“Thank you,” I said softly.
He kissed me again, long and lingering, then whispered, “Would you like breakfast? Meaning coffee and food, not me.”
I frowned and looked over his shoulder. The blackout blinds were down, so I couldn’t see whether it was still night or not. “What time is it?”
“Just on six.”
Trepidation stirred within me. “I didn’t hear Ginny come back in—did you?”
“No, but I wasn’t actually listening for her, either.” He climbed out of bed and pulled on his jeans with some effort, thanks to his still impressive erection. “You had better check though—if I open the door, she may just take it as an invitation to jump me.”
“Nah, she knows where your interest lies.” I flung off the comforter and sheet and climbed out of bed, well aware of his gaze sliding down my length and the prickles of response that danced through me. “But fair warning, give her the word and she will jump your boner faster than you can blink.”
He laughed, obviously thinking I wasn’t serious.
“She’s a hawk shifter, remember,” I said, casting him an amused look. “They love two things—hunting and sex—and they have a very high drive for both.”
“Then I shall be wary of giving her any sort of indication of interest.”
“Even after you’ve long lost interest in me?”
“Oh, I think it could be a while before I lose interest in you, dear Hanna, but even then. The whole claws out, shredding skin while dreaming prospect is a definite turnoff.”
I laughed, pulled on my jeans, then tucked my phone into my back pocket and padded barefoot around the bed, following René through the door. He went over to the kitchen while I went to the second bedroom.
It was empty. Ginny hadn’t come home last night.
I swore softly, grabbed my phone, and called her number. It rang out.
“Problem?” René asked from the kitchen.
“Ginny isn’t here, so maybe.”Atticus? You heard from her?
Why would I hear from her? I favor you with my presence, not her.
I don’t suppose you could go find her for me?
As I have already mentioned, I am a cat, not a bloodhound.
René appeared at the door. “Where was she the last time you heard from her?”
“Here, yesterday, late afternoon. Monica had just woken up, so she was heading over to the hospital to interview her.”
“You didn’t go with her?”
“Gerard ordered me to stay off my leg for a good few hours unless I wanted to undo the healing.”
His eyebrows rose. “Gerard’s been sent up here?”
“Arrived a few days ago, apparently.” I frowned. “You sound surprised.”
“His services are usually kept for bloodier missions.”
“That may normally be true, but this one involves the second-in-charge’s sister.”
“True, but the fact he was sent up here before you were injured suggests either Michael or Sophie suspect things are going to go bad fast.”
“Then let’s hope they’re wrong.” Especially now that Ginny was missing. “I’ll ring the Society and see if they have her current location.”
