Everyone had survived the horrific attack. They were all still alive, including Jake. His condition was serious, but she had to believe he would be okay. If not...
Don’t think like that. He’ll make it through this.
Running her fingers through her short, damp hair, Emma pushed away the guilt she still felt about what had happened.
Regardless of what Trace said, Emma would always wonder if things could’ve turned out differently if she’d listened to her gut instead of worrying about interrupting that damn meeting.
A knock on the door startled her, making her muscles tense.
“Emma?”
The man’s deep, rugged voice seeming to reverberate through her entire body from the other side of the wooden door.
“Yeah?” She put a hand to her throat. Had he heard the slight squeak of her voice?
“Pizza’s here.”
Emma cleared her throat. “Okay.”
Using her hand to comb her hair one final time, Emma smoothed the front of her scrub top and opened the door. The second she did, a delicious aroma filled her nostrils, causing a sudden, vicious hunger to set in.
“That smells great.” She walked over to the small table located near the sliding door. “I’ll pay you for my half when I get my purse back.”
“Actually, it’s already here.” Trace pointed to somewhere behind her. “A police officer dropped it by while you were in the shower.”
Spinning around, Emma spotted her purse on one of the room’s two beds.
“And the pizza’s my treat.”
Walking over to where her purse lay, Emma opened the zipper and checked inside. Everything looked exactly as she’d left it. Phone, wallet, keys...birth control. It was all present and accounted for.
“Don’t worry,” Trace spoke from behind her. “I didn’t take anything.”
Realizing what her actions must look like, she swung her head back around to face him.
“I-I didn’t think you did,” she rushed to assure him. “I just don’t know who went in and out of the building after we left, so I thought maybe I should—”
“Emma.” One corner of his tempting mouth twitched. “I was teasing.”
“Oh.” She huffed out an awkward laugh that was cringeworthy. Walking back to the table, Emma straightened her shoulders and put on her confident mask. “Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t steal from me.”
“Yeah?”
Nodding, she opened both pizza boxes to see which one was hers. “I would hate to have to kick your ass.”
With a straight face, she picked up a slice of the cheese and placed it on a napkin. Plopping in one of the two chairs, she thought she caught sight of a half-smile on Trace’s face, but it was gone before she could be sure.
“I’m going to shower before I eat,” he announced. “The door’s locked, and I’m not expecting anyone, so don’t answer the door if someone comes by.”
A rush of blood pushed fear into her heart. Setting the slice of pizza down, she looked up at him. “Do you really think I’m in danger?”
“I don’t know.” His gray eyes locked with hers. “But I’m not willing to risk it.”
Trace’s stare lingered on hers a moment longer before he turned around and walked to his bed. Grabbing a large duffle from the floor, he disappeared into the bathroom. Leaving her alone with her pizza and her thoughts.
Minutes later, she heard the water turn on but ignored it. Emma refused to think about the fact that the sexy man was totally naked in the very next room. Naked with bubbles of soap lathering over his sun-kissed skin.
Skin Emma wanted to touch.