To discover the truth, he’d have to deepen his investigation.
“Fuck,” he muttered as he rolled onto his hands and knees and shoved to his feet. It wasn’t easy with his jeans threatening to strangle his erection. With quick, easy motions, he made a bed on the couch, not because he planned on using it, but because she’d expect it.
When that was done, he gave into curiosity and went to her bedroom. He didn’t cross the threshold but peeked in from the outside. If there was anything of a personal nature, she’d hidden it in one of the dresser drawers or maybe in the small closet or nightstand.
On a normal job, he’d be pawing through her things without even thinking about it in his bid to uncover the truth.
Cassie was different.
Somewhere between the time he’d walked into the roadhouse and this moment, she’d become more than just a job.
He ambled back to the couch and gingerly lowered himself. The wood creaked but held. They’d made furniture better forty years ago.
Without his permission, his entire body turned toward the bathroom. Blood pumped hard and fast through his veins. Longing rose up inside him, constricting his throat.
Cassie was in there, wet and naked.
He forced his gaze to the ceiling, closed his eyes. It didn’t help. All it did was focus his sense of hearing. She hummed softly beneath the rush of the water.
It’s going to be a hell of a long night.
…
She’d really lost her mind. Not even a hot shower could help. If anything, it made things worse.
There was a complete stranger—a totally hot one, but still a stranger—in her living room while she was completely bare, the water gently pelting her body. Her nipples, already at attention, became even more painfully tight. An ache built between her thighs.
He’d sniffed her.
The expression on his face after he’d done it had been priceless. There was something about him that appealed to her. Too much. She couldn’t afford any attachments.
He could be a one-night stand.
But what if he stayed around? That could be awkward.
Or maybe it would lead to more than one night of hot, sweaty sex.
Would that be such a bad thing?
“Stop it,” she muttered, trying to silence the naughty voice in her head urging her to take him for a roll in her sheets.
Cassie turned down the heat on the water, amping up the cold. Her body was pumping out enough heat to steam the room.
Was he who he seemed to be? Suspicion was an ugly thing, but it had also kept her alive. Problem was, the only way to know for sure would be to use her gifts to take a peek. Even a small pulse of energy might alert any searcher in the area. Not to mention what Alexei might do if he wasn’t what he seemed to be.
She hummed as she shut off the water and reached for her towel. It wasn’t a song she’d ever heard before. Just something she made up in her head. It calmed her and helped her think.
After quickly towelling off, she pulled on the robe she kept on the back of the door. It was almost three o’clock in the morning. She should be exhausted, but if anything, she was more alert than ever. Before she’d defected from her job, she hadn’t needed to sleep at all, but now she needed a few hours to keep her energy levels up.
You can do this.
When she opened the door, he was seated on the ugly couch with his head tilted back and his eyes shut, exposing the strong column of his neck. She wanted to run her teeth over his throat before kissing him again.
He was a great kisser.
Sensing her presence, he slowly lowered his head and opened his eyes. She pulled the sides of the robe more securely around her neck and curled her toes into the thin, worn carpet. “Uh, the bathroom is yours if you want it. Good night.”
She rushed into her bedroom and shut the door before she jumped his gorgeous body. There was no lock. It had never been necessary before. And, even now, she wasn’t sure if she was trying to protect herself or him.
She could shove her dresser in front of it. It wouldn’t stop him from gaining access, but it would give her enough warning to bail out the window. In her heart, she knew if he heard her moving the piece of furniture it would hurt his feelings. Plus, she wouldn’t have asked him to her home if she didn’t trust him on some level. He’d obviously walked to The Pit. He could have gotten home the same way.
God, she was dithering.
“You’ve lost it.” She ditched the robe, pulled on thick socks and a pair of flannel pajamas, and dove into bed. Huddled under the covers, she listened intently. The shower came on a few seconds later.
On a groan of frustration, she rolled onto her back. Unable to help herself, she imagined him completely unclothed. It wasn’t hard to do since she’d been mentally undressing him for most of the night. His sweater might be bulky, but without a doubt, there wasn’t a shred of fat under it. Only ripped, hard muscle.
Sweat beaded on her brow. She was one giant bundle of sexual frustration. The throbbing between her thighs intensified with each passing second.
Cursing herself as an idiot, she shoved her hand beneath the waistband of her pajama pants. She kept going until she was touching herself. The damp folds between her thighs were slick with need.
She bit her bottom lip to hold back a moan, but it escaped anyway. An image of him formed in her mind—massive biceps, a thick chest, and ripped abs. And that’s just what was above the waist.
She shivered and thrust two fingers deep into her moist core. Her inner muscles pulsed, clutching at them. How much better would it be if it were his fingers inside her?
Or his cock.
“Hmmm.” She didn’t bother to mute herself. After all, he couldn’t hear her. Might as well enjoy her fantasy.
And that’s all it was, all it could be. Reality was a bitch. While she was attracted to him, it would be stupid to indulge. And she hadn’t survived since leaving her old life by making unwise decisions. One tiny slipup could lead to disaster.
As much as she might want to jump Alexei and indulge her wildest fantasies, they’d have to remain just that for the foreseeable future.
It was better that way, for both of them.
…
Frigid water bounced off his chest and trickled down to his groin as he ran the bar of soap over his torso. It had zero effect on his erection.
He could jerk off in Cassie’s shower. But that seemed…impolite.
Hearing something, he angled his head to one side and listened. Had she moaned? Had she injured herself?
He was halfway out of the shower when he heard another. This one was long and sultry. It was a moan, not one of pain but pleasure.