Away From Him by Kate Bold

Author:Kate Bold [Bold, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Nina took a deep breath. There was a look in Daniel’s eyes that told her this question was more loaded than the simple, time-saving convenience of spending a night at a colleague’s place.

It wasn’t romantic. Not yet. But it was an invitation to get closer. And of course, given all of that, the correct response would be a firm and immediate no thank you.

Surely it was wiser that way?

Or maybe not?

She had to admit that since the last case, she'd missed Daniel and been hurt and confused that he'd stayed firmly away. It had felt wrong, as if a presence that should have been in her life, was missing.

And yes, she was physically attracted to him in so many ways. From the deep, sure timbre of his voice, to the shape of his hands and the capable way he moved. To the glint in his brown eyes, flecked with green, and the quirky way he smiled that twisted at her heart, as if her body knew things she didn’t.

Absolutely no way, Nina told herself, was she going to allow any physical closeness. She was not going to tread into that minefield. Ever.

But – well, before and after the coma, it was very clear she was a hopeless cook. Standing in her kitchen on the first day home and staring around, it had felt like a foreign, alien place. If Elaine hadn’t brought Chinese takeaways that night, she would have gone to bed starving.

And Daniel could cook well. He’d made soup for them on the last case. It had felt comforting, and energizing, to sit in the kitchen with him and chat.

“Yes,” she said, and the answer surprised herself. The flare of relief in his eyes was noticeable.

“You got everything you need?” he asked.

"Yup. The essentials are always in my laptop bag," she said. That had been emphasized in her training refresher course, although she'd also known it instinctively from before. Agents never knew when they'd be spending a night away from home. Cases could land at any time. Nina always kept her toothbrush, toiletries, and a couple of spare items of clothing neatly packed in her bag. That way, she didn't have to worry.

There were, of course, other things to worry about now that Daniel was on the road and heading to his apartment.

But Nina put them firmly out of her mind.

Instead, as Daniel sped toward home, she allowed herself to tune into the killer’s mind for a while. Since they’d had a frustrating day on the case, with some progress made but no resolution in sight, she urgently needed to delve deeper into this man’s possible mindset and motives.

The women had been vaguely similar. That, now, occurred to her as they drove. Both had been attractive, dark haired, slender. Did that mean he was seeking out that type? Did those looks remind him of somebody?

Was he trying to figuratively punish somebody who had been a negative influence in his life? Could a cold, uncaring mother figure now be the reason he was ‘freezing’ other women?

Nina thought it might be more complex than that.

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