“I don’t think we should go,” Michelle said after hanging up the phone.
“If we don’t, Blake will still be out there and this trip will have been for nothing.” I sat next to her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “The lawyer’s in the phone book. I checked, so we know he’s real. Even if he’s being paid off, he’d have to be careful with what he’s involved in.”
“But what if Blake brings people like Frank and that other guy with him?”
“We’ll bring more powerful people.”
She shot me a doubt-filled look.
“Three, no matter how strong or fast they are, against an unknown number, doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
I chuckled. Grey wouldn’t like hearing that.
“Not just us. One thing Blake won’t want is humans knowing what’s going on. I overheard you talking about how much Richard’s properties are worth. Call the news. Bring them with you. Say you want to donate half of your inheritance to a charity. With a camera on you, Blake can’t touch you.”
It took a while to convince her I was right. Convincing the news station was much quicker. It was well after dark when she said goodbye.
“Enough for tonight,” I said, taking the phone and hanging it up. “Let’s order some room service.”
I wasn’t sure what I was hungrier for, food or Michelle. While I ordered room service, she went to take a shower. The thought of her standing naked with running water skimming over her curves decided me. Michelle won.
When she emerged damp and dressed in her pajamas, I could barely form a coherent thought. My teeth poked at my bottom lip.
She turned on the television and sat on the end of the bed next to me. The scent of her damp skin filled my nose and made my mouth water. The curve of her neck drew my gaze. Her pulse beat slowly under the skin. What would she do if I reached over and touched her there? What would I do?
“What do you want to watch?” she asked without looking at me.
“You...choose.”
I wiped my hands on my jeans and tried to focus on the TV. The images flashing on the screen didn’t distract me from her scent or the calm way she sat beside me. Accepting me. Trusting me. Need crawled through me, tightening my airways and curling my hands into fists.
In the hallway, someone stopped outside the door and knocked. A growl rose to my throat, but I quickly swallowed it and stood. One of the hotel staff waited with the food I’d ordered. He moved to bring the food in, but I took it from his hands, tipped him, and sent him on his way. No way was he coming into our room with Michelle smelling like she did. I inhaled as I shut the door and groaned.
Michelle looked up at me with a small smile of amusement.
“Food’s here,” I said, trying to play it cool.
She came over to the table and playfully reached for the half-pound burger. How did I know it was playful? Because her scent was light and filled with humor. It just made me hungrier for her. I growled friskily and held out the burger. I’d love nothing more than sharing my food, putting my mouth where her mouth had been.
She shook her head and took the smaller burger.
“I wouldn’t want to deprive you.”
Disgruntled, I took a large bite of the burger and chewed and watched her move to sit at the end of the bed again.
“I’ll take this bed,” she said.
I froze, stared at her, then eyed the two beds as I chewed thoughtfully. Did she think, because there were two, we had to use both? I swallowed, took a quick drink, and calmly met her gaze.
“No.” Taking another bite, I waited.
“Okay. I didn’t know you had a preference.” She moved to the other bed.
I set my burger on my plate.
“I don’t want to sleep apart from you.”
She set her burger aside and walked over to me. She crowded my space, and my pulse started to race. Her scent wrapped around me, and her hair fell against me as she leaned in. I stopped breathing. Her gaze held mine. She moved closer, her breath tickling my forehead, then my nose. I tilted my head up, ready to meet her halfway. My hands shook as the moment slowed. At the last second, she pressed her lips to the tip of my nose.