“Boring and clinical,” she added. “You can give it to me straight. But it’s probably an accurate reflection of the person who lives here.”
“You’re not boring and clinical.”
“No? All I’ve ever had is my work. First, school consumed my life. Then college. Then work. I don’t have many friends; I have no social life. Going to The Twisted Thorn tonight was the riskiest thing I’ve ever done.”
He raised one eyebrow. “That’s coming from the ex-FBI profiler.”
“I sat safely behind a desk most of the time.”
“What about counseling criminals? You can’t tell me that didn’t have some risk.” He frowned. “Not sure I like the idea of you being alone with someone who’s doing time, particularly for a violent crime.”
“I wasn’t ever really alone,” she told him. “I always had backup to call on. Not like tonight. Well, Cady was supposed to be my backup. That went very wrong. I hope she’s feeling okay.”
“I texted Hunter while you were in the bathroom at the club, and he said she’s fine.”
“That’s all he said?”
He shrugged. “It’s Hunter. He’s not one to elaborate. If it was serious, he’d tell me.”
Would he tell him if she was pregnant? She kept that thought to herself, that was Hunter and Cady’s business not hers.
She bit her lip, feeling nervous with him in her home. He wasn’t a huge guy, but he seemed to take up all the space in her small, one-bedroom apartment.
“Would you like coffee?” she blurted out. She’d started to move into the small kitchen before he’d even nodded. It was an open plan living space with a breakfast bar. She moved around the kitchen, making coffee as he took a seat on one of the stools.
“I got used to drinking it late at night when I was working a case. Now it doesn’t even seem to affect me. I think I must have caffeine in my veins. I actually get jittery if I don’t have a cup by ten.”
Okay, Lacey, stop talking now.
She cleared her throat as she placed the coffee in front of him. “Cream?”
“No, thanks, I take it black.”
“Me too.”
A slightly awkward silence ensued. “Tell me about your family.”
She startled, sloshing the hot liquid onto her hand. “Ouch.” She placed the mug down and shook her hand with a wince.
“Here.” Standing, he quickly moved around the counter. Grabbing her upper arm gently, he pulled her over to the sink and ran the cold water, holding her hand under the stream. “Hold it here for a few minutes, do you have a first-aid kit?”
“Yes, it’s in the cupboard beneath the bathroom sink. But it’s not that bad.”
“Better to be safe than sorry. I’ll go get it. Keep your hand there.” He grasped her chin, turning her head, so she had to look up at him. “I mean it.”
A shiver ran through her at the order in his voice. Damn, what was it about his commanding voice that turned her on? It was totally bizarre, but she wanted to obey him, please him.
When he returned, she was where he’d left her. He smiled and gave her a wink. “That’s my girl.”
A warm flush filled her. His girl.
Jesus, she needed to get a grip.
He pulled her hand out from under the stream of water before patting it gently dry and applying some burn medicine. She really didn’t think it was bad enough to need any doctoring. But having him pay such close attention to her was a heady feeling she wasn’t about to turn him away.
“Maybe we should pass on the coffee tonight.”
Disappointment filled her. He was leaving? He reached around and grabbed her other hand, leading her out of the small kitchen and over to the sofa.