Skin (26 page)

“Anything.”

She smiled and swiped her moist eyes. “I must find my father’s will. It’s paramount to my family’s survival.”

Reese nodded.

“This desk and office has all kinds of false bottoms in the drawers and side panels. I want to be careful and not destroy anything.” Taking a deep breath, she asked Reese point-blank. “If you were a will, and didn’t want anyone to find you, where would you hide?”

“How about in plain sight?”

“Good idea, and something my father would do.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, is there no one in your family who has a copy?”

“The one my brother’s waving around is bogus.”

Reese nodded. “What does your brother stand to lose if the new will turns up?”

“Skin,
this house.” Father had told her since she was the only one who appreciated it, the house should rightfully go to her. But that was a long time ago.

“Are you kidding me, Frankie?”

Her head snapped back at his incredulous tone. “Kidding you how?”

“Here we’ve been tossing around names of people who’d like to see you as fertilizer and you drop this on me? Anthony gets your magazine and this house, which would go for what? Fifteen, twenty mil? Are you that blind, or just dumb?”

Standing straight up, she clenched her hands, strode into his space, then jabbed an index finger in his chest. “Look here, mister, I’m neither blind nor stupid, and for what it’s worth, you don’t know my brother, I do, and despite the fact he’s a spoiled mama’s boy, and despite what he stands to lose, and despite the obvious, in my heart I don’t believe he’s out to kill me.” Taking a deep breath, Frankie continued, “And
if,
and that’s a big if, Anthony is behind this, my uncle would skin him alive strip by strip and throw them all into the bay for the sharks to eat, and don’t think Anthony doesn’t know it!”

Reese shook his head and wiped his hand across his face. “You know what? Let’s for the sake of argument say everyone, including me, wants a piece of you. Now what do you do?”

“Tell you all to get fucked.”

Reese grinned. “I’ll get fucked all right, but first, I’ll help you. Now, did Daddy have a favorite piece of furniture or book or toy he might slip this elusive will into?”

“He spent most of his time here, but his favorite place in the house was the atrium.”

“Do you think he hid it in a tree?”

“No, smart-ass, it’s here in this house, and even though I’m sure his widow and my uncle have gone through it, I can feel it’s here, I just don’t know where.”

“And how many other people do you think will figure out it’s here?”

“Everyone knows this place has the tightest security money can buy. Besides, if they were going to come look, they already would have. If we get company, we’ll know the minute someone tries to come onto the property.”

“I suggest after we do what we have to do here, we find somewhere else to go for a few days and lie low.”

“That was my plan.”

Reese reached out and touched her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Frankie.”

She nodded, her damp hair falling across her eyes. She swiped it away. She wanted to believe him, to wake up and have the nightmare be over. His fingers pressed reassuringly against her skin. She felt a little crack in her shell and thought how nice it would be to trust him. “I know.” And she planned to make it okay, with or without Reese.

He sensed her discomfort, so he looked around the room. “His office is as good a place as any to start.”

They dug in. After almost two hours of pulling out books, files, furniture, and paintings, they came up empty.

Frankie sat down in her father’s studded black leather chair and blew her hair out of her face. “I give up.” She felt dusty, dirty, and disappointed. Damn! She so badly wanted something to go right.

Reese squatted down in front of her. “Who would have a copy?”

“If anyone, Aldo Geppi, and he’s dead.”

“Nice family you have.”

“Leave me alone.”

He stood. “Let’s go check out the atrium.”

Frankie grabbed her camera. “Plan on showing some skin, it’s a great place to get in some shots. But first I want to get some out by the pool. The night lighting is incredible.”

“I see how it is. I’m just skin, bones, and muscles to you.”

She smiled despite her fatigue, her body suddenly revving up at the opportunity to see Reese undress again. “Carpe diem, baby.” And she swept past him.

“I’d like to seize something else.”

As they opened the door from the kitchen to the back of the house, Frankie stopped, her feet planted on the threshold. “It’s raining.”

“I can see that.”

Not wasting any time, Frankie closed the door and locked it, then grabbed Reese’s hand and pulled him behind her. “Follow me.”

As they wound their way back to the front of the house and then down a long, dark hallway to the south wing, Frankie smiled in front of a set of large double doors.

“Here’s the next best thing.” She opened the doors to reveal an indoor forest, complete with waterfall and swimming lagoon.

Reese smiled and entered the atrium-solarium-pool room.

“My favorite place on the entire estate. My father’s too. From the time I was a little girl I could always find him out here reading.” She pointed to an old cane-back recliner propped up against the steamy glass wall. “He would sit out here and smoke a cigar and feed the birds. Anyone who wanted to see him had to put up with the humidity and the birds flying around.”

Reese looked at the palms and ficus growing naturally from the mounds of earth lining the deep blue water of the lagoon. The waterfall made soft, soothing sounds.

Frankie looked up to the glass ceiling and tall trees. “The birds are up there somewhere. There are open vents for them to come and go. They’re quiet now because it’s nighttime.”

Reese knelt down and trailed his hand through the water. “It’s warm.” He grinned up at her and stood, unbuttoning his shirt.

“Not so fast, cowboy. I want to set this up just right.”

She slid her father’s chair out from the wall, pulled out the swing arm, and set her equipment on it.

“I’m thinking of you naked under the waterfall. No, no, wait. In your jeans, shirt unbuttoned, water sluicing over your shoulders and down your chest.”

Reese kicked off his boots and socks, then unbuttoned his shirt. Frankie nodded and attached the appropriate lens. She turned on several sunlamps. With the rain hitting the windows, clouding them up, and the angle of the sunlamps, a sultry feeling took over the room. The humidity was high, the temperature higher, and Frankie warmed up to her work. She pushed away thoughts of her father, and people trying to kill her.

Reese stepped into the shallow pool and waded toward the eight-foot waterfall.

“Hey,” Frankie called.

Reese turned and quirked a dark brow.

“I want you to warm up. Imagine you’re undressing your fantasy woman. I want to see it in your eyes, feel it through my lens.”

He scooped up a handful of the warm water and splashed it across his chest. Soaked, the white fabric clung to him like a second skin. “Since my fantasy woman is standing in front of me, let me show you.” He stepped closer.

She smiled and focused the lens. “Tell me, Reese. Tell me what you want to do to me.”

He smiled slowly, a shameless gleam in his eyes. “Lots of things, but first?” His hot gaze dipped to her breasts, then slowly back to her lens. “First, I’d splash you with water and watch your nipples harden under your shirt.” He flicked water at her, and she jumped back.

“Careful of the camera.” She grinned but moved closer. Her nipples didn’t need water to stiffen. She felt the tingle beneath her bra. His gaze dropped to her chest again.

“Looks like I didn’t need water.”

Slowly she shook her head, keeping her eye to the lens. “Closer.” Her voice squeaked, and she flushed. She sounded like a schoolgirl.

Reese reached out an index finger and traced a circle in the air several inches from her right nipple. “Then I’d trace your tits with a wet finger, and feel you get harder under my fingertip.” He stopped a foot from her, and even though the room was steamy, she felt his body heat across the space.

“Next I’d unbutton your shirt, button by button, while I licked and sucked your lips. With my free hand I’d grab your ass and thrust your hips against my hard-on.”

His hand lowered to the rising mound beneath his unbuttoned pants. His breath hitched when he touched himself, and Frankie caught her breath. His long, tan fingers splayed across his groin and his hips rocked ever so slightly.

“You’d drop to your knees, wanting to spring me, but I’d pull you back up and slide your shirt off. It would float away on the water, your bra would follow. Then I’d take you under the waterfall, letting the warm water slide over your tits. I’d suck on them at the same time.” He moved backward toward the falls, his eyes never leaving her lens. “You’d tell me how much you loved my body and wanted to touch, but I wouldn’t let you.”

“Why not?”

“Because that, my sweet Francesca, would be giving you what you want, and I can’t allow that.”

“You’re mean.”

“You have no idea how mean I can be.” He slapped his hands together, the sharp crack startling her. “I think I’d like to punish you.”

“Punish me?”

“Yes, punish.”

“Why?”

He smiled and backed closer into the waterfall. “Because you’re spoiled and deserve it.”

“I’ve never been spanked by anyone, not even my father. What makes you think you’re man enough?”

“Try me and find out for yourself.”

Without thinking, Frankie kicked off her sandals and stepped into the lagoon. The warm water swirled around her calves, and she caught herself. “I just might.”

Reese disappeared behind the rolling curtain of water. For several long moments he didn’t emerge.

“C’mon, Reese.” Frankie laughed out loud when he stuck his foot out and wiggled his toes.

“I need some encouragement,” he called from behind the water.

Frankie set the camera down on a rock on the edge of the pool. Quickly she unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it onto the water, watching as the current took it toward the fall. Reese’s hand sprang out from the curtain of water and snatched it. That was as far as she would go to get him hot and bothered. Anything further and she wouldn’t trust herself.

“Okay, Reese, your turn.”

She grabbed her camera and focused. Reese emerged from the water, pulling his shirt off, rivulets of water cascading down his muscular chest. “You’re getting really good at this. Now run your fingers through your hair. That’s it, now shake your head. That’s it, slower, Reese, now take a deep breath.”

His rippling muscles beneath the smooth tan of his skin mesmerized her, but what took her breath away was the intensity of his blue eyes and their unwavering gaze. He looked like he was eating a favorite meal, and she was it.

“Lock your thumbs in your belt loops, yes, like that.” Her camera shutter worked at a furious pace, the swooshing open-and-close sound a lullaby to her ears. “Now pull down, slow, yes, inch by inch.”

“Come here, Frankie,” Reese said, his voice hoarse.

“No, I’m not ready for close-ups yet.”

“I am.”

“Patience is everything, Reese.”

He continued to pull his wet jeans down his thighs, the water causing the fabric to drag. She waited with bated breath for him to spring free. “Harder, Reese,” she whispered.

He pushed the fabric down and his cock sprang out. “Beautiful,” she said, and began to slowly work her way toward him. “Cover yourself.”

Instead he stroked his shaft. “Come here, Frankie, and touch me.”

Shaking her head, she halted. “No, Reese. I want to get the shots, not play.”

He pulled up his pants.

“Stop!”

He buttoned them. “We both want something from the other. I’m willing to negotiate.”

“That’s not fair, you signed a contract.”

“So sue me.”

Frankie cocked her head and put her free hand on her hip. Reese looked good enough to eat, standing so nonchalantly in front of the waterfall, the humid temp and sound of the sluicing water intensifying the effect of his muscled planes. But there was more to this man than his good looks. While his magnetism was tangible and she realized she wanted him again, she wanted to know more about this reticent man. What did he think? What made him tick? “I have an idea,” she said.

“I bet you do.”

“Let’s play truth or dare.”

Reese scowled, the gesture brief before his eyes sparked and he smiled. “I’m game.”

Frankie put her camera to her eye and focused. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to pull down your jeans.”

Reese didn’t hesitate.

“My turn,” he softly said.

Frankie swallowed hard and licked her lips, her shutter opening and closing wildly as she angled her shots.

“Truth or dare?” he asked.

“Dare.”

“Unhook your bra.”

She set her camera aside, and slowly her fingers trailed down to the front clasp and pulled it back, revealing the swell of high, firm breasts. Reese’s breath hitched and Frankie smiled.

“I like it when my models listen to me.” Reese grinned as he threw her words back at her. Then he traced a fingertip across a nipple, instigating it to full pucker.

When she made the effort to cover herself, his hand stayed her, his fingertips brushing across her flesh. It was Frankie’s turn to gasp. The warmth of his hand stirred her. She closed her eyes for a brief second and bit her bottom lip. He had a terrible effect over her, and her weakness for his touch scared her.

“Truth or dare?” she whispered.

“Truth.”

Her skin shivered in excitement. “How did you get that scar on your face?”

“I fell.”

“How?”

“One question at a time.”

“Not if I’m not satisfied.”

He moved closer, his breath warm against her cheek. “I always satisfy.”

“Tell me.”

He drew back and darkness clouded his features. “My father hit me so hard I slammed into the edge of the kitchen table.”

Frankie gasped. “How old were you?”