Page 102 of Girl in the Water
“Carol?”
“How could she?”
Carmen ended up answering the questions, holding her finally sleeping baby, shaking her head every time anyone asked if she wanted someone to give her a break. She looked as if she might never put that kid down again.
Phil sat glued to her side, his arms around his wife and child.
“Carol’s baby is sick.” Carmen’s eyes filled with tears. “I think, maybe she couldn’t handle the thought of losing her baby, on top of losing her husband.”
Ian wasn’t sure if she was crying for Carol or herself. Probably both.
He stood in the back by the door, Daniela in front of him. She’d done well today. Carol had messed with his head, but Daniela’s head had remained clear. She really was something. She was going to be an excellent investigator. He was damned proud of her.
While Carmen answered more questions, Daniela leaned back against Ian’s chest.
He should have pushed her away. He didn’t. They’d both had an emotionally exhausting day.
As everyone crowded around Carmen and Phil, Ian pulled toward the door. The people in the cafeteria were a family. He wanted to give them their private family moment.
He headed up to the volunteer dorms.
Daniela followed him, bouncing on the steps, still wired, high on adrenaline. She’d just solved her first case.
“You got that baby back for those parents,” he told her.
She grinned. “So you think I’ll be good at this job?”
“Better than good. You can partner with me anytime.”
She grinned wider. Her eyes lit up. Her dark hair framed her face, loosened from the tight bun she’d had it in all day. She looked like a true river goddess.
He could have looked at her all night.
He turned his attention to the chipped tile of the hallway, then to their room as they walked in.
It was the middle of the night, but they were both sticky, so they headed to the showers. Girls on the left, boys on the right.
Ian returned to their room first. He stretched out on the bed.
Maybe forcing himself toactrelaxed would make himfeelrelaxed.
Since Daniela had come into his life, he’d stopped sleeping naked. He always wore at least boxer briefs, and sometimes a T-shirt too. And now that they were sharing a room, he made sure the sheet was pulled at least to his waist.
Bad enough that she kept wearing that flimsy nightgown. All right, so not that flimsy. The white material covered everything down to her knees. Still, as far as he was concerned, she would tempt a saint who was a thousand years dead.
Thank God, tomorrow they’d be out of here, back to separate bedrooms at home, then off on separate missions. Sure, he’d be worried about her every day. But he knew she could handle whatever came her way.
As he waited for her, he braced himself for the sight of her, ready to turn out the light as soon as she reached her bed.
But when Daniela came in, she wasn’t wearing her nightgown. She returned from the bathroom in a bath towel. And then she locked the door behind her and dropped the towel. Drops of water glistened on her naked skin as if she’d been painted with diamonds.
“Christ,” he breathed.
* * *
Daniela
Daniela’s heart beat in her throat. Her skin was on fire just from Ian looking at her, his gaze pure molten lava, as if he was never going to take his eyes off her ever again.
