Page 43 of Bringing Chelsea Home

“Yeah, a lot of it.” Griff stood and unfolded his long frame, stretching his arms over his head. “Some even know that TheHoneysare coming and are trying to finagle a way to hook up with them. Someone even found a picture of them.” He lowered his arms and his regard of her was solemn. “I think Chelsea is in it. Do you-do want to see it?”

So close. We’re so close. No matter what, I can deal with it.Elaine returned his examining look and nodded. “In for a penny, in for a pound Send it.”

He tapped his keyboard and a photo flashed on Elaine’s screen. Standing in the middle of a group of skillfully made-up girls dressed like cheerleaders in midriff bearing tops and the shortest skirts Elaine had ever seen, was Chelsea. Her pale blonde hair spilled over her shoulders and her grin was wide as if she was having the best timeever.

But it was a forced grin, tight and a bit unreal. Fear and anxiety glimmered in her eyes as she stared back at the viewer in a silent plea to come get her and the others.

“Hello, girl.” Elaine’s finger traced the screen’s image. “Lookin’ good and all grown up.”

“She looks a lot like you.” Behind her, Griff’s words were a comfort and a blessing. “Except for the hair. Does your mom have hair color like yours?”

“Yeah, and so did Chelsea’s mom, Ruth. We all have the beauty mark too.” Elaine blinked hard and looked up at him. “Thanks.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “For what?”

“For this.” She pointed at the screen. “For helping me find her. For BP. For being you.”

“My pleasure, ma’am. Let me give you some help with those lists.”

They continued to search, eliminating properties that were too small and too far away. After a couple of hours, they agreed it was time for another break.

And all the while, Elaine felt a desire coursing over her. A desire to be lying beside him, feeling his strength pulsing through her.

It was insane. She’d known him five days. This couldn’t be love. Could it?

Anne had told her she hadn’t been able to believe how quickly and completely she fell in love with Mac. “So much was happening,” she’d said. “Danger all around us, never knowing what would happen next, even if we might be killed. It just happened.”

“Whatcha thinking?” Griff’s question intruded into her thoughts.

She seized the moment. “I was thinking that since we’re both kind of injured, we should follow Patrick’s advice about–you know–resting?”

“You mean, like lying down and taking a nap?”

There was a different quality to his voice. One she hadn’t heard before. She only recognized it because it echoed her own.

It was desire.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “Lying down. I’m not sure about the nap.”

Without a word, he led her to her room and closed the door.

And because it was Sunday, they took their time with their lovemaking. Gentle and fierce, slow and quick, giving and receiving pleasures that took them to and into the fields of ecstasy that left them breathless.

And when they were still, reluctant to move out of each other’s embrace, they shared parts of their lives few people knew. Things that haunted and tormented them and left them racked with guilt. He told her again of the Obando children and she told him of her guilt of not protecting Chelsea enough. Tears were kissed away, and jokes made about silly things.They even slept for a short while.

And never was the word “future” spoken. The question of it hung silent between them, an unknown best left unknown for now.

When they woke, Griff rolled over and picked up his watch from the nightstand. “Wow, it’s nearly six o’clock. I’d like you to think I can keep going, but I’m getting hungry. What about you?”

“Actually, I’m famished,” Elaine declared. “And with all of Patrick’s cooking, there’s more than enough to eat. Do you think he knows about us?”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Probably. Do you mind?”

“No. Do you?”

“Not a bit. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” she whispered. “I’d really like to wake up tomorrow morning with you by my side. If that’s okay with you.”

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