Read Online Little Belle Gone by Stephanie Whitlock - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie Whitlock
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few things, Matthew.” She was flirting back. Now he knew he had gone mad. A week ago she couldn’t even look at him without blushing, or worse scowling, and now she was flirting with him, quite successfully, too. That had done it. Pulling the edges of his coat tighter around him, he struggled to hide the firm length of his entirely too rigid manhood from view. Shame filled him as he chided himself inwardly for reacting to her like a high school boy who had managed to catch a glimpse of cleavage as a cute girl drank from a water fountain. All he could do was laugh slyly in response. When they rounded the corner and her building sprang up before them, he felt a loss. The first real conversation they had managed came crashing to a close the second she had seen it.
Chapter 12
What are you doing? She chided herself, he is a friend now...not...more, right? She had never flirted with anyone in her life, yet he had given her the chance and she had seized it greedily, without hesitating, and it had felt good, oh so good, to see him squirm just a little. As much as she wanted to see his tanned face twitch again, her building had pulled her out of the moment. Thoughts of the four lives that had ended because they were simply part of hers tugged at her heart. The new doorman opened the door for them as they drew near, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, almost afraid to learn his face for fear of him becoming the next victim. Barrow’s hand touched her back slightly as he led her to the elevator and her chest tightened. It was a quick ride to the fourth floor, but just now she was afraid that with the heat she felt running over her, combined with being in such a confined space alone with him, she might just combust. His hand didn’t drop when he pressed the button or while they stood, waiting, in front of the carved wooden panels that covered the elevator doors.
Part of her wanted to slough his hand off, free her from the slight touch that made her guts clench, but another, growing, part of her wanted to lean into the pressure, making the touch stronger and more intimate. Trying to decide which voice was more rational, utterly confused by the new desires swirling in her mind, she almost jumped when the doors slid open. Standing guard in the elevator was a uniformed officer. She surprised herself when she felt her heart sink a little at the thought of not being alone with him. Shaking her head slightly, she pushed the thoughts to the side. She needed to focus, needed to concentrate, for Pam and Carl.
“Detectives, the Lyski apartment has been secured, but we haven’t entered yet.” The uniform pressed the button for floor four and stepped back against the wall. She looked at Matthew, wondering how he had known where the victims had lived. He met her gaze and to her amazement, he seemed to read it.
“Grace identified them to the first officer on scene. They ran the name before we got there. When she latched onto you, I went in to inspect the scene and they told me. I had a uniform come here to sit on the apartment until we could get around to it.” Noticing her eyebrows pinch, he added, “You’re not mad are you?” She almost laughed at the apprehension in his face.
“No, Matthew, I’m not upset, just remembering Grace’s bear hug...I’m not used to being...grabbed like that, it startled me.” His face flushed slightly, and she remembered the fleeting hug she had leveled on him just minutes after. He knew exactly what she meant and the idea made her pink a little, too. The lurching stop of the elevator rocked them forward, freeing her from the electricity in his eyes. What was she going to do? Only a week and she was so taken with him that given the chance she might just ruin her plans to avoid getting involved with a man, in fact, she wanted to break that vow more and more each day. “Third door on the left,” she said before the uniform had a chance. He nodded and followed her out
Chapter 12
What are you doing? She chided herself, he is a friend now...not...more, right? She had never flirted with anyone in her life, yet he had given her the chance and she had seized it greedily, without hesitating, and it had felt good, oh so good, to see him squirm just a little. As much as she wanted to see his tanned face twitch again, her building had pulled her out of the moment. Thoughts of the four lives that had ended because they were simply part of hers tugged at her heart. The new doorman opened the door for them as they drew near, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, almost afraid to learn his face for fear of him becoming the next victim. Barrow’s hand touched her back slightly as he led her to the elevator and her chest tightened. It was a quick ride to the fourth floor, but just now she was afraid that with the heat she felt running over her, combined with being in such a confined space alone with him, she might just combust. His hand didn’t drop when he pressed the button or while they stood, waiting, in front of the carved wooden panels that covered the elevator doors.
Part of her wanted to slough his hand off, free her from the slight touch that made her guts clench, but another, growing, part of her wanted to lean into the pressure, making the touch stronger and more intimate. Trying to decide which voice was more rational, utterly confused by the new desires swirling in her mind, she almost jumped when the doors slid open. Standing guard in the elevator was a uniformed officer. She surprised herself when she felt her heart sink a little at the thought of not being alone with him. Shaking her head slightly, she pushed the thoughts to the side. She needed to focus, needed to concentrate, for Pam and Carl.
“Detectives, the Lyski apartment has been secured, but we haven’t entered yet.” The uniform pressed the button for floor four and stepped back against the wall. She looked at Matthew, wondering how he had known where the victims had lived. He met her gaze and to her amazement, he seemed to read it.
“Grace identified them to the first officer on scene. They ran the name before we got there. When she latched onto you, I went in to inspect the scene and they told me. I had a uniform come here to sit on the apartment until we could get around to it.” Noticing her eyebrows pinch, he added, “You’re not mad are you?” She almost laughed at the apprehension in his face.
“No, Matthew, I’m not upset, just remembering Grace’s bear hug...I’m not used to being...grabbed like that, it startled me.” His face flushed slightly, and she remembered the fleeting hug she had leveled on him just minutes after. He knew exactly what she meant and the idea made her pink a little, too. The lurching stop of the elevator rocked them forward, freeing her from the electricity in his eyes. What was she going to do? Only a week and she was so taken with him that given the chance she might just ruin her plans to avoid getting involved with a man, in fact, she wanted to break that vow more and more each day. “Third door on the left,” she said before the uniform had a chance. He nodded and followed her out
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