"Hey," he said, after awhile, "you can't torture yourself like this." Although he knew onlytoo well the feeling.
She sniffled. "Easy tosay," she said. "I asked you this once before...do you follow yourown advice?"
He smiled against her hair."You know I don't. But don't do as I do. Do as I say."
"I don't take orders from you,Special Agent Nicholson."
He kissed her hair. "You toldme once that you were jealous of Krista's hair."
"Yeah." She pulled backand looked up at him, confused. "So?"
"Does that mean you didn't loveher?"
"Of course not. I did loveher."
"So Krista could be jealous ofyour...outgoing personality, but that doesn't mean she didn't love you,Marli."
She stared at him, and another fat tearrolled from her eye. "You're right," she whispered, looking at him inwonder. "God, you're right, Trey."
He hugged her closer. "I knowthat doesn't help with all the big questions, like why it happened. I know youfeel guilty about not stopping her. Because you're a good person. But whathappened to her is not your fault, Marli. No way, no how."
She curled into him, hanging ontohim.
He'd never felt closer to anyonethan he did to her at that moment. Not just physically, although she was asclose as they could get without him being inside her. But emotionally, heconnected with her, knew what she was feeling, understood where it was comingfrom. God, he'd never even felt like this with Lisa, sad to say.
His hands moved over her backsoothingly, stroking her soft skin with the intent to comfort, not arouse. Theylay like that, curled together, for long, quiet moments, tenderness and someindefinable emotion making something in his chest expand and soften.
Chapter10
Well, she'd killed that mood.
Marli nuzzled her face into Trey'sneck. God, he smelled good. She sniffed at him, then pressed her mouth to hisskin, a soft, open-mouthed kiss. Emotions rose and fell inside her like lava ina lava lamp. It was such a relief to have finally told someone how she felt.Somehow, it shrunk the guilt and anguish down to size. Didn't get rid ofthem...and that was okay. But now, maybe she could handle it.
Trey was so amazing. How had heknown? She supposed in his work he'd dealt with so much grief and sorrow heknew what people were going through. The fact that he understood her when shebarely understood herself, though, touched something deep inside her. Made hersoften, warm to him more than she already had. Jesus, next thing she knew she'dbe thinking she was falling in love with him. Her hero.
She had to remember Trey was a cop,doing a job, passing through town, a man with shadows and secrets of his ownthat dogged him. Definitely not someone to fall in love with.
Slowly, she pulled out of his armsand again rolled to the edge of the bed, reaching down to the floor for hertank top. She slipped it over her head so she was semi-covered, although aquick glance down at her chest saw her beaded nipples were clearly on displaythrough the thin white cotton.
She swallowed words that would tellhim about the strange, soft emotions she was feeling for him. "I could usesome food," she said instead.
He lifted his wrist so he could seehis watch. "Yeah," he said. "It's seven o'clock. By the time weget something to eat, it'll be time to go."
She nodded, her tummy tightening.But tonight Trey would be with her. Really with her. Looking out for her.
She stood and went to find clothesto change into. She pulled her jeans out of her bag and slipped out of theloose yoga pants. Hmmm... She'd change her underwear. A quick glancebehind her told her that, yes, Trey was watching her, with those intense eyes.She paused, then put her thumbs into the elastic band of the panties andshimmied out of them, her back to him. She felt his eyes burning into her likea brand as she searched for clean panties. She'd never felt so self-consciousin her life. She, who never felt self-conscious. She knew he was watching andwanted him so much to like what he saw.
She found the pink thong she'dtossed in, and stepped into it, adjusting the thin straps on her hips. Then shereached for the hem of the tank top and pulled it over her head, dropping itinto the duffle bag. She tugged out a pink cotton T-shirt bra. Not her sexiestunderwear, but that's not what she'd been thinking about when she'd fled herhouse last night. This morning. Whatever. She fastened the bra behindher and then pulled a long, snug navy blue T-shirt on. She ran her fingersthrough her hair and then glanced again at Trey before going into the bathroom.
He was still watching her and madeno attempt to look away, all smoldering, dark intensity, lounging there on thebed with one knee bent, his shirt untucked and half unbuttoned. She turned sofast to go into the washroom that she ran smack into the wall.
"Ow!" God, howembarrassing. She fled into the bathroom and closed the door behind herwith a sharp click, setting her hands on the counter, leaning forward. Herentire body burned. Things were getting way too intense.
She splashed cold water on her face,combed through her wildly tangled curls, touched up her makeup.
When she came out, Trey was justzipping up the fly on his jeans. He'd left the white shirt on, loose over thelow-slung jeans, but he'd done up one more button over his chest. He ran hishands through his own mussed hair.
She met his eyes, and the air grewcharged and hot around them. His pupils shot wide, making his eyes even darker.
"Trey."
"Mmm."
"I do want you."
No sense beating around the bush.When she had something to say, she said it.
His lips quirked.
