Chapter Nine

Angel stretched out on the sofa and closed her eyes. She felt safe in Colton’s home. The giant dog sneaking up onto the sofa next to her helped with that.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” she whispered, recalling Colton didn’t approve of dogs on the furniture. “Just make sure you’re off before he gets up.”

Pudge adjusted his large body, taking up more than his half of the couch.

Which was fine. She wouldn’t be sleeping, anyway. She had too many things to think about. Though…her priorities were a bit out of sorts at the moment.

Instead of focusing on who could have killed Heath, set her up for the murder, and stolen his prototype, she was distracted by how easy it was to be with Colton. She’d assumed it would be awkward between them, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d expected.

Of course, they hadn’t talked about what happened before. Not just the sex. But the late nights of poker and talking. It had been so easy to tell him how scared she’d felt on her first assignment for Phoenix. He’d told her about his first day at DEA, and how he’d been just as scared. She didn’t tell him all the gory details of her past, but she’d felt she could have, if ever she decided she wanted to.

Then one night as they were building giant sundaes at one in the morning, a whipped cream battle transformed into a spark, lighting up the attraction they’d both been trying to ignore.

Abandoning all control, they’d reached for each other, melting into a kiss that had touched her soul. Sticky fingers roamed under clothes, and melted ice cream smeared across the counter when he lifted her up to take her right then and there. Neither cared that they’d knocked over the fudge topping and rainbow sprinkles.

The shower afterward had been a colorful affair.

She smiled at the memories as she lay there in the darkness of his living room. She hadn’t eaten ice cream since, knowing it wouldn’t satisfy her fully. Knowing it would make her think of him, and she already did that enough without the reminders.

Back then, they’d been playing house. Both of them knew it was short term, but neither had allowed it to ruin their time together. Which made it much more difficult when she’d walked away. She’d thought it was just a casual affair, but she’d been wrong.

He hadn’t brought up any of that tonight. Nor had he accused her of being the coward she knew she was.

Just as well. If he wanted to pretend it hadn’t happened, she would go along with that plan. She wouldn’t be here long enough for it to matter.

As soon as she had a lead, she would leave, and he could go back to his normal life.

Without her.