Page 106 of Unseen Danger
Branson’s tall height meant her gaze hit chest level first. A very broad, very muscular, bare chest. Yeah, Hercules was a better description than she’d thought. From the sculpted display in front of her eyes, she’d say he outclassed Thor, too.
“Nevaeh? Is something wrong?” Branson’s voice, deeper and rougher than normal, sent a thrill tumbling through her belly. Or maybe it wasn’t his voice.
She dragged her gaze from his chest and climbed the long trek to his face.
His blue eyes blinked, worry pinching his mouth.
She cleared her throat. “Sort of.” Her gaze bounced to his chest again before she meant to let it.
“Sorry. Hang on a second.” He pulled away, shutting the door.
As if he needed to apologize for that jaw-dropping sight.
The doorknob rattled within seconds, and the door opened to reveal a fully clothed Branson.
Disappointment cooled the heat tumbling through her. Though she couldn’t help noticing how the gray T-shirt he’d pulled on skimmed closely across his muscular torso.
The note, girl. The reminder moved her hand to her jacket pocket where she’d stuffed the paper. “I found this on my rounds.”
She handed it to him.
His large fingers brushed hers, shooting a shiver up her arm.
She swallowed as he read the note, her gaze moving over his handsome features, the strong brow wrinkled with concentration.
Good grief, she was sounding like a girl in a romance novel.
She mentally shook off the nonsense and straightened.
A small squeak pulled her gaze to the floor. The tiny white cat rubbed against Branson’s leg, his massive foot bare beneath loose-fitting pants.
Branson scooped up Princess with one thick arm and held her against his chest. “When did you find this?” His eyes were darkened and his features pinched as he looked up from the note.
But Nevaeh had to fight to keep a smile off her face at the sight of the little puffball in Hercules’ arm, nuzzling his chest and climbing up to his neck. The twitch of her mouth told her she was failing to hide her amusement. She tried for a serious tone. “Um, five minutes ago. It was folded and sitting on top of the patio table by the pool.”
“Had you been back there earlier tonight?”
“No, that was the first time tonight. Jazz told me on coms she had been there and hadn’t seen it. But she also said she didn’t walk through the patio furniture in the alcove. I don’t know why I did. We usually just go past, because the dogs will tell us if someone’s hiding anywhere back there.”
Branson nodded. “I’ll change and talk to Travis. He may have seen something on the monitors, someone going back there. We could have a security breech on the grounds. Maybe a break in the fence again.”
“That couldn’t have happened tonight.” Nevaeh shook her head. “Nobody would get past Alvarez and Flash, and we didn’t see any holes in the fence on patrol.”
Princess rubbed her mini head against Branson’s chin, nuzzling him while her little paws dangled over his big hand.
A chuckle pushed up Nevaeh’s throat and fell out.
Branson lifted his eyebrows, looking at her over the cat as if completely unaware of the incongruous, totally adorable picture he and his furry friend made.
“Okay, you have to tell me how you got that cat.”
“Princess?” He looked down at the feline who was only the size of a small kitten. Some of the tension on his face lessened as his lips shaped into a smile.
“Yeah, you can’t tell me you decided to get a cat one day and went to a shelter and picked her out.”
“Why not?”
She paused, not sure how to answer the seemingly serious question. Then she caught the twinkle in his blue eyes.