough to listen and comprehend. I’ll be with you constantly until you’re out of here. I’m expecting problems, and I’ll not allow my work to be wasted. Whenever I tell you to do something, it will have nothing to do with what I eventually want from you. It will only be to keep you alive. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Believe me?”

“I think I do.”

“And you’ll do what I say?”

She was silent.

“Jane.”

“Until I get out of this hospital.”

He smiled faintly. “I couldn’t ask any more. I’d be afraid you had brain damage if you hadn’t qualified that.” He got to his feet. “I’d like to stay for a while, but I don’t want to push my luck. You understand, and you won’t fight me. I feel lucky to be given those concessions. I’ll go get Eve and Joe and let you relax for a while. But I’ll always be close.”