Page 38 of Sachie's Hero

Her body tingled at the memory of being pressed against his length.

What would it be like to lie naked with him?

Sachie flung back the covers and leaped out of bed. Such thoughts shouldn’t be foremost in her mind when she had bigger problems to solve. Besides, the man was assigned to her as a protector, not a lover.

And there she was, right back to imagining them naked, writhing together in a passionate embrace. Sachie moaned, reached for jeans and a blouse from her suitcase and quickly dressed, putting an end to any ideas involving bare bodies. A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand showed she had fifteen minutes before the time they’d agreed they needed to leave.

With her hairbrush and toothbrush in hand, she left her room and crossed the hall to the bathroom. As she reached for the doorknob, the door swung open.

Teller stood before her, naked from the waist up, hair tousled and a dot of shaving cream clinging to his chin.

Sachie’s breath caught in her throat, and she struggled for words, her gaze fixing on his broad chest.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice low and sexy as hell, making her quiver all over.

She never quivered. What was wrong with her?

“Good morning,” she managed to say.

Teller cocked an eyebrow. “Is there something you wanted, or were you going to join me in the bathroom?”

His words made her realize she was blocking his exit.

She jumped back. Heat rose up her neck and flooded her cheeks. “No. No. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Nothing to be sorry about.” He stepped through the doorway and waved a hand. “It’s all yours.”

Sachie dove into the bathroom, closed the door and leaned against it. Holy shit. She’d acted as if she’d never seen a bare-chested man before.

To be honest, she’d never seen a bare-chested man like Teller.

Get a grip, woman. He’s just a man.

Her personal experience with men hadn’t been the greatest. Any attraction to this one could only lead to more heartache and disappointment.

Not that Teller was like the other men who’d lether down in the past, or at least as far as she could tell.

She straightened, relieved herself, brushed her teeth and then smoothed the tangles out of her hair. For a brief moment, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and reminded herself she was a strong, independent woman worthy of respect.

And love.

She’d settle for respect for now. Although she’d come a long way from the abused shell of herself that she’d been, love still seemed a stretch.

Done in the bathroom, she returned to her room, repacked her suitcase and carried it down the stairs. Leaving the case by the front door, she followed the fresh aroma of brewing coffee to the kitchen. Chef Ule stood at the stove, cracking eggs into a skillet while Teller and Hawk hovered around the coffee maker, speaking in low tones.

As she entered the room, Teller and Hawk turned.

“Ah, just in time.” Hawk lifted the carafe and held it over an insulated mug. “The coffee is ready, and we were discussing a plan of action.”

“Has it changed?” she asked as Hawk filled the mug and then handed it to her.

“Not at all,” he said. “I’m just reminding Teller to feed any clues to Swede. He can be searching theinternet while you two are pounding pavement for answers.”

Sachie sipped the steaming brew carefully. “That’s good to know.”

“Any names you unearth or incidents you recall that might have made the news, he can research, check online articles, run background checks and, if necessary, tap into the dark web for more nefarious connections.”

Sachie blinked. “He can do that?”

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