JUSTICE’S LIGHT TAP on the door stirred Catalina awake by slow degrees. She nestled closer and went still again. A second later she yawned and turned away from Leese. Her eyes opened, blinked heavily up at the ceiling, then closed again.
As she stretched, Leese dodged an elbow. “Easy now.”
Jerking her head around, she stared at him.
He watched the awareness creep into her slumberous eyes and suddenly she bolted upright. The blankets fell away and he saw her body in the dim room. Nice.
“It’s Justice,” he said. “Time for us to rise and shine.”
After turning to stare blankly toward the door, she gave her attention back to him and her eyes further widened at his naked chest.
Heat crept up her cheeks.
Smiling, Leese reached past her to the end table for his phone. He sent Justice a text: Five minutes—with coffee?
He got back an affirmative. Sure thing.
“Coffee in five,” he told Cat.
She swallowed loudly, and blurted, “I don’t remember anything!”
A grin fought to take over. She looked a little wild at the moment, and sweeter because of it. Catalina Nicholson, he surmised, was used to being in charge. Instead, with him, she’d let down her guard.
At least a little.
“Nothing to remember.” Did she think he’d taken advantage of her through the night—and that she’d slept through it? “We both got the rest we needed, that’s all.”
“But usually I’m a light sleeper. I’ve had to be.”
That bothered him.
“I remember you telling me to sleep, and then...nothing.”
He pushed halfway up to his elbows. “You were exhausted.”
“And you’re a stranger.” Using both hands she pushed back her hair and continued looking at his body. “I’m losing it.”
Though he hadn’t realized it last night, she’d come to bed in cotton sleep shorts and a T-shirt. The important parts were covered, but a lot of skin showed: her arms, her thighs... Seeing her now, Leese was grateful he hadn’t had that image to add to his torment through the night.
The cool morning air had stiffened her nipples, now pressing against the stretchy material of the shirt. Small breasts, but that only added to the delicate look of her.
A deception, because he had a feeling that once you got beyond the physical, Catalina Nicholson was made of pure steel.
Catching the direction of his gaze, she folded her arms around herself. “These are the only pajamas I have.”
“Yeah?”
With irony, she said, “I had to pack light when I left.”
Mostly, he assumed, because she’d left under troubled circumstances.
The reality of that niggled at his brain, but with her currently in such a pretty pose—her wild hair, her eyes puffy and expression slumberous, the flush on her skin—he had a hard time concentrating on reality. When she’d come to him in the hush of quiet and the dark of the night, he’d focused mostly on her uncertainty.
Now, not so much, and morning wood became a very real possibility.
Testing his resolve, Leese tucked one side of her silky hair behind her ear. “Justice won’t be long. Did you want to freshen up before he gets here?”
She turned her cheek into his palm. “Yes.”
That single word, breathed so softly, sounded like agreement—or permission.
His jaw tightened and his body heated. “I’m not a saint, Cat.”
She opened her eyes wide. “What does that mean?”
Stern, he held her gaze. “It means you’re unwisely tempting me. We haven’t even gotten to a measure of honesty yet, but you’re giving off a pretty strong vibe.”
Her eyes flared more. “A ‘let’s have sex’ vibe?” Her mouth twitched. “Is that what you mean?”
Teasing? The woman had no idea of how she affected him. Deciding to clue her in, Leese caught her upper arms and swiftly turned her to her back. Looming over her, he gazed at her mouth. “Yeah.” He badly wanted to taste her. “That’s exactly what I mean.”
“You do tempt me,” she whispered, her smile in place. “I didn’t realize it was mutual though.”
“Now you do.” And maybe she’d be more circumspect.
“Because I’m convenient?” she asked. “Or somewhat—” her expression pinched “—desperate?”
The uncertainty twisted his guts. He glanced at her mouth. “Because you’re hot.”
Her teeth bit into her bottom lip. “You really think so?”
Intuitively knowing she needed to hear it, he shared his thoughts. It wasn’t in the best interest of his sanity, but he liked seeing her blush.
He especially liked the way she looked at him.
“You, lady, are sexiness in a very small, sweet package.”
“Usually I’m told I’m too thin.”
Leese slowly shook his head. “You have the right look and the right attitude to push all my buttons.”
Gifting him with that cocky smile he admired, she opened her hands on his chest. “Mmm. I think I like that.”
“What?”
“Pushing your buttons.” Her fingers trailed up to his shoulders, then around his neck.
Leese started to lean down when Justice knocked again.
Cat froze, then panicked. “Oh my God. That’s Justice, right? I forgot all about him!” She pushed against Leese, trying to slide free.
He wanted to groan.
In truth, he should thank Justice for keeping him from doing anything insane. “Shh. Take it easy.” He rolled to the side of her and watched her shoot off the bed, then make a mad dash around to the bedroom.
Her ass looked really nice as she did so.
After scrubbing both hands over his face, Leese forced himself from the bed and went to the door. He peeked out first.
Justice stood there holding a tray with coffee and a basket of Danish pastries. Time to get the day started.
Past time to work through the puzzle of the current case: Catalina Nicholson.
* * *
CAT COULDN’T LOOK at him. She felt ridiculous.
And pretty wonderful.
She wanted him. And that worried her.
Moving on would be for the best. But where? And how?
And damn it, she didn’t want to go. She wanted to snuggle up with him again. She wanted the unaccountable peace of mind he afforded her. Why he afforded it, she had no idea.
This morning, crowds filled the lobby and she realized what she hadn’t last night: she looked terrible. In the nice hotel, most were dressed in expensive coats and leather boots, their hair salon-styled, their manners impeccable.
Standing to her right, Justice again hauled her big, broken suitcase and that made them stand out like a sore thumb. Not because of the guys, but because of her.