“They’ll be up here in just a minute.” She turned back to Patrick. He was still staring at her as if she were a demon or a goddess. Great, good start. Great way to tell someone how you feel, go ninja on their stalker. She did not think this was how the movies had ended.
His gaze was still on her, even as he massaged the muscles of his shoulders. His hands. Those wonderful hands.
A flush swept through her. “I’ll get you some water.”
She grabbed the cup on the bedside table. As she filled it from the bathroom sink, she heard him ask, “How did you find me?”
“The GPS locator app.” She handed him the cup. He tossed it down in one go, and she went to refill it. “Remember Tokyo?”
Patrick groaned, and she wasn’t sure if it was the memory of the hangover or his recent physical trials. “How could I forget? A cat café? I never could touch sake again.”
“That’s a shame. You told several Tokyo citizens how much you enjoyed it.” Patrick looked like he would smile but winced instead. “After that, you were so worried you were going to leave your phone somewhere, or it would get stolen. So I added it tomy GPS phone tracking app. I didn’t know how to take it off afterward.” She shrugged. “Must be fate.”
On cue, Patrick’s phone buzzed across the room. All three of them glanced over at it, but she could not move to find it. Every nerve and muscle in her body wanted only to be beside him, never leave him.
“Well, I have never been so grateful for your inattention to technology,” Patrick said quietly, reaching out a hand and covering hers. Anita’s heart pulsed loudly in her ears.
“As I’ve said before, I’ve chosen to focus on other pursuits.” Her mouth felt dry, her eyes unable to break away from the sight of his smooth, bruised hand covering hers. Form the words.I. Love. You. I’m sorry.
Nope. Wasn’t happening.
“Like kung fu lessons?” His mouth curved coyly in a smile.
Her own laugh surprised her. “It’s not kung fu. It’s kickboxing.”
“When did you ever have time to learn kickboxing?”
“I’m a single businesswoman who often travels alone. I have to protect myself.”
“My knight in shining armor. Well, sneakers and a black dress.” The broad smile restored his features to themselves. He was okay. Bruised and hoarse and tired, but he was still Patrick. Her Patrick.
He reached his hand toward her face and ran his thumb along her jaw, then opened his mouth to say something.
From the hallway: “Hotel security!”
Chapter Forty
Harrisburg police arrived about ten minutes after the bewildered security team. Patrick and Anita sat beside each other on the bed, his hand still covering hers, despite the din of people shoved into the room. He ached everywhere, but everything hurt a little less as long as he had her with him. Poor Kim never stopped sobbing as the police officers Mirandized her, exchanged Anita’s belt for the cold steel of handcuffs, and led her from the room. Patrick and Anita answered the questions they could, directed the police to John Flaherty, and then, after a surprisingly short amount of time, they were asked to leave so the police could process the room.
He could not let go of her hand. She had saved him. She had gone all Chuck Norris and had surely missed hours of the competition. For him.
Besides, he felt less like he’d been wrung through a dry cleaner’s machine when he held her hand. His throat still burned from when Kim had choked him, his shoulders still ached, but he felt surprisingly…calm. Lighter than he had that morning before Kim had chloroformed him.
They stood in the hallway together for a moment, watching the proceedings in the room before being shooed away by the officers.
“I’d like to get changed,” Anita said, somewhat indecisively. “I think Kim bled a bit on my dress.” She pulled the black fabric away from her body to scrutinize the small stain.
Patrick nodded and followed her down the hallway to the elevator. “What time is it?”
She glanced at her phone. Patrick saw at least fifteen unanswered texts on her lock screen that she was clearly ignoring. “Four thirty.”
He hung his head. “I’m really sorry, Anita.”
“For what?” They stepped into the elevator. Patrick convinced himself to drop her hand. He felt its loss acutely.
“You missed your whole afternoon.”
She must be devastated.
