Cherry Stem by Sotia Lazu Read Free Book Online Page B

girls had in common other than their age and looks. They didn’t even all vanish from the same place.”
    The massage relaxed me; my eyelids drifted shut. “Can I take a look at their pictures? I know some people. I could ask around, see if they know anything about new fledglings.”
    “I can get you their files, but I don’t want you to take any risks. He already saw you with me. If he finds out you’re looking into this…” His movements stilled, and he narrowed his eyes. “If he hurts you—”
    That was another sentence he didn’t get to finish, this time because I sealed his lips with mine. It was a spontaneous reaction. He was worried for me, wanted to protect me.
    “Where did that come from?” He didn’t seem to mind. His hands clutched at me, holding me to him.
    I shrugged, unable to meet his gaze. “Just felt like it.”
    Using his index finger, he tucked my hair behind my ear. “I’m glad you did.” His thumb brushed my chin, lingering at the corner of my lips.
    There was too much tension, too much something I didn’t want to identify between us. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if he kept being so nice, so cute, so…
    I looked around. The place wasn’t really wrecked, but we had stuff to do. Thank God for small favors. The smashed coffee table lay by a broken lamp, the overhead light reflecting off the scattered shards of glass, sprinkling tiny dots of light onto the upturned couch. Dust covered a doily that I was sure had been handmade. The table I’d used was remarkably unscathed, which was more than could be said for the curtains, one side of which had been ripped off the rail.
    “Let’s clean up,” I said, hopping off Alex’s lap.
    “The front door lock is busted,” he said, rising to stand so close behind me that I could feel the heat of his body like we were still touching. “I’ll have to go buy a new one.”
    I nodded. Casually putting some distance between us, I picked up the doily and shook it in an effort to get dusted vamp off it.
    He turned the couch upright and replaced the pillows on it. “The bolt wasn’t on, so I can use that to keep the door closed but can’t lock from outside.”
    I stood there, looking at the ruins of the coffee table, our glasses from the previous night miraculously intact on the floor. I was trying hard not to stare at how his dress pants stretched over the curve of his ass when he bent down for the last pillow. I really needed to bring the vacuum and mop from the basement. Anything to keep from jumping him.
    “Can you stick around until I’m back?”
    I raised my gaze to his. He was beautiful. Why did he have to look so adorable, looking at the floor, his hands deep in his pockets? “Alex—” I wanted to say how bad an idea that would be.
    “You know, so nobody robs the place? Of course, I won’t be able to put the new lock in till the morning. I’ll need better light.” He looked like the cat that swallowed the canary, and I bet the porch light was as bright as the sun. “You could spend the night. Stay here for backup if Willoughby comes back.” He looked extremely satisfied with himself. “And we can talk about the case. See how we can proceed with it.”
    Bad, bad idea, but I couldn’t really think of why. I’d already decided I wasn’t wiping him yet, and he already knew we existed, so one more night with him wouldn’t be a problem. “Sure.” I tried to sound disinterested, though the thought of being with him a bit longer made me giddy. “I’ll crash in the basement.”
    “Good. That couch turns into a double bed, so we can both sleep there.”
    I was torn between feeling incredibly stupid I hadn’t figured that out, and feeling even giddier because he was suggesting we spend the rest of the night in bed together.
    “You can—” He cleared his throat. “You can drink from me again if you need to.”
    As if his offer wasn’t already alluring enough. My mouth watered.
    “And I don’t have to go in tomorrow, so we