“Oh,” she mumbled, watching him in reverence as he gently placed the dress back on the bed. “Um, did she happen to pack any undergarments? Otherwise, I may need to take a trip to the local department store.”
Cliff’s throat bobbed and Alexis couldn’t help but smile knowing that she caught him off guard with her question. She didn’t care if she wore plain cotton or supple silks, Alexis had always loved lingerie. Being in the FBI didn’t leave her many options in that department when she was on the field. Sweat and silk didn’t go very well together.
Silk sheets on the other hand, was something she could get behind. Or on top of. An image of her and Cliff rolling around on his bed came to mind and she found herself blushing, the heat rising on her cheeks and flaming her skin. Alexis ducked her head out of his view, but she was too slow. His grin widened as he crouched down to her eye level.
“Tell me what you were thinking just now.”
Alexis raised her head in defiance. “I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
“Yes, you were.”
Schooling her features, Alexis hoped that Cliff dropped the subject, but he met her stare head-on.
They played a mental game of cat versus mouse, and though Alexis was usually triumphant against her colleagues, she found herself melting into Cliff’s stare with each passing second.
With a grunt she relented control, “Fine, I was just thinking of silk sheets, if you must know.”
Reaching out, he fingered the edge of her shirt, sliding his hand back and forth. Alexis sucked in a breath as the back of his fingers caressed the soft skin of her stomach. She involuntarily sucked in her waist.
“What kinds of things with sheets? Did you imagine lying naked on top of them? Maybe with a man pressing you down against the silk?”
“Um. . .” she replied, licking her lips. His eyes followed the movement of her tongue as it peeked out.
“Did you imagine me pressing you against the silk sheets, Alexis?” he asked, his voice huskier than before. The sound had her body quaking under his touch.
“Um. . .” she repeated, wholly lost in a fog of his making.
“That’s what I thought.” Straightening his stance, Alexis instantly felt the air cool around her. “Think about how it would be in real life instead of a daydream. Need any help getting dressed or could y
ou manage?”
“I. . .” she started, then had to clear her throat to continue. “I think I can manage. Thanks.”
“Okay, I’ll see you out there.”
Cliff closed the door with a soft click and Alexis sifted through the clothes again, settling on some undergarments she found, a blue sundress, and a pair of flat brown sandals. The dress she’d chosen had buttons going down the front and she assumed that it would make it easier to put on. Disappointment flourished as it took her a few extra minutes to maneuver the material around her hands to get the button through the loop. By the time she got all thirty of the buttons secure, Alexis began to feel a bit light-headed. She hadn’t grab anything to eat before she went on her journey to find Cliff this morning and she could only hope that he had something she could snack on in front of his friends without looking like a pig. In the back of her mind, she recalled Amy’s visit the night before and the mention of food.
Alexis took one look in the mirror and scrutinized herself. Bruises marred her skin, scratches and cuts ran up and down her arms and legs. She was quite a sight. Running her good hand along her neck, she realized that her locket was missing. The only piece she had to remember her family. Alexis swore that she had it on when Heath had shoved her into the back of the vehicle two days ago.
Knowing this was as good as she was going to look, Alexis secured the arm brace in place, opened the bedroom door, and stepped into the hallway. Immediately her sense of smell filled with the aroma of pancakes. A loud grumble sounded from her stomach and she couldn’t fight against the laugh.
Moving farther down the hall, Alexis hoped to sneak her way into the kitchen unnoticed and help herself to that wonderful scent, but just as she turned the corner, she bumped into Cassidy.
“Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry,” Alexis mumbled as she braced an arm against the wall.
“That was completely my fault. It’s good to see you, Alexis, though not under these circumstances.” Cassidy’s eyes trailed up and down Alexis’ body, clapping her hands during the process. “I see you found something to wear. That is one of my favorite dresses. It’s part of my summer line.”
All the blood drained from Alexis’ face. She assumed that these clothes were from the clearance rack or from several seasons ago. Alexis never expected to receive something so current. This dress cost more than the apartment she rented.
“Don’t you dare try to give me back those clothes either,” the business shark before her argued. “You’re the perfect sample size. The only difference is that you have lean muscle on your frame. You wear the dress beautifully. Now, I do believe we have a few people waiting for you, and a certain man that we’re driving a bit stir crazy.”
Cassidy gripped Alexis’ free arm with unexpected strength. Together they ventured into the living room, Alexis held her breath the entire time. She hadn’t seen these people in over two years and she was worried about how they would react at her bringing danger their way.
The chatter in the living room quieted the moment she trailed behind Cassidy into the room.
She wasn’t sure how to react. If she should smile, cringe, run and hide. At the moment, all of those seemed like a better plan than the blank, deer in the headlights look she was sure showed on her face.
“Um. . .hello everyone,” she murmured with a vulnerability Alexis hadn’t felt in years.