blew out a breath and looked back towards the car. Doing that would probably require finding out who she was.
âShit. Nothing is easy anymore, is it?â
C HAPTER 4
J ESS came awake with a start, aware of the complete silence. It was the silence itself that had woken her up. Jess never slept without turning on the fan by her bed. She needed the white noise.
Her head ached, a distant, muffled sort of pain that tempted her to close her eyes. She felt achy all over, almost like she had the flu. All Jess wanted to do was bury herself back under the covers.
But she couldnât exactly figure out how sheâd come to be under the covers. She had been in the parking lot, waiting for William Masters to leave Debach. It had been just a little too chilly for those clothes she wore. A leather skirt and vest just werenât conducive to skulking in alleys on cool autumn nights.
She had been thinking about getting the workout jacket from her gym bag, and that was the last thing she remembered.
Jess started to sit up, but only made it halfway before she sank back against her pillows with a moan. The pain wasnât so distant now. It was throbbing and swirling and making her head spin. Her belly roiled, and Jess had one moment to be glad it was empty. As usual, she hadnât eaten dinner, and that, for once, was good.
If sheâd had anything in her stomach, she would have hurled it up right then and there.
Her head felt funnyâand it was more than the pain. Everything felt all fuzzy and vague, and the harder she tried to focus her thoughts, the worse the pain got. The bed seemed to be calling out to her, singing to her about closing her eyes and going back to sleep. She wanted to go back to sleep, just close her eyes and sleep.
âSleep,â she mumbled, rubbing at her eyes.
She couldnât, thoughâthere was something she had to do. Something she should have been doing. So instead of curling back under the covers, she kicked them off and sat up. She moved to the edge of the bed, gritting her teeth against the nausea roiling inside her.
Once it receded a little, she stood up. Her legs felt wobbly. âShit,â she muttered. Jess reached up and pressed the heel of her hand against one temple, and wondered what in the hell had happened last night. She hadnât eaten anything since the slice of pizza sheâd had for lunch, but she was used to that. Had she drunk a little too much, maybe? Didnât feel like a hangover. Maybe sheâd hit her head.
An image danced through her mind. Just the barest flash. A man. Stormy, compelling eyes. Her skin started to buzz, and Jess rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Goosebumps roughened her flesh, but she wasnât cold.
Another wave of nausea, and weakness rushed up at her. She battled it back. Making her way out of her bedroom, she managed to stumble to her desk. Dropping into the seat with a weak, shaky sigh, she flipped open the file folder sitting on top.
The sight of William Mastersâs image was like a cold splash of water. The cobwebs in her brain cleared, and even the pain receded. Fury burned inside her, and she shoved up from her desk so hard, the chair went toppling over behind her.
Sheâd been waiting for William. He had been to the clubâshe remembered seeing his car. Jess had been trying to catch him there for weeks, but he never showed up at the same time she did, and she couldnât just live in her car outside the club, waiting for him. When he had shown up, a rush of adrenaline had surged through her. Jess had planned on hanging around to see if she could learn more about him, and when he left, sheâd follow him. Find where he lived.
After that, she didnât know what sheâd do, but it was finally another step forward. Since sheâd been stuck in a rut the past few weeks, she had been eager to take that step forward.
Then he had shown up. Tall and sexy, with eyes the color of thunderheads
âShit. Nothing is easy anymore, is it?â
C HAPTER 4
J ESS came awake with a start, aware of the complete silence. It was the silence itself that had woken her up. Jess never slept without turning on the fan by her bed. She needed the white noise.
Her head ached, a distant, muffled sort of pain that tempted her to close her eyes. She felt achy all over, almost like she had the flu. All Jess wanted to do was bury herself back under the covers.
But she couldnât exactly figure out how sheâd come to be under the covers. She had been in the parking lot, waiting for William Masters to leave Debach. It had been just a little too chilly for those clothes she wore. A leather skirt and vest just werenât conducive to skulking in alleys on cool autumn nights.
She had been thinking about getting the workout jacket from her gym bag, and that was the last thing she remembered.
Jess started to sit up, but only made it halfway before she sank back against her pillows with a moan. The pain wasnât so distant now. It was throbbing and swirling and making her head spin. Her belly roiled, and Jess had one moment to be glad it was empty. As usual, she hadnât eaten dinner, and that, for once, was good.
If sheâd had anything in her stomach, she would have hurled it up right then and there.
Her head felt funnyâand it was more than the pain. Everything felt all fuzzy and vague, and the harder she tried to focus her thoughts, the worse the pain got. The bed seemed to be calling out to her, singing to her about closing her eyes and going back to sleep. She wanted to go back to sleep, just close her eyes and sleep.
âSleep,â she mumbled, rubbing at her eyes.
She couldnât, thoughâthere was something she had to do. Something she should have been doing. So instead of curling back under the covers, she kicked them off and sat up. She moved to the edge of the bed, gritting her teeth against the nausea roiling inside her.
Once it receded a little, she stood up. Her legs felt wobbly. âShit,â she muttered. Jess reached up and pressed the heel of her hand against one temple, and wondered what in the hell had happened last night. She hadnât eaten anything since the slice of pizza sheâd had for lunch, but she was used to that. Had she drunk a little too much, maybe? Didnât feel like a hangover. Maybe sheâd hit her head.
An image danced through her mind. Just the barest flash. A man. Stormy, compelling eyes. Her skin started to buzz, and Jess rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Goosebumps roughened her flesh, but she wasnât cold.
Another wave of nausea, and weakness rushed up at her. She battled it back. Making her way out of her bedroom, she managed to stumble to her desk. Dropping into the seat with a weak, shaky sigh, she flipped open the file folder sitting on top.
The sight of William Mastersâs image was like a cold splash of water. The cobwebs in her brain cleared, and even the pain receded. Fury burned inside her, and she shoved up from her desk so hard, the chair went toppling over behind her.
Sheâd been waiting for William. He had been to the clubâshe remembered seeing his car. Jess had been trying to catch him there for weeks, but he never showed up at the same time she did, and she couldnât just live in her car outside the club, waiting for him. When he had shown up, a rush of adrenaline had surged through her. Jess had planned on hanging around to see if she could learn more about him, and when he left, sheâd follow him. Find where he lived.
After that, she didnât know what sheâd do, but it was finally another step forward. Since sheâd been stuck in a rut the past few weeks, she had been eager to take that step forward.
Then he had shown up. Tall and sexy, with eyes the color of thunderheads
Similar Books
