LITMIR.BIZ

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motel room was a complete letdown. But she could at least accept the inevitable with good grace. There was no way she would let him see her disappointment.

      “Well.” She pushed to her feet and stood by the door, her hand on the latch. Outside, she could hear raised voices as an argument broke out among the men playing cards. She forced a brisk, businesslike tone to her voice, but found she couldn’t meet his eyes. “Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

      There was silence, and when Lacey finally looked up, it was to find Cole standing with his hands braced on his hips, watching her with a bemused expression. He dominated the small room. Lacey’s eyes traveled slowly up the length of his body, noting how the black T-shirt emphasized the taut flatness of his stomach and the muscled planes of his chest. There was a light sheen of sweat on the strong column of his throat and she imagined tracing her tongue along that slick skin.

      “You don’t actually think I’m going to leave you here, do you?” he asked.

      Now it was her turn to look bemused, even as her pulse quickened. “What do you mean?”

      Her eyes widened when he turned and scooped her discarded pantsuit from the back of a chair where she had tossed it. He folded it neatly in half, dropped it into her open suitcase and flipped the case shut.

      “There’s really only one thing to do.” His mouth curved in a rueful grin. “I’m taking you home with me.”

       3

      LACEY WAS CERTAIN he had to be kidding, but there was nothing humorous in his manner as he zipped her case shut, hefted it neatly in one hand, and stepped toward the door.

      “Wait a minute.” Lacey threw up a hand to forestall him. “You can’t be serious.”

      “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Cole’s voice was low. “You’re definitely better off staying here. I’m sure those men out there will be more than happy to take care of you tonight.” He stabbed a finger toward the commotion outside. “From the sound of things, they’re well on their way to getting completely messed up. If I leave you here, how long do you think it’ll take for them to decide you’re fair game? Hmm? Do you really think you’re safe in this room?”

      Lacey was silent. He had verbalized what she had been thinking. But to go home with Cole? Did she dare? Because she’d be lying to herself if she believed nothing would happen between them. Even now, the tension in the room was almost palpable.

      “Look,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “I know what you’re thinking.” Reaching into his back pocket, he produced a slim wallet, flipped it open and extended it toward her. “Here’s my I.D. If you want to take a look and then call somebody to let them know who you’re with, go ahead.”

      Glancing at him, Lacey took the proffered wallet and looked down at the I.D. beneath the plastic protector. It was a Virginia driver’s license with a Norfolk address. The photograph had captured the incredible blueness of his eyes. She tried not to stare.

      “You’re not even from around here,” she said, handing him the wallet. “Were you planning on driving back to Norfolk? That’s what—five hundred miles from here?”

      Cole pocketed the wallet, frustration evident in his expression. “I grew up here in the Gap, but I moved to Norfolk after I got out of school. My family has a place not too far from here, and everyone in town knows who I am. You’re safer with me than you are here.”

      Lacey didn’t know about that. Her intentions where Cole was concerned could be classified as anything but safe.

      He looked expectantly at her. “Okay? Are we good? Now can we please get the hell out of here before we both suffocate?”

      He was right. The heat in the room was oppressive. Still, Lacey hesitated. Once she committed to going with him, there would be no turning back.

      Seeing her misgivings, Cole sighed, put the suitcase down and spread his hands out in a supplicating gesture. “Look, you’re going to have to trust me on this one, okay? I promise, you’re absolutely safe with me. I’m staying just a couple of miles from here and there’s a separate guest suite so you’ll be completely private.” He gave a small snort of laughter and muttered an expletive beneath his breath. “I’ll even go spend the night at Sully’s if it’ll make you feel better. But there is no way in hell you’re staying here tonight, okay?”

      Lacey had the distinct impression that if she refused to go with him, he’d throw her over one broad shoulder and haul her bodily out of the room. She knew instinctively he wouldn’t hurt her, would even put himself in harm’s way to protect her. It was herself she didn’t trust. Just the thought of being alone with this man for an entire night caused her body to react in a way she was unfamiliar with. Her knees felt shaky when she looked at him. There was a fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach. She’d never been so acutely aware of her own body before.

      “Okay,” she said, before she could change her mind. “I’ll stay at your place, but just for tonight.”

      “Good.” There was no mistaking the satisfaction in his voice.

      Lacey followed him outside, unwilling to look at the men as they passed, aware they had ceased arguing the moment she and Cole had emerged from the room. But when one of the men abruptly stood up, shoving the flimsy chair back and nearly upsetting the makeshift card table, Lacey understood why Cole had deliberately positioned himself between her and them.

      “Hey, baby,” the man crooned, “why you want to go with him, eh?”

      “Yeah, stay wi’ us,” slurred a second man. “We’ll show you a good time … a real good time.”

      Lacey edged closer to Cole’s protective bulk.

      “Don’t worry,” he said in a low voice, “they’re not coming near you.”

      Lacey looked at the men and knew it was true. While they might muster enough courage to throw comments at hers and Cole’s retreating backs, they didn’t have the guts to confront the hard-eyed man who propelled her along with one hand at the base of her spine.

      Copper lay panting on the seat where they had left him, and now he thumped his tail lazily in greeting. After stowing her gear in the back, Cole started the truck and swung out onto the road. The dog made no move to clamber to its feet and hang its head out the window, as if the heat had finally sapped what remained of his energy. Instead, he gave a jaw-splitting yawn and dropped his head onto Lacey’s thighs with a contented huff of breath.

      Lacey snatched her hands from her lap and looked down in consternation at the animal. “Well, he certainly isn’t shy,” she remarked with a laugh. Her hands hovered uncertainly over the dog. “Will he mind if I pet him?”

      Cole gave a laugh that was half groan, and eyed the dog with something like envy. “Are you kidding? He thinks he just died and went to heaven.”

      Smiling in spite of herself, she tentatively stroked the animal’s head and ran her fingers over his long ears. “He’s so soft,” she murmured. “What kind of dog is he?”

      “He’s a bloodhound.”

      “Like the kind you see in movies, tracking escaped criminals?”

      Cole laughed. “Yeah, except Copper’s never had that particular honor. He’s retired now, but when he was younger he had no problem tracking down kids and hikers who’d gone missing in the hills around here.”

      “Really!” Lacey was impressed, and gave Copper a generous scratching behind his ears to show it. “What a good boy. I hope you got an extra treat and a nice, long tummy rub for that.”

      Cole laughed, a warm sound that caused Lacey to smile back at him. “What’s so funny?”

      He hesitated, then impaled her with the full heat of his aquamarine eyes. They locked gazes briefly before he returned his attention

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