Page 33 of Close Quarters
He groaned as he came down from his own high and rolled to the side. She shivered as the cool air hit her damp, heated skin. Alex tucked her into his side and drew the blankets up over them.
“Now we really need another shower,” she said, her eyes drooping.
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Not yet. I need a few minutes.”
She raised her head to look at him. He had his eyes closed. “Who said I wanted you to join me?”
He raised one brow but didn’t open his eyes. A smile quirked one corner of his mouth.
Katie giggled. “Okay. But I don’t know how you’re going to manage anything in there. It’s not the most spacious area.”
His smile grew. “You’ll see.”
Some of the starch returned to her bones at his words and the Cheshire-cat grin on his face. “Cocky bastard, aren’t you?”
That made him open his eyes. Mischief sparkled in their depths. It was fun to poke the bear. He rolled onto his side, his hand sliding over her breast to pluck the nipple.
Her eyes fluttered closed and her lips parted on a sigh.
So much fun…
Chapter 7
“Did you finish prepping your tests?” Alex walked up behind Katie and did his best not to lean into her. She had her hair twisted up into a bun with a pencil to keep it out of the way, exposing her neck. He wanted to bury his nose behind her ear and breathe her in.
She glanced back and smiled, her eyes lighting with desire as she took him in. “Yes. Why?”
“I’m ready to get out of here. How about we go find a rock face and do some climbing? The weather’s great.”
A frown dipped her eyebrows. “Now? We don’t have too much daylight left. And what about this case?”
He shrugged. “We have several hours yet. It’s only two. I have a bunch of camping gear in my garage. We could find a spot and stay out overnight. And we’re playing a waiting game now until the tests are ready to run and you get information back on the victim’s clothing. Dr. White and I finished our preliminary autopsies. He wants to do some more in-depth analysis of the bones, but that’s all him. I don’t do skeletons.”
“He might need my help.”
“Devin can handle it. Come on, Katie. We both need a break.”
She stared at him for several moments before nodding. “Okay. Let me put these in the evidence locker and we can go.”
Alex resisted the urge to do a fist pump. Work was the last thing he wanted to do today after last night. He wanted to get her alone and have a repeat. “I’ll let Seb’s deputy know.” He stepped away to let her clean up her workstation and went to tell the deputy their plan. He’d likely protest, but Alex didn’t care. They’d be in the middle of nowhere. It would be hard for someone to follow unnoticed.
He took out his phone, intending to bypass the deputy and go straight to the boss. The young man sitting outside the lab couldn’t protest if his boss said it was okay.
Seb picked up on the third ring. “Hey, Alex. Something wrong?”
“No. Katie and I are cutting out. There’s not much we can do until her tests are complete. We’re going to head up into the mountains and do some climbing. Probably stay out overnight.”
“You want to go camping? Now? My deputy does not want to have to listen to the two of you all night.”
“How do you know that’s what we’ll be doing?”
“My deputies have eyes, Doc. Gentry reported the change in your relationship when he briefed me this morning. You weren’t exactly discrete with the kiss you laid on her before you entered the hospital.”
Alex smiled as he remembered. That had been nice. He knew once inside they’d have to keep things professional, so he’d made sure the kiss would be enough to last them until they could leave. It kind of backfired on him, though. It just made him want more.
“The deputy can stay behind at the trailhead. If we make sure we aren’t followed up there, we should be safe.”
Seb sighed. Alex could picture him pinching his brow as he thought.