Read Online Stolen Heat by Elisabeth Naughton - Free Book Online
Authors: Elisabeth Naughton
Ads: Link
led to the building’s main door.
“Nice area.” She noticed he took it all in—the other buildings, the modern cars on the street, the security system blinking just inside the glass door of her building—and approved. The man missed nothing.
“Yeah. One of the guys on our team has been in Cairo a long time and has a flat here. He told us about it when a unit opened up. Personally, I think it’s because he has a crush on Shannon and he wanted to keep an eye on her, but I’m not complaining. Beats living in a mud hut or a tent.”
He smiled and looked down at her. And that spark passed between them again. A jolt she hoped he felt as strongly as she did.
She swallowed and watched as his eyes followed the line of her throat, lower to the skin revealed by her open collar, lower still to the St. Jude medal that fell just above her breasts.
Her pulse pounded under that sultry gaze. And she made a choice she never would have even considered before, right on the spot. “Do you want to come up? I think Shannon was hanging out with some friends tonight. She won’t be back until morning.”
Those smoldering eyes ran up to hover on her lips, higher still until his gaze locked on hers and it felt like he was looking all the way into her soul.
“I’d like to,” he said softly. “But I can’t. I’m flying to Rome tonight.”
Her stomach fell like a stone weight. “Rome?”
He nodded slowly.
“When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Oh.”
She looked down at her hands, noticed they were shaking and clasped them together. Maybe she’d read him wrong. Was she really that stupid?
His hand closed over both of hers before she saw him move. “Thank you for the nicest dinner I’ve had in longer than I can remember. I’m glad I met you, Katherine Meyer.”
A slight tremble ran through his touch, one she tried not to misread but couldn’t ignore. She chanced a look up. And knew she hadn’t been completely wrong. Regret and disappointment reflected deeply in his eyes.
And odd as it was considering she wanted him more than she could remember wanting anything else in her life, a strange sense of relief pulsed along her nerve endings.
Something she couldn’t define was pushing her toward him. Something deeper than a sexual connection and a thousand times hotter. He was the most dangerous kind of man because he was the first who made her feel with her heart rather than think with her mind.
Lucky for her, something was holding him back. Something she didn’t understand but knew instinctively had just saved her from major heartbreak.
“I’m glad I met you too, Pete.” Her throat grew thick. “I wish we’d had longer.”
She forced herself to let go and step back before he saidsomething that would make her stop. Without a doubt, the secrets in his smoky eyes would stay with her long after he was gone. “Good luck in Rome.”
She turned, hustled up the stairs and with a click of her key left him standing alone on the street.
Present day
Northeastern Pennsylvania
“Forecast shows snow slowing in the next hour or so.”
Aten Minyawi looked up from the handheld GPS he was studying and gave a brief nod toward his counterpart, Hanif Busir, who was seated at the small table in the motel they’d scrounged up, studying the weather on his computer. Minyawi refocused on the picture in front of him. The GPS dot hadn’t budged in the last three to four hours. Katherine Meyer was hunkered down, feeling safe and smug.
She wouldn’t be smug for long. It was only a matter of time before he caught up with her. And finished what she’d started six years ago.
“That’s good,” Busir mumbled with a scowl that said he was talking to himself.
Minyawi ignored him. Thoughts of Kat’s large brown eyes slid into his mind. Of the way she’d looked at him back then. Of the way she’d been so trusting. So naïve. He’d pegged her wrong from the start, though. He wouldn’t do so again.
He ran a finger down
“Nice area.” She noticed he took it all in—the other buildings, the modern cars on the street, the security system blinking just inside the glass door of her building—and approved. The man missed nothing.
“Yeah. One of the guys on our team has been in Cairo a long time and has a flat here. He told us about it when a unit opened up. Personally, I think it’s because he has a crush on Shannon and he wanted to keep an eye on her, but I’m not complaining. Beats living in a mud hut or a tent.”
He smiled and looked down at her. And that spark passed between them again. A jolt she hoped he felt as strongly as she did.
She swallowed and watched as his eyes followed the line of her throat, lower to the skin revealed by her open collar, lower still to the St. Jude medal that fell just above her breasts.
Her pulse pounded under that sultry gaze. And she made a choice she never would have even considered before, right on the spot. “Do you want to come up? I think Shannon was hanging out with some friends tonight. She won’t be back until morning.”
Those smoldering eyes ran up to hover on her lips, higher still until his gaze locked on hers and it felt like he was looking all the way into her soul.
“I’d like to,” he said softly. “But I can’t. I’m flying to Rome tonight.”
Her stomach fell like a stone weight. “Rome?”
He nodded slowly.
“When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Oh.”
She looked down at her hands, noticed they were shaking and clasped them together. Maybe she’d read him wrong. Was she really that stupid?
His hand closed over both of hers before she saw him move. “Thank you for the nicest dinner I’ve had in longer than I can remember. I’m glad I met you, Katherine Meyer.”
A slight tremble ran through his touch, one she tried not to misread but couldn’t ignore. She chanced a look up. And knew she hadn’t been completely wrong. Regret and disappointment reflected deeply in his eyes.
And odd as it was considering she wanted him more than she could remember wanting anything else in her life, a strange sense of relief pulsed along her nerve endings.
Something she couldn’t define was pushing her toward him. Something deeper than a sexual connection and a thousand times hotter. He was the most dangerous kind of man because he was the first who made her feel with her heart rather than think with her mind.
Lucky for her, something was holding him back. Something she didn’t understand but knew instinctively had just saved her from major heartbreak.
“I’m glad I met you too, Pete.” Her throat grew thick. “I wish we’d had longer.”
She forced herself to let go and step back before he saidsomething that would make her stop. Without a doubt, the secrets in his smoky eyes would stay with her long after he was gone. “Good luck in Rome.”
She turned, hustled up the stairs and with a click of her key left him standing alone on the street.
Present day
Northeastern Pennsylvania
“Forecast shows snow slowing in the next hour or so.”
Aten Minyawi looked up from the handheld GPS he was studying and gave a brief nod toward his counterpart, Hanif Busir, who was seated at the small table in the motel they’d scrounged up, studying the weather on his computer. Minyawi refocused on the picture in front of him. The GPS dot hadn’t budged in the last three to four hours. Katherine Meyer was hunkered down, feeling safe and smug.
She wouldn’t be smug for long. It was only a matter of time before he caught up with her. And finished what she’d started six years ago.
“That’s good,” Busir mumbled with a scowl that said he was talking to himself.
Minyawi ignored him. Thoughts of Kat’s large brown eyes slid into his mind. Of the way she’d looked at him back then. Of the way she’d been so trusting. So naïve. He’d pegged her wrong from the start, though. He wouldn’t do so again.
He ran a finger down
Similar Books
