“You’re here,” I say with surprise. This girl actually came
to see me.
“Can I come in?”
I shake myself from the haze and move aside. “Sure, of
course.”
She ducks her head and slips past me into the hotel room,
like a covert spy. “Wow.” She eyes my vitamin set-up as she tugs off her hat
and wig. “Are you a doctor or something?”
“Do I look like a doctor?”
“Not really. Health nut?”
“Something like that.” I immediately thank the gods I didn’t
pull out the blood pressure cuff yet. “What’s with the get-up?” I gesture to
the wig. She looks down, gripping it tightly. Her hands are shaking.
“Dumb, I know. I just didn’t want to be recognized at the
front desk.”
“Okay, 007. Any weapons I should know about underneath that
snazzy vest of yours?”
“Only the ones I bought at the thrift shop.” Her gaze rises
to mine, and a small smile creeps up.
“Ah.”
“See what I did there?”
“Tried to make a joke?”
“Tried?”
I assault her with my signature bland expression. “Yeah. You
definitely suck at jokes.” She laughs and looks back down at the hat in her
hands, which are still trembling slightly. It dawns on me that maybe it
couldn’t hurt to have a little pity on this girl. “But you’re good at other
things.” I begin an easy stride toward her.
“Other things?” She swallows hard and wrings the wig between
her fingers, shifting on her feet.
I nod loosely and take another step, bringing us nose to
nose. My chest warms and radiates with need as I sense her strawberry perfume.
Maybe it’s shampoo. Whatever it is, I’m sold. Sign me up for that shit. She’s
good enough to eat. “Like turning me on.”
“Oh.”
My hand snakes forward and latches onto hers. I steady her
shakiness. Her skin is ice cold. “Hey. Look at me.”
She keeps her gaze down, watching the contact. “Just bear
with me,” she whispers, voice as uncertain as her fingers. “It’s been a while
since I’ve done this.”
“Take all the time you need, baby.” I brush her hair to the
side—her real hair, long and soft and so, so brown. Caramel spirals of light
weave through the dark locks. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“You’re intimidating. You must know that.” She shivers as I
brush her cheek with my thumb.
“Maybe. A little. Don’t worry about that now. Just look at
me.” It takes some coaxing, but her timid eyes finally find mine. I cup her
face, and she leans into me, as if she’s never been touched before. A soft
murmur escapes her lips and her eyes drift shut. Holy fuck. It has been a
while. When’s the last time a man’s touched her? The thought sends me reeling;
adrenaline kicks into overdrive. “I’m sure you’re good at other things. Lots of
things. I’m positive you’re good at this.”
“I used to be. I mean…I think I used to be.”
“You’re here. That’s already a very good sign.”
She stares at me with lost, heavy eyes. “I’m not sure what
that says about me. I’m either really dumb or really brave.”
“Maybe you’re both. It’s okay to be both, you know.”
“Dumb implies naivety.”
“Are you? Naïve?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so, either. You knew exactly what you were
doing when you decided to come to this room. That implies awareness.” I give
her cheek another brush, studying her closely. Everything in me wants to jump
this girl. But her fear—whatever the fuck that fear is—tells me to slow down.
To make her feel at ease. She needs to be comfortable for this to work. I need
her to keep her eyes on me. But she can’t look at me for long. Her gaze
alternates between my lips and our bodies, which are just barely touching.
“Maybe you should stop talking. Before I lose my nerve.”
“Maybe that’s a good idea.”
I take her face in my hands fully. “Let me touch you.”
“I’d love that,” she says, with all the honesty in her
bones. Her voice shifts to a wary whisper. “I’m so scared.”
“I’ve got you.” I don’t understand for the life of me what
she’s so afraid of, but I say it because it’s what she needs to hear.
And just like that, she closes her eyes and falls into me.
Her arms come up and wrap around me, sliding over my shoulders and over my
neck. I instantly lift her up, pulling her legs around my waist. I move us to
the wall, turning and pinning her against it. I don’t want to be gentle. Right
now the idea of being careful seems damn near impossible. I’ve been needing
this outlet. A distraction. Immediate gratification. A woman in my arms.
Something I can control, even if just for a little while.
