Disavowed(61)

Briar took her ruck and the small bag of clothes Zahra had brought for her up the stairs, aware of Matt close behind her. She was still a little uncomfortable with staying at Alex’s private vacation place, mostly because of him and Zahra being here. Socializing always made her anxious and as much as she appreciated their help, she was looking forward to them leaving so she could be alone with Matt.

Although that was a double-edged sword in itself because spending more time alone with him was both enticing and flat out dangerous to her. He kept slipping past her defenses at every turn. At this point she wasn’t even certain that she wanted to keep him out anymore.

You’re so fucked-up.

Ignoring her internal voice, she pushed open the first door on the left in the upper hall, taking in the queen size bed with a blue and white patchwork quilt spread over it. She set her ruck down and emptied what little she had in there into the dresser, placing a pistol and an extra magazine in the top drawer of the bedside table before taking out her meager toiletries. Because, priorities.

She heard Matt moving around in the other guest room across the hall and a strange feeling of disappointment hit her. They likely wouldn’t have much time left together, at least not if the investigation moved quickly. She’d assumed—okay, had been hoping—they’d share a room and a bed together tonight. Was he playing it like this because Alex was here? Or maybe he was going to start distancing himself from her now because he knew as well as she did that there was no future for them.

Her heart sank.

Taking her toothbrush and razor into the bathroom across the hall, she stopped when she saw Matt there, placing his shaving kit on the counter next to the sink. He glanced over at her, his gaze traveling down the length of her body and back up. The unmistakable male heat in his eyes made her blush and shake her head. She was the furthest thing from attractive right now. “I’m wearing a shapeless T-shirt and sweats that are about ten sizes too big for me.”

“They’ve never looked better. And on you, they’re not shapeless. Trust me.”

Flustered, she stepped up beside him and laid out her two items on the opposite side of the sink.

“Alex said you could take the master bedroom, you know. It’s got a connecting bath in there. I figured you’d want it.”

She wanted to say she’d stay there if he did too, but wasn’t going to wave her growing feelings for him around out in the open if he was deliberately pulling back. “My room’s fine.”

Matt set a tube of toothpaste out, then his own razor and a can of shaving cream. Briar snuck guilty glances at him in the mirror, trying not to be obvious. This close, with the scent of his soap intensified by his body heat and all that rugged power wrapped up in such a protective, sexy package, she was having trouble remembering why she shouldn’t get more attached to him, let alone why she couldn’t get her hands on him again.

What would he do if she shut the door, pushed him up against it and kissed the breath out of him, then undid his pants and sank to her knees to take him into her mouth?

Arousal slid through her, languid, like warm honey, igniting a delicious throb between her legs. She imagined the way his eyes would smolder down at her, all heavy-lidded with desire and anticipation as he clenched his hands in her hair and pushed his cock into her mouth. Taking what she was more than willing to give. And the sound he’d make as she sucked on him, a low, rumbling groan because he just couldn’t hold it back…

God, she could practically hear it vibrating in her ears.

She’d never been the seductive-type, but man, that fantasy was so freaking hot her skin was growing more sensitive by the second, her nipples hardening against her bra. Matt glanced up, caught her looking and smiled at her in the mirror. A knowing, seductive smile that told her he knew exactly what she was thinking.

And that he liked her train of thought as much as she did.

Embarrassed, she looked away, her gaze snagging on something in his open shaving case. A small, framed photo.

Her heart did a funny little kick, the sharp stab of pain catching her off guard as she stared at the picture of him and his wife.

Following her gaze, he reached in and pulled it out of the kit.

Briar resisted the urge to turn away, uncomfortable with having to confront the image yet unable to make herself look away.

“It was our wedding day, just before the reception,” he said quietly, setting the photo upright on the counter for her to look at.

For some reason Briar’s throat thickened at the sight of them together. Matt looked outrageously gorgeous in his tux, and Lisa was stunning in her ivory wedding gown, a delicate veil spilling down her back. Her long brown hair curled slightly at the ends so that it flowed around her shoulders in silky waves, her head leaning on her new husband’s shoulder. They looked so happy together as they stared into each other’s eyes and smiled, a secret smile between the two of them. Her throat tightened.