Free Beyond Doubt by Karice Bolton Page A

searching through the drawer more thoroughly and realized that wasn’t the only thing missing. I shut the drawer and opened the one underneath and there was nothing but my pajamas inside. Leaning over, I looked under my bed and in the closet. I sat on my bed, thinking, and was able to come up with at least three missing items. I walked over to my dresser and began looking through my pieces of jewelry and sure enough there was a sterling silver bracelet, a matching necklace and earrings all gone.
    This was crazy. Maybe Gabby borrowed them and just didn’t mention it. But she wouldn’t borrow the lingerie. What would account for that? I got a sinking feeling as I thought about who all had access to our apartment. We did have cleaners come in bi-weekly, but there was no way that any of the crew would do that. It was a mother and daughter team, and the daughter was pushing fifty. I was positive that snatching lingerie wasn’t either of their ideas of a good time but if not them than who? I laughed at the absurdity. I glanced at the clock and only had another ten minutes before Aaron was going to pick me up for our non-date. I could deal with this later. I was sure there would have to be some logical explanation, even if it was one I didn’t want to face. Maybe Gabby was just messing with me since I’ve had the weird texts and messages.
    My phone buzzed and I glanced down at the message.
     
    Downstairs
     
    Shoot! Aaron was already here, and I didn’t have time to freshen up my makeup. I grabbed my purse and pulled out my mascara, dabbing it on quickly before I gave up and just headed out the front door, dismissing the case of the missing underwear.
    As the elevator glided closer to the lobby, my pulse quickened. Exactly what a non-date shouldn’t do to a person. I reached in my bag and grabbed a clear lip gloss, which I filled in my lips with. I could do this. It didn’t have to be sexual with him. It didn’t have to be romantic.
    The elevator doors opened up revealing Aaron dressed in a pair of low-slung jeans and a silver button-down that hugged his visibly defined chest. The sleeves were rolled up, and I imagined my hands running along his muscular forearms. He had changed from what he was wearing at the hospital, and his hair looked slightly damp from a recent shower. He looked phenomenal, and worse, he was holding a beautiful arrangement of white roses.
    “You didn’t have to do this,” I told him, taking the flowers as he quickly kissed each cheek.
    “I thought I better start playing catch up to whoever sent you the others,” he teased.
    He took a step back, and his gaze traveled slowly along my body sending a trail of shivers in its wake.
    “A friend doesn’t have to worry about things like that, but I love them. Let me run upstairs and put these in water.”
    He smiled as his gaze met mine. “You look beautiful.”
    His compliment melted me on the spot, but I didn’t want to let it go to my head.
    “Thanks. We do look pretty good for two friends just chatting over a casual meal. Wanna come up for a second?”
    His smile deepened as I turned toward the elevator. “Absolutely.”
    The moment the doors closed, I felt the familiar electricity run between us and wondered if he felt it too.
    “This is going to be harder than I thought,” his voice low as he rocked back on his feet.
    “Isn’t it though?” I asked, afraid of the sensations pulsing through me.
    “Yeah, it is.” He took a step toward me, and I instinctively moved the roses to block him and started laughing.
    The elevator doors opened, spilling us into the hallway.
    “You know what I think?” I asked, unlocking the door. He came up behind me and I felt the familiar charge run through me.
    “What’s that?” he asked, his voice low as his hands slid along my hips.
    “That you need to stay on this side of the door while I put these flowers in a vase.”
    He released his hands from my hips as laughter replaced the tension in the air. I