them. When her lips parted slightly, he bent his head lower, the temptation to kiss her growing in intensity. He felt her warm breath on his skin, and smelled her sweet scent. Roses. She smelled like roses. Why had he not noticed before?
A door slamming nearby brought reality crashing back. Cali had been through a scare tonight. A scare that had left her shaken and confused. He had no business taking advantage of her. At the last second before his lips touched hers, he lifted them to her forehead instead, and pressed them against her soft skin. He dropped his hand to his side as he took a step back.
“You’ve been through a lot in the past few days. You should try to get some sleep.”
Cali ran a hand through her wind-tossed hair, and he stifled the urge to run his own hand through her thick, wavy strands. When she looked at the door, he remembered he still held the key, and unlocked the door with a surprisingly steady hand. Nick flipped on the light, and acting on instinct, searched the room to make sure no one was there.
Without a word, he checked the bathroom, discovering it was safe, but in worse shape than he expected. He had been called to the Sea Urchin to settle a few domestic disputes in the past, but each time he had been able to resolve problems from the outside, and had not had the pleasure of experiencing the reason for the motel’s poor reputation.
Nick had not expected to see the broken tiles on the walls and the peeling linoleum on the floor. The only things in the room that did not look outdated were Cali’s personal items. A pink razor sat on the edge of the tub, and the bottle of shower gel sitting next to it had a bouquet of roses decorating the front label, no doubt the source of her alluring scent. As Nick turned to leave the room, he glanced at the small sink. Cali’s make-up bag rested on the cracked porcelain. It had a small pink heart embroidered on the side, feminine and delicate, reminding him of its owner.
Nick turned and stepped into the main room, sweeping his gaze across the remainder of the interior. The dark stains on the shabby carpet appeared to be several years old, and the cheap, framed pictures on the walls were yellowed and warped. The old, scarred furniture pieces were mixed in color, as if they had been bought piecemeal at a thrift store.
Nick tucked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “You deserve a better place to stay than this.” He continued to look around the room. Cali’s suitcase rested on the bed nearest the door, with its contents neatly arranged inside. A laptop sat next to it, along with a well-used notepad. He sensed Cali watching him and resisted the urge to read the words scribbled across the pages. Instead, he looked at her and asked, “Will you reconsider and come home with me?”
She appeared to think about his offer, but after a moment shook her head. “The room’s already paid for. I should stay here tonight.”
“Are you always this stubborn?”
A slight smile touched her lips. “Usually.”
Sighing, Nick stepped close, catching the sweet scent radiating around her. This time, he did not resist the urge to slip the forgotten strap on her sundress back on her shoulder. His fingers brushed her warm, soft skin. He could have imagined it, but he thought he felt her lean into his brief touch.
“I do appreciate the offer, Sheriff.” Cali sounded breathless. Her chest rose and fell in a quick, nervous rhythm.
“No problem. And Cali…there’s no need for formalities between us. Call me Nick.”
“OK. Nick.”
He liked the way his name sounded coming from her lips. Maybe a little bit too much. He cleared his throat and took a step back to make sure he wouldn’t touch her again. Withdrawing a business card from his back pocket, he handed it to her. He should tell her to call the station if anything happened. To call if she remembers anything that could help the investigation. He should tell her again to leave and go home. But, the
A door slamming nearby brought reality crashing back. Cali had been through a scare tonight. A scare that had left her shaken and confused. He had no business taking advantage of her. At the last second before his lips touched hers, he lifted them to her forehead instead, and pressed them against her soft skin. He dropped his hand to his side as he took a step back.
“You’ve been through a lot in the past few days. You should try to get some sleep.”
Cali ran a hand through her wind-tossed hair, and he stifled the urge to run his own hand through her thick, wavy strands. When she looked at the door, he remembered he still held the key, and unlocked the door with a surprisingly steady hand. Nick flipped on the light, and acting on instinct, searched the room to make sure no one was there.
Without a word, he checked the bathroom, discovering it was safe, but in worse shape than he expected. He had been called to the Sea Urchin to settle a few domestic disputes in the past, but each time he had been able to resolve problems from the outside, and had not had the pleasure of experiencing the reason for the motel’s poor reputation.
Nick had not expected to see the broken tiles on the walls and the peeling linoleum on the floor. The only things in the room that did not look outdated were Cali’s personal items. A pink razor sat on the edge of the tub, and the bottle of shower gel sitting next to it had a bouquet of roses decorating the front label, no doubt the source of her alluring scent. As Nick turned to leave the room, he glanced at the small sink. Cali’s make-up bag rested on the cracked porcelain. It had a small pink heart embroidered on the side, feminine and delicate, reminding him of its owner.
Nick turned and stepped into the main room, sweeping his gaze across the remainder of the interior. The dark stains on the shabby carpet appeared to be several years old, and the cheap, framed pictures on the walls were yellowed and warped. The old, scarred furniture pieces were mixed in color, as if they had been bought piecemeal at a thrift store.
Nick tucked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “You deserve a better place to stay than this.” He continued to look around the room. Cali’s suitcase rested on the bed nearest the door, with its contents neatly arranged inside. A laptop sat next to it, along with a well-used notepad. He sensed Cali watching him and resisted the urge to read the words scribbled across the pages. Instead, he looked at her and asked, “Will you reconsider and come home with me?”
She appeared to think about his offer, but after a moment shook her head. “The room’s already paid for. I should stay here tonight.”
“Are you always this stubborn?”
A slight smile touched her lips. “Usually.”
Sighing, Nick stepped close, catching the sweet scent radiating around her. This time, he did not resist the urge to slip the forgotten strap on her sundress back on her shoulder. His fingers brushed her warm, soft skin. He could have imagined it, but he thought he felt her lean into his brief touch.
“I do appreciate the offer, Sheriff.” Cali sounded breathless. Her chest rose and fell in a quick, nervous rhythm.
“No problem. And Cali…there’s no need for formalities between us. Call me Nick.”
“OK. Nick.”
He liked the way his name sounded coming from her lips. Maybe a little bit too much. He cleared his throat and took a step back to make sure he wouldn’t touch her again. Withdrawing a business card from his back pocket, he handed it to her. He should tell her to call the station if anything happened. To call if she remembers anything that could help the investigation. He should tell her again to leave and go home. But, the
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