Memories arose of the things he had done to her, and heat rushed into her cheeks. “I’m sure spending the night with a distraught woman wasn’t your top priority, so...thank you.”
As they reached her side of the SUV, he caught her shoulders and turned her to face him.
“I stayed with you last night because being in your bed was exactly where I wanted to be. That hasn’t changed this morning. Neither has my commitment to finding your sister’s killer.” He pulled her hard against him, and his mouth crushed down over hers. Heat and wild hunger roared through her, the instant before he broke away.
“We’ve got work to do,” he said gruffly. “Let’s go.”
Still shaken, her body still humming, Kate climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door. She hadn’t seen things going in this direction. She hadn’t been sure he’d be interested in a repeat of last night, wasn’t sure he’d want to get involved on more than a superficial level.
Hawk Maddox wasn’t a relationship kind of guy. Exactly the reason she had chosen him that night at the Sagebrush Saloon. After inviting him into her bed, she felt out of control and out of her depths, and she had no idea what she should do.
Her lips still tingled as Kate fastened her seat belt and leaned back in her seat. Sitting behind the wheel, Jase cast her a burning glance and started the engine.
Kate drew in a shaky breath. For the moment, she would focus on what she most needed to do—concentrate on finding a killer.
Jase flicked a sideways glance at Kate in the passenger seat. He hadn’t been sure how he would handle the morning-after conversation he always dreaded, but the moment he’d seen the same uncertainty on Kate’s pretty face, any reservations he’d had fell away.
She was no more sure what rules they were playing by than he was. He wanted more of her—that much he knew. From the way she’d responded to him last night and again this morning, Kate wanted more of him, too.
Where that would lead, he had no idea. He’d never had a serious relationship with a woman, never really wanted one. But Kate wasn’t like any woman he’d ever known. She was smart, loyal, brave, and just looking at her made him hard.
He wasn’t sure what to do about her, but eventually he’d figure it out. His mind shot back to the hours they had spent in bed, to finding her secret tattoo, a tiny butterfly on the cheek of her ass. He had laughed, it was so cute. Unfortunately, the tempting sight had left him with a new fantasy that involved Kate on her hands and knees.
His groin stirred and he shifted in his seat.Not going to happen.They had work to do.
Jase pulled the Yukon up in front of the address on Reiger he had found on the internet that morning for the New Hope Rehabilitation Center. The old gray house with white trim sat on a big corner lot with a pair of gnarled oak trees standing guard out front. The house stood two stories high, with wraparound porches on both levels.
He and Kate got out and walked up on the porch. Jase knocked on the door, and a man in his midfifties, with silver in his hair, pulled it opened. A tiny dark-haired woman stood beside him. Jase recognized the couple from their photos on the website as Jim and Vera Lockwood.
“May I help you?” Vera Lockwood asked. She looked a few years younger than Jim, a few wrinkles, not many.
“I’m Jason Maddox. I’m a private investigator. This is Kate Gallagher. We’d like to ask you some questions about a girl who lived here named Tina Galen.”
The woman’s expression turned solemn. “Yes, Tina was with us for a short time. How can I help you?”
“Tina was my younger sister,” Kate said softly.
The woman’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, I’m so sorry about what happened. Please come in.”
They stepped over a doormat that read GOD BLESS THIS HOME and into a hallway with gleaming hardwood floors. Mrs. Lockwood led them into an old-fashioned parlor, and they sat down on a burgundy sofa with lace doilies on the rounded arms.
“We’re the Lockwoods. I’m Vera and this is my husband, Jim. Would you like some coffee or perhaps a cup of tea?”
“Thank you for offering, but we’re fine,” Jase said.
The couple took seats across from them. Jase could hear female voices somewhere in the house and footsteps on the stairs.
“My sister’s real name was Christina Gallagher,” Kate said. “Jason and I are trying to find out who killed her. We’re hoping you can help.”
“Tina was a lovely girl,” Vera said. “So sweet. And so young. She told us she was only eighteen.”
“That’s right,” Kate said. “Chrissy ran away from home two years ago. We tried to find her, but she just seemed to disappear. I had no idea what had happened to her until the police called to tell me she was dead.”
“Such a tragedy,” Vera said, shaking her head.
“A friend of Tina’s told us she came to you and you agreed to take her in,” Jase said.
“That’s right. We’re a Christian faith–based organization. Jim is a minister. We focus specifically on girls who end up on the street. We don’t have a lot of room, but if the girl is truly needy, willing to follow our rules and we believe she is sincerely determined to change her life, we try to find room for her.” She smiled sadly. “Your sister wasn’t with us long, but she was making very good progress.”
