Incessant beeping interrupted the calmness Erikka finally found. She stretched her legs. The combination of softness and roughness caressing her skin opened her eyes. The firm pillow underneath her cheek rose and fell. She held her breath, blinking to clear the sleep from her vision and spotted a masculine, broad hand hanging over her shoulder near her chin.

Chuck.

She'd invited him back into his bed because he deserved to sleep in comfort. Wide awake with the reality of rolling toward him during the night, she held her breath. She'd sought the comfort that he made so welcoming during their waking hours with his attention to her well-being.

It wasn't him holding her. Sure, he had his arm around her, probably seeking a comfortable position since she'd planted herself tight to his side. Her right leg wrapped around his thigh. His warmth heated her between the legs. She exhaled and moved her fingers, barely noticeable, but she'd pinpointed her hand's location by the rough line of hair on his lower abdomen.

Oh Lord, how was she going to remove herself without him noticing?

His arm underneath her shifted and his hand raised in front of her face before landing on her head. "I need to get up and get ready for work." He kissed her hair. "Keep sleeping."

Her comfortable male body pillow left the bed. She waited until the shower came on down the hallway and flopped to her back and groaned. Reality was like a dunking in cold water.

Today was a big day.

Galeeno and Sons would arrive in Cabo. Hopefully, Lieutenant Gomez would have more information to give her hope. Notus would make sure all the teams working to bring Rachel home kept searching toward finding her.

Pushing herself out of bed, she searched for her clothes and dressed before Chuck could walk into the bedroom and catch her naked. More positive than last night, she was thankful Notus had agreed to work for her after her brief panic yesterday that they were stopping. Their help was worth losing the Bails Bonds business.

She'd spend her life making fries at McDonald's if she could have Rachel back home, safe and sound.

Her phone rang. Startled, she swiped the screen to answer without looking at the number.

"Hello?" she said.

"Miss Levenson, this is Teegan Markham." Without taking a breath, Mr. Markham continued. "I'm sure by now you're aware of my meeting with Notus Motorcycle Club and my gracious twenty-four hours to let you find out the location of your sister and Tony Stoddard."

She looked up, hoping Chuck would walk through the doorway and fill her in on what was going on. He hadn't told her about any agreement.

"I've heard there's been a clue to their location," said Mr. Markham. "Where are they?"

She hurried out of the room. Knowing exactly where Chuck's bathroom was because she had the same floor plan at her house, she barged past the closed bathroom door and removed the phone from her ear and pressed the screen against her stomach.

"It's Markham. He wants to know where Rachel and Stoddard are located." She hyperventilated in her panic.

Chuck held his hand out. She put the cell in his palm and mouthed, "Don't tell him."

She'd gladly hand over Stoddard once she had her sister home, not a second before. That's after she killed Stoddard. It would make her happy to drag his dead body away and let Markham dump the asshole.

"This is Chuck." Chuck's intense gaze penetrated Erikka's terror.

Markham was powerful and scary, knowing information that was classified to her sister's case.

Chuck said, "I don't know what you've heard, but your sources are wrong."

She closed her eyes an extra beat, relief that he was handling the situation. Reaching out to him, she held onto his bicep, giving him all the strength and support she could muster as thanks for helping her.

"That's not going to happen." Chuck's mouth hardened.

She frowned, wanting to know what was being said on the other end of the conversation. Rachel was her sister. Mr. Markham had to leave her alone. None of this had to do with him. If he wanted Stoddard, he'd have to wait his turn.

Chuck disconnected the call without another word. Her adrenaline spiked. "What did he say?"

"You can't go to work."

She shrugged, shaking her head. "So? I don't care about that today."

"Sweetheart, Markham informed me your building was broken into and thrashed." He cupped her neck, holding her in front of him.

"He did it, again," she said, spitting out the accusation. "I don't care. I don't care about any of this anymore. If he wants to ruin everything, hurt me, kill me, whatever. He is not going to keep Notus from finding Rachel. That's what's important."

"I'll make some calls and get some guys over there to board everything up, make the building secure. We can deal with the damage afterward." He pulled her to his chest. "Stay at my house for today."

She pressed her cheek against his warm skin, fresh from the shower. "I need to call my clients and...and contact Green Bonds and see if they'll absorb some of our work. At least the open cases for now because I can't leave them hanging. The clients will need to make their court dates. There are two probation officers I need to verbally sign off with, and I'm sure I can do that over the phone."

Chuck cleared his throat. She raised her head.

"I need to get dressed," he said, his even huskier voice snapped her out of creating her to-do list.

She stepped away, and it became abundantly clear to her when minutes before she hadn't even noticed that in her hurry to find Chuck, she'd walked in on him naked.

He made no move to cover himself. She gazed over his broad chest, his hard stomach, and knowing she should walk out and give him privacy, she couldn't stop her gaze from going lower.

Chuck was a beautiful man. Rugged, big, strong, confident, and she wished she could remember every second of cuddling against him last night because it was the most pleasurable experience she'd had in forever.

She bit her lower lip in fascination as her attention got a reaction out of him and his cock hardened. From impressive to overwhelming, his body grew harder, bigger, stronger.

"Erikka?"

"Yeah?" she said, unable to gaze away from what was happening in front of her.

"I'm trying hard..." He exhaled harshly. "I'm just a man, sweetheart. You looking at me like that, and remembering how you stayed here overnight and pressed against me for the last seven hours is catching up to me."

His confession snapped her attention up to his face. "You've been holding this back?"

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Why would she say that out loud?

He dipped his chin and rubbed his neck to hide his amusement, but she witnessed it at the corner of his mouth where his whiskers thickened, hiding his grin, and for a fleeting second, she knew without a doubt that area covered with beard hid a dimple. "Another time, different circumstances, and I would've woke you up differently this morning."

Her brows lifted and she quickly looked away. "I'll leave you to get dressed."

She looked back as she scooted out of the room because she wasn't sure she'd have another chance to see him stripped down to his skin, lust in his eyes, and wanting her. Swallowing hard, she turned and hurried back to the bedroom, hotter and more bothered than she'd ever been.

Chuck was right. She couldn't be attracted to someone now. There was no extra energy to be given to someone else.

Needing to keep busy, she made the bed, fluffing each pillow until they looked inviting. Chuck entered the bedroom. She turned around, putting their mishap behind them.

He held out his hand. "Here's your phone."

"Thanks." She stared down at her cell. All the numbers she'd need were there, but the news of the break-in at Bails Bond hit her. What if her computers and files were destroyed? Would there be any evidence in the security tapes?

"I used your phone to call Wayne. He's called a couple of off-duty policemen to meet Gomez at the building. They'll secure everything, and then come here to talk with you and fill you in on what they've found." He blew out his breath. "Hate to do this now, but I need to go to work. I'll have my phone on me. Call if you need me. I'll make sure someone comes to you if something goes wrong."

"I'll be okay." She stepped forward. "Will you call if you hear anything about my sister before I do?"

"Absolutely." He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek with his thumb, strumming her skin. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I have to be."

"Right," he mumbled, dropping his hand. "I'll call and check in on my breaks."

She walked with him downstairs. As he picked up his duffle, helmet, and gloves, his phone rang, and he looked at the screen.

Shaking her head, she forced herself to look away from him. Why did he have to be so damn sexy?

"Hey, sweetheart," he said, answering the call. "Sleep well?"

A heaviness washed away the admiration for Chuck in her chest overhearing the endearment, and she walked away giving him privacy. In the kitchen, she looked through his cupboards and found the can of coffee. She wasn't going to ask permission to drink. He could bill her.

Or, he wouldn't even notice because whoever the woman was on the other end of the phone had all his attention. She held the pot under the faucet and turned the water on full blast. It was probably that woman Gracie.

She wondered if Gracie knew her boyfriend had a hard-on for another woman. Hitting the faucet handle to turn the water off, she squared her shoulders. There went her thirty seconds of wanting Chuck. She never messed with men who were attached or a player.