Page 56 of Unveiled

“No, but I can find out.” Luke pulled out his phone and tapped the screen a few times, and he assumed he was shooting off a text to their boss, Knox. “It seems strange to me,” he remarked. “Even the costume jewelry. It’s not worth much, but it’s still something. This just seems like somebody wanted to make a mess for the sake of makin’ a mess. Somebody upset with her?”

He lifted his hands in a shrugging motion. “She didn’t seem to think so. I’ll run it by her again and see if she remembers anything else. According to Adalyn, the only person she’s had trouble with recently was a girl she fired a few weeks ago.”

Luke nodded. “Maybe she held a grudge and wanted to get back at her?”

It was possible, though she’d be stupid to do so. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting another job if she ended up serving time for a breaking and entering.

His phone beeped an alert, and he lifted a brow in Jaxon’s direction. “Response time was six minutes.”

He surveyed the mess again. That was a lot of destruction with only six minutes to work with, plus time to get away. “Maybe multiple people?”

“Possible,” Luke agreed. “Guess we’ll see what turns up.”

A couple hours later, Jaxon thanked Luke and Hannah for their help, as well as Jenn, then carried Jaclyn to his truck. By the time he got to Adalyn’s, she was fast asleep. He carefully carried her inside and tucked her into her crib before making his way down the hall to Adalyn’s room.

He smiled at the image that greeted him. She lay in the middle of the bed under a pile of blankets, wrapped up like a burrito. She shifted slightly as he settled on the edge of the bed, the dip of his weight causing her to roll toward him the tiniest bit. He could feel the body heat rising off her where she lay bundled up in the thick comforter.

Stretching out on his side, he propped his head on one hand and studied her. Her mouth was parted slightly, cheeks flushed a pale rose. Thick, dark lashes fluttered as he stroked his thumb over her cheek. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of looking at her.

It hit him then just how much he craved her—he wanted her beautiful face to be the last thing he saw every night before he closed his eyes, and the first thing he saw each morning when he woke. He wanted her curled into his arms, her body fitted to his. He still remembered the way she felt against him—and he was desperate for more of it.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-ONE

Adalyn felt something soft brush across her cheek, and a masculine smell filled her nostrils. She breathed deeply, trying to draw in as much of the scent as possible. It was delicious—kind of watery without being overpowering. She let it wash over her, wanting to roll around in it until it wrapped around her body and sank into every pore.

“Hey, sleeping beauty. Time to wake up,” Jaxon said, his sexy, raspy voice tickling her consciousness. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open. “Mmm… Hey,” she replied.

He smiled down at her. “There she is.”

“I—Oh!” The bright afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows caught her attention, and she bolted upright, automatically glancing toward the clock. “What time is it? Where’s Jaclyn? What⁠—”

“Shhh.” Jaxon gently pushed her back down. “Jaclyn is taking a nap. Everything’s fine.”

“Oh, God.” She fell back to the pillows with a soft groan and scrubbed a hand over her face. “I hate that feeling. Like I’m running late because I overslept.”

Jaxon brushed a hand over her hair, the effect soothing her and calming her racing heart. “You’re fine, sweetheart. Just relax.”

She curled into him, enjoying the feel of his hand stroking lightly over her arm. With her nose tucked into the crook of his neck, she inhaled deeply. God, he smelled so good. Jaxon’s chest rose and fell with a chuckle. “Are you sniffing me?”

Even though he couldn’t see her face, she bit her lip to hide a guilty smile. “No.”

His hand slid up her arm and over her throat, cupping her chin and turning her face toward him. Her gaze collided with his, eyes dark with desire. Dipping his head, he brushed his nose over her jaw, then spoke against her lips. “It’s okay if you are.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied.

He smiled as if he knew she was full of it. “That’s too bad. Because I love the way you smell. And taste.”

His mouth covered hers, his kiss brutal and breathtaking. Her lips parted, and he took advantage, sweeping his tongue inside.

Jaxon shifted them to their sides and pulled back a bit to look at her. His gaze unerringly took in every line of her expression, and his fingertips trailed over the apples of her cheeks, down the line of her jaw, and over her lower lip. “I remember exactly what you look like. How you sound. That night in Vegas is burned into my memory.”

She blushed fiercely. Though she’d never admitted it out loud, it was the same for her. It had been the best night of her life. At the time, she thought it was just because she was upset over the debacle with Shawn. She thought that being with Jaxon reinforced her femininity, her desirability.

But now, feeling whatever this was growing between them, she knew it was more. Gone were her insecurities and reservations. She had wanted Jaxon like she’d never wanted anyone before. She wanted to feel that way again—cherished, loved, desired.

As if reading her mind, he spoke. “Next time, though…”