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His request was completely reasonable. “Fair enough.”
He arched a dark brow her way. “As for today, can we agree that you just rest and relax instead you rushing off to school for an exam you might not be ready to take yet?”
She nodded, accepting the compromise. “Yes, we can agree on that.” Pressing a hand to his chest, she rose up on her bare toes and placed a soft, warm kiss on his lips…and lingered, hoping he’d take the embrace to a deeper, more sensual level.
He was the first to pull back, and while his expression was reserved, she didn’t miss the flare of desire brightening his eyes, or the growing erection pressing against her hip.
“I’ve got some case calls to make and I need to get to work,” he said abruptly, and stepped away from her. “If you need me for anything, I’ll be in my office.”
She watched him go, then turned to wash the dishes in the sink. She’d hurdled one obstacle this morning with Noah, but there was another barrier she was determined to tackle.
Seducing her fiancé.
CHAPTER NINE
Noah entered the name, address, and phone number of Natalie’s old landlord in Reno into his cell phone, along with other pertinent information he didn’t want to lose track of, such as her previous place of employment. Right now, Natalie’s welfare was his first priority, and Cole had assured him that the other cases he’d been handling would be taken care of between himself, Melodie, and Jo. The reassurance allowed him to concentrate fully on Natalie’s situation and take the time to investigate the leads he had on her and her past.
He wasn’t at all pleased with her insistence that she go back to work and school, but he understood her need to return to a normal life. It was unrealistic of him to expect her to remain cooped up in his house until he nailed the source of the threat against her—especially since she had no idea her life was in any danger. And he wasn’t about to enlighten her of that fact and send her into a possible tailspin of fear and panic.
He needed to find out who was stalking her, and quick, because he had no intention of letting her roam off on her own without insuring her safety somehow. Going back to work in the evenings at Murphy’s was something he was willing to compromise on because he could easily keep an eye on her while visiting with friends and shooting pool. But until he nailed the creep preying on her, she’d either be by his side, or in the presence of someone he trusted.
Unfortunately, another problem still remained, one that didn’t seem so easily resolved from his perspective—and that was resisti
ng Natalie and her tempting sexual advances. That kiss in the kitchen, no matter how chaste, had begged for him to respond, to indulge in the passion they both knew was still simmering beneath the surface, just waiting for that match to set it aflame once again.
With an iron will that had astonished even himself, he’d managed to escape the embrace unscathed, but there was no doubt in his mind that there would be many more sexual overtures he’d have to thwart along the way.
The irony of the situation didn’t escape him. He wasn’t used to resisting women, especially not one he wanted as intensely as Natalie. He’d always enjoyed everything about the opposite sex—their scent, their softness, erotic foreplay and hot, uncomplicated sex. For years now he’d indulged in brief, no-strings-attached affairs and reveled in his single status.
But everything about Natalie was turning complex and emotionally involved. And it didn’t help matters that he’d lied to her. The fragile, tentative bonds of their relationship could be torn to pieces when she eventually learned the truth. She’d already questioned their engagement in subtle ways, including the fact that she didn’t have a ring on her finger.
Resigned to crossing that bridge when they reached it, he pushed the troubling thoughts from his mind, picked up his cell phone, and dialed the number he had for her previous landlord. He wasn’t surprised when he hung up minutes later with no new details about Natalie’s life in Reno. Most people were reluctant to give personal information over the phone, and this woman was no different. He actually appreciated the landlord’s discretion, which protected Natalie’s privacy, even if it was to his disadvantage.
Unfortunately, this meant he’d have to make a personal visit to Reno to investigate the various leads he had on Natalie and her past. He spent the next few hours clearing his calendar for Wednesday, then booking a flight and mapping out an agenda of whom he should talk to, and what he needed to accomplish in a day’s time. He also placed a call to Murphy to see what the older man could do about putting Natalie on a light work schedule.
By the time he finished with his plans and other work, it was early afternoon, and it dawned on him that the house was awfully quiet. The silence was something he’d grown used to over the years, but he hadn’t heard any noises from Natalie, which concerned him.
Exiting his office, he headed down the hall to the empty living room. He checked upstairs and the kitchen, but didn’t find Natalie anywhere. His heart thumped hard in his chest, and he was just about to holler her name when he happened to glance out the slider leading to the backyard and saw her reclining on a padded lounge chair on the patio, basking in the golden rays of sunshine filtering through the overhead lattice covering. Her head was bent as she read the textbook opened on her lap, and she’d hiked up the hem of her dress to her thighs to allow the sun to warm her long, bare legs. She looked so peaceful and content, and his heart gave a tug of longing he couldn’t ignore.
As he watched, she tucked her loose hair behind her ear and reached into the bowl sitting on a small table next to her chair and withdrew an Oreo cookie. She twisted the two sides apart and scraped the cream filling off with her teeth, then popped the chocolate wafers into her mouth, one at a time, and chewed. Then she licked her fingers for any lingering crumbs.
Smiling at her blissful enjoyment of the treat, he opened the screen door and stepped outside. Startled by his sudden appearance, she glanced up at him with an impish smile at being caught indulging in such a childish ritual.
“How long have you been standing there watching me?” she asked, a gentle accusation threading her tone.
“Not long. I was just on the way to the kitchen for a snack myself,” he said as an excuse for spying on her. “Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all.” She snapped the thick book shut but left it on her lap. “I’d love the company—and the break from studying.”
He settled himself into a lawn chair next to her chaise. Confiscating a cookie for himself from her bowl, he ate it the manly way—in one big bite. “I’ve got some good news for you. I talked to Murphy and he said you can come back to work Thursday evening from six to nine, and you can gradually ease back into longer hours from there.”
Warmth shone in her gaze. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
He filched another cookie and said very casually, “I also wanted to let you know that I have some work plans for Wednesday that will take me out of town for the day.”
Her brows lifted in mild surprise. “Oh?”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I spoke with Melodie, and she’s going for her last fitting for her wedding dress on that day and said she’d love to have you along for company.”
