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“Well, she can stay in here, and we can talk in the hall.” She stood up, head held high and back stiff to march out the door. “Meechi, wait in this room. I’m just going to be outside the door.”
“Okay, Mom.” Even her daughter sounded like she was at the point of tolerating Stephanie’s crazy. I’m not the nutty one here. I don’t think. I hope not.
They walked out into the hall, and Stephanie shut the door behind her. She stood against it, folding her arms over her chest. She didn’t want to tell him but figured it was the best move, especially since she had no idea what her next step should be. “Someone broke into my apartment.”
Her voice cracked on the last word, and she put a hand to her mouth. Moisture gathered in her eyes, but she blinked it away. Hawke came closer, and she tried warding him off, but he forced her into his arms. Stephanie clutched at his shirtfront, drawing in deep breaths.
“My neighbor said the police believe they were looking for clues to where we went. I don’t know if we left any or not. Why are they doing this to us? Everything was fine until that idiot ran his mouth. What am I going to do? I’ve been racking my brain, but all it does is hurt more. I can’t even go to my eye appointments.”
“Stephanie, easy, baby.” The tenderness went a long way to soothing her frayed nerves. He raised her chin. “First, I’m sorry for how I spoke to you earlier.”
“I understand why you did it.” She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m still mad at you, and I don’t know if I can trust you.”
“That’s okay for now. Toron has a doctor here who can look at you and give you your treatments. I asked him about it this morning.”
She gasped. “You thought of that?”
“Yes. Also, I’m going back to New York tomorrow morning to begin my investigation.”
Her hands spasmed where they held him. “So soon?”
He nodded. “I know you’re scared, but I need you to stay here. Please try to trust me. No one here will hurt you. Yes, they’re shape-shifters. They were born that way. There are a lot more things in this world than you as a human can imagine, but think of Sienna. Think of how well the two of you connected. She’s still the same woman you became friends with.”
“What you say makes sense.” She chewed her lip. “Can I think about it tonight and let you know what I will do in the morning?”
He seemed about to say something but let it go and dropped a featherlight kiss on her forehead. “Of course. Why don’t you lie down and get some rest? I’ll have Sienna send up tea and pain meds for you.”
Stephanie wasn’t in any shape to argue. She nodded and went back to her room. When she had more energy and had thought things through, they could talk again. Hawke might have kept the truth from her of what Toron’s people were, but she knew it wasn’t to hurt her or Meechi. With rest and a little time she could make level-headed decisions, and that might include never seeing him again.
Chapter Six
The room lay in darkness when Stephanie awoke. She had allowed Meechi to leave the room earlier but forbade her to go outside. Stephanie pulled her shoes on and put her face close to the clock on the nightstand. The time read after midnight. She hurried across to the door leading to Meechi’s room and passed through it.
A lamp hadn’t been turned off, so she picked out the small lump on the bed as her daughter, and the closer she moved to her, she heard the soft breathing. She sighed in relief. After removing the book Meechi clutched from her fingers and placing it on the nightstand, Stephanie kissed her baby and twisted the light switch. She checked the lock on Meechi’s door, although a lock hadn’t kept Hawke from her room earlier.
Back in her room, Stephanie paused. After sleeping so long, she wasn’t tired. A desire to see Hawke came over her. After all, he would be gone tomorrow, and there was no telling when he would return. If she decided to leave, it would be without his knowledge, and he wouldn’t know where she had gone. Spending time with him for one night might not be such a bad idea.
She left her room and crossed the hall to his. A light knock brought no answer, so she tried the knob and found the door unlocked. Sucking in a deep breath, she walked in. His bed lay empty. Disappointment descended over Stephanie until she heard the shower running. She waited, unsure of whether to go or stay. If he didn’t expect guests, he might come out of the bathroom naked. She hadn’t come with an eye toward sex with him. Had she? Who am I lying to here?
Hawke might reject her again and tell her to go back to her room. She might look like an idiot when he fed her some line about it not being the right time or whatever. Still, she crept farther into the room and fingered the buttons on her top. His bed lay just a few feet away, the bath to the right. He’d shut the door, but not all the way for it to latch. Through the gap, she caught a shadow of movement, and his male scent wafted on the air.
Her heart hammered, and her throat dried. She swallowed. If she didn’t go through with it now, she might regret it later. Squaring her shoulders, she began unbuttoning her blouse and then pushed it over her shoulders. Her breasts hid behind a lacy pink bra, her favorite color. He might have been able to tell her no before, but he wouldn’t with her naked.
Jeans pooled at her feet, she stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. She removed her bra, panties, and socks. How cliché was she to climb into his bed and slip under the covers? Rather than that, she positioned herself on top and struck a couple of poses. An anxious giggle escaped her. I really have lost my marbles trying to seduce a man with so much going wrong in my life.
The scent of alcohol reached her, and she realized Hawke had brought a nightcap to his room. To fortify her nerves, she took a big sip and set the glass aside. Blowing out a breath, she waited.
Heat and steam billowed from the bath when Hawke opened the door. He stepped from the interior without a towel and turned his head toward her. She didn’t think he started in surprise at all.
“You knew I was here?” Disappointment crept into her tone.
“Are you here to seduce me?”
She noticed he didn’t answer her query, but since they were on a roll with the questions, she threw out another. “Is it working?”
“A luscious woman with smooth caramel skin I already know to be as sweet as candy and heavy, sexy breasts all bared for me—what do you think? I can’t say no to you again, Stephanie. Not with you like this. You have to be sure.”
“I’m sure.”
