Free Expert Witness: A Romantic Suspense Novel by Nicole Luckourt Page B

she’d walked him to his. He pushed the door open with his foot and carried her through the entry. A small table lamp illuminated the room. Unlike the décor in the remainder of the house, which had a simplistic rustic beauty, her bedroom was more luxurious and elegant. His feet sank into plush carpets covering the hardwood floors as he moved forward. He wondered at the differences in style. She was certainly an enigma. From her tailored suit and professional demeanor, he might have pictured her entire house this way, but it was only this room.  
    Looking down at the beguiling woman he held in his arms, he almost regretted that he had to put her down. The feeling lasted only a few seconds before rational thought smothered it away. She was a client—that was all. He’d never again become personally involved with someone he was hired to protect. The two didn’t mix.  
    He leaned forward, pulling the covers back from the tall, velvet headboard. After easing her on to the mattress, he positioned a pillow beneath her head. Her hair fanned out around her face, framing it in a dark silky cloud. Tearing his eyes from the exquisite sight, he cupped the bottom of each calve and removed her dress shoes. While he was slipping off the second heel, it dawned on him that he was putting her to bed in her conservative linen pantsuit.  
    The suit will have to stay . This is where I draw the line. Taking a last look around, he saw a large sitting window in the corner of the room. He made sure the lock was securely in place then treaded lightly toward the door. When he realized what he was doing, he switched back to his normal gait. Probably nothing could wake that woman short of an explosion.
    §
    Jordan awoke to sunlight streaming through her window. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so soundly. Taking in the beautiful morning, she moved to stretch her arms out over her head. About halfway up, something hindered her movement and she looked over to identify the culprit. Seeing the sleeve of her suit jacket, she sat up straight, now entirely awake. She was dressed. But how?  
    She didn’t remember going to bed. The last thing she could recall was watching the news with Chase… Then understanding crept up on her as she grasped what had happened. Chase must have carried her into the bedroom last night. She found herself a little self-conscious at the thought of such an intimate interaction, particularly one for which she had no recollection. He was only being considerate, she reminded herself . Still, she couldn’t help but be moved by the gesture. She was certain it wasn’t part of the “Chase package.”  
    Wondering if he was up yet, she hurriedly took a shower and threw on a gray-blue silk dress. The vision she saw of herself in the mirror looked significantly less tired than the one she’d seen yesterday. Her skin was more vibrant, and the purplish hue beneath her eyes had faded. What a difference an uninterrupted eight hours made.
    On her way toward the kitchen, she could hear the water running in the guest bathroom and gathered that Chase was taking a shower. There was no need to rush now. She poured herself a cup of coffee and then hunted around the fridge for a suitable breakfast. Her foraging resulted in little that was still edible. A container of sun-dried tomato cream cheese and a package of bagels appeared most promising. She needed to get to the grocery store soon.  
    While toasting the bagels, she heard the water shut off. She pictured him getting out of the shower. Wet hair combed back, muscles glistening with beads of water… A streak of desire shot through her, leaving a warm sensation in its path.  
    Chase’s deep voice intruded into the way-too-appealing image. “Good morning.”
    Even his voice is freaking sexy .  
    He walked into the kitchen, dressed casually in a green-striped button-down shirt and khakis. Still wet, his hair looked strikingly close to how she’d imagined it.