Page 18 of Point Blank

“You sure?”

“Mmmhmm.”

He approached the door too soon, and his arm brushed against the indent of her waist. His brain screamed at him to drop everything, pin her to the wall, and strip off the towel.

He shut the door and let out a breath. Damn, he had it bad. Cranking the cold water, he stripped and then stepped under the spray. The floral scent of her shampoo lingered. It was the same scent she’d left on his sweatshirt.

Christ.

He snagged his hand around his neglected cock and stroked. It was a far cry from Serena’s hot, wet slit, but it’d have to suffice.

For now.

Serena finger-combed her hair back into a ponytail, secured it at the crown of her head, and then adjusted her seatbelt. Milo’s hand hung loosely on the steering wheel, and his body was settled back into the seat, leaning slightly toward her. A hint of cologne wafted to her nostrils, warming her blood. The presence and scent of him calmed her frayed nerves. She’d had the fastest shower of the century, even though she’d felt it was the absolute last thing she should be doing with her sister missing. But Milo had been right—she’d looked like a train wreck, and they didn’t need to draw attention to themselves.

Running into him in the bedroom had shaken her. He hadn’t even tried to hide the hungry fire that had exploded in his eyes. Or if he had, he’d failed miserably. A tickle of desire ran over her nipples in the vehicle’s chilly air. Dammit, she had to push her attraction to Milo from her mind. After this was all said and done, they could explore it. Maybe.

Big maybe.

The windshield wipers sliced through the rivulets of rain on the glass. She glanced at the clock on the dash of his car. It was after midnight. Normally she’d be cuddled up in bed at this time, but not a shred of fatigue weighed her down. Shit, she still hadn’t submitted the older couple’s listing contract, and she’d need to have someone take over the open house scheduled for tomorrow. She pulled her phone from her purse and typed an email to Melanie, giving a vague explanation of her emergency, and CC’d Carlee, her assistant, asking her to show the open house. She attached the paperwork she’d saved in her phone from that morning’s agreement and hit Send.

“What are you doing?”

She returned her phone to its pocket. “Just letting my boss know there’s been an emergency and I need someone to step in for me on a couple of things tomorrow.”

“Think she’ll understand?”

Serena nodded. “Without a doubt. Melanie’s very considerate, and I’ve yet to call in sick for anything in the two years I’ve been on her team. She’ll be worried I’m sure. But I don’t want to give her too many details in case she takes it upon herself to notify the police.”

Milo huffed. “Good call. That’s the last thing we need.”

Dani’s terror-filled face loomed in her mind’s eye, and tears burned behind her lids. With a background in self-defense, Dani could handle herself in almost any situation. Whoever had taken her had either rendered her defenseless by injuring her or vastly outnumbered her.

Serena sat forward. “That building on the left,” she said, and stretched her hand toward the window.

Milo slowed and pulled into the parking lot.

“I assume you have a key?”

“Of course.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out of the car. Milo had rounded the vehicle before she stepped onto the sidewalk. “I’d appreciate it if you’d stay close.” His wry tone made her roll her eyes. But the shrubs dotting the walkway to the front entrance swayed in the breeze, and she let her body gravitate closer to Milo’s. If he noticed her anxiety, he didn’t react.

The downpour had become a light drizzle. They reached the door, and she shook the key to Dani’s apartment loose from the others that hung on her key chain. She entered the building with Milo close behind her.

“She’s on the third floor,” she said, as she led him to a bank of elevators. Milo punched the button as she scanned the tattered gray carpet. Dani had been kidnapped—there had to be a clue, a witness . . . something.

The elevator dinged and they stepped inside. Again, she searched for an indication that Dani had been taken from her home.

“They wouldn’t be dumb enough to take her from her apartment. Do you know where she was when she texted you?”

God, if only she’d called Dani on her way home from Titus’s. Her gaze slid to Milo’s tall form. She hadn’t, because her mind had been too set on him. Dani would have picked up on her distraction, and she would have ended up talking about Milo when she hadn’t wanted to.

“No.” The elevator cart slowed and the doors opened. They stepped onto the third floor. She led the way down the hall and stopped when they reached Dani’s door. Milo’s hand slid around her waist, and he eased her against the wall.

“Give me the key.”

She held it out and he accepted it. His free hand moved behind his back and removed a gun from the waistband of his pants. The bottom of her stomach dropped out.