I also don’t want Eve to change her plans from seeing him because, like I told her, I’d rather she not break from her usual routine.
Eventually, we will have a problem on our hands. I get that. She’ll need to explain my presence in her life. She might even need to pretend she’s dating me at some point, but we’ll cross that bridge later. She’s not going to like the idea.
I grab my toiletry kit and head to the guest bath to brush my teeth and use the toilet. Back in the guest room, I only shut the door long enough to change into flannel pants. I consider putting on a T-shirt just in case I run into Eve in the hallway but decide against it. Even the pants are more than I prefer to wear to bed.
I open the door before pulling the covers back and dropping onto the bed with a heavy sigh. This is one of the weirder assignments I’ve been on in a long while. I’ve done some crazy things undercover, but I don’t usually move in with women to protect them.
I cringe as I remember Eve’s frustration about being used as bait. To an extent, she was right. If I really wanted to keep her as safe as possible, I could put her in protective custody. I need her to be safe, but I also need to catch the assholes who are trafficking women.
The apartment goes silent after a while, and I close my eyes, though sleep is not going to come quickly. My mind is racing. I want to know more about the mysterious woman in the other room. I’m drawn to her.
I hate that she’s embarrassed to share her kink. I don’t fully understand it, but I will not let myself flinch or judge her in any way. Everyone deserves to enjoy life to the fullest, no matter what that might look like for them.
The concept of pretending to be little eludes me. I can’t wrap my head around it. Does she dress young? Talk in baby talk? Play with toys?
Based on the contents of her fridge, I know she eats strange things. I tried not to dwell on what I saw or stare very long, but the woman has juice boxes, cheese sticks, and sliced apples in her fridge. To name a few things. What stands out more is what she doesn’t have.
What on earth does she mean that she drinks soda and coffee but not at home? Though she told me where the coffee maker is, I wonder if she has actual coffee to put in it. Guess I’ll find out when I rummage in the morning.
Tomorrow I will watch her like a hawk when she leaves for work. I really want to know who is also watching her. It makes my skin crawl. Is there any chance I’m mistaken? Doubt it. My gut tells me the larger man in the ballcap who walks away from the curb when she leaves the parking garage is stalking her.
I need to catch him. Hell, I need to get a picture and have my boss run him through facial recognition software. That’s going to be my primary goal for a while.
It takes forever for me to fall asleep, and seems to last only five minutes before a scream yanks me fully awake. I jump to my feet, yank my weapon from the outside pocket of my bag, and rush toward Eve’s bedroom. I doubt I’m going to need to shoot anyone, but instinct forces me to be prepared.
I don’t even knock before I yank her door open, keeping my gun at my side. A glance around tells me she’s alone. My heart is racing as I realize she’s probably had a nightmare.
She’s breathing heavily as her gaze comes to me. The bathroom light is on, the door ajar, bathing the room in enough light to see clearly.
“You okay?” I ask as I approach. I try to keep the weapon out of sight, but she sees it and her breath hitches.
“You have a gun.”
I set it on the bedside table as far away from her as possible. “Yeah, it’s part of the job description.” I try to sound light. I’m unable to resist stroking her cheek as she tips her head back and looks up at me with her doe eyes. Her hair is a tousled wavy mess that looks sexy as hell. I force myself not to smooth it from her face. That would be far too intimate. “Bad dream?”
She shrugs. “I don’t remember.”
The blankets have dropped to her waist, and my gaze wanders to the tight pink tank top she’s wearing. The outline of her breasts is obvious, her pert nipples standing out. They’re just the right size. Not huge, but not small either.
When I realize I’m still cupping her cheek, I release her. “I’ll let you get back to sleep.” I start to reach for my weapon, but she grabs my wrist, making me look back at her.
She licks her lips. “Remember when I joked about you sleeping in my bed?”
I nod slowly. No. No no no no no.
“Would you? Please? I can’t relax. I’m scared.”
I nod again because what the hell else am I going to do. Without a word, I snag the gun, take it with me to the other side of her bed, and drop it on that nightstand instead. Afterward, I lower myself onto the bed, on top of the covers, not touching her. I’m flat on my back when I turn my gaze her way. “Better?”
“Yes. Thank you.” She slides back under the covers, curling onto her side, facing me.
