If this worked.
“Are you sure he’s not going to think it’s weird that the location of a safehouse was leaked?” she asked. Even though they’d gone over everything at the station before she and Matthew packed bags and drove here, she still had questions about the validity of the plan.
“We believe he’s going to be too focused on a chance to get to you to even consider anything else,” Matthew replied. He didn't seem bothered by having to repeat answers to questions she’d already asked, and his calming presence did help to slow her heart rate down a little.
“Isn't allowing a safehouse’s location to leak dangerous? What happens to the next person who needs to stay here?” The last thing Grace needed were any more deaths on her conscience. And if the fact that the safehouse’s location was no longer safe led to someone else’s death, she would blame herself.
“It’s not a real safehouse,” Matthew told her. “It’s just a house that belongs to another detective in homicide. He’s moving, he and his family already bought another house, and this one was on the market. After we use it, we’ll make sure it’s well publicized that the house has been sold, so no one would ever have a reason to come looking for anyone in police protective custody here.”
His words reassured her a little, and they both climbed out of the car. The house was a brick two-story with a simple front yard, just grass and one large tree. Four windows gazed out of the house’s front, two on the first floor and two on the second. Despite looking like basically every other house on the block it had a nice homey feel about it. She could see a family living here, bikes lying on the grass, maybe a swing hanging from one of the tree’s branches.
If she was going to get married and have kids, this was exactly the kind of home she would want to raise her family in.
Of course, her gaze immediately went to Matthew at the thought of marriage and children. Despite her family’s objections, he had been adamant that he be the one to stay here with her and she was glad. He was the one she wanted by her side as they played a dangerous game with a dangerous killer. Her family would be able to keep her safe, she had no doubt about that, but the chance to spend quality one on one time with the man she couldn’t stop thinking about was something she couldn’t resist.
He grabbed both their suitcases, then took her hand with his spare one. It all felt so natural that it was almost hard for her to keep the reason they were here at the front of her mind. That was something she was going to have to work on. While she knew Matthew was also glad to have this time to get to know each other better this was also work for him. His job was to protect her, and she knew he took that seriously, so she was going to have to work on not being too big a distraction.
Together, they crossed the yard and the small porch, and Matthew unlocked the front door and ushered her inside. The house had one large room with two doors on the back wall. The kitchen was to their left, a couple of sofas and a TV to their right, and in between the two spaces was a large wooden dining table. The homey feel continued inside, the walls were a warm cream, the floor was wooden floorboards, the kitchen cabinets were the same color wood as the floor, and the two big, brown leather couches all but screamed come and curl up on me.
“The door on the left is the laundry room and downstairs powder room, there’s also a door leading out to the backyard,” Matthew told her. “The other door leads to a media room. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, you can take the master which has its own bathroom, and I can take one of the other bedrooms.”
Disappointment at the thought of them not sharing a room surprised her.
Was she ready to share a bed with a man?
She hadn’t been with one in a really long time and her last sexual experience had been … nope, not going there today. That was just another in a long line of things she was going to have to process and deal with but not today.
Today had enough worries of its own.
“There’s also a really cool firepit in the backyard and a pool, so if you didn’t pack a bathing suit, we’ll have to get you one because we have to take a swim later.”
Grace laughed. “I packed one, you told me about the pool almost as soon as I agreed to play bait. Then you told me again when we went by Jem and Laynie’s house so I could pack. Then you told meagainin the car on the way here.”
Matthew laughed along with her. “Swimming is one of my favorite things to do. Plus, I'm not going to pass up an opportunity to see you in a bikini.”
The heat in his eyes had her body immediately responding, her breasts seemed to grow heavier, an ache formed between her legs, her skin felt extra sensitive beneath the sundress she was wearing. “What makes you think I packed a bikini?” she asked breathily.
“Wishful thinking.” He set both suitcases down and took a deliberate step toward her.
She didn't back up, and when his hands rested on her bare shoulders, trailing down to her wrists and back up again her skin broke out into a mass of tingly goosebumps. “I packed a bikini. It’s blue.”
“To match your eyes.”
Grace nodded, currently unable to form words. How was she supposed to think of anything but the weight of Matthew’s large hands on her shoulders. Hands she knew would never be used against her to inflict pain. But what kind of pleasure could they give?
She wanted to find out.
Angling her body closer so it was flush against Matthew’s, she tilted her head up, watched as his eyes flared with desire and his head tipped down. Anticipation was a sweet kind of torture. His warm breath caressed her skin a second before his lips claimed hers.
Fiery desire scorched along every one of her nerves, and her hands curled around his hips, drawing him closer.
After everything she had been through, she had never thought she could feel this good, this alive, this free.
A rap on the door had them both reluctantly pulling back.
“That will be the cops who’ll be watching the house,” Matthew told her. “They’re dropping off some groceries and checking in, so why don’t you go and unpack, get settled, and then we’ll have some lunch. After that we’re going for a swim, and, Grace, I can't wait to see you in that bikini.”
A pleasant flush warmed her cheeks, and she couldn’t help but picture how ridiculously sexy Matthew was going to look in his own bathing suit. Taking her suitcase, she hurried up the stairs, still surprised it was possible for her to feel this comfortable and secure around a man. Matthew had taken her completely by surprise, and her growing feelings for him were the last thing she expected to have right now, but there were still things about her he didn't know.