Oh, jeez. She didn't even know this guy. So he'd saved her life. That didn't mean she had to worship the ground he walked on or fall on a sword for him.

But she was starting to feel like she would. He was an amazing man. Strong, sure, good. She understood these things deep inside her with an instinctive knowledge.

"Why did you get suspended, Trey?" When she wanted to know something, she asked. She didn't really expect him to answer.

"I'd rather not talk about that," he said evenly, concentrating on the busy freeway.

She nodded.

"I had a look at the report you gave the police about Krista."

Her heart sank. There was a lot of stuff in there she'd rather he didn't know.

"Did you tell them everything? Every little detail?"

She nodded. "Well, if you saw the report I'm sure you know I...I drank a lot of tequila that night. Some of the evening is a little fuzzy." She bent her head. "I think I told them everything, though."

"Okay. If you remember anything at all about Barnes, tell me. Okay?"

"Of course." She looked up at his strong profile as he stared out the windshield. "Are we going back to the hotel?"

"Yeah." He wasn't very talkative right now, so she lapsed into silence as well, quiet until they were back in his room.

He threw himself down into one of the chairs in the corner.

Marli lowered herself onto the bed, kicking off her flip-flops. She eyed him. He looked so serious and intent. And so cute.

Watching him talk to those other feds had made her hot. How pathetic was that? Just the sight of Trey talking, albeit in a very professional and sober way, communicating on the same level with those other guys, using terminology and acronyms she didn't understand, made her look at him with respect and--damn it--lust.

She looked at him like that now. She wanted to touch him, to smooth his furrowed brow, press away the crease between his eyebrows, coax his straight, firm mouth into a smile. She sat on her hands to keep from getting up and doing that.

"So, what now?" she asked.

He looked at her.

"We're going back to Cactus Jack's."

Chapter 9

She stared at him blankly. "We are?"

He nodded. "I hate to involve you like that, but it's the only thing I can think of."

"Okay."

He gave her a look. "You aren't going to argue with me?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because every time I try to tell you what to do, you give me grief."

She laughed. "Yeah, well, you are bossy. But I was probably going to go there anyway."

His mouth twisted wryly. "I should've known that." He sighed. Damn it, he didn't want her back in that bar, but they had to do something.

"So why the change of heart on your part?" She stood and moved toward him. Oh, no. She needed to stay away from him. Far, far away where he couldn't get his hands on her sexy body. He pushed the chair back until it bumped the wall.

She stood before him, not close, but within touching distance if he reached out. That strip of smooth bare skin around her middle kept drawing his eyes. He forced himself to look up at her face.

Mistake. The heat in her eyes was undeniable. Hot desire jolted through him and he almost groaned aloud.

He sucked in a big breath and forced himself to focus. "He was there, Marli. Probably every night. He followed you home from there. Tried to break into your house. The next night, he followed you into the parking garage. He's been there watching you."

He watched her eyes move as she processed what he was saying.

"But I've been looking for him," she said. "Every night. I never saw him."

"Remember, he's changed his appearance by now. Somehow. I think he cut off his hair and dyed it. Darker. That's what the guy in the parking garage looked like."

She nodded thoughtfully. Her hands were trembling, almost imperceptibly.

Damn. He had to touch her. He reached out for her cold hands, holding them between both of his much bigger ones. He pulled her a little closer.

"He's been there the whole time," he repeated. "And so have you. So maybe he'll be there again. Only this time, I'll be there, too, watching for him." He got up and went over to his suitcase, and, from beneath a pile of clothes, he pulled out his Glock.

Marli let out a little gasp.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he said, "but I think we need this tonight."

She nodded again, her sparkly green and gold eyes huge in her face. He came back to her, leaving the gun on the dresser. He set his hands on her waist and looked directly into her eyes. "Can you handle this?"

She just stared back at him for a long moment, then gave a short, jerky nod. "I have to," she said firmly. "For Krista."

He nodded, too. Without conscious thought, he drew her closer to him, absorbing the heat of her. That spicy mixture of vanilla, cinnamon and musk from the shampoo and conditioner she'd used earlier surrounded him. His fingers slipped under the hem of her tank top to find warm, bare skin.

"You're so strong," he said softly, fingers moving over her skin. She shivered at his touch.

"No, I'm not. I'm terrified. But I'm even more terrified of not getting that bastard. He...raped and killed my friend, set her on...f-fire." Her voice choked with emotion. She met his eyes. "I'll do whatever I have to do."

"Why?" he murmured, fingers sliding higher, under her top. "Why are you so invested in this? Why can't you just let the police deal with it?"

"They're not dealing with it!" She swayed closer to him, her eyes glazing over with his caresses. "Look what's been happening. He's trying to kill me now."

Trey didn't want to agree with her, but damn it, he was afraid she was right. He stroked up her back, then down, in long, slow brushes of his fingertips. God, she was soft. And warm. "But before you met me, you were determined to do this, even though your plan was insanely dangerous and stupid."

"Oh, thank you very much."

Her breasts touched his chest. Her nipples were hard. He could feel them right through her lace bra and the thin top, and he nearly panted with need.

"It wasn't that dangerous. If I saw him in the bar, what would he do to me? I don't think he'd hurt me in front of hundreds of people."

"Maybe not. But he'd definitely get away before you could even call the police, let alone have them show up there."

"Yeah. Probably. Okay, so I wasn't thinking straight." She sighed and ducked her head. "If you read the report, then you know what happened that night."

"Why don't you tell me?" He bent his head, wanting to taste her. He touched his lips to the side of her neck, where her skin was thin, fragile, silky. He breathed in the scent of her and his body twitched hard.

Her head fell back and her eyes closed. "Trey."

"Right here."

"How can you expect me to talk when you're doing that to me?"

He kissed her neck again and sucked a little bit, tasting her. She was so sweet. Her hands came up to his shoulders and held on. He loved how she responded to his touch. She clearly wanted him as much as he wanted her. No reason to hesitate or wonder if she'd reject him. Even so, his heart pounded hard in his chest; his breath hitched.

He took her mouth then, one hand sliding into her hair--that hair!--wrapping the long curls around his fingers and tugging her head to the right place. He tilted his head and kissed her.

It was like an explosion went off deep inside him, and he dimly thought she felt the same thing as she gasped into his mouth. He opened his mouth over hers, touched her lips with his tongue, tasting her, teasing her. Then he plunged his tongue in a deep, devouring kiss, his hand tightening in her hair, the other arm sweeping her up against him hard.

He pressed her to him, breasts flattened against his chest as he ate at her mouth hungrily. And she kissed him back, just as eager, her small tongue licking his. Her hands clutched his shoulders as she struggled to get closer, practically climbing onto him with her excitement.

He was so rock-hard he hurt. A red-hot rush of desire surged through him, setting him on fire for her. He took her mouth again and again, crushing her soft mouth in deep, demanding kisses that still weren't enough. Her mouth was sweet, warm and delicious.

He picked her up by her ass, pulling her against his raging hard-on, and she was soft and oh, so hot there. She wrapped those long legs around him, and now he did groan, a rough sound that came from deep within him.

They fell together onto the bed, rolling, legs twined around each other, his erection bumping her softness, and she pressed her mound back against him eagerly, desperately, grinding. Their mouths connected again, feverish, seeking, devouring. Then, panting and wide-eyed, she drew back to look at him. A scorching haze enveloped them, and he took a huge, shuddering breath.

"Marli." He pulled her head back down to him to take her mouth again. He rolled her over so he pinned her to the mattress, thrusting his hands into her hair to hold her head there for his kisses. She sucked his lip into her mouth, then bit him hard enough to make him gasp, and wicked sensations sizzled down his spine. Her tongue stroked his lip, pushed into his mouth and he sucked on her, almost frantic with a desperate, urgent need to take. Take everything.

He rolled back, taking her with him so now she was on top and she straddled him. He reached for the hem of her tank top and shoved it up. The low-cut lacy cups of her bra revealed the curves of her breasts sweetly spilling out. There was that mole. He pressed his mouth to it, traced his tongue over it, then turned his face into the curve of one breast and inhaled, her scent intoxicating him, making his head whirl.