Page 43 of Walking the Edge

Cath stared at the two-story houses with small lawns along the street Mitch cruised. “You can get a parking space closer. This is too far from campus.”

“Probably.” He pulled to the curb in front of the camelback where her brother rented the small apartment in the upper rear. She stared at Mitch. Was he bowing to her superior knowledge of how to proceed, or did he have a selfish motive?

He shut off the ignition. “What?”

“You know this is my brother’s apartment.”

“You said you wanted to check here first.” He opened his door.

“Thank you.” In case he didn’t have an ulterior motive, she needed to reciprocate. She’d still keep both eyes open. “If we meet any of his neighbors, you can be the one to question them.”

She opened her door and judged the distance to the ground. Mitch appeared and extended a hand. Half an hour ago, he’d swept her into his strong arms, held her against his warm chest. He wore no vest today, and she’d experienced the real deal. More or less. The real, real deal would be skin to skin. Sweaty and slippery and…never going to happen.

She’d had it with controlling men. Men who took advantage of her by making her think she owed them. No more.

“This is not an emergency situation, Mitch.” Or did he not intend to keep his promise?

“The truck is still at the same height.” He looked up at her for a change, sunglasses perched on his head. She squelched a smile, immediately snared by the sight of the brandy specks in his eyes.

“Cath?” Her name on his smoky baritone washed over her like a wave pulling her underwater. “Is your leg cramping again?”

What was wrong with her? “I’ve got this, thanks.”

“I don’t mind helping. Didn’t before either.” One corner of his mouth twitched.

“Got a charge out of that, did you?”

“Body contact with a beautiful woman always does that.” He winked. “Scientifically proven.”

Cath scoffed and slipped to the ground. “The student downstairs might know something that will speed up our search. His name is Chad.”

No one answered the doorbell. They climbed the stairs, and she opened the door.

The air smelled stale. From the looks of the place, her brother had left in a hurry and not because of some plumbing problem. She dropped her coat on the desk chair, then straightened the bedspread and checked the medicine cabinet.

Mitch stood in the doorway, hands in the jeans that stretched across well-developed thighs. “You get any calls from him yet?”

“He doesn’t call, Mitch. He texts messages. It’s easier.”

She went through the contents of the refrigerator. “There’s some app he can use to call, but you have to change your number and Les never installed it.”

She wrinkled her nose at the sour smell rising from the opened milk carton. “Why aren’t you searching?”

“I did a few days ago. Didn’t find a thing.”

“Maybe he came back.” She poured the milk down the drain and added the carton to the overflowing garbage can. The door hadn’t been locked when she’d stuck in her key. Unless… “Did you leave the door open when you left?”

“Nope. I heard it lock behind me.”

“How’d you get in, anyway?” She crossed her arms.

He did too. “You think we kicked it open?”

“Don’t get hostile.” She grabbed the ends of the plastic garbage bag and pulled the sack from the can. “I’ve only had one bounty-hunter experience, and Les opened the door for you. I’m assuming he wasn’t home when you came looking.”

“Landlord let us in.” Mitch took the bag from her and tied the top closed.

The fresh scent of his shaving cream tickled her nose. Do not get distracted. “Maybe you could take that downstairs?”

---