“Good morning,” she returned.

“I have to leave for a few hours,” he said, an apology in his voice. “There are things I need to take care of. I have a meeting with my attorney to sign several business documents. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Don’t put your life on hold for me,” she said firmly. “And don’t jeopardize your business by babysitting me twenty-four/seven.”

“Hate to break it to you, baby, but my life is already on hold for you.”

Even as she felt dismay over his statement, warmth spread through her veins at the conviction in his voice. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to daydream and ponder the what-ifs. She knew it was stupid—and dangerous—to pin her hopes on a normal life. Her life would never be normal. But it didn’t make her want it any less.

“I’ll work with the sketch artist while you’re gone,” Ramie said in a low voice.

It was ridiculous to fear putting his face down on paper, but it terrified her nonetheless.

Caleb squeezed her to him. “If you want to wait for me to get back I’ll stay with you while you talk to the sketch artist.”

She shook her head. “No. It needs to be done as soon as possible. It should have already been done. Perhaps if I hadn’t been so hysterical we could have saved his last victim.”

“Stop,” Caleb said in a terse voice. “Don’t go there again, Ramie. You are not to blame and I won’t have you thinking it much less saying it.”

No matter how convinced Caleb was, Ramie didn’t feel the same way. She hated being so powerless. She hated that she was helpless to do anything to prevent him from targeting his next victim. God only knew how many women he’d already killed.

But she fell silent, not wanting to argue with Caleb when he was so determined not to place blame on her.

Caleb gathered her up with his arm and leaned down to kiss her. “I’m going to go shower so I can get gone and back as soon as possible. Eliza and Dane will be with you until I return. You won’t have to worry about Tori or my brothers. Dane has been instructed to keep you away from them.”

She bit her lip to stanch her reaction to his words. He didn’t mean them to be hurtful, but how could they not be when the people most important to him wanted her gone and out of the way?

She brushed her mouth over his chest and hugged him tightly. “Hurry back,” she said. “I miss you already.”

It was the truth. Knowing he wouldn’t be here, protecting her, fueled her anxiety. But she had to keep it together so she could help put a psychopath behind bars.

She rolled away, taking the top sheet with her. As she stood, the sheet unfurled and she wrapped it loosely around her body, suddenly conscious of her nudity—and his. He pushed himself out of bed, and she saw his erection that had nothing to do with it being morning.

She clutched the folds of the material over her br**sts as he walked around the end of the bed to stand just in front of her. Then he reached forward, tugging at the sheet until finally she let go. It pooled at her feet and Caleb’s avid gaze burned a trail over her skin.

He cupped her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. His warmth was a shock against her chilled skin. His big hands roamed over her back and down to the curve of her behind, squeezing possessively.

“I thought you had to go,” she whispered.

“I do. But we both happen to need a shower, so why not kill two birds with one stone?”

She shivered delicately, her pulse bounding. His lips found hers in a heated rush. His hands tangled in her hair, tugging lightly so her chin was angled upward and her mouth fit perfectly to his.

He began backing them toward the bathroom, his lips never leaving hers. When they got inside, he fumbled for the light switch and then he lifted her, hoisting her up his body before placing her on the counter between the two sinks.

His c**k was rigid, straining upward toward his navel when he hurriedly turned on the shower. When he returned to her, his erection pressed hard against her belly as he gathered her in his arms once more.

She let out a sigh and let her head rest on his shoulder. He brushed his lips over her exposed neckline and then nibbled a path to her earlobe. Again she found herself lifted. She wrapped her legs around his waist to anchor herself more firmly. Holding her with one arm, Caleb stuck his free hand into the spray to test the temperature.

Evidently satisfied with the result, Caleb stepped into the shower and lowered Ramie to her feet. Even so, he still kept one arm firmly wrapped around her while reaching for the shampoo with his other hand.

He soaped her from head to toe, petting and caressing until she was nearly mindless with need. She was aroused to fever pitch, craving, wanting so badly. Steam rose, coating their skin with dewy moisture, and then he ducked her back under the spray to rinse her off.

Not five minutes later, Caleb tugged hard at the faucet to turn off the shower and then he was out of the stall in seconds, lifting her to the counter and fitting his erection between her thighs all in one smooth motion.

He plunged deep and hard. Ripple after ripple of raw pleasure consumed her. She threw back her head, bumping the mirror behind her. Her hair clung wetly to her body as she arched her br**sts forward for his mouth to find.

Her hands slapped the counter and her fingers curled around the edge to give her leverage as he continued to drive into her. And then with a muffled curse he swiftly withdrew, his face a wreath of strain. The veins at his temples were distended and he tugged in shaky breaths, his chest heaving with the effort.