aiming for right below the waist.”
“Not nice.”
“Consider it part of my bitchy side.”
He flicked on the light just inside the door. Rather than wait outside and otherwise not drive him insane, Lexy followed him. He crossed the threshold, she crossed the threshold. He took a step, she took a step. He stopped, she stopped.
To put an end to her shadowing, he made a quick move that sent her crashing into his back. “I can handle this on my own.”
Tonight was not the first time he had walked into a situation and tried to assess the danger. After years in covert ops and working undercover, he did not need protection from someone wearing a dress.
“This is my room,” she pointed out.
“And as soon as it’s safe you can come in and do whatever you want.”
“Too late. I’m already in.” She cuddled closer.
Because he enjoyed the sensation of her body next to his and the light scent of flowers on her skin, he did not fight her. He also doubted danger waited just around the corner.
Standing just inside the entry with her plastered against his back, he scanned the oversized room. Light blue walls. Blue comforter and pillows. The brochure said something about the color being a reminder of the sea. Since the resort sat in the middle of the desert, the water image did not make a lot of sense in his view. If people wanted the beach, they should go to the damn beach.
The closet door stood open. Clothing littered the bed and stuck out from the drawers. All sorts of files were stacked on one corner of the desk. Bags took up position on the other.
“I like what you’ve done with the place,” he said.
“It’s fine.”
“Looks like someone tossed it.”
Noah recognized the disheveled state. Lexy’s extra bedroom at home had the same boxes-stacked-on-boxes, clothes-all-over-the-floor, crap-everywhere look that grew more severe whenever she felt anxious or confused.
For an organized and meticulous woman, she decorated the unused bedroom in a style only a burglar could appreciate. There was not so much as a pillow out of place in any other room in her house, at her marketing business, or in her car. But that bedroom resembled a high-school locker room.
Not a surprise in light of how she grew up. Her parents saved and stacked and piled papers, boxes, and anything else they could find around the house until all that remained was a thin strip of carpet leading from one room to another on which to walk. Lexy called the condition hoarding. Noah thought it was just plain nuts. How two healthy, smart, financially well-off people could live in such cramped, dirty, and odd conditions stunned Noah. And why Gray and Lexy continued to run interference so the family secret remained just that did not make any more sense to Noah.
“You trying to find something, or did you just think the room looked better turned inside out?” he asked.
“Just had some trouble picking out the right outfit to wear.”
He had heard the excuse, even that defensive tone, before. After almost two years of knowing her, analyzing her family, and talking with Gray about his parents’ issues, Noah knew better. This went deeper than simple messiness. This was a sickness. One that edged up on Lexy now and then.
Noah wondered what had Lexy so anxious right now. He hoped it had something to do with missing him.
“Let me guess, you needed something light to wear because it was a hundred degrees outside,” he said trying to ease the tense look on her face.
“For the fiftieth time, it was not that hot today.”
“Then the clothing explosion must have something to do with you wanting to find a dress to impress me. You did, by the way. The bright blue color is damn hot.”
“I thought hot was a bad thing.”
“Not in this case.”
“You can go now.”
Tough talk from a woman who refused to give him eye contact.
“In a minute. Have to finish the check first.” And stall his exit as long as possible.
He stepped up to the bed with her
“Not nice.”
“Consider it part of my bitchy side.”
He flicked on the light just inside the door. Rather than wait outside and otherwise not drive him insane, Lexy followed him. He crossed the threshold, she crossed the threshold. He took a step, she took a step. He stopped, she stopped.
To put an end to her shadowing, he made a quick move that sent her crashing into his back. “I can handle this on my own.”
Tonight was not the first time he had walked into a situation and tried to assess the danger. After years in covert ops and working undercover, he did not need protection from someone wearing a dress.
“This is my room,” she pointed out.
“And as soon as it’s safe you can come in and do whatever you want.”
“Too late. I’m already in.” She cuddled closer.
Because he enjoyed the sensation of her body next to his and the light scent of flowers on her skin, he did not fight her. He also doubted danger waited just around the corner.
Standing just inside the entry with her plastered against his back, he scanned the oversized room. Light blue walls. Blue comforter and pillows. The brochure said something about the color being a reminder of the sea. Since the resort sat in the middle of the desert, the water image did not make a lot of sense in his view. If people wanted the beach, they should go to the damn beach.
The closet door stood open. Clothing littered the bed and stuck out from the drawers. All sorts of files were stacked on one corner of the desk. Bags took up position on the other.
“I like what you’ve done with the place,” he said.
“It’s fine.”
“Looks like someone tossed it.”
Noah recognized the disheveled state. Lexy’s extra bedroom at home had the same boxes-stacked-on-boxes, clothes-all-over-the-floor, crap-everywhere look that grew more severe whenever she felt anxious or confused.
For an organized and meticulous woman, she decorated the unused bedroom in a style only a burglar could appreciate. There was not so much as a pillow out of place in any other room in her house, at her marketing business, or in her car. But that bedroom resembled a high-school locker room.
Not a surprise in light of how she grew up. Her parents saved and stacked and piled papers, boxes, and anything else they could find around the house until all that remained was a thin strip of carpet leading from one room to another on which to walk. Lexy called the condition hoarding. Noah thought it was just plain nuts. How two healthy, smart, financially well-off people could live in such cramped, dirty, and odd conditions stunned Noah. And why Gray and Lexy continued to run interference so the family secret remained just that did not make any more sense to Noah.
“You trying to find something, or did you just think the room looked better turned inside out?” he asked.
“Just had some trouble picking out the right outfit to wear.”
He had heard the excuse, even that defensive tone, before. After almost two years of knowing her, analyzing her family, and talking with Gray about his parents’ issues, Noah knew better. This went deeper than simple messiness. This was a sickness. One that edged up on Lexy now and then.
Noah wondered what had Lexy so anxious right now. He hoped it had something to do with missing him.
“Let me guess, you needed something light to wear because it was a hundred degrees outside,” he said trying to ease the tense look on her face.
“For the fiftieth time, it was not that hot today.”
“Then the clothing explosion must have something to do with you wanting to find a dress to impress me. You did, by the way. The bright blue color is damn hot.”
“I thought hot was a bad thing.”
“Not in this case.”
“You can go now.”
Tough talk from a woman who refused to give him eye contact.
“In a minute. Have to finish the check first.” And stall his exit as long as possible.
He stepped up to the bed with her
Similar Books
