Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

Katarina accepted the laptop and took a seat in the camping chair. “I can tell you a few things,” she said. “This is a new computer, as in purchased within the past few weeks...or maybe even days.”

“What else?” asked Luis.

Katarina drew her eyebrows together and tapped on the keyboard. “Nobody has used this machine to sign on to any email address. There haven’t been any texts sent or received, either.”

“Which means that this user was cautious about leaving any trace—electronic or physical,” said Luis.

“There’s more that I can look into,” said Katarina. “But not here. If we’re lucky, I’ll be able to find out where and when this computer was purchased. That could lead us to a credit card receipt or at least video footage from the store.”

Julia nodded, but she really wasn’t listening. Her gaze was drawn to the counter and the line of soda cans. “The person might’ve been careful with their fingerprints. In the end, they were sloppy.”

“What do you mean?” Luis asked.

Julia lifted a can from the counter. “There might not be fingerprints on the can,” she said. “But there’s DNA inside.”

* * *

Calls had been made and despite the late hour, Chloe Ryder was able to secure a lab in Laramie to run the DNA tests, provided that the cans and wrappers be delivered overnight. Travis Cooper had volunteered to serve as courier.

By the time all the soda cans had been tagged and bagged and were ready for transport, it was well past midnight. Julia’s body was sore, yet through it all Luis had remained by her side.

“Ready to go?” he asked as she engaged the lock to her office.

“Sure,” she said, walking down the main staircase. A night guard was on duty and opened the front door as they approached. True, Julia was ready to go home. But where? Back to Luis’s apartment or to her own house?

In the end, she decided to go back to his place. It was closer—only a few blocks of walking, versus getting to her house, which would have also meant driving her truck. Besides, Julia didn’t relish the idea of being alone while Robert Carpenter was still at large. They walked without speaking until the door to Luis’s apartment was open.

Jinxy ran up to the couple, purring loudly.

“Did you miss me?” Julia asked, scooping the cat from the floor.

“She’s hungry,” said Luis, so he filled the cat’s dish with food.

After brushing her cheek against Julia’s, the cat jumped down and sauntered to the food dish. Luis dropped to the sofa and kicked off his shoes. He laid back, his feet hanging over the edge. After pulling a discarded blanket over his torso, he said, “This has been a long day.”

Julia was tired, too. She dropped onto a cushion next to him. Still, she felt as if something needed to be said. “I did something last night and I need you to know.”

“Oh?” Luis sat up.

“I called your sister, Francesca.”

“Oh.” His voice dropped an octave. “Why’d you do that?”

It was as if her mind had been filled with cotton, and she couldn’t form a sentence. Placing her head on Luis’s shoulder, she said, “It’s simple. I want you to be happy. I probably shouldn’t have interfered, but I wanted her to know that you’re a good guy.”

“What’d she say?”

“She told you to be safe.”

“But she’s not ready to forgive me.”

Julia shook her head. “Not yet.”

Luis placed his lips on her temple. “Thanks for trying for me.”

Julia fought to keep her eyes open, but in the end she decided to let them close...just for a moment.

The next thing she knew, she was being cradled in strong arms and carried. It was Luis.

“Sorry,” she said as he placed her on his bed. “I must’ve dozed off.”

“We both did,” he replied. “It’s after two o’clock in the morning.”

The curtains to the window that overlooked the street were open. Light stretched out onto the floor. After pulling the drapes closed, Luis stood in the shadow...dark and dangerous.

“I’ll let you get back to sleep,” he said. His words, deep and seductive, wound around Julia, finding their way to her heart.

She watched him retreat and recalled the feeling of his lips on hers. And how she clung to his broad shoulders as she came in the darkness. Her inner muscles tightened at the memory.

But there had been more to those frantic moments beyond eroticism. She had felt something, an emotion—it was more than tenderness. She had been one with Luis—body, mind and soul.

“Stay,” she said as his shadow reached the door. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“I shouldn’t.” Even though she could only see his form, she knew that he had turned to face her.

Rising from the bed, Julia padded softly across the floor. She wound her arms around Luis’s neck and drew him to her. He resisted a bit, then leaned into her, pressing his chest into her breasts. She placed her mouth on his.

Running his fingers through her hair, he pulled her head back, leaving her throat exposed. He placed hot kisses down her neck, to her shoulder and lower still, to her breasts. A fire of passion sprang to life inside of Julia, threatening to consume her with the flames...leaving nothing but dust and ash.

He moved his hand to her torso, and she reached for his shirt. What she wanted—no, needed—was to feel Luis’s skin next to hers.

She pulled his shirt over his head and moved her mouth to his abdomen. She traced the outline of his muscles with her tongue, tasting the salt of his skin. And then she kissed lower, stopping at the top of his waistband.

He was hard and strained against the fabric of his jeans. She unfastened the top button before pulling the fly free. Julia had no idea what would happen in the morning, much less in the weeks and months to come. But as long as she had this night, she’d make it