Page 8 of Vistaria Has Fallen

“I don’t know who he is. I do know he carries a lot of weight.” She thought of the way the roomful of Vistarians had snapped to attention. “I’ve never seen people scramble the way the men did when he walked into the room. We talked, then he said I’d be released shortly and you’d be waiting for me.”

“They phoned me and said to come and get you.”

“Who did?”

“The police station.”He frowned. “You explained what happened to you?”

“I didn’t get to explain much. He knew all about me.”

“A general?”

“He wasn’t wearing a uniform. He had red hair and they called him Roger.”

“Red hair?” Josh paused from rubbing his eyes again, startled. “Roger?” He thought about it. “For a minute I thought...but no, if they called him Roger...” He shook his head. “I have no idea who it is.”

She frowned. “Who did you think it might have been?”

“No one. A passing idea, too ridiculous to consider seriously.”

Minnie emerged from her bedroom carrying an armful of clothes. She dumped them on the coffee table. “I don’t have much you can wear, Calli. You’ve got six inches on me. All the pants will be high-waters. There’s a skirt and some tee-shirts and something for bed, if you wear anythingto bed.” She held up diaphanous pink baby-doll nightdress and winked at Calli, her pixie-like features filled with mischief.

“Minnie, do you have to talk that way?” Josh asked.

“Dad, it’s Calli. She knows me.” She dropped the pajamas on the pile and patted the collection. “Tomorrow, I’m taking you shopping. I know exactly where to go.”

“Of course you do,” Calli said. “You would’ve had it figuredout twenty-four hours after landing here.”

“Onehour,” Minnie said. “I met a woman lawyer in the customs and immigration lounge at the airport. I asked her where she got her suit and,voila, insider information on the best shopping spots onla colina.”

“‘In’, you mean,” Calli suggested.

“On,” Minnie said firmly. “Colinais ‘hill’. The city isLozano Colinas, and the locals shorten it to ‘thehill’, coz good ol’ Lozano lost claim to his hill when he kicked the bucket.”

“It sounds so much prettier in Spanish. You’d better add a Spanish-English dictionary to the shopping list.” Calli hid her sigh. Minnie was vibrating with excitement at the prospect of taking Calli shopping and showing her around. She wouldn’t spoil Minnie’s fun.

* * * * *

Calli danced, whirled, dipped. Her silk skirtbrushed her legs with cool, light caresses. She was free, her heart light, bursting with elation and tingling with joy. She lifted her hands up to the stars, the music encouraging her to swing and turn.

Hands settled on her hips and a warm weight pressed up behind her. The weight was blood warm. Hot. She laughed, the contact fizzing through her blood. She let him feel the sway of her hips. Hepressed himself against her and a silvery thrill ran through her. He wanted her.

They swayed together, their feet moving in gentle spirals as they turned. His hand rested low on her abdomen. His fingers spread out and pushed against her, turning her to face him. She looked upon a broad chest covered in a white shirt. It was a common business shirt, not the full white cotton shirt she had expected.

When she tried to see his face her view was blocked by the brim of a black hat, bent low. She ducked her head to glance beneath the brim. He lifted his head and their gazes met.

It washim. His dark red hair, thick and shining in the evening glow. He studied her with the same speculative, heated gaze she remembered. She willed him to kiss her, her hand moving in restless little strokes againsthis hard chest and shoulder, the silk warm under her fingers. Her need for his mouth to touch hers built like a scream inside her.

He shook his head, a tiny movement from side to side. It was the same little movement as the first time he had refused her.

Her disappointment was so acute it stabbed at her chest like a knife. She gave a cry—her throat hurt with the strength of it, yet no soundemerged. He let her fall back again. She held out her hands, unwilling to lose contact with the heat and hardness of him. She was falling too hard and too fast...

* * * * *

Calli awoke with a whole-body jerk and a soundless cry that strained her throat. She realized she had been dreaming and fell back on her pillow with a shuddering sob of relief.

It had been so intense!

She rolled over onher side, hugging her still-throbbing body, trying to claw back fragments of the dream.