December Frost (A Southern Romance Monthly) by CJ Hockenberry Read Free Book Online Page B

closed the door.  
    Thomas slid over to the side of the bed with one arm—and not the arm he usually used—and swung his legs over. He put the pillow away and looked down at his betrayer.  
    Betrayer .  
    He'd just stood up when the door burst open and Cecelia Inzmann, dressed in her short jacket, jeans and boots, stepped in. They both stopped and stared at the other.  
    Thomas wasn't sure what to do. If he covered his erection, it would just look stupid. But standing there, bare ass naked with a hard dick sticking up, had to look even more…ridiculous.  
    And once he laid his eyes on her, he became even more aroused. Then he noticed something in her hair. White specs that were disappearing. "Sn-snow?" He pointed at her with his free hand.  
    But Cecelia wasn't looking at his hand. And he liked the slow smile that curled her mouth to the side. He put his hand on his hip. "You could knock."  
    "And you could…hang a towel…" she didn't finish because she blushed a profuse red, turned and left the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.  
    Thomas stood beside his bed and sighed. "Women."  

CHAPTER ELEVEN

    Cecelia stood outside the bedroom, her back pressed against the door, her eyes closed, breathing heavily, trying to suppress the heat rising from her thighs. How…was it possible…someone could be that good looking? Even naked?  
    Wasn't possible. She'd have to wait for the other shoe to drop. There had to be something wrong.
    "Got a good look, did ya?"  
    She jumped at Deb's voice. Her best friend came out of the spare with her coat in her hand. Cecelia cleared her throat. "It's…snowing."  
    "I told it would. So…what's the word?"
    "Not sure yet." She stepped out from the door and glanced back at it.  
    "I mean with the case? Do they still think he's this Phantom?"  
    "No… well yeah but not really." She waved at Deb in a dismissive manner. "Just come downstairs with me. We need to go find his car."  
    "Not without me!" he shouted through the door.  
    Cecelia shot the door another hateful look and then stomped back down the stairs. She be-lined it to the kitchen and retrieved a Coke from the fridge. One twist, a swallow, and then a satisfying burp.  
    "That's attractive."  
    Cecelia held the soda out to Deb who took it and sipped it. "The Captain doesn't know we're here. And as long as the database photo doesn't show him as him, no one should show up here."  
    Deb leaned her head to the right. "What?"
    "What what?"
    "What else?"  
    "They found the bullet that went through Thomas, and they found his hand prints smeared in blood down the duct leading out of the lockup. The gun that shot both of them was left at the scene. And we have Maddox's gun here."  
    Deb waited.  
    "It's all kind of a mess right now. I think the Captain agrees with me that someone came in that lock up and shot the two of them. What confused them was why Maddox's gun was fired and why it wasn't there."  
    "Did you tell them?"
    "Didn't have too. One of your team showed up in record time and pointed out the larger caliber bullets were fired from a prone position. So either Maddox fired it from the floor—"  
    "Or I did."  
    Both of them turned to see Thomas step into the kitchen. Cecelia felt her breath catch. He looked drawn and pale. Dark circles hung under his eyes and he had to hold himself up by bracing against the sink.  
    He was the sexiest thing she'd seen in years. Even sexier than last night. Because now the glamour of the event was gone, and what was before her was Thomas Carr. Who ever he was.  
    "You took the sling off!" Deb put her hands on her hips. The Coke tilted at a precarious angle.  
    Cecelia took the Coke and set it on the counter.  
    "I couldn't do anything with my arm all bound up. And besides," he put his left hand on his shoulder. "You did such a fine job on the wound."  
    "You're also pumped full of pain killers right now, Stretch." Deb smirked. "Once they wear off, you're going to feel a