[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

looked at her tear stained face in the mirror.
www.samhainpublishing.com 103
Denise Belinda McDonald
Taking a handful of water from the still-running tap, she splashed her face.
Reluctantly, she turned off all the running water and put her hand on the knob.
Opening the door, she found Jack poised to knock.
104 www.samhainpublishing.com
Trading Faces
Chapter Fifteen
 I want to explain, Jack said when Elyse came back into the living room with him.
 No. No need. She wouldn t meet his eyes.  We need to find Matthew as soon as
possible. I want this over with so I can get back to my life.
And away from me, Jack finished her unsaid words. God, how had he messed this up
so bad? He needed to tell her the truth. Last night in the truck, he d enjoyed the jealousy
that sparked in her eyes when she asked about the woman he d been with. He wished
now he d told her who Hannah was. He needed to rectify the situation.
 About Hannah& 
 Look, I don t give a damn about her. She looked at him then, her eyes ablaze with
anger.  I am mad at myself for getting carried away with you. The kiss was a mistake.
Don t say that, he wanted to scream even though she was right. He had broken every
rule he d set for himself as a PI. Now she was giving him an easy way out of a sticky
situation, so why did he want to kiss her until she understood how much he cared for her?
He wanted to explain it to her, convince her, if someone could just explain it to him first.
Instead of telling her the things burning in his heart he just nodded, agreeing with her
assessment of the kiss.
 Didn t you say we were going to Matthew s condo today? She didn t wait for him
to answer.  Let s get moving. The sooner this is over, the better.
www.samhainpublishing.com 105
Denise Belinda McDonald
Elyse turned and walked out the front door and Jack found his pulse racing again.
Even when she was pissed and dismissing him, she was one hell of a woman.
Jack knew how to pick a lock. Why was she not surprised? He pushed Matthew s
apartment door open as he slid the slim, black leather case into his pocket. Jack turned
and held up a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet.
Well duh.
Jack left her standing in the middle of the living room while he checked the rest of
the apartment.  All clear, he said in a low voice.
A knot grew in her stomach as she looked around at all of Matthew s things. A few
were the things they had shared as husband and wife, but many were new, and obviously
expensive, judging by their lack of taste. The flashier the better, Matthew had always
believed.
Elyse followed Jack to the back of the apartment where they found his bedroom. The
unmade, king-size bed took up most of the space. Thoughts of what Matthew did, and
whom he did it with, flashed before her eyes. The humiliation of four years ago
resurfaced and her cheeks burned.
She shook off her thoughts. This was not about her.
A small desk was nestled in the corner. Jack sat in the chair and shuffled through the
papers scattered around Elyse dug through drawers. She didn t exactly know what she
was looking for, but didn t want to stand around while Jack had all the fun.
A noise at the front of the apartment stilled her hands. She stood and looked toward
the open door that led to the hallway. Before she could turn and say anything to Jack, he
had one hand on her waist and the other covering her mouth. He pulled her through the
bathroom and into the linen closet. He shut the door with barely a whisper of sound.
Jack slid his hands from her and put his mouth right next to her ear.  Don t make a
sound. The whispered breath sent chills through her.
106 www.samhainpublishing.com
Trading Faces
Don t make a sound? Does moaning count? Because if he keeps breathing on my
neck like that, I won t be able to help myself.
The cramped confines of the closet didn t help either. Her backside pressed up tight
against his rock-hard thighs. And his broad muscular chest rubbed her back with every
breath.
Mixed with her fear, adrenaline pumped through her like mad. She pressed up harder
against Jack. Someone was moving around in Matthew s room. He released a heavy
breath when she wiggled to get her foot situated.
Her mind bounced back and forth between what was in the closet and what was out.
She couldn t decide which was more dangerous, the devil she knew or the devil she
didn t. Hearing papers rustle from the area she thought was the desk caught her attention.
But the growing hardness pressed up against her hip raced a close second.
For a moment, she decided to be mean to Jack, to get even with him for dumping her
on the floor when his girlfriend showed up. She shifted from foot to foot, rubbing her hip
back and forth across his hardening erection. She had to fight a laugh when his breathing
grew shallow and raspy. A smile creased her face when his hands clamped down on her
hips, stilling her movement.
Yeah, this is neither the time nor the place to get all hot and bothered. The more she
thought about it, it was very hot. And stuffy. Two bodies in a confined space was sucking
the oxygen from the closet.
Then the smell hit her. The perfume. The same scent had assaulted her Halloween
night as well as the night before.
She was here. In Matthew s apartment.
Elyse slid her hands to her chest. Pain radiated so intensely it burned. Oh God, not
now. Her panic attacks had never come during something bad. They had always
shadowed the event. Her body shook. She knew the order she broke down. Next came the
panting, the heavy, noisy breathing.
Oh God, she couldn t make any noise.
Her shoulders rose and fell in a steadily quickening pace.
www.samhainpublishing.com 107
Denise Belinda McDonald
She closed her eyes and tried to clamp her hand on her mouth. But, her shaking made
it hard to keep it covered. A soothing warmth pulled her mind back from obliteration.
Arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her. Soft words feathered her ear.
Jack.
Jack was whispering to her, trying to calm her. She leaned into him and let herself
dissolve with his words. Let him take over her mind.
 Think of your favorite place. Imagine you re there now, relaxing. His lips touched
her ear.  Imagine your favorite person, your best friend, is with you. You are laughing,
talking. The sun is setting and you watch the colors melt from one hue to the next.
 Then the stars come out one by one. A soft breeze floats across your face. Trees [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]