Kelly Jamieson How (html) (book club recommendations .txt) 📖

in an attempt to smooth the tangled curls. She yawned andstood up.

He hadn't had a chance to fullyappreciate her body last night, or this morning. She was all long, lean musclesunder smooth skin, slim-waisted, full-breasted. His eyes were drawn helplesslyto those sparkly jewels piercing her navel. When she walked toward thebathroom, the long muscles in her thighs flexed, and the view from behind asshe walked away was just as outstanding. Tiny lace panties barely covered firm,rounded cheeks.

He gulped. He had to keep her here,but it could be problematic sharing a hotel room and keeping his hands off her.

She grabbed her bag as she went intothe bathroom. He heard water running, the toilet flushing. Then she reappeared,still clad only in bra and panties. So much for shyness.

She sat back down on the bed andlooked at him. "So? How long are you going to keep me here?"

"You're not a prisoner."

She laughed. "I'm kidding.Believe me, if I want to leave, I'll leave."

He had no doubt of that. She seemedto have recovered from the traumatic events of the previous day.

"It so happens I'm feeling inneed of protection right now," she said lightly. "So I'm in no hurryto leave."

"Oh. Okay. Good."

"I am hungry, though."

Hell. He hadn't even thoughtabout food. Now that she said it, though, he realized he was ravenous, too. Hereached for the room service menu and handed it to her.

She opened it up and flipped thepages. "Waffles." She snapped it closed and handed it back to him."Orange juice and coffee. Lots of coffee."

He grinned and picked up the phone.He added bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausages and toast for himself.

When he hung up, he looked back ather. "Uh...are you going to get dressed?"

She shot him a sultry smile."Am I bothering you?"

His lips curved up in response."Hell, yeah."

Her smile widened, but she stood upand searched the room for her clothes. "I put your stuff in thecloset," he told her. She looked like a damn supermodel as she strode onthose long legs to the closet. She pulled on the same yoga pants and tank topshe'd been wearing when they arrived, leaving off the hoodie for now.

Somehow, even though she wasdressed, it didn't help take his attention away from her. The tank hugged herbreasts and left a strip of smooth flesh bare between its hem and thelow-riding drawstring of the pants. Fortunately, room service provided adistraction by delivering their food.

He put away his laptop, and theyspread their breakfast feast across the table, pulling up two chairs. Marlipoured them each a cup of coffee from the thermos, adding cream and sugar tohers. She topped her waffle with all the whipped butter and then looked at his.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you going to use thatbutter?"

He looked down at his pancakes."Yeah."

"Oh." She shrugged herslim shoulders, and, before he even knew he was doing it, he picked up thelittle container of butter and handed it over. She rewarded him with a radiantsmile. He shook his head.

"I thought I had a bigappetite," she said, indicating the plates full of food in front of him.

He laughed. "I lost some weightafter...a while ago. I'm still trying to get back up to fighting weight."

She looked at him with frankappreciation. "You look good."

He flashed back to the night they'dmet at Cactus Jack's. She'd said that then, too. That night, he hadn't beensure how to take that comment. Today, the warm admiration in her eyes left himno doubt.

Warmth spread from his chestdownward. He ducked his head and started cutting his pancakes. When he lookedup at her, she was smiling.

"Marli..."

"What?" She looked at himwith innocent eyes and slowly put a piece of waffle into her mouth with herfork.

"Are you flirting withme?"

And just like that, her gazeshuttered. Shit. "What?" he asked, confused. "What did Isay?"

She put down her knife and fork andstared at her plate. Then she looked back up at him, her lips firming, eyesclear. "Yes," she said. "I guess I was flirting with you. I'msorry."

"Jesus, don't apologize! I'mnot complaining. I just wanted to be clear...because, if you're flirting withme, you'd better be prepared for what might happen."

Chapter8

"What might happen?" Hervoice came out husky.

She watched his Adam's apple bob ashe swallowed hard. He looked back at her, clearly debating how to answer. Whenhe spoke, his voice was low, rough. "I might rip all your clothes off andfuck your brains out."

His reply shocked her, thrilled her,but she smiled, still watching him. "I might not mind that," she saidsoftly.

Their eyes met and held across thetable, sexual tension rising in her until she ached with need. Then he shookhis head. "Finish your breakfast."

She kept smiling, but turned herattention back to her food. She was starving and it felt good to be hungry fora change. She, too, hadn't been eating much lately. Although, despite herappetite, she found she actually couldn't eat as much as she wanted to. She hadto leave some of the huge Belgian waffle untouched. She sipped her coffee andwatched Trey devour his own food.

When he'd cleaned every plate andleaned back in his chair, she grinned.

"Feel better?"

He smiled back at her. "Yeah.That was good."

"So, what's the plan now?"

Trey glanced at his watch. "I'mgoing to make a couple of calls, then I'm going to the FBI office in LA. Youcan wait here."

"Uh-uh. I'm not staying herealone."

"You'll be safe here."Although he didn't appear entirely convinced of that when he eyed the slidingglass door. They were only on the second floor, which was not difficult toaccess. "Okay, you can come with me."

"Can I have a showerfirst?"

"Sure. I wouldn't mind ashower, too."

She looked at him and she knew hecould tell what she was thinking.

"Go," he said, pointing atthe bathroom.

Grinning, she helped pile theirdishes back onto the tray and tossed garbage into the wastebasket.

She showered and shampooed her hair,the hot