The Tracker's Rage (Mate Tracker #3) - Ingrid Seymour Page 0,61

my eyes, I scooted to the other side of the bed. He lay on top of the sheets, arranged the pillow under his head, interlaced his fingers over his chest, and closed his eyes.

I admired his profile, as his face relaxed, his lips parting slightly. His strong chest and flat stomach rose and fell. A light dusting of hairs started below his navel and disappeared under the waistband. I had trailed kisses down that path before, and I was tempted to do it now.

But no. I would show him that I could control myself. The question was: could he?

I left the bed and went into the bathroom. I was about to close the door, but I thought fair was fair. I could play his game too. So I left it open a crack. With my back to the door, I took off my clothes and discarded them on the floor. I stood naked in front of the mirror and, in the reflection, caught sight of Jake peering at me. I pulled a nightie from an overnight bag I’d left by the sink and slipped it on. It barely covered my butt and had an open back and spaghetti straps. The front scooped low, and my nipples poked through the thin fabric. I got back into bed and laid next to Jake, facing him. His eyes were wide open now, traversing the length of my body, pausing at my breasts as he licked his lips.

“Sleep tight, Jake,” I said, glancing down at the bulging shape in his pants.

I squirmed, trailing my fingers down the sheets and imagining I was caressing his torso. I pressed my thighs together, biting my lower lip, and inhaling his musk.

“Stop, Toni,” he said in a growl.

“Um? What are you talking about?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

I turned my back on him, my nightie shifting and climbing up my backside. Jake hissed in a breath, jumped out of bed, and peeling the sheets off the bed, threw them over me.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I said, “Oh, thanks. I was starting to get cold.”

“Maybe I’ll go sleep on the sofa,” he said.

I sobered. “No. Stay. I promise I’ll behave.”

He thought about it for a moment, then lay back down. For a few beats the sexual tension between us hummed in the air. It passed slowly until we were both breathing rhythmically, allowing sleep to cozy up to us.

Without thinking, I scooted closer and nestled my head in the crook of his arm. We both sighed in contentment and fell asleep together.

Chapter 26

The next morning, I arrived at the office in an Uber. All night, I had slept like a baby in Jake’s arms, but I was disappointed to find him gone when I woke up. Being next to him was such a comfort, and the memory made me smile from ear to ear.

As I walked up to the agency’s door, I found that it was still locked. It was already 8:30 AM, and it was strange not to find Rosalina already there making phone calls and lining up appointments. I unlocked and walked in, checking my cell phone to see if I’d missed any messages, I didn’t find anything. I was about to dial her number when I noticed a note on the desk.

“Running a few errands. Will be in around 11 AM,” the note read.

Again, I couldn’t help but wonder what she was up to and why she wasn’t telling me about it. I couldn’t blame her. I hadn’t been the best of friends lately, nor the best of partners. For all I knew, she was out at a job interview.

Oh, crap! What if that was it? What if she was seeing the writing on the wall and making contingency plans? She was good at those.

“You always have to be prepared, Triple T,” she always said.

Witchlights! I needed to get my act together or I might lose her, and what would I do without her? That sounded like a nightmare. I knew I could do this on my own if she decided to leave, but what fun would that be?

“Nope, not going to let that happen,” I said, turning on my heel and heading out the door.

I got another Uber, and this time got the driver to take me by The Chained Wolf to pick up my Camaro. I found it right where I’d left it. As I drove past the club entrance, I saw that the broken windows had been boarded up and