Free A Fine Specimen by Lisa Marie Rice

Good
evening.”
    “Good evening, Hassan.”
    “You want key? Number
four forty-six. Is right?” He searched the board. “That is strange…” Hassan
turned back to them and froze when he saw Alex’s hand holding a BPD shield two
inches from his nose, Alex’s face right behind it. “S-s-sir?”
    “Baylorville Police
Department,” Alex growled, trying to contain his anger. This dirtbag could get
Caitlin raped or killed. “You are very lucky today, Hassan, because I am not
going to haul your sorry ass downtown on a charge of reckless endangerment. Nor
am I going to inquire about your status with Immigration.”
    Hassan turned pasty
white under his dusky complexion.
    Alex dangled Caitlin’s
key in front of him. “Listen up, Hassan, because I’m only going to say this
once. Never, ever leave this key unattended. If you absolutely have to
leave the front desk, you take Ms. Summers’ key with you. If you don’t, and if
someone gets into Ms. Summers’ room and she gets hurt, I will personally make
it my business to see that you are put away for the rest of your natural life.”
Alex’s gaze was fierce. He meant Every. Fucking. Word. “ Is that clear ?”
    Hassan jumped. “Yessir,
yes! Yes indeed.” He placed his hands together and bowed his head. “Most
clear.”
    Alex stared at him for
another long moment then put a hand to Caitlin’s back and walked her to the
battered steel doors of the elevator.
    Caitlin was silent until
the doors closed and the elevator started creaking slowly upward. She rounded
on him. “How dare you speak to poor Hassan like that! There was no need
whatsoever to terrify him like you did.”
    “Are you joking? There
was every need!” The elevator jerked to a stop and Alex stepped warily out into
the corridor. The lighting in the hallway was dim and there were pockets of
darkness down its length. Room 446 was at the end of the corridor. “Anyone could
just walk in off the street and grab your key.” The thought of it had him in a
sweat. It would take nothing to notice her, follow her back to the hotel and
find out what room she was in. Then steal the key while ol’ Hassan was in the
back office scarfing curry rice.
    Caitlin wasn’t
listening. “Hassan only arrived in this country from Pakistan a year ago. He’s
working to save money so he can study agronomy, and here you are, frightening
the poor man to death. Threatening to call Immigration, for heaven’s sake! I’m
sure he’s got his green card, but still— Alex? What are you doing?”
    Alex used the key to
open the door to room 446, though the lock was so flimsy he could have picked
it in two seconds. He stood to the side of the door, opened it, scanned the room
then stepped inside. A few more large steps took him to the opposite wall. The
Carlton didn’t exactly splurge on space. He quickly checked the small closet
and the even smaller bathroom.
    Caitlin was standing in
the doorway, her arms crossed. “Well?” she asked sweetly. “No dope fiends
hiding under the bed? No serial killers in the shower stall?”
    “Nope.” Alex walked back
to her. Caitlin’s skin seemed to glow in the faint light from the corridor. Her
pale blue eyes widened slowly as he approached, his eyes never leaving hers.
    Alex picked up her hand
and pressed the key into it, his fist closing over hers. Her hand was slender
and soft, and to his surprise, he couldn’t let go. His brain seemed to stop
functioning, though the cop in him noticed Caitlin’s irregular breathing, the
way her eyes were fixed on his mouth then rose to meet his eyes, the way her
soft, pale pink lips parted…
    Without thinking about
it, without planning it, without even wanting it, he found himself
bending down to her. Her wide blue eyes watched him then drifted shut as his
mouth closed over hers.
    He could feel her breath
sighing out as her mouth opened under his. He moved closer, one hand behind her
head to hold her still for his kiss, the other around her narrow