“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he said, his voice soft and gravelly.
She swallowed again, her heart drumming in her ears. Becs wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to get lost in this man. For a brief moment, she even considered taking advantage of this one night they had. One night of passion would be more than enough. They could go back to being friends tomorrow.
Only Becs wasn’t wired that way. She would fall in love with Evan even more than she already had, and if they made love, seeing him every day would be a heartache she didn’t think she’d survive.
“Goodnight, Evan,” she said, forcing the words from her mouth as she stepped back, reaching for the door to shut out the temptation once and for all.
Or at least it gave her the illusion that it did.
Chapter Nineteen
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
It was interesting that he used tosleep on hard cots in foreign countries more often than not, and now Brantley was uncomfortable in a plush, 4-star-hotel bed.
Sure, he’d napped for a few minutes earlier this evening when Reese had massaged his back, but that had never stopped him before. However, tonight, his brain wouldn’t shut off. It was going ninety miles a minute, ticking off endless things he wanted to do/needed to do/should have done. None of it was important at this very moment. There was nothing he could accomplish from here in New York City, yet his brain didn’t seem to give a shit.
So, when he didn’t force his eyes closed, he would stare up at the ceiling, trying to figure out where the fuck Decker had disappeared to. More importantly, why?
Another twenty minutes passed, and Brantley glanced at the clock. It was 0147, which meant it was far too early to get up. If he’d been at home, perhaps he would, but not here. Not with Reese sleeping soundly beside him and Tesha snoozing on the blanket pallet Reese had created on the floor.
Brantley grinned. He loved how much Reese loved that dog. Just another side of the man Brantley had fallen hopelessly in love with. And they were getting married in thirty-nine days. He didn’t even have to calculate anymore. He was tracking each day like a kid the week before Christmas.
That made him smile even more.
Only thirty-nine more days before—
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He reached for it, not wanting the sound to wake Reese.
Brantley squinted at the brightly lit screen to see JJ’s name and number.
She wouldn’t be calling unless it was important. Only if she had a lead or if she were going into labor. Since she still had weeks to go before her due date, he had to hope this was about the case.
“Yeah,” he answered softly.
“I hate to wake you, B, but Decker’s phone just came online,” she said urgently.
Brantley sat up, dropping his feet over the edge of the bed. “Where is he?”
“Believe it or not, he’s only about ten minutes from you. Two miles from the hotel. A house in Chelsea. I just texted you the address. I’ll see if I can get more information while you head that way.”
“Thanks, JJ.”
Brantley disconnected the call and tapped Reese’s hip.
“Hmm?”
“Decker’s phone’s online. He’s at a house in Chelsea. Come on. Get dressed.”
“You want me to text the others?”
“No.” Brantley wasn’t about to wake them. Decker would either be there or he wouldn’t. He didn’t need the team with him to determine that.
Within minutes, they were dressed and in the SUV, Tesha panting happily from the backseat. While Reese pulled up the address on the navigation screen, Brantley exited the parking garage.
“Southwest on Seventh Avenue,” Reese instructed.
Brantley turned right onto 7th, heading toward 55thStreet.
