In spite of himself he smiled. A bubble bath?
Strawberry-scented. What are you wishing for?
A bottle of something aged and expensive. A faceless woman. A break from the nightmares this night had brought back.
But hed settle for just being out of here. Alone.
Reilly?
What the hell. Sex.
What?
Forget it.
No, no, she said quickly. I asked.
Yeah, shed asked. He lay there on the small cot with her, soaking up the feeling of being so close to another human being, trying not to think of what they could be doing to pass the time.
Maybe silence wasnt the way to go after all, because when her mouth wasnt running off, his other senses sort of took over, starting with how her soft curves felt against him.
Reilly? What do you do? For a living?
Why?
Just filling time. She cocked her head. Is it a secret?
Accounting.
Youre an accountant. Her tone was disbelieving.
Yep.
What did you do before that?
Why?
Now her lips curved and he couldnt take his eyes off them. Since she was still staring at his mouth, he figured it was only fair.
Is that a secret, too? she asked.
Actually, yes.
Her eyes widened. Really?
No. He just didnt want to get into it. He didnt like to talk about it, and he wouldnt start now with the woman who was plastered against him from head to toe, feeling soft and sweet and everything he didnt want but suddenly craved.
Its just that you dont really seem the accountant type to me, she said. More likesecret agent man or something.
Since that was so close to the truth, he didnt say a word. For distraction, he looked beyond her, out the small window, and saw the pink tinge to the sky. Thank God. Time, he said, and carefully disentangling himself from her curvy little body, stood.
Tessa stood, too, and watching the enigmatic Reilly Ledger stretching his long, beautiful body, she feltconfused. Several times now shed actually thought shed seen a gentler side to this man, it was part of what had made her melt all over him, what had let her allow him to kiss and touch her like he had, and yet then shed blinked and it had vanished.
It occurred to her how little she really knew about him, other than he had a king-sized alpha attitude. Oh, and that he kissed like heaven.
Good thing she wasnt attracted to attitude, not in the least. Nope, give her a kind, warm, safe, beta man any day of the week.
Please give her a kind, warm, safe, beta man. It was her turn for one.
But that kissing like heaven thingthat could be a problem. You wanted to wait until daylight, she said, trying not to sound as ruffled as she was. For safety reasons or whatever.
Its nearly daylight now. He eyed the access above them with the look of someone about to undergo a root canal without drugs.
Youre just trying to get away from me.
He looked so startled, she had to let out a low laugh. Dont worry. I often have this impact on people, especially Her smile faded, and embarrassed at what shed nearly blurted out, she lifted a shoulder.
Especially?
She looked out the window.
Oh, now youre going to go shy on me?
On men, she finished. I often have this impact-that need-to-run impact-on men.
He didnt say anything so she risked a look at him. What, no comment?
He was looking at her, his light eyes inscrutable. I think a guy would be an idiot not to want you. If he was looking for a woman, that is.
But youre not looking.
He gave a slow shake of his head. Im sorry. Im not looking.
She managed a wobbly smile. Youre very sweet to be so kind about it.
Sweet and kind are two things Im most definitely not. Lets get out of here.
Too much confession going on?
Too much something.
She looked out at the brightening dawn. The Angeles Crest Mountains were blooming, as was everything, because in April in Southern California, thats how it went. Just another beautiful day. They were all beautiful days.
Reilly stood on the bed. He was going to get them out and then shed probably never see him again. Suddenly she couldnt remember what her rush was to get out.
If they got out.
His big, beautiful body was tense, his hands in fists at his sides as he stared up at the access, and despite the utter toughness emanating from him in waves, she once again sensed that there was more, much more to this man. Reilly-
Watch out. He easily reached the ceiling. His arms were taut with strength. Corded tendons stood out in bold relief as he worked the square cover of drywall loose. Under his arms were soft, sparse tufts of dark hair that matched the light spattering across his chest. And those legslong and delineated with strength. Shed never really understood the debate between boxers and briefs, but the way Reilly filled out his black clingy knit ones made her a firm believer in boxers-
Tessa?
Hmm? She jerked her gaze off his body, a little horrified to have been caught gawking at the guy whod been hit on the head, stripped and was now doing his damnedest to get them out of their hell.
His disconcerted gaze told her he knew exactly what shed been doing and that he hadnt found it so flattering. He had the drywall off and was handing it down to her.
She took it, set it against the wall and turned back in time to see him pulling himself up with the agility of an athlete. His head and chest disappeared, leaving just the bottom half-which was not a bad view at all-and then he was gone entirely.
A flash of panic hit her, but then he poked his head back in. Ill be back for you.
No. Shed gone all shaky again at the thought of being there alone. Before she could think, she leaped onto the cot and reached her hands up. Take me with you.
There was a conflicted look on his chiseled features. Ill be right back, Tess.
No. Dont leave me here alone. Please? She lifted her arms up toward him, knowing the impossibility of him being able to pull her up, but-
But nothing. With a grim expression, he reached down, grabbed her hand and pulled her up into the opening of the attic with such ease she could hardly believe it. He scooted back to make room for her as she sat on a beam, surrounded by more beams and insulation.
Yep, they were in the attic, which gaped open to large and unknown depths. In the darkness she could see nothing but Reilly, and had no idea how shed imagined this as a great plan. Itsdark.
Yeah. Hunched over his knees, he rubbed his hands over his face. I thought for a moment there youd been shocked into silence.
And you liked it, right? She rolled her eyes and mimicked zipping her lips and tossing away the key.
Dont tease me, he said, and looked around. Okay, listen. I want you to follow me. And seriously, toss away that key. We have no idea if were alone and once we get over another access, any noise at all will echo down.
Ill be quiet. Lets just do this.
Right. He turned away from her and looked into the black, dusty gloom of the gaping attic.
And didnt move.
Reilly?
Yeah.
But he still didnt budge. She touched his bare shoulder. Beneath her fingers, his muscles leaped. Hey. You okay?
Terrific. I love being in a small enclosed space with no light.
Youre really afraid of the dark?
He didnt look at her.
Orclaustrophobic?
Neither, exactly. His eyes glittered with humiliation and a good amount of bad temper. I just had a bad experience and
Oh, Reilly. Leaning in, she hugged him. She couldnt help it, because realizing that this big, bad, brooding man was really just a soft and squishy beta on the inside was the most attractive thing about him. And given the outer package, that was saying something.
But he set her away from him with just enough barely restrained roughness to tell her shed poked at the hungry lion one too many times. Lets move it.
You should have just boosted me up here, she said, trying to soothe. I could have-
I thought you threw away the key to your mouth.
Okay, so shed only imagined his soft spot.
Without looking back to see her roll her eyes again, he moved forward. And stay on the beam, he commanded softly.
She followed, watching the lines of his sleek, smooth back, the way the black knit boxers hugged his tight butt and thighs, trying to convince herself she was so over her momentary lapse into lustville. So over him, period.
THE ATTIC WAS PITCH-BLACK except for where the occasional vent to the outside allowed slats of light to shoot in. Grateful for any light no matter how meager, Reilly stopped and bent as close as he could to the first access panel they came across, only to hear a muffled thump from below. Not a good sign. Does my father have a daily maid service?
Tessa came up behind him and put her hand low on his spine as she tried to see around him.
He felt his muscles leap at the touch and knew shed felt it, too, when she skimmed her hand up and down his bare flesh as if soothing him.
He wondered what shed do if she discovered that her touch was doing the opposite of soothing. Does he?
I dont know. She set her chin on his shoulder as she whispered into his ear.
Her hair tickled his nose and smelled like a bunch of flowers. Give me some room, he muttered, and shrugged her off. Now he was distracted again, damn it, with thoughts of stupid flowers and all the bedrooms-empty-that his father had in this house and the things they could do in those empty bedrooms-
Reilly.
He sighed and glanced over his shoulder.
The lines of light slashed across her features. Her eyes were as big as saucers. I hear voices, she said a little shakily. And theyre not maids. Not unless Eddie has hired big thugs who like to choke and throw women.
Ah, hell. He squeezed her hand. Tess
Why would they still be there? She sounded a little less thrilled about their great escape now. They could have cleaned the place out and been far gone by now if theyd wanted.
Hed been wondering the same thing. Did you happen to mention to the guy who grabbed you that Eddie wouldnt be back for a few days?
Of course n- She bit her lip and looked stricken. Oh.
Oh, what?
I guess I might have said something when I was arguing with him.
Wasnt that just perfect?
Im sorry.
Another thump, a closer one now.
Turning to her, he slid his hand across her mouth and put his lips to her ear. Shh.
When she nodded, he removed his hand but stared at her for a long time. Her hair was wild, and so were her eyes. He couldnt see the bruises one of the assholes below had left on her but knew they were still there. And though he couldnt see her thoughts, she felt icy cold, and was trembling, her terror coming through loud and clear.