Page 16 of Hidden Resolution

“When I was first hired on, I dated one of my colleagues. I didn’t know he’d been gunning for my position, and he was furious I was promoted over him.”

“Dated? As in slept with?” Mason asked.

“Yes.” A rush of warmth infused her face. Discussing an old boyfriend with a new lover was always awkward as fuck, and normally, she’d avoid it.

Ducking her head, she busied herself with finding the restaurant’s number.

“That’s not the whole story,” Mason stated flatly.

He shifted closer, and she could practically feel the tension rolling off him.

“Shonda, look at me.”

The command, issued in his deep, no-nonsense voice, left no room for refusal. Like a marionette, she jerked to attention and pivoted until they were face-to-face.

“What’s his name?” he demanded.

“What does it matter? It was years ago.”

“I intend to have a friend check his whereabouts. Let’s make sure he’s somewhere other than St. Thomas.”

What she’d taken for arrogance was Mason’s way of keeping her safe. Despite how domineering his request came across, she couldn’t fault him for it.

“Do you honestly believe a guy I slept with once, three years ago, tracked me down and broke into my hotel room?” she asked skeptically. “For what purpose? Nothing was taken, remember?”

“His name. Now.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” And what made her so reluctant to tell him Samuel’s name?

A chill settled in his eyes, and he stepped back. “My mistake. I assumed you wanted to get to the bottom of this.”

“No.Youwant to get to the bottom of something, which may or may not be a simple break-in. You’re chasing shadows, andbefore this is through, you’ll have me paranoid of all my co-workers over a random incident.”

As he studied her, he seemed to weigh her response. Coming to a decision, he relaxed and cracked a wry smile. “All right. Fair enough. We can shelve the discussion for the time being. Please order our pizza.”

His mood shifts were dizzying. One second, he was an icy detective determined to ferret out all her secrets, and the next, a charming rogue willing to enjoy her company. But she’d be damned if she could tell him to get lost. Whatever magic he possessed drew her in until she didn’t know up from down. Perhaps after a couple of nights, once he was out of her system, she’d be able to think clearly again. As it stood, she spent ninety percent of her time breathless and off-balance.

“Rise and shine,” Shonda called, sailing into the room with two cups of coffee. “Oh, I see you’ve already done that.”

Mason chuckled at her bawdy humor and the way her eyes locked on his morning wood.

“What’s on the agenda today?” he asked innocently.

“Uh…” Her focus refused to shift from his half-naked form, and he struggled not to laugh.

“Shonda.” When her gaze inched above his waist to meet his, he grinned. “Put the coffee down and come here.”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t waste a beat. She set the cup carrier aside and stripped on the way to bed. As she climbed on board the sex train, he had to admit to appreciating a woman with her level of enthusiasm.

Later, barely covered by tangled sheets, with lukewarm lattes in hand, Mason released a sigh of contentment. Did life getbetter than a moment like this? A flavorful mocha, a beautiful blonde tucked against his side, and insanely hot sex in paradise made it hard to imagine.

“Beach, snorkeling, or hiking,” she said out of the blue.

“What?”

“Earlier, you asked what was on the agenda. I’m offering suggestions. Granted, we’ve done all of those this week, but we can head to the other side of the island.”

“Hm. Well, I’d say beach, but I don’t know if I’ve got the energy to fend off the island’s male population. They’re relentless.”