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alarm?
    “ Um, thanks,” she murmured.
    She followed his lanky frame towards a room down the hall.
Everything inside her was on fire. His broad, strong shoulders and
amazing eyes did incredible things to her. She suddenly found it
difficult to breathe, or to stand.
    He’s just a guy, Chelsea. You’ve been alone too
long.
    Still, try as she might, she couldn’t ignore whatever this
feeling was. Emotions she couldn’t recall ever experiencing before
flurried inside her like a swarm of tiny butterflies. The
confidence oozing from him rendered her incapable of rational
thought.
    Totally amazed by the impact she was having on every one of
his senses, Lucas attempted desperately to get himself back under
control. She’s just another beautiful girl. He saw them every day. But, he
couldn’t bury his urgent need to protect her, which was the totally
opposite reaction to what usually occurred when he saw a pretty
face.
    As they walked into the interview room, his hand shook as he
gestured for her to take a seat. Lucas took out a pen clumsily,
placed a notepad on the table and sat opposite her.
    “ What’s your friend’s name?”
    “ Elle Sheridan.”
    “ Elle?”
    “ Elle.”
    This was stupid. Get a hold of yourself.
    “ When did you last see Elle?”
    “ Friday night, about six, a—“
    “ You’re only reporting it now?” He cut her off with a gruff
tone, overcompensating for what he would really have liked to have
said to her.
    Lucas observed her jolt back as though she’d been struck,
before a frost entered her expression.
    “ As I was about to say,” she replied with a definite briskness
after composing herself, “I saw her last Friday night, about six,
as I was leaving to go to my parents’ house for the weekend. I
didn’t return until Monday night and I wasn’t sure if she was home.
It was late and her bedroom door was closed. She usually leaves a
light on for me, so I did wonder if she was home or not, as the
house was dark.”
    “ You didn’t talk to her over the weekend, while you were
away?” Chelsea noted his tone was still brusque and his eyes had
darkened by several shades.
    “ No I didn’t. We don’t check up on each other,” she replied in
the same cool tone.
    “ So you don’t know how long she’s been missing?”
    “ No, I don’t. When I got home Monday night, I wasn’t sure if
she was home and even if she wasn’t, I didn’t find it too unusual.
Elle often stays away overnight. The only thing that was strange
was that her car was there, but I thought she must have got a lift
with somebody else.”
    “ You didn’t think it was strange she could’ve been gone for
two days?”
    “ Not at first, but when I found she wasn’t home this morning,
I was concerned, which is why I’m here now. I called her phone last
night and this was when I found her handbag in her room. I was
going to report it then but, like I said, it has happened
before.”
    Lucas stiffened as a chill tickled its way up his spine. This
was beginning to sound familiar.
    “ What does she look like?”
    “ She’s tall and blonde, with blue eyes.”
    He breathed out with relief. Wrong description but still it
didn’t pay to discount her completely.
    The relief broke his concentration. Is that her that smells so
good? What do I need to ask her? I can’t think straight. Snap out
of it, Hudson.
    “ I’ll log the details into missing persons and they’ll
investigate this further.” He had to move her out as quick as
possible before he felt tempted to touch her.
    “ Is that it?” she said. Her small full lips pursed, sending
Lucas’ heart into a flurry.
    God she’s incredible. Lucas steadied himself. “Yes, that’s all we can do
for now. In the meantime, contact everyone she knows. She could be
staying with someone and have forgotten to phone.”
    A delicate dark eyebrow arched and a slight smile touched her
lips. “Without her bag and purse, Detective?”
    Lucas frowned and internally kicked