put on gloves, washed her hands, then tore up the stairs to her bedroom. She rolled up her jeans, threw on a neck-high velour robe, then ran back downstairs. She took a deep breath to calm herself, smiled wanly, and opened the door.
Miles barged inside.
Catherine glanced outside for the police, security guards, one big Doberman, anything that looked remotely like a bust. Her stoop was clear.
“I knew it!” Miles exclaimed, scrutinizing her.
“Knew what?” she squeaked.
“Look at you, all sweating and bundled up like that. I knew I should have stayed last night.”
She swiped at her brow and was amazed to feel moisture on her skin. The heavy robe on top of her regular clothes wasn’t helping, either. Still, it was better that he thought she was sick than to discover what she was really doing.
“It’s just a touch of the flu,” she began.
“Flu! I thought it was an allergy.”
“Allergy. Flu.” She waved her hand. “Sometimes they start out the same. You know how it is.”
“Well, you should be in bed.” He took her arm and moved her into the living room.
“I was in bed,” she lied deftly, “until you tried to break down the door. Never do that to a single woman in the city. We get out our guns and blow people away for less.”
“Do you have a gun?” he asked.
“No, don’t be ridiculous. I just meant you scared me half to death.” She dug in her heels as he whirled her around. “Where are we going?”
“You are going back to bed.”
She turned, pulling him with her, and marched him back toward the door. “I will, as soon as you leave.”
He pointed her toward the stairs again. “You get in bed first, and I’ll bring you some tea.”
She turned him back. “I’ll get it when I’m ready.”
“Catherine!”
“Miles!”
They glared at each other. Finally, Miles said, “Get in the bed, Catherine. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so? You’ve seen me, now just go—”
She squawked as he swept her up into his arms and strode toward the stairs. She scrambled to yank down the robe and keep the Chinese collar high around her throat.
“Miles, this is silly,” she said primly. “Put me down and I promise to walk to my bedroom and then you can go back to your bank.”
He grinned. “And miss this opportunity to show off my Galahad traits? Not on your life.” His fingers shifted along her leg. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were wearing clothes under this robe.”
“I … got the chills.” She smiled at her adept answer. “I did put on something warmer than a gown.”
His grin disappeared. “I should have stayed.”
He negotiated the stairs easily. Catherine wanted to squirm out of his embrace, but knew she’d probably send them both tumbling down the steps. The fingers of his one hand were spread uncomfortably close to her breast, though, and her nostrils were filled with the scent of his cologne. That triggered something inside her. She tried to keep her gaze focused on the railing, but out of the corner of her eye she could discern his suit collar, his white shirt snowy against his jawline. His skin was tan and completely smooth, yet she could tell that by the afternoon, he’d have a shadow of a beard. Interesting, she thought, then wondered why she was so fascinated.
“Which room?” he asked, when they reached the top of the stairs. His voice was hoarse.
“In the front.” Hers sounded no better.
The moment he stepped over the threshold, she felt the invasion. She was allowing him into the most private of rooms, no matter how innocentthe reason. Now she did squirm, and he set her down.
Miles looked around at the floral draperies and white sheers, the striped wallpaper and cherry-wood bureau, the wide bed and its plump frilly comforter. One side was rumpled as if in invitation.
Catherine swallowed, wondering what the room told him about her. Probably more than she cared to have him know.
“Could I have
Miles barged inside.
Catherine glanced outside for the police, security guards, one big Doberman, anything that looked remotely like a bust. Her stoop was clear.
“I knew it!” Miles exclaimed, scrutinizing her.
“Knew what?” she squeaked.
“Look at you, all sweating and bundled up like that. I knew I should have stayed last night.”
She swiped at her brow and was amazed to feel moisture on her skin. The heavy robe on top of her regular clothes wasn’t helping, either. Still, it was better that he thought she was sick than to discover what she was really doing.
“It’s just a touch of the flu,” she began.
“Flu! I thought it was an allergy.”
“Allergy. Flu.” She waved her hand. “Sometimes they start out the same. You know how it is.”
“Well, you should be in bed.” He took her arm and moved her into the living room.
“I was in bed,” she lied deftly, “until you tried to break down the door. Never do that to a single woman in the city. We get out our guns and blow people away for less.”
“Do you have a gun?” he asked.
“No, don’t be ridiculous. I just meant you scared me half to death.” She dug in her heels as he whirled her around. “Where are we going?”
“You are going back to bed.”
She turned, pulling him with her, and marched him back toward the door. “I will, as soon as you leave.”
He pointed her toward the stairs again. “You get in bed first, and I’ll bring you some tea.”
She turned him back. “I’ll get it when I’m ready.”
“Catherine!”
“Miles!”
They glared at each other. Finally, Miles said, “Get in the bed, Catherine. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so? You’ve seen me, now just go—”
She squawked as he swept her up into his arms and strode toward the stairs. She scrambled to yank down the robe and keep the Chinese collar high around her throat.
“Miles, this is silly,” she said primly. “Put me down and I promise to walk to my bedroom and then you can go back to your bank.”
He grinned. “And miss this opportunity to show off my Galahad traits? Not on your life.” His fingers shifted along her leg. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were wearing clothes under this robe.”
“I … got the chills.” She smiled at her adept answer. “I did put on something warmer than a gown.”
His grin disappeared. “I should have stayed.”
He negotiated the stairs easily. Catherine wanted to squirm out of his embrace, but knew she’d probably send them both tumbling down the steps. The fingers of his one hand were spread uncomfortably close to her breast, though, and her nostrils were filled with the scent of his cologne. That triggered something inside her. She tried to keep her gaze focused on the railing, but out of the corner of her eye she could discern his suit collar, his white shirt snowy against his jawline. His skin was tan and completely smooth, yet she could tell that by the afternoon, he’d have a shadow of a beard. Interesting, she thought, then wondered why she was so fascinated.
“Which room?” he asked, when they reached the top of the stairs. His voice was hoarse.
“In the front.” Hers sounded no better.
The moment he stepped over the threshold, she felt the invasion. She was allowing him into the most private of rooms, no matter how innocentthe reason. Now she did squirm, and he set her down.
Miles looked around at the floral draperies and white sheers, the striped wallpaper and cherry-wood bureau, the wide bed and its plump frilly comforter. One side was rumpled as if in invitation.
Catherine swallowed, wondering what the room told him about her. Probably more than she cared to have him know.
“Could I have
Similar Books
