“Sneaky.” She had to give him credit. “You lulled me into a false sense of security. Didn’t ask me last night.”
“You were weak last night. You needed rest.”
“Am I not weak now?” She still felt less than top notch. Not the best situation given the items on her to-do list for the day.
“You kept down the food. If I give you much more time, you’ll probably figure out a way to try and ditch me as you go after the perp on your own.”
She mulled over his words. “You’re not wrong.”
“I know.”
Time for her to ask more questions. “How did your meeting go with that terrible shrink yesterday?”
His head jerked. “How’d you know about that?”
She simply stared back at him.
“Or did you not know, until I just confirmed it for you?” Suspicion swept over his face.
She had known, and how she had known—that hardly required any brilliant deductive strength. “You called Reese to get the address. Did you think he wouldn’t tell me?” Before Joel could reply, she hurried to say, “In the interest of being fully honest…” She was trying. Did he see that? “I anticipated that you would go to the shrink. You’d just found out what your attacker intended to do to you. Dr. Gordon Jennings warned you that it was possible you’d become a threat to those around you.”
“Oh, he didn’t think it was just possible. Back in Dallas, he pretty much figured it was a done deal.”
“Because he’s a prat.”
“What?”
The British version fit him better but… “He’s a fool. You can’t go by what he says. I wouldn’t trust his psychiatric input for even a moment.”
Joel scraped his hand over the edge of his jaw. The stubble had thickened on him. Normally, Joel shaved promptly each morning. But…she rather liked the stubble on him. It gave him a rough, sexy look.
Though she honestly always found him to be sexy.
“I don’t want him to be right,” Joel muttered.
“Then don’t let him be.” Simple enough. She pushed against the tray. “I need to shower. I have to go and talk to Ruben and figure out—”
“No.”
“I’m sorry.” Her head cocked and her hair slid over her shoulder. “It sounded as if you told me no.”
“I did.”
“I don’t do so well with being told what to do.” He should have realized that about her by this point in their partnership. “I tend to prefer doing whatever I want, when I want it.”
“Before we go anywhere, I’d like to know more about what happened in the chapel, Chloe.” He rose. Moved the tray. Then sat down on the bed and put his hands on either side of her body, caging her. “I know that you held back with Cedric. I want to know what you held back.”
“Are we to have no secrets between us? Is that what you want?” She needed to understand what the rules were going to be for them. How could she follow the rules if she didn’t know them?
“Uh, yeah, no secrets. None. That’s what I’ve been after the whole time.”
She wanted to touch him. Instead, her hands fisted. “I thought about telling you the truth so many times. But I didn’t want to hurt you.” Then he had learned the truth, and the pain had been just as strong as she anticipated. “And you walked away.”
“Chloe…”
“When we first became personally involved, do you remember our deal?”
His gaze held hers. “Yes.”
She waited for him to say more.
Joel growled, “The sex didn’t touch the partnership.”
She nodded. Felt the dull throbbing at the base of her skull kick up a little. But Chloe kept her expression smooth. If Joel thought she was in pain, he would be even more difficult when it came to instituting the plans she had for the day. “Working as my partner was supposed to be completely unrelated to anything physical that happened between us.”
“That was the rule. You do like rules.” He leaned a little closer. “But, sweetheart, that rule was put out before I fell in love with you.”
“Feelings can change. Perhaps…” Chloe wet her lips. “Perhaps it would be wise to re-evaluate our relationship. Take a pause. Go back to just being partners—”
His gaze burned.
A light knock rapped against the bedroom door. “Wake up, sleepyhead!” Reese announced cheerfully. The door swung open. The hinges creaked once more. He beamed at her. “You’re awake! How’s the head? Still as—”
“Not now, Reese,” Joel barked.
Alarm flared on Reese’s face. “Why? Is something wrong?” Instead of leaving, Reese bounded forward. “Chloe, are you okay?” He slid onto the bed, too. “Do I need to rush you to a hospital? Are you about to pass out? Do you need—”
“I have a fucking MD,” Joel reminded him. “I can take care of her.” His jaw hardened. “I am taking care of her.”
“He cooked,” Chloe explained. She motioned to the tray. Reese was always extra hungry in the morning, and, fearing that he might go after her leftovers, she warned, “Stay away from the beignets. They do not taste the way one would hope.”
“That would explain the burning smell that filled the kitchen.” Reese remained focused on her. “What can I do for you?”
“Pack your bags,” she reminded him. How many times would she need to say it? “You and Marie should be gone by noon.”
“That’s not happening.”
He was being stubborn. Chloe didn’t want him to—
“Reese, get your ass off the bed!” Joel demanded, sounding seriously done. “Get out of the bedroom. Shut the damn door behind you.”
Reese’s nose wrinkled. “Someone woke up pissy.”
In that, Chloe was in agreement. Joel seemed extra upset.
“Your sister is trying to break up with me,” Joel fired back. “So, yes, that shit makes me pissy.” His eyes were still on Chloe. And burning ever hotter with dark flames.
“Oh.” Reese whistled. “Oh,” he said again. He rose and stood rather awkwardly near the side of the bed. Then he patted Joel on the shoulder. “You’ll…find someone else. Buck up. Other fish in the sea and all of that.”
Chloe’s lips pressed together.
Joel’s head turned slowly toward Reese. “Get the fuck out.”
Reese winced. “Some people don’t take break ups well. You seem to be one of those people.”
“We aren’t breaking up.” Each word fell with the impact of a hammer. “Chloe is trying to put up a wall. It’s not happening. Now for about the tenth time, get the hell out so I can talk privately with Chloe.”
But Reese lingered. “She has a concussion. I don’t think you should be stressing her out when she’s not feeling well. How about you get the hell out? Especially if she wants to break up with—”
Joel lunged off the bed. Stood toe-to-toe with Reese. “I’ve put up with your shit.”
“I don’t think I ever really liked you,” Reese returned as he squared his shoulders. “But I put on a polite veneer, for Chloe’s sake.”