Page 6 of Stripped Bare

“I have an affinity for languages,” Stace confessed.“I always have.”She saw more questions in his gaze and marveled at his ability to push them aside.

“Are Nicole and Chloe still close friends?”he asked.

“Yeah, they still hang out all the time.They’re both in school together.”

“Have you talked to Nicole since you got back?”

“Yes.They’d had plans the day after Chloe was taken.Nicole became worried when she didn’t show and wouldn’t answer her phone.

“I think maybe after we do a thorough look through of your sister’s stuff, we should set up a time to talk to Nicole again.See if she’s thought of anything else since you last spoke,” Shep said as he pulled up before the house.“Wow.Gorgeous house.Big.”

“Thank you.It’s hard to be here without her,” Stace admitted.The house was too quiet, too empty.It seemed to settle on her shoulders like a mantle of guilt for all the times she hadn’t been around.Everywhere she looked, she saw signs of her sister.The hard truth was, it was more Chloe’s house than it would ever be Stace’s.

“I can’t imagine,” Shep said, reaching to take her hand and give it a squeeze.The man really was gorgeous with all his shaggy blond hair and bright blue eyes.Whatever he saw on her face had him tugging her against his chest.“Have you ever had anyone take care of you?”

She shook her head.Not in a long, long time.She had no one.She was the rock.Always.

“Let me help you, Stace.Let me share my strength.Let me be here for you when you need a shoulder.I won’t let you down,” he vowed.

“Kiss me,” she begged, needing the connection.“I need—”

He leaned in and claimed her mouth, cutting off her words as he licked inside.Shep kissed with his whole body.His mouth possessed hers while his hands stroked over her skin, pressing her closer until she was flush against him.He cupped her ass in his hands and rubbed her against the erection filling his jeans.Her nipples were hard points against his chest.When he finally eased back, he ran his lips along her jaw and to her neck where he nipped her softly.

“I want you.You want me.”There was a wicked twinkle in his eyes when he met her gaze again.“But don’t think I won’t make you work for it.”

She laughed with genuine surprise.Shep grinned and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers.

“Come on.Show me where to put my stuff,” Shep said.

Stace led him inside and fought the urge to take him to her bedroom.Donovan Shepard was more than a casual hookup.The fact she knew that, understood it even with all that was going on with her sister, terrified her.It was the wrong time, but Shep was seeming more and more like the right man.

Chapter Three

Shep tossed his bag on the bed in the room he was shown to, noting Stace’s bedroom was directly across the hallway.Hell, he’d wanted nothing more than to strip her and lift her against that wall earlier.He imagined how she would slide onto his cock as he eased her down his length.He was hard as granite.And his thoughts weren’t doing anything to ease him.He needed to focus more on finding Stace’s sister and less on getting Stace naked.She deserved better than that.

Stace stepped into the doorway.Her dark hair now hung loose over her shoulders and down her back.It appeared long and silky, and he wanted to feel it brushing over his skin.Her tongue darted out to lick over her plump bottom lip, and he craved that tongue, wanted to feel it glide over his shaft, lick across the head of his cock.

“Penny for your thoughts,” she murmured, and he chuckled.

“Trust me.My current thoughts are best left for later,” he murmured.“Much later.”

Stace smiled, and damn, she was beautiful.She took his mind to carnal things when he needed to be focusing on why he was there.To help Stace find her sister, not to strip Stace and get intimate the first chance he got.Didn’t mean he wouldn’t do his best to achieve both.

“Later, then,” she agreed, turning back toward the hallway and leading him out of the room and down the corridor.“Chloe’s room is this way.I put her bookbag and purse in her room when I picked them up from the police.”

They entered the room, and Stace’s breathing changed as she looked at her sister’s things.He saw the touch of sadness and worry in her eyes.He wanted to pull her close again and offer more comfort, but he knew the better way to support her was to buckle down and find Chloe.

“I’m guessing you already searched her purse?”Shep asked.

“There’s nothing out of the ordinary in her purse or bookbag.”

“This one hers?”he asked as he moved over to the desk against the back wall and the laptop that sat there.

“Yes.I didn’t see anything on there, but I’d appreciate a second set of eyes,” Stace replied.

Fresh eyes without the blinders that often went along with close relationships.Shep sat and turned on the computer.The first thing he did was look at all the documents and files saved on her drive.Most had to do with school.He clicked into her internet browser and appreciated how well organized she was.Across the top bar were files that held the links for specific websites she frequented.He checked her email, unsurprised she had multiple accounts.He browsed through her history and followed trails that led him nowhere.

He wasn’t sure when Stace left the room.He took the time required to go through every file on the computer and still came up empty-handed.There was nothing there to point them in a particular direction.He powered down the computer and stood.He stretched his back, groaning as he looked at his watch and saw he’d been at it for over an hour.He headed downstairs and followed the laughter to the kitchen.

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