“Glad I could help,” he murmured, the hard line of his sexy mouth lifting ever-so-slightly as he gently eased her to her sore feet.
“Tell me I didn’t say that out loud,” she said, stunned that she would speak before thinking. That wasn’t how she operated.
His eyes twinkled with mischief. “I’m glad to be of service. Let me seal the opening so we can’t be found and I’ll get right on it.” His expression turned serious, his strong hands rubbing her arms, giving her goose bumps and making her realize how cool the cavern was despite the Texas heat. “Will you be all right for a minute?”
No. Don’t leave me down here. Don’t seal us in this tiny hole. Suddenly, the cave felt more like a phone booth than a small bedroom. She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to beg to be taken back above. “Yes,” she lied, trying to smile and failing. “I’m fine, now. I’m okay.”
He didn’t look convinced and reluctantly stepped away from her. “I’m fine,” she repeated, responding to the doubt lingering in his eyes, hating that he apparently thought she needed coddling. Her voice turned stern. “And stop looking at me like I’m some needy child. What happened to the cold-shouldered jerk who led me here? Bring him back.”
He stared at her, his gaze probing, seeing far too much, she was sure. “He’ll be back when you’re feeling better and can keep up with him.”
“I’m fine!” she admonished in a whispered voice, because noise wasn’t such a hot idea considering this was a hideout. “I can keep up just fine.”
With an agility most didn’t possess, Constantine sidestepped Nicole and jumped in the air, grabbing a steel stake with one hand. He hung there a moment, rotating around to face her. He winked. “We’ll find out if you really can, soon.”
No doubt of his meaning, her body purred in response. He gave her no chance to reply to the bold statement, presenting her with his back as he climbed the wall. Muscles flexed under his wet T-shirt, denim hugging his nice tight ass. She bit her bottom lip. He was so much trouble, but he might just be worth it. And it wasn’t as if he was out of line.
Her little comment had given him an open invitation to come seduce her into calmness, which hadn’t been her intention. Not really, anyway. Or maybe it was. Her subconscious was working at getting her what she really wanted—Constantine. She’d wanted that man since meeting him in the bar, despite knowing he didn’t fit her perfectly painted world of vanilla sex and strict rules—correction, lately it had been no sex and strict rules.
Nevertheless, her current way of living had firmly placed her wild past behind her. And she felt her work helped her make amends—or try to, at least—for what she’d done back then, for getting that damn killer off and watching him take another life. She still had nightmares about the victim.
Her mind’s stroll down memory lane landed her smack-dab in reality. In the small cave. In her present state of discomfort. An easier discomfort than the past held, at least. Her hand went to her throat as she watched Constantine disappear through the same opening she’d just climbed through, leaving her alone. In a hole. A small one. Okay. Maybe this wasn’t better than revisiting the past.
Nicole drew a long breath simply because she wanted to make sure there was plenty of air. Then, with supreme effort, she forced herself to stop staring at the exit.
Scrutinizing her surroundings, it appeared she was in a well-planned hideout, not just some cave Constantine knew as a kid. All the basics were present: a small mattress, a small fridge, battery-operated fans and even a few books. Her attention went to each wall as she circled around, feeling as if those walls might close in on her. Her head started spinning, and she knew she was about to hyperventilate. Not something she wanted to do with Constantine nearby. Time to put her relaxation techniques to use.
She quickly sat down on the hard ground, before she fell down, her legs stretched before her. She was too wet, and didn’t want to risk damaging the mattress. Resting her head against the wall behind her, her gaze went to the ceiling. Could it collapse? Fall on top of her like the apartment floor had done so many years before? No. This wasn’t the way to calm down.
Nicole squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on something soothing. Birds. Flowers. Sunrises. Instead, her brain took her to an image of Constantine’s sweet ass in those dark jeans. Then to the way he’d caught her when she’d jumped, and that sensual slide down that steely body. Her imagination went wild as she fantasized stripping off his wet shirt, exploring those defined biceps and hard abs she’d felt through his clothes. He’d be wild, demanding, incredible in bed. She knew this, felt it in every inch of her being.