Page 51 of Long Past Deadly

Alanna woke with a clarity at odds with her usual grogginess. Quaid’s bed. She’d come here in the middle of the night. What had she been thinking? She never let herself be this vulnerable.

Not thinking. Panicking.

She eased her eyes open, noted the gray patterned comforter tucked around her, and the empty space. Alone. The early morning light stayed behind the edges of the blinds making it impossible to gauge time, and she’d left her phone in her room. She sat up, noting with relief that her nightshirt remained on. Sometimes when she slept, she got too hot and shucked whatever she was wearing.

“You’re awake.” Dressed Quaid strode into the room, two coffee mugs in hand. “PD had no luck finding Mercer. But Hunt is on his way to QM. He’s got some new information. You ready to get the day started?” He handed her a white mug, filled to the rim with coffee and steam rising from the top. The first whiff made her grateful she hadn’t needed to ask.

But she had to know. “Why didn’t you send me back to my own bed?”

Quaid opened the closet doors and pulled out a white dress shirt while sipping his own coffee. His black slacks had perfect creases, his undershirt accented serious muscles, and his bare feet against the dark wood floors sent an intimate message she wasn’t ready for, but…she wasn’t looking.

“You were half-asleep and panicked. I figured sleep was a better option. You wouldn’t have in a strange bed, not without knowing someone had your back. And I do. I did pull you out of a pool.”

She couldn’t help the laugh and didn’t try. “Did we…?” She stopped herself. He wouldn’t have. No need to even ask.

He stepped to the bed, his coffee cup abandoned on the dresser and the white shirt hung on the knob. She got a glimpse of his intense brown eyes and was sorry she’d even uttered the sentence.

“Did we what, Lani?” His quiet tone tore through her.

“Sleep? I don’t remember talking.”

“We didn’t. But that wasn’t what you were going to ask.”

She had no idea what to say. Her original question was obvious, but she didn’t need an answer. “I figured it out on my own.”

“What? Did we have sex?” The intensity of the words dropped like an earthquake into the room.

“Yeah, but I know we didn’t.” She’d feel it. Quaid had no idea how inexperienced she was, and it wasn’t something she’d forget then fall asleep.

“Let’s be clear.” He leaned over the bed and took her chin, tipping her face to his. “I require a yes for intimacy. I don’t do me too territory. Ever. Understand?”

She wanted to turn away, but couldn’t break from the anger in his eyes. “I’m sorry I even thought it, but thanks for having my back while I slept.” She absolutely wouldn’t acknowledge how his words swept through her, stirring unfamiliar, desperate wants, and enticing every step of the way.

He didn’t reply. He pulled away. “Let’s go, Williams. We’re needed at QM.” He grabbed his shirt and entered the bathroom, the door snapped closed behind him.

“Good one, Alanna. Insult the man.” There was a time when she wouldn’t have cared, but this time she did. He’d become her partner and her friend. He could be more if she could only put this damn trauma to bed.

She grabbed her coffee and went her bedroom. Dressing was an adventure because none of her clothes were here. Niles kept putting stuff in the closet, mostly things she wouldn’t have bought herself, but the man had a fine-tuned sense of what would suit. Today, was no exception. Black slacks hung in the closet with a simple white button-down shirt and a herringbone jacket. New black work boots were on the floor. It draped perfectly, would cover her weapon, and wasn’t all black, but kept her in FBI dress code.

Time was ticking. She put down her coffee and took the clothes to the bathroom. Emerging twenty minutes later, Quaid was leaning on the door frame to his room, phone in hand, texting fingers going a mile a minute.

“Problem?”

“No. Updates from Elizabeth. You ready?”

Brisk. Unemotional. Business.

She deserved the non-personal treatment.

Niles waited at the door with to-go coffee cups and a white bag he handed to Alanna. Fresh bread aroma slid over her senses, making her want to devour the breakfast. “Thank you, Niles. You bake, too?”

He gave his usual half smile. “Yes, Miss.”

“Let’s go.” Quaid opened the front door as a black QM SUV pulled into the circular drive.

Another QM car. Was this security or chauffeur service? “Who is driving?”

“Braun.” The hulk of a man stopped the car in front of the walkway. Quaid signaled for him to stay put and opened the back door for her. She expected, considering his irritation, he’d get her in the back and sit in the front, but he coaxed her over and got in beside her.