Read Echo 8 for Free Online

against the cushions and waited for Carmichael to tell him what to do.
    *   *   *
    â€œRoss, wake up.”
    He sat straight up, reaching instinctively for his weapon. How could he have fallen asleep?
    Abby gripped his arms. “Easy,” she hissed.
    â€œIs she—?”
    â€œNo change. But she’s freezing me. I need a hot shower.” Abby’s icy fingers trembled on his arms, which was bizarre. All the windows were closed, and the apartment had heated up like a furnace. His back and neck were soaked with sweat.
    â€œOkay.” He nodded, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “What do you want me to do?”
    â€œGet in the bed with her until I warm up. Maybe let me get an hour’s sleep.”
    He stared at Abby.
    â€œI know it’s awkward. If you’re uncomfortable, maybe you could call Agent Perez—”
    â€œNo, I’ll do it,” he said, recovering from the initial shock of the idea. “It’s just … well, she wouldn’t like it.”
    The director gave him a tired smile. “It’ll be fine. If she wakes up and takes a swing at you I promise to intervene.”
    â€œIf she wakes up, she’s welcome to beat me bloody.”
    Abby squeezed his arm and started for the bathroom, hugging herself for warmth.
    He took a deep breath and turned his gaze on the woman in his bed. He removed his sweaty clothes and walked to the dresser, fishing out a clean T-shirt. As he settled the shirt over his shoulders, he remembered what the physician had said and pulled it off again.
    He prepared himself for the saunalike bed, but as he slipped between the sheets he found they were pleasantly cool. His foot brushed Tess’s leg and he swore. How could she be so cold and still alive? He gathered her against him—and felt like he’d plunged into frigid water. He drew her arm around his waist and hugged her head to his chest, as Abby had done. He wrapped one leg around both of hers.
    Despite the short, strappy nightgown Abby had slipped over Tess for the sake of modesty, and despite the curvy softness pressed close against his body, his gear retracted, confused by the temperature of the creature in his arms. But that didn’t last. The smell and feel of her invaded his senses, coaxing blood back into his extremities.
    â€œSorry, Doctor,” he mumbled.
    Her body gave a jerk—whether in response to his voice, he wasn’t sure—and she coughed.
    He eased her head back and looked at her. The lights were dimmed to the lowest setting, but bright moonlight shone through the west-facing windows, washing over the bed, and he could see her throat working.
    He moved closer, listening for her breathing.
    Her eyelids lifted and he froze.
    She stared at him without blinking, her body resting limp in his arms. Her green eyes shone like glass, or the surface of a lake.
    Oh God.
    â€œDoctor?” He rubbed his hand up and down her arm, then over her back.
    Still she didn’t move.
    His jaw clenched and he swallowed. His arms clutched convulsively.
    He felt her hand twitch at his waist, and he drew a sharp breath as it slid slowly up his ribs. Her fingers continued to glide up to his neck, raising chill bumps on his skin, and finally threaded into his hair.
    Her eyelids fluttered closed as her fingers pressed the back of his head. He shivered and let her guide him. Their lips met, and a soft moan sounded in her throat.
    This was not what he’d been afraid of when Abby asked him to crawl into bed with Tess. It had been the furthest possibility from his mind.
    It was the very last thing he should be doing.
    But here she was lying against him, awake and responding to his proximity, as he had responded to hers. The woman was aggravating without a doubt, but she was also interesting and sexy. And he was no more or less than a man.
    He kept as still as he could, unsure whether she was awake—not wanting to wake her by trying to