the house, past a large interior courtyard with an Olympic-size pool. At her dropped jaw, he laughed. “Yeah, Noah went a little overboard on the decoration. You should see the hot tub. Looks like it’s in the middle of Belize.”
He placed the box they’d taken from Perry’s house on a huge dining table, then started toward the kitchen. “You hungry?”
They could both use some food. And a distraction.
He turned, and Emily held the two photos and the teddy bear with its unique one blue eye and one brown eye tightly in her arms. She looked lost.
“You don’t think we’ll find Joshua, do you? Not really.” She took in a shuddering breath. “I need the truth.”
The vulnerability in her words shook him. He wanted to tell her yes, more than anything. Instead, he settled for the truth. “We have a chance.” He walked to her, then gently tucked some errant strands of hair behind her ear. “And we will explore every lead we find, no matter who wants us to stop. That, I promise you, Emily, is the truth.” He cupped her cheek and looked directly into her eyes, unblinking. “We can relax, have a good meal, do whatever we want. No one will bother us here.”
She nodded as he tugged her toward an overstuffed sofa that looked like it might swallow her up. She settled on the edge, awkward and tense. He rested his hand on her back and circled in slow, deliberate movements. Her back stiffened, muscles tightening, but she didn’t pull away.
“We’re safe here? Really?” she asked.
Mitch nodded. “Yes.”
“I could use a shower....” Her voice trailed off. “Except I don’t have clothes or a nightgown or a toothbrush. Or anything.” She looked at Mitch. “I feel like I’m drifting…rudderless,” she said finally.
Mitch couldn’t bear it. He reached for her hand and held it tight. “Look at what’s happened in the past two days. Most people would’ve broken, but you’ve been astonishing. Strong. Tough.”
She pulled away from him. “I don’t feel tough. I feel as if I could shatter into a million pieces. That’s not like me. I need to pull it together.”
Mitch leaned toward her and twisted the soft strands of her hair, taking in the dark circles beneath her cobalt eyes, the strain around her mouth, the tension in her neck. “You need food and sleep.”
He brushed his thumb against the soft skin of her temple, and she closed her eyes.
“Not yet,” she whispered. “Can you just…be with me…quietly for a minute? ’Til I relax.”
He shifted and lay down on the huge soft cushions with her tucked against him. “Like this?”
With a sigh, she sagged against him, her softness pressed close. “Yes.”
They lay there silently for several minutes. He relished just holding her. Any other time, he would’ve been desperate to kiss her, to have her beneath him, passionately holding him, but he simply studied her features and enjoyed the feel of her against him.
How long had it been since he’d cuddled next to a woman and said absolutely nothing? How comfortable. How strange.
And yet, intense desire throbbed just beneath the craving he now had for her. One touch, one kiss, one seductive glance and his instincts would take over.
He shifted his hips away from her so she wouldn’t feel the power of his desire. She didn’t need anything but to feel safe.
She opened her eyes and stared at him.
“I’ve thought a few times that you might kiss me,” she said softly.
“Have you wanted me to?”
“Sometimes,” she said. “But my emotions are all over the place. I’ve been alone so long, I’m not sure I remember how to handle any of this. Or to know if you’re even interested in me.”
He shifted his body, and her eyes widened as he let her feel his need. “Don’t ever doubt that I want you, Emily.”
Nervous, she raised her hand to his cheek. “You need a shave. That will tickle.”
“Let’s check.” Mitch nuzzled her neck, and she giggled. Within moments, her laughter gave
He placed the box they’d taken from Perry’s house on a huge dining table, then started toward the kitchen. “You hungry?”
They could both use some food. And a distraction.
He turned, and Emily held the two photos and the teddy bear with its unique one blue eye and one brown eye tightly in her arms. She looked lost.
“You don’t think we’ll find Joshua, do you? Not really.” She took in a shuddering breath. “I need the truth.”
The vulnerability in her words shook him. He wanted to tell her yes, more than anything. Instead, he settled for the truth. “We have a chance.” He walked to her, then gently tucked some errant strands of hair behind her ear. “And we will explore every lead we find, no matter who wants us to stop. That, I promise you, Emily, is the truth.” He cupped her cheek and looked directly into her eyes, unblinking. “We can relax, have a good meal, do whatever we want. No one will bother us here.”
She nodded as he tugged her toward an overstuffed sofa that looked like it might swallow her up. She settled on the edge, awkward and tense. He rested his hand on her back and circled in slow, deliberate movements. Her back stiffened, muscles tightening, but she didn’t pull away.
“We’re safe here? Really?” she asked.
Mitch nodded. “Yes.”
“I could use a shower....” Her voice trailed off. “Except I don’t have clothes or a nightgown or a toothbrush. Or anything.” She looked at Mitch. “I feel like I’m drifting…rudderless,” she said finally.
Mitch couldn’t bear it. He reached for her hand and held it tight. “Look at what’s happened in the past two days. Most people would’ve broken, but you’ve been astonishing. Strong. Tough.”
She pulled away from him. “I don’t feel tough. I feel as if I could shatter into a million pieces. That’s not like me. I need to pull it together.”
Mitch leaned toward her and twisted the soft strands of her hair, taking in the dark circles beneath her cobalt eyes, the strain around her mouth, the tension in her neck. “You need food and sleep.”
He brushed his thumb against the soft skin of her temple, and she closed her eyes.
“Not yet,” she whispered. “Can you just…be with me…quietly for a minute? ’Til I relax.”
He shifted and lay down on the huge soft cushions with her tucked against him. “Like this?”
With a sigh, she sagged against him, her softness pressed close. “Yes.”
They lay there silently for several minutes. He relished just holding her. Any other time, he would’ve been desperate to kiss her, to have her beneath him, passionately holding him, but he simply studied her features and enjoyed the feel of her against him.
How long had it been since he’d cuddled next to a woman and said absolutely nothing? How comfortable. How strange.
And yet, intense desire throbbed just beneath the craving he now had for her. One touch, one kiss, one seductive glance and his instincts would take over.
He shifted his hips away from her so she wouldn’t feel the power of his desire. She didn’t need anything but to feel safe.
She opened her eyes and stared at him.
“I’ve thought a few times that you might kiss me,” she said softly.
“Have you wanted me to?”
“Sometimes,” she said. “But my emotions are all over the place. I’ve been alone so long, I’m not sure I remember how to handle any of this. Or to know if you’re even interested in me.”
He shifted his body, and her eyes widened as he let her feel his need. “Don’t ever doubt that I want you, Emily.”
Nervous, she raised her hand to his cheek. “You need a shave. That will tickle.”
“Let’s check.” Mitch nuzzled her neck, and she giggled. Within moments, her laughter gave
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