Hunted by Beverly Long Page A

hallway.
    Chandler was still fast asleep, although she’d turned over in the bed. She’d thrown off the covers and her towel had come undone.
    He could see most of her back. Soft skin. Delicate ridge of her spine. Gentle rise of her buttock.
    Hell. He closed his eyes, turned and lay down on the floor, facing away from the bed.
    He needed to get her to Denver, help her find a safe way back into her old company and then leave her in Baker’s or Mack’s safe custody.
    * * *
    C HANDLER WASN ’ T SURE how long she’d slept, but when she woke up, she could see Ethan asleep on the floor. She quietly stretched, making almost no noise, but still his eyes immediately flipped open.
    She grabbed the edges of her towel, holding them together. She didn’t want him to think that she’d gotten so crazy that she was literally going to throw her naked body at him.
    “Hi,” she said, determined to get back to where they’d been before she’d propositioned him.
    He smiled. “Sleep well?”
    “Yeah. What time is it?”
    He looked at his watch. “Almost lunchtime. We slept for about four hours. Are you hungry?”
    “I could probably eat. I’d like something to drink for sure.”
    “I’m going to take Molly outside while you get dressed. Then we can go downstairs, grab some lunch and check on the weather conditions. I’m assuming the road is still closed or Roxy would have been knocking on the door.”
    “Maybe she got busy and couldn’t get away?” she said, hoping for the best.
    He shrugged, then shifted from his back to his feet in one smooth motion. It was that same agility that probably had allowed him to climb the tree.
    He’d likely be a very graceful lover.
    That thought made the heat flood to her face.
    “Are you okay? Does your shoulder hurt?”
    “A little,” she said, willing to let him think that was the reason she looked a little hot and bothered. “Once I get up and going, it will be fine.”
    He nodded, opened the door and whistled for Molly. The dog immediately started dancing around and Ethan clipped on her leash.
    “You don’t happen to have a comb I could borrow, do you?” Chandler asked, pulling at her long dark hair.
    He reached into his duffel. “Here,” he said, tossing it at her. “I’ve got my toothbrush and some toothpaste, and I’m okay sharing it.”
    She ran her tongue across her teeth. It would be wonderful to brush them. “Thank you.”
    He grabbed the items from his bag and tossed them in her direction, as well. They landed on the bedspread. “I’ll be back in just a minute,” he said before he left.
    She climbed from the bed, wrapped the towel tight and walked to the bathroom. Her underwear was dry and she pulled it on. Then her jeans and her shirt.
    She slipped on the socks Ethan had lent her and her loafers, which were dry but beat up from the walk in the snow.
    She looked in the mirror. The burn across her nose and cheeks was fading. She ran Ethan’s comb through one section of her hair. Then another, until it was ready to be gathered up and secured with the clip. Then she brushed her teeth.
    When she returned to the room, Ethan and Molly were already back and he’d made the bed. He was sitting on the end of it.
    “That was fast,” she said.
    “Molly’s not a big fan of the snow.”
    But she did seem to like her food. Ethan had dumped some of the dry dog food into the empty plastic container. There was still plenty of water in the other one.
    She handed him his toiletries. “Thanks. I’ve never used anyone else’s toothbrush before.”
    “Not your boyfriend’s?” he asked. “Christivo, right?” he added, surprising her.
    “How did you know his name?”
    “Mack might have mentioned it,” he said casually.
    She’d met Christivo Kappas the first semester of her senior year in college. Professor Christivo Kappas. She’d needed a liberal arts credit and philosophy sounded as good as any.
    She really should have picked a theology class.
    He spoke of concepts