“We might be too late for breakfast.”
“A hamburger and fries sound amazing to me right now,” she said, a sleepy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Damned if the knot didn’t tighten in his chest.
He picked up the menu. “Consider it done.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Let me spoil you for a change,” he said, and he meant every word. “I like doing things for you that make your life easier.”
Was it a mistake to admit that to her?
CARYS SMILED ONher way to the bathroom. “I’m not going to tell you no.”
As she brushed her teeth, she heard Blaize on the phone ordering from the lunch menu. Her systems were turned upside down. Her body didn’t know day from night at this point. It wanted protein. Besides, she didn’t know when she’d get a chance to eat again. Her schedule was all over the place until this case resolved.
Speaking of days of the week, she thought for a moment and realized it was already Sunday. How could she go into the office on Monday if she still had Rue in her custody?That’s tomorrow-Carys’s problem.Besides, she had plenty to focus on today.
Practically, they could investigate the house and get back to the ranch by dinner. They had a new name to work with—Sharon Clark.
She thought about the name Stephanie Cross…a potential fake name.Were you hiding from this Angel person? What was he to you? An ex-boyfriend?
Thomas didn’t explain what he meant about not liking how his uncle treated her. And now they knew she used to work at the bar. This was like being expected to put together a five-hundred-piece puzzle with a couple of pieces and none of the rest.
These things take time.
Did she have any?
Carys dressed in yoga pants, a sports bra, and a tank top. She pulled her hair off her face into a ponytail. Push come to shove, she could pass for someone being out on a jog. Being a collegetown, Austin was a lively place, especially the downtown area. Joggers could be seen throughout the day, seven days a week. She should fit right in.
A knock on the door told her she’d been in the bathroom way longer than expected or that room service in this hotel was speedy.
She waited until Blaize answered, then came out of the bathroom once the server was gone since the doors would clash otherwise.
“Food’s here,” Blaize said in that oh-so-sexy deep timbre of his. That man could read the contents of a cereal box and make women want to start peeling off their clothes.
She laughed.
“What’s that about?” He studied her, perplexed.
No way was she sharing that little tidbit.
“Nothing,” she said. “This food smells amazing.”
“You’re probably starving, which helps.” He finished setting up the makeshift table and chairs. He directed her to sit in the office-like chair while he took the bed.
She picked up the metal lid and was hit with a waft of awesomeness. “Yes to all of this.”
He chuckled. “Do you always go full force at life?”
She had a bite of food in her mouth that she almost spit out from laughing. Once she chewed and swallowed, she said, “Since I moved out. I was kept locked up basically my entire childhood. Once I adjusted to college life, I decided to just run at life full-steam-ahead style. I own my mistakes and do my best to learn from them.”
“It’s a good philosophy,” he said.
“I’m so much happier now. Even when I screw up, and believe me, I have royally done so. Knowing my missteps are my own has its own healing energy attached. Being under someone’s thumb is the worst kind of existence.”
“I can partially relate. It’s no life.”
“That’s why I feel so sorry for Stephanie or Sharon, whatever her name is.” She took a sip of the coffee he’d fixed for her. “This happened to me when I was young. Plus, it was my father. He may have broken our relationship, but he does love me. Or did. I haven’t talked to him in too long to know where he stands now. It was misguided love—don’t get me wrong. It was action born out of loss and sadness and fear. But I never once doubted that he loved me.”
