Dare to Take (Dare to Love 6)

When they reached the hotel, he woke her, and she leaned against him as they walked inside. He explained the situation to the desk clerk, who, thankfully, because of the photo shoot, remembered Ella and was willing to give her a key. With his hand on her back to steady her, they took the elevator up to the sixth floor, and she directed him to her room, 618, with a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

“Wait. I didn’t leave that

on there,” she said, pointing to the door hanger.

He narrowed his gaze. “Wait here.”

He glanced around, but there was no safe alcove in which to hide her. He pushed her against the wall, same side as the room in case someone came running out, then pulled out his gun.

Her eyes widened but she didn’t argue.

He slid the key into the door and let himself inside. The bathroom was immediately to the right, and he pushed open the door. Empty, as was the bathtub. The closet was on the left. He slid open the door. Also empty. He checked the balcony, which was still locked tight from the inside.

But the room had been ransacked, all her things tossed around. This unexpected turn of events told him the mugging probably hadn’t been random. “Shit.”

He stepped back only to find her waiting in the room, mouth open.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait in the hall?” he asked, pissed she hadn’t listened.

She frowned at him and stepped inside. “Why would someone do this?” she asked, taking in the mess.

“That is a damned good question.”

She bent down to pick up a piece of clothing.

“Don’t touch!” he barked out, harsher than he intended.

“What? Why not?” She rose slowly to her feet.

“So when the cops here investigate, at least they’ll see things exactly how we found them.” Although with the hurricane coming, Tyler doubted anyone would have time or care about a burglary.

A glance at Ella, who was pale and shaky, and Tyler knew—he, on the other hand, cared a lot.

Chapter Two

Ella barely stayed on her feet while Tyler reported the break-in to the front desk and insisted on a new room. If she’d had the strength, she’d think about the fact that the sexy man she’d wanted forever had come to her rescue and currently had an arm wrapped around her waist, holding her up. Preventing her from sliding to the floor with his sheer strength.

He also smelled so good she wanted to bury her face in the crook of his neck and inhale the masculine scent that always affected her so strongly. But all those things also meant she’d be forced to recall the reasons they barely spoke in the first place, and when they did, it was rarely pleasant. And Ella never wanted to go there again.

Never wanted to revisit her stupid mistake and greatest shame. But from the look in his eyes when he’d said they’d talk later, she had a feeling she wouldn’t get her wish. So for now, all she wanted was to lie down and rest her pounding head.

“You’re going to report this to the police, I assume?” Tyler asked to the desk clerk, who was currently looking for an open room in which to place them.

Luckily a lot of people had fled the island in anticipation of the storm, so they could move to someplace that hadn’t been broken into. Another thing she’d focus on if her vision and mind weren’t fuzzy.

“Of course, but you should know that all the island personnel are busy with the state of emergency due to the hurricane,” the woman said, clicking away on what she claimed was a very slow-working computer. Also due to the storm.

“In other words, it may take awhile,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry. Here is your key,” she said, sliding a card across the counter. “It’s an inside room, no terrace. I figured, with the winds, you would want as few windows as possible.”

He nodded. “Thank you. Come on.” Never letting Ella go, he steered her toward the bank of elevators across the hall.

A few minutes later, he opened the door to a new, freshly cleaned room. Without missing a beat, she crossed the floor, headed straight for the king-size bed, the only bed in the room, and crawled on top of the mattress with a loud groan.

She distantly heard Tyler pick up the phone and order food, though she couldn’t imagine having the energy to eat.

She didn’t remember or register anything else until the sound of a cell phone alarm penetrated her senses. She opened her eyes and found herself facing Tyler’s bare, muscular chest. Her head rested on his forearm, and she was smothered in delicious, masculine warmth. Unable to resist, she took that inhale she’d been dreaming of earlier, and his musky scent sent tingles of awareness rippling through her veins.