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  Nodding, she tried to turn away, but he held her. “About us.”

  “Jason—”

  “You stayed in Santa Rey when you could have left and gotten the life you wanted for yourself. That’s admirable.”

  “I stayed because my sister needed me. We’ve been over this. You’d have done the same.”

  “Maybe. My family means everything to me, so yeah, probably. But, Lizzy, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that at some point, you have to think of yourself.”

  The words, softly spoken and utterly from the heart, further compromised her calm. “I think of myself plenty. Hello, medical school in the fall.”

  “Before that. In the here and now. What do you do for yourself that makes you happy?”

  Kissing you… “Okay, so I’ve been busy. Look, you’re one to talk. You don’t do anything for yourself, either.”

  “I’m on leave. I plan on doing plenty for myself.”

  The look accompanying that sentence singed her nerve endings and had her nipples hardening. “I’m not having this conversation,” she said.

  “Just one more thing then.”

  “No.”

  He slid a hand up her back, gently curving his fingers around the nape of her neck to tilt her head to his. “I like that you were stubborn enough to make your love of medicine work for you, even when becoming a doctor didn’t work out back then. Now make something else work for you, as well. Something besides work.”

  “And I suppose by something, you mean you.”

  A ghost of a smile curved his mouth. “Well, I am standing right here.”

  “And leaving, soon enough.”

  His eyes never left hers. “Yeah. But what if I wasn’t?”

  She stared at him, her heart kicking hard. “Then I am. Leaving. Besides, you’re not looking for a relationship.”

  “I wasn’t, no. Things change. Life’s too short.”

  Her heart skipped an entire beat. “We’d drive each other insane within a few dates, Jason.”

  “Chicken.”

  Lizzy let out a breath and went into the bathroom. Locking the door, she thunked her head against it. Lord, was she out of her element when it came to him. Pushing away from the door, she turned on the shower. There was no hot water, but even a cold one had to help.

  THE BATHROOM LOCK CLICKED loud into the silence, the message clear to Jason.

  Do.

  Not.

  Disturb.

  Got it. He collapsed in exhaustion on the couch and leaned his head back, letting his eyes close for a moment as he heard the shower go on in the bathroom.

  Without electricity, that was going to be one hell of a cold shower, but hey, if that’s what she wanted to do rather than face him, fine. At least out here he could have some peace and quiet.

  Hell.

  He didn’t want peace and quiet. He wanted to be in that shower with Lizzy.

  Stripping her, soaping her, touching her. Tasting her.

  He opened his eyes at the odd sound, an unmistakable click of steel, a sound that reminded him of—

  “Don’t move,” a man said softly, moving around to the front of the couch, holding a gun pointed at Jason’s chest. “Don’t move and I’ll let you live.”

  15

  THE COLD SHOWER didn’t help. Getting out, Lizzy wrapped herself in a towel, and then froze at the sound of voices out in the living room. Her heart surged in her chest and she lunged for the door, because the only person she could think of who’d come here was Cece.

  Please, God, let it be Cece.

  She ran into the living room, tucking her towel between her breasts, dripping water everywhere, and skidded to a shocked halt at the sight that greeted her.

  Jason on the couch, his hands up behind his head, wrists in handcuffs, which were locked around the wood beam that the couch backed up to, the one that bisected her small living room.

  More shocking—standing in front of him was Mike, her neighbor.

  Holding a gun.

  “Mike!” she cried in shock. “What are you doing?”

  Mike was fiftysomething, tall, reed thin, and an ex-cop. He’d been shot while on duty last year and medically discharged. His head whipped toward Lizzy, his eyes widening at the sight of her standing there in nothing but a towel. “Lizzy.” He gulped, then quickly looked away. “I caught this guy trying to loot you.”

  “I wasn’t—” Jason broke off when Mike waved the gun at him.

  “You shut up.” Mike was a good guy who’d been through some bad stuff, including coming back after being evacuated during the big fires to find his house had been robbed.

  “Jason isn’t a looter, Mike, he’s…” She broke off and looked at Jason.

  At her hesitation, Jason slid his eyes in her direction and arched an eyebrow.

  Considering that the guy had a gun on him, he should be terrified. But he looked more annoyed than afraid, especially at her pause. “A friend,” she said, not looking at him again. “He’s a friend.”

  Jason snorted.

  Mike frowned and took another peek at Lizzy, specifically her tiny towel barely covering her wet body, and gulped again. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she said firmly, ignoring Jason’s sardonic gaze. “Very sure. Please put the gun down.”

  Mike lowered the gun and rubbed his jaw. “Sorry,” he said to Jason. “But we’ve been robbed blind before.” He turned back to Lizzy, still clearly willing to kick some ass. “I’ve been checking for Cece, but haven’t seen her. The cell service was so spotty, I couldn’t call you.” He stuck the gun in the waistband of his jeans. “Sorry again,” he said in Jason’s direction, and moved to the door.

  “Mike? The key?”

  “Oh. Right.” Mike shoved a hand into his pocket and fished out the cuff key, tossing it to her.

  Lizzy shut the front door behind him, then leaned against it and looked at Jason.

  Stretched out and cuffed, the muscles in his biceps and chest stood out in bold relief. His hands held on to the beam, wrists bound, and she had one clear thought.

  Sweet mother of God.

  He was still wet, still big and bad, and if she wasn’t mistaken, also fairly pissed off.

  And sexy. God, so sexy.

  “You going to bring that key over here?” he asked silkily. “Or stare at me all day?”

  LIZZY APPROACHED JASON wearing only the towel and a matching blush. “I’m sorry.”

  He lifted a shoulder and watched her, hoping her towel would do him a favor and slip. It was the least she could do. “I have no problem with the cuff. I just prefer to be the one doing the cuffing.”

  She blushed deeper. Her knees bumped his as she fumbled with the key while trying to keep her towel from falling off. “I’m so sorry. I’m trying to free you. Hold still.”

  “Back in high school you once told me to let someone else make the first move.” He jerked his hands and the cuffs clinked noisily, reminding them both that he couldn’t make any move at all. “Maybe this is one of those times.”

  She went still. “This woman already made her move. She told herself no more.”

  “Because you’re afraid.”

  “No. Not afraid. Wary.”

  His eyes softened. “I’d never hurt you, Lizzy.”

  “I know that.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes.” She had to kneel on the couch to reach his hands. Plus, she had to lean over him. Two things that worked in his favor, especially considering that the towel—the only thing covering her—got caught beneath her knees and very nearly slipped.

  Unfortunately, she stopped and tugged it back into place, securing it by once again tucking the ends between her breasts. She reached for the cuffs. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m not shot,” he said. “So, yeah.”

  “He wouldn’t have shot you.” She grimaced. “Probably. Look, I really am sorry. If I’d known what was happening, I’d have—”

  “What? Come running out here completely