Page 46 of Close Pursuit

She frowned. He was obviously planning to do other things while he was out, too, Phone his father, maybe? Report in to his FSB superiors?

He left, and she stared at the telephone on the nightstand. Assuming she could even manage to make an overseas call, who would she contact?

They probably ought to let Doctors Unlimited know what had happened and that they were alive. But Alex seemed in no rush to notify their employer, and after his comments about it not being what it seemed, she was hesitant to do so, either.

For the moment, she got Dawn settled in her first real bed, and headed eagerly for the bathroom and that lovely tub. Grabbing a bottle of what she assumed was shampoo sitting on the counter, she ran a steaming hot bath and slid into it blissfully.

Eventually, when the dirt had soaked out of her pores and she’d shampooed her hair within an inch of its life, she eyed her filthy clothes piled on the floor. She climbed out of the tub and dried off, and then dropped the whole mess of clothes into the soapy bath water. She did her best to scrub them clean.

She wrung out her heavy, sodden clothes and hung them up to dry.

Note to self: hug her washer and dryer when she got back home and tell them how very much she loved them both.

She wrapped herself in one of the big bath towels, turbaned her hair in another towel, and stepped into the main room to check on Dawn.

Alex looked up from the side of the crib and took in her terry cloth décolletage with a thoroughness that left her breathless.

“I washed my clothes,” she mumbled.

“I bought you new ones.”

“Bless you.”

He grinned. “They’re in the bag on the bed.”

A half-dozen bags laid on the bed, and as she headed for the pile, she stared into the crib in surprise. Dawn wore a fuzzy pink onesie-sleeper, and the distinctive bubble of a diaper was visible under it. Alex tucked a pink blanket around the sleeping baby as she looked on.

“She’s adorable,” Katie cried under her breath. “Thank you so much for getting her something warm. I’ve been so worried about her getting chilled.”

He shrugged and actually looked abashed. “She’s been a trooper. It was high time to spoil our little princess a little.”

Was he actually fond of Dawn? Who’d have guessed the big bad bachelor spy would fall for a baby?

Katie rummaged through the bags and pulled out a pair of jeans, a lavender t-shirt, and a hoodie sweatshirt. They looked like they would fit well enough to get her home. But that was about all she could say about their fashion sensibility.

“There’s more,” Alex murmured from behind her.

She dug in the bottom of the bag and came up with a handful of sheer black fabric. It was a bra and matching bikini briefs trimmed with little red bows. Both were see-through and trashy, and her cheeks flamed. But the lingerie was clean, and that outweighed any objections she might have to its taste quotient.

“The only other option was granny panties and matching bras,” he commented dryly. “Given your predilection for skimpy lace, I figured you’d prefer those.”

She retreated to the bathroom, slipped into the bra and panties, and stared at herself in the mirror, shocked. She looked like a…a harlot. All she needed were fishnet stockings and garters to complete the look. But her bare legs topped by that black see-through nylon were pretty dirty all by themselves.

She jumped about a foot in the air when a voice said form the doorway, “I approve.”

“Alex! You can’t just barge in on a lady when she’s dressing!”

“Why not? I’ve already seen you mostly naked, and you’ve seen me naked. I’ve had my hands on your body, and as if that’s not enough, I’m a doctor. I’m used to naked bodies.”

Yeah, and he had a long history with women. The kind of women who had no modesty and were at ease doing naughty things she couldn’t even imagine. This kind of lingerie wouldn’t phase them. But he was decent enough not to bring that up.

Instead she remarked tartly, “Doctors don’t look at their patients in sexy underwear.”

He shrugged. “Most of my patients were male prison inmates. Not much black lace in that crowd.” His lips twitched with humor. “None of them could pull it off like you do, anyway.”

He pushed away from the doorframe and advanced until he stood directly behind her, tall and dark in contrast to her fair skin. He’d changed into a black shirt and black dress slacks that made him look like a mobster. A smoking hot mobster.

Staring over her shoulder at her body with his eyes blazing, she decided he actually looked more like a fallen angel looming behind her waiting to claim her eternal soul.

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