Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(48)

They were probably making arrangements for their daughter. Sweet little Sunny. My chest constricted as her image filled my head. Petite, dark-haired, with the face of a heartbreaker. When I returned, I was going to visit her. Her dad and I may not be getting along, but I loved that little girl.

Hold me, Belly,she was fond of saying, and I would laugh and scoop her up.

She was five years old and as mischievous as the devil. You couldn't turn your back on her without severe consequences, but she loved as fiercely as her daddy.

"Speaking of hard-ons, I bet Cody's screwing the brains out of Little Miss Pruneface and that's why he's so determined to go undercover," Sherridan said sulkily, pulling me from my thoughts. "Really undercover."

The man was fond of seducing for information. Poor Sherridan. I could tell she was intrigued by and attracted to Cody. I'd known he would hurt her, though. He'd expressed interest in her one day but might have given himself to the enemy the next. Typical.

If he'd really wanted Sherridan, he wouldn't have cared about my warning to stay away. He would have fought for her. Women deserved to be fought over, after all. We were a prize to be earned and treasured. At least, we should be, I thought darkly. I couldn't imagine Rome fighting for me in his current condition.

Hopefully, Cody would return in one piece and I could freeze his ass to the wall for intriguing my friend.

Rome could fry beside him. Fire and ice. A nice contrast.

"Since I am not a liar, I will just say that yeah, you're probably right."

"Bastard. Think he'll be okay?" Sherridan asked despite her obvious irritation with him.

"He'll be fine." I hoped. Cody had power over electricity and could disappear inside a light socket - talk about freaky - but what if Desert Gall drained him of water the way Elaine had drained Tanner of energy before he could get away?

Before leaving PSI, I had tried to talk John into allowing Elaine to go with us to Colorado, but he had firmly refused. Taking a maybe-kinda-sorta enemy into a known enemy camp was not an intelligent strategy, he'd said. Men. Such idiots sometimes.

"All right. Enough of that. We've got two hours," I said, forcing myself to push from the wall. My knees almost buckled. "Be ready."

"Yes, ma'am." She saluted me and popped to her feet, then we went our separate ways in the hall.

There were five bedrooms in the house, and Rome and I had the master suite. I lumbered inside, my legs still strangely heavy, and shut myself in. The trek from PSI to the house had left me sweaty, so I hurried through a shower, mentally cataloging everything else I needed to do: dress in something less ridiculous than my previous few outfits had been, pack and weapon up. I should probably grab some food, too. I hadn't eaten since yesterday, I realized, and I hadn't gotten any sleep last night. Aaah, no wonder I was shaky. Elaine had nothing to do with it.

When I finished, I wrapped myself in a towel, padded into the bedroom and -

Stopped dead.

Rome sat at the edge of my bed, dark, dangerous and glaring.

I clutched the terry-cloth towelso tightly my knuckles creaked. My hair was dripping down my back.

My skin was damp, flushed from the steam and, now that I'd seen Rome, tingling. Any other time, I would have dropped the cloth and beckoned this man over. Any other time, we would have laughed and loved, and I would have marveled at the bliss that was my life.

Fine, I would have taken it for granted. Now, however, I knew better. Knew how quickly something prized could be stolen.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, the question emerging shakily. "Did something happen?" Nothing but bad news could have parted him from his precious Lexis, the hateful side of me thought. Just call me Bitch McBitcherson, the paranormal name I currently deserved.

"No, nothing happened." Rome pushed to his feet, unfolding his big, strong body from its semicrouch. I was used to his height, loved it even, but just then he appeared intimidating. Menacing. A scowl darkened his features, and I could hear the rumble in his throat.

His cat wanted free. To fight or to play? Sadly, I couldn't tell anymore. But I still reacted.

Suddenly trembling, I backed up a step. My heart skidded out of control, beating so hard it was like a hammer in my chest. He's not affecting you. You're just hungry, remember? Hungry for food, I hastily added.

"Rome, you have to tell me what you're doing here."

Remaining silent, he stalked to me. There was lethal power in every step, and for a moment I could have sworn I was transported to a jungle, the swish of trees and the howls of the monkeys in my ears.

This time I backed up until I hit the wall.

Only when he was a whisper away did he stop, his body threatening to press into mine. His wild scent filled my nose, a decadent reminder of what I didn't have...what I might never have again. Oh, I loathed those kinds of depressing thoughts. Where was my determination? Still, I tried to hold my breath. When that didn't work, I tried to move around him. But he had me completely pinned, surrounded by his strength and heat.

"Belle," he said softly.

I had to strain my neck to look up...up...at him - and found those crystalline irises swirling with fury.

Hewas mad at me? "How'd you get in here, Mr. Break In?" I demanded, pointing out his sin before he could point out mine, whatever it was. "This is private property and you no longer belong."