“Good morning.”

She stayed quiet. Because she was mad about being locked in the room or because he took her breath away, she wasn’t sure.

“This no talking thing could work to my advantage.” He stepped closer.

To her nakedness. Did he know she wasn’t wearing anything underneath the sheets? And oh geez, what did her hair look like? Going to sleep with it wet surely meant she had a rat’s nest thing going on.

When he got to the edge of the bed, she watched him venture a peek toward the bathroom. Her eyes followed his and there in plain view were the blue dress and black lace undergarments on the floor.

She pulled the sheets tighter against her. “What time is it?” Talking might get her mind off her birthday suit.

“She speaks.” His eyes held hers with the same mixture of heat and desire she’d noticed last night. “It’s eleven.”

“Eleven? Holy shit. I never sleep this late.” And note to self: Don’t look into his eyes anymore.

He smiled. “Guess you needed it.”

“More like the lack of window space kept the room dark. You’ve got some nerve, you know that?” She ran a hand through her hair to feel what it looked like. Not too bad.

“Do you blame me?”

Admitting she didn’t would not work in keeping him at bay, so she lied. “Yes. I do.” She frowned for further effect.

He dropped something on the bed. “Well, maybe this will make up for it. Clean clothes. And your phone.”

Relief and forgiveness overcame her. Wait. Her phone? “You went through my purse?” It would’ve been a lot better if he’d plopped her bag on the bed, but he was only acting the same way she would have.

“Again, I don’t think you’re surprised. You’ve got some major arsenal in there. It could’ve come in handy with the Banoth. And your driver’s license picture doesn’t do you justice.”

He looked less and less sexy by the minute. “You looked through my wallet? Who the hell do you think—”

“I think I needed to confirm you are who you say you are. Tess Elizabeth Damon.” A grin that would have made her fling the sheets to the side and shout “take me” had she not been so pissed at him for snooping flanked his handsome—no, not handsome!—face.

“I’m a P.I.E. eliminator. What makes you think that license is real? I could be Tess one day and Betty the next.” Tess Damon was her real name, but if anyone looked her up, they’d learn only what P.I.E. wanted them to.

Hugh continued to grin. “You don’t look like a Betty.”

“Screw you.”

“I thought we’d been over that, but I’m willing to revisit it if you—”

“I want you the hell out of this room and away from me.” Her blood boiled. Hugh Langston was goddamn annoying.

He took two steps back. “My pleasure. I’ll get a lot more done without—”

“Wait!” She hated the tone of desperation in her voice. “Toss me my phone, would you?”

She caught it and checked for any sort of bugging device. It was clean. “Thanks. I’m going to call my roommates to let them know I’m okay. Otherwise, there could be trouble. I’m also going to tell them I’ve started my next assignment so I won’t be around.”

“They know you’re Apple Pie?”

The way he threw out the words “apple pie” melted some of her anger. He might not have meant it to, but it sure sounded like a term of endearment coming from his lips. No one had ever called her by a nickname.

She’d come this far with him, so she may as well go the whole way. “I’ll be talking to Peach and Cherry.” The corners of her mouth lifted without permission. It sounded funny. And felt funnier.

It also convinced her she’d lost every one of her brain cells where he was concerned. It took him all of two seconds to get information out of her. He was like truth serum and she liked the way it tasted. Liked feeling a little less alone and like she had someone to confide in.

Hugh looked genuinely taken aback. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s part of this trust thing we’ve got going on.” So keep the door unlocked, please.

He ignored her subtle attempt to get him to reciprocate. “If the clothes don’t fit, let me know and I’ll have Blanche go back out for something else.”

“Blanche went shopping for me? Is she here right now?”

“She’s gone.” He moved toward the door. “I’m pretty good at sizing up people so the clothes should work. I took you for a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl after the way you squirmed in that dress last night.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She hoped she sounded as cantankerous as she felt.

“It means you looked damn hot in it, but probably borrowed it from either Peach or Cherry.”

He thought she looked hot? And how the hell did he know her so well? Her entire body shook at the notion of someone knowing her better than she was comfortable with. Hugh rocked her world on so many levels that she lost her voice.

“You’ve decided to stop talking again?”

She hoped her jaw hadn’t dropped before she finally mustered, “Sorry, um, what was the question? Oh wait, I remember. Yes, I borrowed the dress, smarty-pants. Now get out so I can get dressed.”

Surprisingly, he turned and left without a word. Huh. No comment on the smarty-pants could only mean one thing. He’d allowed her the last word.

Didn’t that just suck?

She dialed home. Kensie picked up on the second ring. “It’s about time you called,” she said without a hello. “We were about ready to come looking for you. If we didn’t know Trey was a good bloke we would’ve been worried to death by now. Not that you can’t take care of yourself. It’s just we’ve been talking nonstop about your date and hypothesizing up the wazoo about what’s going on. So tell me already! What’s going on? I knew you’d like Trey. He’s ace. Are you at his place right now? When—”

“Kensie,” she interrupted, “slow down, would you?” If she didn’t interject, Kensie would go right on talking, having a conversation all on her own and deciding on facts that suited her.

“Sorry. It’s just I reckon you’ve had a ripper time and I’m so happy for you. I’m assuming the frangers came in handy?”

Oh my god! Oh no, no, no, no. The condoms. Hugh had seen the condoms. She wanted to bury her head under the covers and never come out. Did he think she’d meant to use them last night with her blind date? Her armpits grew wet, her skin heated. Despite the fact she was alone, embarrassment like being on stage and forgetting what to say gripped her.

“Tess, you still there?”

Kensie’s voice shook her back to the conversation. “I’m still here, Kens. Listen, I don’t have a lot of time to talk. I actually called to tell you I’ve started my next assignment so I’ll be gone for the next few days. If Christian asks, let him know, would you?”

“Not so fast girlie. How was the date?”

Dammit. She wasn’t getting off the hook. “It was great.”

“Oh, I’m so glad. I knew the two of you would get along. I want all the details when you get home.”

“How much does Francesca owe you?” Tess knew they’d wagered on her date. She’d overheard them talking while getting ready. Kensie was the romantic and Francesca the cynic.

Kensie laughed. “Fifty bucks. You don’t mind if I tell her what a good time you had, do you?”

“Not at all. In fact, tell her it was one of the best nights of my life.” Because it was.

“Aww. Good luck with the new job. Keep us posted.”

“I will.” She reached for the clothes at the end of the bed. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

The soft jeans fit like a glove and the trendy T-shirt was as comfortable as her favorites tucked in her drawer at home. She owed Blanche a thank you. Hugh too. Depending on her mood when she saw him. And depending on breakfast. She thought she smelled bacon. Bacon definitely warranted a thank you.

With the blue dress hanging in the closet, the bed made, the shoes from hell in the wastebasket sitting in the corner, she ventured a turn of the door handle. She knew it would open since she’d never heard it click when Hugh left. He probably wasn’t worried about her slipping out during waking hours because he could hear every move she made.