hard from the sight of a half-naked man lying just a few feet away. Need rippled deep inside her core. The wicked feelings swept through her body, unbidden, and she felt her cheeks flush with heat.
Jesse swallowed again—harder. As one of the demon-infected, she’d shunned the touch of a man. It had been a long time since anyone had touched her skin, caressed her . . .
She shoved the unbidden feelings aside. Not now. Her tongue moistened chapped lips. “Uh, if you think I’m having sex with you, you can forget that right now.” The words almost couldn’t escape. Her mouth felt dry as parched wheat.
Releasing a small groan, Maddox raised his head. “Who said anything about sex?” He dropped it again and pressed his hands against his face. “I’ll find my pleasure elsewhere. Sleep is what I need now. As for where you want to sleep, suit yourself.”
Jesse had to admit the bed looked inviting enough. It had been at least a month since she’d had a mattress under her back, and the one she’d had then hadn’t been a good one at all. The jail in Jefferson Parish didn’t offer a whole lot of comfort to its prisoners. Having no permanent address, she usually spent the night in the remnants of houses abandoned by their owners after Katrina. At one time or another, abandoned public facilities or alleyways had sufficed. Except for her time behind bars, she’d never spent a night in the same place.
I’m tired of running , she thought wearily. Tired of hiding . She eyed the bed again. So far there was only one problem with it.
Maddox.
But trust, as fragile and tenuous as it might be, had to begin somewhere.
Maddox raised his head as Jesse settled on the bed beside him and started to take off her boots. The whiskey had definitely done its work. His brain felt wrapped in gauze, his senses pleasantly fuzzed. She could kill him after he fell asleep and he doubted he would care. His life had been a long one, the passage of time wearing down his spirit the way a mountain stream eroded the earth.
He’d fought almost two centuries against the Telave. Rest would be well deserved, perhaps more than a little bit welcome. No man should have to watch those he loved perish even as he himself was forced to endure day after endless day.
“Ankle still bothering you?” he asked.
Untying the laces of her other boot, Jesse nodded. “It hurts a little. I’m hoping it’ll be better tomorrow.”
He stifled a yawn. Though tired, he doubted he could fall asleep now. “It’s already tomorrow.”
Jesse let the shoe slip through her fingers. “I suppose it is.” She peered over one shoulder. “You going to make room for me there, or do I have to make do with this sliver of edge?”
“Oh. Sorry.” Maddox moved over a few inches to give her more room. He’d been a rude pig, taking up the middle of the bed. The least he could do was allow her a little more space.
“Long day. You should try and get some rest.”
Moving with the greatest of care, Jesse gingerly stretched out beside him. Clasping her hands across her stomach, she lay still and straight as a board.
“Comfortable enough for you?”
“Yeah. It’s okay.” Her nose wrinkled. “I don’t mean to offend, but you really stink.”
“None taken.” He made a show of taking a deep sniff of her. “Though I must say you don’t exactly smell like a daisy yourself.”
She grimaced. “Sorry. I haven’t gotten down to the YWCA to catch a shower lately.”
As one who lived with running water, Maddox didn’t have an excuse. He was single, a man, and a natural pig. Just managing to get in the shower more than a few times a week was a trial. It wasn’t as if he had to smell like Old Spice to kill Telave.
“Wash up tomorrow.” He eyed her threadbare clothing. “I’ll try to find you something clean to wear, too.”
Jesse shifted a little, letting her body relax. “That would be great. Thanks.”
“Don’t you have family in New Orleans? Your
Jesse swallowed again—harder. As one of the demon-infected, she’d shunned the touch of a man. It had been a long time since anyone had touched her skin, caressed her . . .
She shoved the unbidden feelings aside. Not now. Her tongue moistened chapped lips. “Uh, if you think I’m having sex with you, you can forget that right now.” The words almost couldn’t escape. Her mouth felt dry as parched wheat.
Releasing a small groan, Maddox raised his head. “Who said anything about sex?” He dropped it again and pressed his hands against his face. “I’ll find my pleasure elsewhere. Sleep is what I need now. As for where you want to sleep, suit yourself.”
Jesse had to admit the bed looked inviting enough. It had been at least a month since she’d had a mattress under her back, and the one she’d had then hadn’t been a good one at all. The jail in Jefferson Parish didn’t offer a whole lot of comfort to its prisoners. Having no permanent address, she usually spent the night in the remnants of houses abandoned by their owners after Katrina. At one time or another, abandoned public facilities or alleyways had sufficed. Except for her time behind bars, she’d never spent a night in the same place.
I’m tired of running , she thought wearily. Tired of hiding . She eyed the bed again. So far there was only one problem with it.
Maddox.
But trust, as fragile and tenuous as it might be, had to begin somewhere.
Maddox raised his head as Jesse settled on the bed beside him and started to take off her boots. The whiskey had definitely done its work. His brain felt wrapped in gauze, his senses pleasantly fuzzed. She could kill him after he fell asleep and he doubted he would care. His life had been a long one, the passage of time wearing down his spirit the way a mountain stream eroded the earth.
He’d fought almost two centuries against the Telave. Rest would be well deserved, perhaps more than a little bit welcome. No man should have to watch those he loved perish even as he himself was forced to endure day after endless day.
“Ankle still bothering you?” he asked.
Untying the laces of her other boot, Jesse nodded. “It hurts a little. I’m hoping it’ll be better tomorrow.”
He stifled a yawn. Though tired, he doubted he could fall asleep now. “It’s already tomorrow.”
Jesse let the shoe slip through her fingers. “I suppose it is.” She peered over one shoulder. “You going to make room for me there, or do I have to make do with this sliver of edge?”
“Oh. Sorry.” Maddox moved over a few inches to give her more room. He’d been a rude pig, taking up the middle of the bed. The least he could do was allow her a little more space.
“Long day. You should try and get some rest.”
Moving with the greatest of care, Jesse gingerly stretched out beside him. Clasping her hands across her stomach, she lay still and straight as a board.
“Comfortable enough for you?”
“Yeah. It’s okay.” Her nose wrinkled. “I don’t mean to offend, but you really stink.”
“None taken.” He made a show of taking a deep sniff of her. “Though I must say you don’t exactly smell like a daisy yourself.”
She grimaced. “Sorry. I haven’t gotten down to the YWCA to catch a shower lately.”
As one who lived with running water, Maddox didn’t have an excuse. He was single, a man, and a natural pig. Just managing to get in the shower more than a few times a week was a trial. It wasn’t as if he had to smell like Old Spice to kill Telave.
“Wash up tomorrow.” He eyed her threadbare clothing. “I’ll try to find you something clean to wear, too.”
Jesse shifted a little, letting her body relax. “That would be great. Thanks.”
“Don’t you have family in New Orleans? Your
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