Read Online Cypress Nights by Stella Cameron - Free Book Online

purse. “Thanks for waiting around,” she said to Roche. “Go get some rest. You didn’t sleep any more than I did last night.”
    â€œAnyone who was ever an intern is used to sleep deprivation. Slave labor and torture at the same time. It’s all part of the initiation into medicine.” He gave her one of his slight smiles and bowed his head. His thick, black curly hair had needed cutting for some time, but Bleu liked it just the way it was.
    She also more than liked the dark shadow of beard on his face. Sexy. She couldn’t look away, or grasp the feelings she was having. He made her want to be excited by him.
    â€œHow will you get inside?” he asked, sizing up her townhouse. “If you say you don’t lock one of the doors, I may turn into a wild man.”
    Startled down to earth—almost—she turned up the corners of her mouth.
    His hands, pushed into his pockets, tested the zipper cruelly.
    â€œIt’s a secret,” she told him, trying for lightness. “If I tell you about it, then I’ll have to kill you.”
    Something like surprise entered his eyes. Did he think she was too serious to come up with a well-worn one-liner?
    â€œYou do have something unlocked, don’t you?” he said. “Or something that’s easy to undo. That won’t cut it anymore. In future, this place has to be real tight.”
    â€œYou’re right,” she told him. “I’ll take care of it right away.”
    â€œI’ll go get your keys,” he said.
    â€œNo. Thank you anyway. I’ll be ready for a good walk later.”
    He smiled slightly. “I liked kissing you last night.”
    His abrupt comment caught her off guard. Her stomach tightened. But she kept a smile on her face and gave him a little wave. “Thank you, Roche. You’re good for my ego. I hope we’ll see you at the building-fund party. Don’t be surprised if someone suggests you’ll be happier if you give a lot of money away.”
    He raised one eyebrow. “Sounds familiar. I’ll be there. But I’m not leaving you here until I know you’re safe.”
    She opened her mouth to argue, but he shook his head and said, “I mean it. This is as much for me as it is for you—almost. I wouldn’t feel right if I drove away with you standing here.”
    As tired as she was, she could still think as fast as she needed to. “I understand. Once I’m in, I’ll let you know.” She hurried briskly toward the corner of the townhouse.
    The building was on an uphill sloping lot. Although she had only been there a few weeks, on Bleu’s side of a dividing fence there were already signs of new things growing, including some vivid bedding plants. Next door, the ground sprouted only patchy scrub grass.
    She half ran up the slope beside the house and ducked under the gallery on the back of the house. The aluminum stepladder stored there was light and easy to drag out.
    Sweat ran between her shoulder blades.
    It wasn’t so easy to haul the ladder up steps to the gallery and open it beside the door so she could climb up and reach the lintel. Dust fluttered down when she removed her hidden key. This was the first time she’d used it.
    â€œI wouldn’t need a ladder to get that,” Roche said from behind her.
    Bleu closed her eyes for an instant. “Lucky you. I’m not tall enough.”
    â€œAre you deliberately obtuse? Where do people usually hide spare door keys? Don’t bother to tell me, I’ll save you the trouble. Over a door. Anyone could get in with that.”
    She grimaced. “Lots of people put their spare key under a flowerpot.”
    â€œThat’s not so funny right now,” he said.
    â€œNo one comes here.”
    â€œBut they could.”
    He was getting angry. Anger was unbearable. “You’re right,” she said, climbing down to the wooden slats of the gallery floor again.