Chilled (A Bone Secrets Novel) (39 page)

“Alex.” His name was a soft gasp as her contractions clamped around his cock. He plunged deep, letting go and filling her as he hoarsely uttered her name in prayer.

Brynn opened her eyes and found Alex’s steel gaze watching her. She blinked, surprised she wasn’t startled to wake up next to him. Warmth flowed over her as she remembered last night’s activities.

“What time is it?” She stretched.
A real bed.

“Six in the morning.”

“Have you slept?”

“Off and on. Each time I wake up, you’re still here. I tried to stay awake to simply look at you and enjoy having you next to me.” His lips curved into a smile that touched her heart.

Alex rolled onto his back and reached for a mug on the nightstand.

Brynn shot up. “Is that coffee?” She leaned over him, inhaling deeply through her nose, her stomach growling at the rich scent. It was black, she noted.
He likes his coffee black.

“Want some?” His eyes were innocent.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You need to learn to not get between me and my first cup of coffee each morning.”

He stilled, his eyes widening a fraction. “I will?” he asked quietly.

“You will what?”

“Each morning. Not get between you and your coffee.”

She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “I’d like you to,” she whispered, knowing they weren’t talking about coffee.

“You barely know me.”

She shook her head. “I know plenty. You’re a man who cares about others, risks his life for people he barely knows and fights to find truth when he knows something isn’t right.” She held his gaze, pulling the words from her heart. “I know your brother’s death hurt you deeply, but I swear you came to peace with it while we were out in the woods. You had the chance to kill the man who killed your brother. Instead, you risked your life to save him. You joined our group for your own purpose, but you became a part of our tight-knit little family. Even Thomas likes you. Thomas doesn’t like anybody.”

Alex coughed and grinned. “You think so?”

She nodded.

“You’ve given this some serious thought.”

“I have. I had to figure out why I fell for you within days, when I’d been with Liam for years and never felt as I did in the woods. Locked in that tiny plane with seven other men, you were the one who attracted every sensor in my body.”

Alex looked at her, transfixed.

She blinked hard.

He gave a slow smile as he sat up, put his coffee back on the table, pulled her head close, and kissed her softly.

“The first time I saw you in that dripping rain, a fire lit inside me. Something flared that’d been cold since Samuel’s death. You made me feel alive, and I didn’t recognize the feeling. It’d been too long.”

He ran a finger down her cheek, following it with wondering eyes. “I was so focused on that killer, I’d shut out everything good in my life. I couldn’t remember what it’d felt like to be happy or content. You made me want to be the man I’d been years ago. The man I thought I’d never be again.” He pressed against her, and arousal flared in her veins.

She rested her hand over his heart and marveled at the powerful, rapid beats. “I don’t want you to be empty again,” she whispered.

“I’m only looking forward,” he promised. His gaze held hers in its steel grip. “I see myself bringing you coffee every morning for a very long time.”

She swallowed hard, happiness tightening her throat. “That sounds perfect.”

His grin widened. “And I’ve always wanted a dog…”

A fantastic team of generous people helped shaped this book. Thank you to Jennifer S. for her stories about search and rescue, for her experiences as a forensic nurse investigator, and for being the type of woman who made me think, “She’d be a fabulous heroine.” Thank you to my brother Blake Caudle, a pilot, for being patient with all my airplane questions. Thank you to my girls who ate soooo much frozen pizza and who loved to tell their friends, “My mommy writes books.” I owe thanks to my agent, Jennifer Schober, and my editors Lindsay Guzzardo and Charlotte Herscher, who made
Chilled
a wonderful book. And the biggest thanks goes to my husband, Dan, who read this book and flatly informed me the final action scene sucked. He was right. Together we made it better, and I hope my readers enjoy the story.

Photograph © Yuen Lui, 2010

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Kendra Elliot has always been a voracious reader, cutting her teeth on classic female sleuths and heroines like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Laura Ingalls before proceeding to devour the works of Stephen King, Diana Gabaldon, and Nora Roberts. She graduated with a degree in journalism but went on to become a licensed dental hygienist. Now a Golden Heart, Daphne du Maurier, and Linda Howard Award of Excellence finalist, Elliot shares her love of suspense in her second novel,
Chilled.
She still lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters.

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