Phantom in the Night (B.A.D. Agency, #2)(25)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Wrong thing to suggest.

Nathan’s steel gray-gaze turned stormy black. "Jamie would never work for_"

"Hey, I said I heard speculation, not that I thought he was a drug runner. I never even met your brother."

Nathan leaned back hard. A sigh escaped. "Sorry, I’m just sure whatever involvement he had with Marseaux was innocent."

"Did he leave any more notes?"

"I believe he would have, but I haven’t found them."

"That’s why the drawers were open in your mother’s house."

"Yes, but Jamie wouldn’t leave notes in places so easy to find. We always had a joint hiding place for valuables in other houses. I never lived in this one. I don’t know where he put anything he wanted to keep safe, but I know he would have left me information… somewhere."

Terri took in the worry and exhaustion lines around Nathan’s beautiful eyes. He needed rest. She wouldn’t press him further right now. Angling her head toward the door, she asked, "Is that your bag over there?"

"I’m staying here tonight. I can bunk on the floor."

"What if I say no?"

"I’ll just break in after you go to sleep and still bunk on the floor."

She stifled a smile at the irritation those words evoked. She didn’t doubt his words for a minute. Brady would warn her she was asking for trouble she could ill afford, but she’d taken bigger risks as a teen than letting a stranger sleep on her floor for one night. Especially a man who had saved her butt more than once and might be the key to unlocking this investigation.

"Why don’t you get a shower, then I’ll take one?" Terri suggested.

"I have a better idea. Join me."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Join me? As in join me to take a shower? Terri blinked, at an immediate loss for how to respond to Nathan’s bold request. "No" was the correct answer if she could get her brain and her body to agree. She should be laying down some basic guidelines for cohabitating, not considering how much she’d like to see that body in full commando.

The conscience she’d developed since coming to live with her grandmother had to be the only reason her next words were, "I don’t think so."

He almost smiled. Almost. "I didn’t mean technically in the shower, but in the bathroom so you’ll be close enough for me to hear."

Yeah, of course. In what universe would this gorgeous guy ever be interested in seeing her nak*d? He acted as though he’d wanted her in the dark, but in the light of day? Maybe not.

She struggled to find a cute comeback to hide the embarrassment heating her face. He saved her the trouble when his gaze drifted up and down her with an undisguised intimacy. "You can turn your back when I step out… or not."

More than her face was hot now. Don’t even think about sitting that close to all that male, unclothed with steamy water running down every cut of his hard body. Take a breath and set him straight_yet again_on how this is going to work. "I appreciate your concern, but I’m pretty sure the worst thing that will happen to me without you is a paper cut. We need to respect each other’s space if you’re going to stay here tonight."

There was that tiny hint of a smile on his face again. He still doubted her skills.

She should have shot him when she had the chance. "Towels are in the bathroom closet."

"I’ll be right back." He walked away and disappeared into the living room, then returned just as quickly and locked the kitchen door. "Both doors are secure. Are there any unlocked windows?"

"No." She stuck a hand on her hip. "Want to set up a perimeter monitoring system while we’re at it? I know where an after hours electronics store is."

"Good idea. Then I can construct an RFID chip to inject you with so that I can monitor your whereabouts twenty-four/seven."

She rolled her eyes at him. He was relentless. "Whatever. Take your bath so I can." She grabbed her purse on the way out of the room and deposited it inside the doorway to her bedroom, then headed down the hallway. She retrieved a towel and washcloth from the linen closet on the way, then stepped into the narrow bathroom.

Grandma had upgraded a few things over the years with the exception of this one room. Her eighty-year-old house hadn’t changed much, which meant there was barely enough room in the small space for one person.

Just another reason why Terri had no intentions of sitting in this room while Nathan showered. Naked. Wet. Gorgeous.

Her clothes were too warm and confining all of a sudden, especially in this tiny space. Terri dropped his linens on the sink counter and swung around to leave that erotic image in her dust. She plowed into Nathan, whose body was as solid as the walls of the house.

He gripped her shoulders, steadying her. "Whoa. What’s wrong?"

Every imposing inch of him filled the doorway. The spark of heat that lit his gaze quickened her pulse and deepened her embarrassment, which brought out her worst attribute. A flash-point temper.

"Don’t sneak up on me, dammit." She sounded like a shrew, but every time she got close to attractive men she turned into a bumbling idiot.

"You told me to come in here."

"Don’t be obtuse. Move out of my way."

His eyes twinkled in amusement. "No." He slowly shook his head. "I don’t want you too far away while I shower. Don’t make me tie you to the toilet."

She couldn’t get far enough away at the moment. "Look, bud. I’m trained. Ticked off. And I have a loaded weapon. You should take particular note of the loaded weapon part when annoying me."

"Why are you annoyed?"

She’d talked herself into yet another corner, but refused to lose this battle. "Oh, I don’t know; Maybe because I’ve got a man in my house everyone in the NOPD and DEA thinks is dead_whose body they’re all looking for. And if they find him in my house, what little career I have managed to hang on to will be over. Got any idea if McDonald’s is hiring? I might need a contact there." She crossed her arms, ignoring the voice in her head snickering at her for conveniently sidestepping the part about how she hated to not feel in control.

Just standing this close to this man swung her world sideways.

Nathan stared into lush forest-green eyes. Intelligent eyes that judged him with every blink. And she should. Irritation mixed with curiosity rolled off her in waves. He’d like to think the curious part was feminine interest, but wouldn’t set himself up for that letdown. This woman was law enforcement.

Keep that foremost in mind for any hope of remaining free to hunt down Jamie’s killer.

If he had any sense of self-preservation he wouldn’t be spending the night in the same house as the voluptuous Terri Mitchell, but leaving her alone after tonight was out of the question.

Not to mention, Marseaux would come gunning for both of them and Terri would be the easiest to locate.

"Move." She cocked her head and gave him an exaggerated sigh of impatience.

He wasn’t used to being countermanded by anyone and had no way to keep her locked in here. "Make a deal with me."

"I’m listening."

"Turn on your hallway light. Get your gun and sit in a dark corner in the bedroom until I come out. It’s the best defensive spot right now. I know you’re a well-trained agent, but I also know that you’ve seen what kind of monsters these people are and what they do to people every bit as capable as you. So, please, for my sanity, humor me in this."

He could see the debate in her face. This woman took her word seriously or she’d have agreed just to get him to move. His respect for her climbed several notches for that alone.

"Okay. Only so I can get a shower at some point before daylight, but don’t get it in your head that you’re calling the shots in my house or with my investigation."

"Never crossed my mind." He should give her the truth_that he fully intended to call the shots to keep her alive_but given her current frame of mind, her pride might overrule her good sense.

Nathan backed out. When she stepped past and strode down the hall, he waited until she entered the bedroom with her weapon before he showered and shaved in record time. Outside the bathroom, he stepped into the bright hallway and listened for any disturbance. In two strides, he stuck his head around the doorway slowly and whispered, Terri?

"What?"

He smothered a grin at her put-upon tone. "Your turn." His eyes adjusted to the dark as she emerged from the far corner next to the window. Smart choice.

She opened a drawer, dug around, closed the drawer, then pulled a fluffy pink robe from her closet. Nathan moved to the side of the doorway when she headed toward him. The minute she stepped into the light he saw what she’d taken from the drawer_cherry-red lacy underwear meant to make a man beg.

His mouth dried out so quickly, he couldn’t have spoken if his next words would save his life.

She caught the direction of his gaze and stopped moving.

Tension compressed the air between them, breaking Nathan’s attention from the wisp of material to fix on Terri’s face. Her eyes took in everything he’d exposed in that brief moment.

He knew without a doubt she’d read the bold desire in his face. In his face? Hell, she’d seen more than that. He was hard as the barrel of the SIG she clutched in her other hand and it was tough to hide in this pair of jeans.

Nathan cleared his throat, as uncomfortable as he’d been on his first date.

She smiled, damn her. "So glad to see a hot shower didn’t zap all your strength." Her eyes dropped to his crotch, then she breezed past him.

The little demon.

"Terri."

She paused and swung around. "What?"

"One warning, that’s all."

Her confident mask flickered, but she reined in her momentary insecurity. "Meaning?"

"Don’t tease a lion that’s roamed the jungle alone for two years."

* * *

Terri rolled onto her back, for the fourth time in the past twenty minutes. How could Nathan be comfortable in the living room? On a couch that was a foot shorter than him?

He wouldn’t even discuss comfort, stating the best place for him to be was where he would hear someone trying to enter one of the two doors.

She kicked the covers off and climbed out of bed. The hardwood floor was chilly, a welcome change from baking in the sheets. She hadn’t planned on wearing more than her underwear to bed, but she couldn’t run around the house undressed, so she’d pulled on a white undershirt that stopped short of her red panties.

Terri walked to the window and parted the sheers with her fingers, gazing out at the empty street through the slat of her shutters. She turned away and navigated the room with her night-light. Maybe she’d use her booklight to read for a while. Just as she reached her to-be-read stack of novels, a loud boom sounded outside.

Nathan appeared out of nowhere, lunged into the room, grabbing her on his way down as they hit the bed as one. He rolled her beneath him.

"What’s wrong?" She struggled to move, but he had her pinned tight.

"Shh."

The boom she’d, heard? "That was a backfire, not a gun."

He didn’t answer her. That alone silenced her.

She squirmed until she could see his face, then wished she hadn’t.

Above her was the rigid jaw, sharp cheeks, and dark eyes of a dangerous predator, anticipating a threat and ready to attack. He stared at the window, but she could tell he listened for any change or sound.

Her heart raced.

This was a man who had been in Special Forces.

And had survived two years in prison.

But he would never harm her. She knew this with a certainty Terri hadn’t been willing to entertain, much less believe in for a while. Her mind conjured up warnings she beat back into submission, ready to trust her instincts again.

She’d been intimate with a couple men she’d thought were special, but realized now neither of those would have put themselves on the line for her.

Nathan had, more than once.

Even now, he shielded her with a body built for power. Defined muscles covered his upper torso. He flexed an arm, the cut of his bicep deep, no doubt sculpted from relentless exercise. His wide chest hovered over her, protectively, but he used his solid forearms to hold his weight off her.

Except from the waist down, where they touched intimately.

She felt his gaze before she lifted hers. The thin material left no question over his state of arousal. All she had to do was lift her h*ps to feel every inch of that.

Don’t tease a lion that’s roamed the jungle alone for two years.

He’d given her fair warning. She’d have to take responsibility for anything that happened after this point.

Her mind turned into a chaotic debate. Don’t let this chance pass. He’s interested. Don’t be stupid. He’s on the run. She closed her eyes. If only she could quiet her thoughts so easily.

Use the excuse of the boom outside to dissipate the heat simmering between. Or to suggest he let her up to make coffee since they were both awake.

She opened her eyes. He studied her with a gaze that swirled darker by the second, until those eyes reminded her of an ominous gray storm cloud waiting to explode with lightning. His chest rose and fell with one deep breath after another.

The longer she stared up into his smoldering gaze, the less she cared about backfires, coffee, or moving one inch from this spot.

Terri licked her lips, lost in the tempest building between them. She lifted a hand up between them and smoothed the pads of her fingers lightly over his face.

He closed his eyes. A shudder ran through him.

To know she could stir him so was exhilarating. She’d never thought of herself as a babe or sex kitten, but watching this incredible man react to her touch was intoxicating.

And seductive. She wanted more.

Terri rubbed her palm across his cheek, then glided a fingertip over his lips. He kissed the finger, then drew it into his mouth, nipping lightly, teasing with his tongue. He kissed her palm. His fingers toyed with her hair.

She lifted another hand to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart quicken.

His lips met hers, kissing, gently urging her with his touch for more. His hand moved from her hair to her neck, smoothing his fingers across her skin, tantalizing her with his light touch.

Her eyelids fluttered closed, intensifying her other senses. She breathed in his male scent, engaging parts of her mind and body that had been dormant too long.