Kelly Jamieson, How (html) [top 10 motivational books txt] 📗

with you, but this is notthe time. I know that."

She nodded, eyes still fastened onhis. "I know," she whispered. "But if it wasn't a bad time, I'dlove it, too."

His eyes darkened. "God, youshouldn't say things like that."

"Oh, Jesus, I know." Sheclosed her eyes. "I can't help it. I just say things. And it comes acrossall wrong."

"And what was the right wayfor that comment to come across?"

When she opened her eyes, she sawhis face still tight with control, but one brow was raised and humor glimmeredin his dark eyes. She smiled slowly back at him.

His fingers continued to stroke herhair back from her face and it was so sexy, yet soothing, warm sensationsliding over her. Her eyes drooped with fatigue. "There are blankets and apillow in the closet in my office. The room next door." She yawned."I'm sorry...I feel I should get it for you."

He touched her mouth, smiling at heryawn. "I can find it. Go to sleep. You must be wiped."

He turned out the lamp beside herbed and left the room quietly. She could hear him in the room next door,getting things out of the closet. When he walked by her door, she called out.

"Trey?"

He stopped in the doorway, his bigbody a dark, solid silhouette. Reassuring.

"Could you leave my door open alittle wider? And leave the hall light on?"

He nodded and pushed the door open.She heard his heavy steps going down to the living room and then she closed hereyes and drifted into sleep.

She might have been asleep for twohours or two minutes when a loud wailing noise pierced her consciousness. For amoment, she tried to figure out what it was. Then her heart jumped into herthroat and she bolted up in bed.

Her new alarm was going off.

Chapter7

What the... She pushed herhair back from her face and held her head. Then she remembered.

"Trey!" She scrambled outfrom under the covers, terror gripping her in a frigid clasp. He was downthere. She dashed out of the room, oblivious to the fact she was half-naked. Inher haste, her bare foot snagged on the carpet and she tripped. She grabbed therailing, caught herself, hair falling in her face, then stumbled down the restof the stairs.

The front door was still secure.Blankets were in a heap on the floor and Trey was nowhere to be seen. Herglance ricocheted around the room, then she lurched into her kitchen. The backdoor stood open, the cool night air blowing in and raising goose bumps on herbare skin. She ran to the door and grabbed it, using it to hold herself up, herlegs shaky, knees weak.

"God, no," she whimperedlooking out into the darkness. Frantically she searched her small dark yard forTrey, but saw nothing. "Oh. Oh, no."

She grabbed the cordless phone offthe charger on the counter and, with fingers shaking almost uncontrollably, shepunched in 911, running back out onto her deck to scan the yard. She wasgasping out answers to the operator's calm questions when Trey appeared on thesteps of the deck.

"Son of a bitch." He bentat the waist, panting. "He got away." He lifted his head and lookedat her. "Get back in the house, for God's sake. You have no clotheson."

She looked down at herself, thenback at him. "Who cares? Jesus, you're bossy."

"Marli, someone just tried tobreak into your house. Again. Listen to me."

She backed up, and he came towardher, slamming the door shut behind him. It bounced open again. The lock hadbeen damaged so it wouldn't close. "Shit," he muttered.

The alarm was still wailing."Is it connected to the police?" he asked as she scurried to thecontrol panel.

"Yes. I already calledthem." She punched in the code, this time remembering it, and silencedescended.

She looked at Trey as she hung upthe phone. "I can't believe this," she whispered. She covered herface with her hands. "I just cannot believe this."

He walked over to her and wrappedhis arms around her. "God, Marli, it's okay. You're okay, and I'm here.And I'm not leaving. I don't care what you say."

That was fine with her. She mighthave protested earlier, but now? No way. He could stay forever.

"After the cops come, I'm goingto nail the door shut for tonight," he said. "We'll get you a newdoor tomorrow. And on second thought, I'm not staying here tonight."

Her heart dropped to her toes."You're...you're not?"

He shook his head. "And neitherare you. I'm taking you back to my hotel with me. Even with an alarm this placeisn't safe."

"He won't try again tonight. Hecan't be that stupid." She was afraid even to think about going to Trey'shotel room with him.

"No, he's not stupid," heagreed. "And he likely won't try again tonight. Even so, we're leaving.Get dressed."

Man, he liked to give orders. Funny,she'd never noticed that about him when they'd been talking and laughing at CactusJack's. But put the man in a crime scene and he was spouting commands andorders all over the place. She did what he said, though, his forceful,self-assured presence only adding to the sense of security she felt with him.

Trey dealt with the police, boardedher back door shut, and then carried the small duffel bag she'd packed for thenight out to her car. He drove back to Cactus Jack's. The neon sign was dark,the bar closed.

"What are we doing here?"she asked.

"Getting my vehicle. Barnesprobably knows your car, so I don't want to take it to the hotel."

He parked her car on the street infront of his, and they got into his car and drove the few blocks to the RockyHarbor Inn. They walked through the deserted lobby to the elevators.

They rode up in silence. He wasintensely aware of her in the elevator, images of her in her white lace bra andpanties flashing through his mind. Diamonds flashing in the shallow indentationof her navel. Jesus. That was not where his mind should be right