“Hello to you too,” Clara said with a sarcastic edge.
He’d left abruptly. She was mad. Since he didn’t have a peace offering he’d have to talk his way through this. Something he was no longer good at. “Sorry, I was rude before—”
“How often do you have those episodes?” Clara sipped from a cup of what looked like a fresh pot of coffee.
“We can talk about those later. Right now—”
She shot a severe look.
“I promise.” He put his hands in the surrender position. He could admit that he’d been rather abrupt with her. He made a mental note to dial it down a few notches. Frustrating her wouldn’t help and he could admit to himself that having her there during one of his episodes calmed him a helluva lot faster than in the past. She brought other areas of him to life and threatened to crack the casing around his heart.
“If it’s something I can’t use my phone for then I go to the business center,” Clara stated, recovering the initial conversation.
“Exactly,” Daniel agreed. He shot a look of gratitude for letting him off the hook.
“You think Ashlyn used the business center so that her parents couldn’t track her every move.” Clara rocked her head. Then she put a finger up mid-air. “Hold on a second. There’s nothing on her social media page besides pictures with Makayla. We’ve already scanned those and came up empty.” She froze and then it seemed to dawn on her. “But she wouldn’t use the social media page that her mother was on. And with all the things I’m learning about the secrets she kept I have to believe she had a page no one knew about.”
“I have a guy who can hack into the resort’s computer. It shouldn’t take long. Most places like that don’t keep a sophisticated business center. People go on vacation to get away from work and the ones who bring it along with them transport their own technology with them.” He already had his phone out punching in a text.
A dangerous ray of hope brightened Clara’s eyes. “That’s why she would’ve been hanging around in the lobby instead of on the beach. Maybe she was waiting for the computer or scouting out a good time to use it. That would also explain why she reacted to Makayla’s little brother. She didn’t want to be figured out.”
Daniel rocked his head.
The response from Emmanuel came a few seconds later. Daniel had expected as much considering technology was always within Emmanuel’s reach.
Sounds intriguing. Where’s the system?
“What’s the name of the resort?” Daniel asked Clara.
“Jamaica Royale,” she supplied.
Daniel texted the information.
Hold tight.
“What did he say?” Clara asked as she got up and walked over to Daniel.
He held up the screen and tilted it toward her.
This close, her flowers and sunshine scent filled his senses. He was starting to rethink the hotel room idea. But then, neutral territory was best for both of them.
“Coffee?” Clara asked and her voice was raw with need. She didn’t step away.
All the chemistry that had been sizzling between them roared back in a fury. A spark ignited and the flame had been simmering.
No kids. No wedding ring. No commitments.
Clara was in her late twenties and drop-dead beautiful. Daniel told himself he’d noticed as part of the investigation and not because of the out-of-character kisses that he couldn’t stop rehashing.
Or the one coming next.
Chapter 12
“I can admit that I’ve never been good at idly sitting by.” Daniel’s gaze trailed across Clara’s face and down her neck. The way he took her in, appreciated her was sexier than any physical touch she’d ever felt.
“This isn’t a good idea,” she said. The man had a troubled past that would come back to bite her.
And yet…
It had been so damn long since anyone had made her feel the way he did, maybe never. Clara wanted his hands on her, roaming her body in the way that his gaze was right now. She craved the touch of this man, who was so intense and damaged and sexy.
“That’s probably true.” He blew out a sharp breath. “I know I’m FUBAR and can’t offer much more than this...” He trailed a finger along her collar bone and toward the V in her shirt. “I want to touch you. Really touch you.”
His locked onto her gaze, his dark eyes hungry and predatory.
“But I won’t go where I’m not invited and I sure as hell don’t want to end up hurting you.” He sat on the edge of the bed and Clara stood in front of him. For one long moment she stared at the beautiful man in front of her.
Daniel fit the dark and sexy description to a T. The day-old scruff on his chin stirred an urge to smooth her fingers over it.
Clara had a decision to make. Because she could like this man. Really like this man. The sex would be great. She could tell that based on the sheer amount of chemistry sizzling between them. She had one question. Could she take it when he walked away? Because this man would break her heart.
“Touch me, Daniel.”
“Damn, I like the sound of my name on your tongue.”
Clara unbuttoned her top button. Daniel’s hands joined hers and her shirt was in a pile on the carpet in a matter of seconds.
He stood, practically towering over her, and issued a throaty growl when she unhooked her bra and it hit the floor.
“Do you want me, Daniel?” she asked.
“That’s not a question.”
She unzipped her slacks and stepped out of it. She stood wearing nothing but spiked heels and blue panties.
“My favorite color,” he said in a throaty growl. The man standing in front of her looked at her with hungry, predatory eyes. He slicked his tongue across his bottom lip before saying, “Damn, you’re beautiful. And sexy.”
Standing naked in front of any man should make her feel awkward and self-conscious. Not this man.
