TWELVE
“How are we going to find Morgan?” she asked, her cheek pressed against my bare chest. “She could be anywhere.”
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head as I fingered a tendril of hair resting on her shoulder. “Zane has a plan, I’m sure.”
And he had the resources to implement it, which I’d grown to appreciate more and more.
At the moment, I could give Chelsea my time and my skills—and my body—but I couldn’t offer much in the way of resources. Not while I was working completely off the radar.
I had a few contacts. Personal favors I could call in. But the vast official network I usually relied on was off limits for this case.
“Mmm, I guess.” Her comment vibrated through my chest.
I liked it, too much. I had to wrest my attention back to the topic of conversation.
She needed reassurance so she’d stop worrying and we could enjoy our time together. I needed her mouth wrapped around my cock as she hummed.
Strangely enough, both hinged on the welfare of a woman I’d never met but whose well being meant a lot to Chelsea.
“Did you ever consider that maybe—just as they did with you—the company has just kept her busy and on the move? She could be on some island at this very moment with no cell phone and no way to contact you.”
As suspect as this company’s business practices were, I had no proof they’d resort to kidnapping or murder just because someone noticed their guest list was heavy with political candidates.
Chelsea lifted her head to make eye contact with me. “Maybe, but I won’t give up until I know for sure.”
“I know.” I wrapped one arm around her and held her tighter against me.
Loyal to the end, that was Chelsea. I knew she’d be that loyal to me as well, if I’d shown I deserved it. But I didn’t deserve it.
I’d dropped out of her life for six months. And the reality was if Brent hadn’t told me she was missing, I would have gone back to London not knowing if or when I’d be back in the States without even a single word to her.
Something deep inside me twisted uncomfortably at that knowledge.
I wanted her undying loyalty and I knew I needed to earn back her trust in me to get it.
Suddenly, she sat up. The sheet fell away and I was momentarily distracted by her exposed breast—one of my favorite parts of Chelsea’s body.
“I’m hungry. Are you hungry?” she asked.
I brought my attention back to her face. “I could eat.”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I don’t know what’s in the apartment. I’ll have to look and see. Otherwise, you good with Chinese or pizza? They’ll both deliver.”
“Either. Or both.” I laughed.
Even after nearly two years here, I was still British enough, and new enough to this country, to appreciate good pizza. It was only one of the things I’d miss.
That thought wiped the smile from my face. Even the glorious sight of Chelsea naked as she walked away to forage for food in the kitchen wasn’t going to cheer me up now I’d started thinking about how soon I’d have to leave the country, possibly for good.
I was supposed to be in London in less than a week. I still had to fly to New York and pack up my flat. How long did that leave me with Chelsea? Seventy-two hours. Ninety-six hours, maybe, if I really pushed it.
It wasn’t long enough. I needed more time.
Time to get in touch with Ivan and make sure he was all right. I wasn’t wired to completely abandon the man I’d come to know and like, or drop the search for the information leak I’d been tracking for two years.
Time to be with Chelsea. To help her find Morgan. To go on an actual date. To reassure her I wasn’t going to spend the night in her bed again and then disappear completely afterward.
She appeared in the doorway as if I’d summoned her with my thoughts.
The sight of her made my chest feel tight. She’d put on a fluffy pink robe that swallowed her up and made me want to hug her.
I was counting our time left together in hours now, so I didn’t wait. I gave in to the urge. I stood, took her into my arms and kissed her hard.
When I pulled back, she said, “Wow. What was that for?”
“For looking too adorable for words in that robe.”
“Hmm. Maybe I should wear it more often.” She smiled. “So I found a boxed pizza in the freezer. I stuck it in the toaster oven.”
“Sounds delicious.” Not at all, but I had my motivations.
I could suggest we get dressed and go out, but I was feeling too selfish of our precious few days left together. I didn’t want to share Chelsea with the world.
I’d gladly eat frozen pizza if it meant I could slip beneath the robe and run my hands over her smooth, warm skin. I couldn’t do that in any restaurant that I knew of, but I did it now.
My cock standing at attention as I parted the sides of her robe and pressed close to her, I groaned at how good it felt to have her pressed naked against me.
She cocked her head to one side. “We only have fifteen minutes until the timer goes off and the pizza’s ready.”
I lifted her up and tumbled us both onto the mattress.
“I can work with that,” I said, before I closed in on her mouth.