“Don’t tell me she’s not what she seems?”

Dominic grinned. “Jesus, wouldn’t that be something out of a fucking movie.” Then his smile faded, a rueful note entered his voice. “No, actually she did some work for me that may have put her in jeopardy.”

“Does she know that?”

“No and I want to keep it that way. She’s”—Dominic pursed his mouth—“let’s just say having the mafia on her tail might freak her out. So send for whatever you need for the usual emergencies. We’ll fly out early in the morning and hopefully avoid complications.”

Yash had served as trauma surgeon when Dominic and his crew traveled to the outbacks of the world. Venture capital routinely pursued natural resources in some of the more violent regions of the planet. So risk and security as well as ransom were major issues. In fact, ransom took the form of a business model in some third world countries; even wearing an expensive watch could be fatal.

“Why is the Balkan mafia pissed?”

“Katherine found twenty million dollars of my money that had been pirated out of a factory I own in Bucharest and circuitously shipped to an account in Singapore. They lost it and we got it back. And they don’t like to lose twenty million.”

“No shit. They’d kill you for a thousand.”

“Pretty much. So I’m going to make them an offer they’d be wise to accept, but in the meantime…”

“You’re getting out of town.”

Dominic nodded. “The States are relatively safe. Between major profiling and stringent visa requirements, only the professionals get in.”

“And these aren’t professionals?”

Dominic shook his head. “Small-time wannabes.”

“It’ll take me about an hour to get my kit and return.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you in the morning, unless Katherine suffers some side effect from the shot.”

“Slim to nil on that.”

“Regardless, I don’t want to take any chances.”

“I noticed. She’s important to you.”

“I’ve barely slept the last month without her. We’re back together as of”—Dominic glanced at his watch—“three hours, twenty minutes ago and life’s worth living again. So, yeah, she’s important.” An unreadable look, then a smile. “Give my regards to Leo and Danny.”

“Yash is settled in,” Dominic said, as he reentered the bedroom. “Everything still good? Nothing hurts?”

“Everything’s good now that you’re back.” She smiled. “We were apart too long.”

He shut his eyes briefly, shaking away the memory of the last month. “I’m thinking about handcuffing you to my wrist—no joke.”

“You say the sweetest things,” she cooed.

He laughed and took a deep breath, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Just don’t leave my sight—okay?”

Tears suddenly choking her, she nodded.

Swinging up onto the bed, Dominic scooped her up in his arms, settled her on his lap, and held her close. “We’re going to make this work. I promise. Come hell or high water, floods, earthquakes, fucking acts of God. My word on it.”

A hiccupy little smile. “Thanks.”

Brushing her tears from her cheeks with his thumb, he dipped his head and kissed her softly. “We’re on the yellow brick road this time, baby. All the bad witches are gone.”

Her eyes widened in delight. “You watched The Wizard of Oz too?”

“I had to. My sister, Melanie, luuuuved it.”

Kate giggled. “I can’t imagine you as a kid.”

“Just as well. I was hell on wheels.”

“And you’re not now?” she teased.

“Depends who’s judging I suppose,” he said with a lecherous grin. “You’ve been known to like hell on wheels on occasion.”

“Speaking of which,” she murmured.

He softly exhaled. “Why don’t we wait until morning?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to wait.”

“You never do.” He sighed. “But this is different. Maybe immediately doesn’t mean immediately. You heard Yash.”

“Then use a condom.”

“You’re allergic. Let’s just wait till morning.”

“How about I get off myself,” she offered with a flirty smile. “You can watch. Give me tips.”

“Tempting, baby, but I don’t think it’s possible.”

“Me getting off or you just watching?”

“Guess,” he said drily.

“Can I be selfish then? I think this shot is amping me.”

A lift of his brows. “Everything amps you.”

“Only when you’re around. Word of God,” she said to his skeptical look.

“I find that hard to believe. But thanks.”

“Hey, I mean it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “You can bet your bank account on that,” she said, sitting back and smiling up at him.

“Good news,” he said softly, rather than respond with the cynicism nourished by his upbringing. Bending his head, he kissed her lush pink mouth and hoped the world really was all sweetness and light.

“So… are you coming along for the ride or not?” she said a few moments later, even more impatient; his kiss could have brought a corpse to life.