desire slid through her, making her shiver.
“I can see in the dark,” Kiel replied. He moved closer behind her until his chest was a wall of warmth along her back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just didn’t want to freak you out.”
Her mind was trying to make sense of a whirlwind of contradictions. The man was dead. There was no logical explanation for him being here with her tonight. No reason whatsoever why his touch was making her body riot with these feelings she was unprepared for. She wanted to reach up and cup her breasts in her hands. More than that, she wanted him to. The images that flashed through her mind terrified her on many levels.
“You’re like ice,” Kiel murmured against her hair. “Either you’re going to need to crank up the heat in this place, or do you have a fireplace? I thought I saw a chimney.”
She nodded, not trusting her chattering teeth, and pointed. “On the other side of that chair.” His hands left her flesh, replaced by a coolness she instantly regretted. Turning around, she tried to spot his glow when a loud whoosh and a pop echoed in the room, followed by a wave of warmth and the smell of burning wood. “Please tell me you didn’t just wave your hands and it appeared.”
“Okay, I won’t, but don’t ask.” She heard him move around the room, deliberately making sure his feet made scuffling noises. “Good grief, how many books are in this library, anyway?”
“Two thousand six hundred and eighteen.”
A low whistle came from his direction. “And how many of them have you read?” he asked with a touch of humor.
“I’ve either personally read, or have had read to me, all but those twelve on that shelf underneath the bust of Poe.”
“Edgar Allan?”
“My great-grandfather built this house. He was a fan of horror literature. You’ll find several first editions of some of the classics on that shelf over the door.”
“The man believed in the supernatural?” Kiel had made his way back around the room and now, from the sound of his voice, stood a little more than arm’s length away.
“He, umm, I heard he used to go on jaunts to the cemetery. Why, he never explained. But my great-grandmother was not happy with that particular habit.” Another nervous giggle escaped her.
“Still cold?”
“No. Thank you. I should have dressed a bit warmer. I guess I was overheated after taking my shower.”
A minute of silence passed between them. She could tell he was still perusing the titles. Presently she heard him pick up the book she’d left in the chair.
“Which one is this?”
“ The Count of Monte Cristo .” Of course he wouldn’t be able to read the Braille title.
He grunted in reply. “Never read it. In fact, I’m not much of a reader. Or I wasn’t.” He muttered a four-letter word in disgust.
Impulsively J held out a hand in his direction.
“You didn’t come here just to apologize for Sam’s behavior today.” She wasn’t surprised when he took her hand and drew her over to the divan.
“Partly. But also because I realized I still owed you some explanations.”
Sitting on the low-slung couch next to him was too much to bear. Quickly she got to her feet and walked over to the fireplace, crossing her arms over her braless breasts and rubbing them as if she needed the warmth. Turning around to face him, she nodded. “Go on. I’m listening.”
“A month ago I was working undercover for the DEA. Everything went as planned, but at the last second someone tagged me as a cop. Broke my cover.” He gave a deep sigh as he steeled his nerve. “Sam says I disappeared for a week. They had no idea where I’d gone, only that I’d disappeared along with two other suspects. Their initial thought was that I’d been taken hostage. The only thing they were sure of was that both men had been wounded. They found blood splatter on the pavement in a back parking lot where they think the three of us got away in some kind of SUV, gauging
“I can see in the dark,” Kiel replied. He moved closer behind her until his chest was a wall of warmth along her back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just didn’t want to freak you out.”
Her mind was trying to make sense of a whirlwind of contradictions. The man was dead. There was no logical explanation for him being here with her tonight. No reason whatsoever why his touch was making her body riot with these feelings she was unprepared for. She wanted to reach up and cup her breasts in her hands. More than that, she wanted him to. The images that flashed through her mind terrified her on many levels.
“You’re like ice,” Kiel murmured against her hair. “Either you’re going to need to crank up the heat in this place, or do you have a fireplace? I thought I saw a chimney.”
She nodded, not trusting her chattering teeth, and pointed. “On the other side of that chair.” His hands left her flesh, replaced by a coolness she instantly regretted. Turning around, she tried to spot his glow when a loud whoosh and a pop echoed in the room, followed by a wave of warmth and the smell of burning wood. “Please tell me you didn’t just wave your hands and it appeared.”
“Okay, I won’t, but don’t ask.” She heard him move around the room, deliberately making sure his feet made scuffling noises. “Good grief, how many books are in this library, anyway?”
“Two thousand six hundred and eighteen.”
A low whistle came from his direction. “And how many of them have you read?” he asked with a touch of humor.
“I’ve either personally read, or have had read to me, all but those twelve on that shelf underneath the bust of Poe.”
“Edgar Allan?”
“My great-grandfather built this house. He was a fan of horror literature. You’ll find several first editions of some of the classics on that shelf over the door.”
“The man believed in the supernatural?” Kiel had made his way back around the room and now, from the sound of his voice, stood a little more than arm’s length away.
“He, umm, I heard he used to go on jaunts to the cemetery. Why, he never explained. But my great-grandmother was not happy with that particular habit.” Another nervous giggle escaped her.
“Still cold?”
“No. Thank you. I should have dressed a bit warmer. I guess I was overheated after taking my shower.”
A minute of silence passed between them. She could tell he was still perusing the titles. Presently she heard him pick up the book she’d left in the chair.
“Which one is this?”
“ The Count of Monte Cristo .” Of course he wouldn’t be able to read the Braille title.
He grunted in reply. “Never read it. In fact, I’m not much of a reader. Or I wasn’t.” He muttered a four-letter word in disgust.
Impulsively J held out a hand in his direction.
“You didn’t come here just to apologize for Sam’s behavior today.” She wasn’t surprised when he took her hand and drew her over to the divan.
“Partly. But also because I realized I still owed you some explanations.”
Sitting on the low-slung couch next to him was too much to bear. Quickly she got to her feet and walked over to the fireplace, crossing her arms over her braless breasts and rubbing them as if she needed the warmth. Turning around to face him, she nodded. “Go on. I’m listening.”
“A month ago I was working undercover for the DEA. Everything went as planned, but at the last second someone tagged me as a cop. Broke my cover.” He gave a deep sigh as he steeled his nerve. “Sam says I disappeared for a week. They had no idea where I’d gone, only that I’d disappeared along with two other suspects. Their initial thought was that I’d been taken hostage. The only thing they were sure of was that both men had been wounded. They found blood splatter on the pavement in a back parking lot where they think the three of us got away in some kind of SUV, gauging
Similar Books
