Page 61 of Unraveled

Audrey let out a strained little laugh and made a fanning motion near her face. “Must be the heat. It’s miserable out there today.”

He nodded a little, and his gaze dropped to the papers in her hand, then went to the records room. His eyes met hers again, sending her pulse into a flurry. Oh, God. If he discovered she was taking patient files, she could not only lose her job but face a lawsuit for breach of privacy. She needed to get out of there—now.

“Well, anyway, I just had to stop in for a few things.” She made a show of fishing for her keys. “See you later.”

Audrey clutched the papers tightly in her hand and turned, fighting the urge to run as she headed out the door, all the while feeling his eyes painting a bull’s-eye on her back.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-ONE

The sound of the TV in the living room greeted him when he stepped inside the house. A delicious, spicy smell lingered in the air, and he tossed his briefcase and keys on the table before striding toward the stove. Someone had made stir-fry, and the remnants sat on the burner, the lid on the pan to keep them warm.

He pulled a fork from the drawer and scooped up a couple mouthfuls, leaning one hip on the counter. Aside from the TV playing in the living room, the house was quiet. He wondered if Audrey was taking another nap. He stabbed another piece of chicken and shoveled it into his mouth, then headed toward the stairs to check on her.

He had left her in bed that morning, warm and soft from a night of lovemaking, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t hope to get her back there again. He had slept in her room the night before, and he looked forward to doing it again. Now that she was starting to come around, he refused to backtrack. The only change he was willing to make was moving her into his room. He wanted her in his bed and in his house—permanently.

Though he had alluded to a serious relationship before, he knew she was still skittish from her divorce. He felt like every time he took one step forward, she took two steps back. After the previous night, something between them had changed. The wall around her heart had cracked and begun to crumble, and for the first time in more than a month, ever since their first night together, he got a glimpse of the real Audrey. She was funny and smart and gorgeous. He wasn’t going to rush things with her. As long as she was there with him, that was all that mattered.

He jogged quietly upstairs and peeked into the guest bedroom, his eyes sweeping the empty room. Cocking an ear, he listened for any movement in the attached bath, but it remained quiet. He headed to the end of the hall where his room was located and paused in the doorway, a smile curving his mouth.

She sat cross-legged on the bed, his laptop, her phone, and a few papers spread out in front of her, and for a moment he just watched her. His eyes skimmed over her from head to toe, taking in those long auburn locks that fell in unruly waves down her back and over her shoulder. She wore a tank top and sweats, but her feet were bare, and he smiled at the sight of the soft pink polish tipping her toes.

Her head lifted when she noticed his presence, and her mouth curled into a small smile. “Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Hey, beautiful.” She slipped off the bed as he approached, and he pulled her into his arms, tipping her head up for a kiss.

The kiss turned deeper, more passionate, and he slid one hand under her shirt, his thumb caressing the soft skin of her lower back. She tasted so good and felt even better. He wanted to strip her bare and tumble her back onto the bed she’d just vacated. Somewhere in the back of his mind, common sense reared up, telling him to slow down, and he reluctantly broke the kiss.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good.” Her hands came up to his chest, her fingers stroking over the silk of his blue tie.

“Stay out of trouble today?”

Automatically, she stiffened, and he regretted whatever it was he’d said. He mentally played his words back as she pulled out of his arms and sat on the edge of the mattress.

He pushed the papers aside and took a seat beside her, his gaze riveted on her face. “Audrey?” She finally lifted her gaze to his. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded, concern clouding her eyes. “Have you heard anything about the man who shot at me?”

So, that’s what this was all about. He’d told her the night before when they were lying in bed that he’d reached out to Luke and his friends to do some digging. He’d left out the fact that they were currently running background on Kellerman as well. Turning to face her more fully, he pulled a knee up between them and cupped her face with one hand. “Not yet, sweetheart. But they’re working on it, I promise.”

She bit her lip. “What if they don’t find him? Or what if they’re chasing the wrong person?”

He stroked his thumb over her cheek. “They’re good at what they do, red. Between Knox’s guys and the police, they’ll figure it out.”

“I just…” She trailed off, seemingly having some sort of internal debate with herself. Finally, she continued. “I don’t know if this is just a fluke, or if I’ve totally lost my mind, but I don’t know who else to talk to about this, and I don’t want to sound neurotic or anything, but I feel like there’s something here.”

She took a deep breath, finally out of steam, and he lifted his brows in question as he gazed at her, still trying to process her words. “What are you talking about, babe?”

She stared at him for a long second. “Can I show you something?”

“Of course.”

“So, you’ve heard about the bodies they’ve found recently. Remember the first victim—the one I found in the cornfield?”

He nodded. “The police suspected homicide, right?”