Page 23 of Scorched

Her gaze slipped to the side and downward. “No.”

“Good, because I can’t be with you all the time. I need to know you’re not going to go off anywhere and investigate on your own.”

“I’m going to school and home.”

“If you want me to, I can come into the school and ask around about the note.”

Her gaze shot back to him. “No!” Heat rose up her neck and spread across her cheekbones. She pressed her palms to her face. “I don’t want the principal or the other teachers to suspect anything. I want a chance to live here in peace. No one can know about my past.”

Paul sighed. “Sure makes it hard to follow up on that note.”

“I know,” she said. “But that’s the way it has to be.”

“You might as well hit the sack.” Paul rolled his shoulders. “Mind if I look around before calling it a night?”

She dipped her head. “Please do. I’ve checked that all the windows and doors are secure, but it wouldn’t hurt to double-check.”

“Exactly. Plus, I want to look for other vulnerable areas.”

A shiver shook the woman, standing there in her robe, reminding Paul that Elise was practically naked in front of a virtual stranger. Though somehow, he didn’t consider them strangers even though they’d only been in each other’s company no more times than he could count on one hand.

His lips were still warm from the kiss they’d shared. When he glanced down, he realized Elise’s nipples were poking out against the thin silk of her robe, the turgid peaks glaringly obvious.

She wasn’t immune to his presence. Nor was she unfazed by his kiss, but he didn’t need to take advantage of the fact.

Elise’s cheeks blossomed with color, she crossed her arms over the evidence and ducked her head, refusing to meet his gaze. “I’ll go to bed now.”

“I take it I can have the couch?”

“Oh, right, yes. I’ll get you a blanket.” She hurried toward the cabinet in the hallway.

As her hand reached upward to open the upper cabinet door, Paul’s hand caught hers. “Here, let me get it. You know you don’t have to wait on me.”

Her heat radiated warmth through the silk clinging to her skin. Although he wasn’t touching her, he could sense the soft curves of her body only a breath away. All she had to do was lean back and he’d take her into his arms.

Unable to stop, his hand slid down her raised arm, his fingers brushing against the curve of her breast. “You feel it, don’t you?” His body ached for hers, heat pooling in his groin, begging for release.

Elise sucked in a breath, her body stiffened. When she turned, she rested a hand on his chest and stared up into his eyes.

Before Paul could gather her into his arms, a door opened behind them.

Paul backed away, his hands coming away with a blanket and a pillow from the top shelf.

Elise ducked beneath his arm and confronted her oldest son.

“Mom?” Although he spoke to his mother, Brandonstared up at Paul. “Something made a noise outside my window. I’m scared.”

Immediately on alert, all thoughts of making love with the beautiful Elise flew from his mind. What had he been thinking anyway? He was there to protect Elise, not force himself on her.

Paul headed for the door, determined to focus on the security he was there to provide.

CHAPTER 7

Paul spentthe night on the couch, getting up every hour to go outside and check the perimeter. The noise Brandon had heard had been the branch of a mountain laurel pushed into the glass by a steadily increasing northerly breeze. Indian summer had come to an end in Breuer, the temperature plummeting thirty degrees overnight.

Before five o’clock, Paul headed out. The gray light of dawn edged the darkness out of the sky as he headed southeast into San Antonio. Rather than wake the woman he’d almost made love to last night, he’d left a note on the table telling her he’d be back that evening and for her not to go anywhere without letting him know first. He’d scribbled his cell phone number at the bottom of the note.

First stop, his apartment on the northwest side of town, for a quick shower, shave and clean clothing. Theoffice would be practically empty at six-thirty. Most agents didn’t arrive until closer to seven-thirty or eight if they weren’t out working a case. He liked the early hours all to himself without interruptions. Paperwork was hard enough to wade through on a good day.

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