“So?”

“Your press conference.”

Justice paled and softly cursed. “I forgot.”

She grinned. “I take that statement back. That is the best thing anyone has ever said to me. I made the king of workaholics forget about work.”

He laughed. “Stay the night with me. I’ll grab a shower, go to the gates to talk to the press and come back.”

Happiness filled her that he didn’t want to end their time together. “I would love to. Do you have any other work tonight?”

He shifted over her and withdrew his still-hard cock. Near regret showed on his features while separating from her body. He lifted up and moved down the bed to the end of it. “The only work I have after talking to the media is topping what we just did. I think I can manage to do that.” His gaze traveled her body. “You inspire me to want to get to the gates and back as quickly as possible. I’ll hurry through the press conference.”

Jessie sat up on the bed, drew her knees up and hugged them. “You never wrote a speech.”

He shrugged, turning toward the bathroom and Jessie stared at his ass. He definitely had the finest one she’d ever seen in her entire life, in or out of a pair of jeans.

“I’ll wing it.” He turned at the bathroom door. “Do you want to come with me to the conference? You need to shower with me if you do. My scent is all over you unless you don’t mind all the Species who get close to you knowing what we just did.” He chuckled. “I would be happy for you to keep my scent but I know human women can be touchy about revealing those things publicly.”

“I think I’ll stay here if you don’t mind. I’m not a big fan of three-ring circuses with cameras.”

He laughed. “Me neither.” He disappeared into the bathroom.

Jessie scooted out of bed and studied it. The comforter was history. She tore it from the mattress and bunched it in a pile. She turned, laughed and realized the sheets were damaged too. His nails had pierced the comforter, torn right through it down to the sheets. After removing those, she laughed again. He’d even tagged the mattress. The situation cracked her up and she began to laugh.

“What?”

Jessie had to catch her breath as she turned to him, saw he’d already showered and was impressed he’d managed to do that so fast. “You have connections in this hotel, right?”

“We own it.”

“You better make a call. You need all new bedding and maybe a new mattress.”

Justice’s attention shifted to the bed. He stared at the bare mattress and smiled.

“Oh.”

“I knew the comforter was history and then discovered the sheets were too.” She laughed. “But you took out the mattress. I guess we could flip it over.”

“I’ll take care of it when I return.” His eyes sparkled. “I’ll hurry back.”

“I can’t wait.”

He softly purred as he took in her na**d body from head to toe. “Nor can I.”

“Hold that thought until you return.”

“I have to go but I’ll hurry.”

“Leave already so you can come back faster. I’ll shower while you’re gone.”

“Make yourself at home.”

She watched him unlock the bedroom door, exit and close it behind him. She glanced at the bed and started laughing again. She’d heard of breaking a bed during sex but he’d taken out the whole bed. If that wasn’t impressive sex, she wasn’t sure what would be.

She quickly showered, remembering his statement to make herself at home. She found one of his tank tops in the dresser and put it on, hungry again. She walked to the door to go in search of leftovers from their dinner but a ringing sound came from behind her. Her discarded pants on the floor rang again.

She rushed for her cell. She dug it out on the fourth ring and opened it, reading it was from Tim Oberto. She answered the call with dread. She hoped like hell someone hadn’t called him to report that she was spending time with his boss, Justice North. It was going to be pure hell if that were the case and he’d called to fire her.

“What’s up, Tim?”

“We got a lead on a possible Gift Female’s location. The warrant just came through.

I need you now.”

Adrenaline hit hard and fast. “When are we moving in?”

“As soon as you get here.”

“Uh…”

“I got your message that you were staying at Reservation and sent a chopper that way. It should be landing in ten minutes and your ass needs to be waiting for it at their heliport area.” He hung up.

Damn. She closed the phone and stared at the bare mattress. She loved her job but for once she wished she could refuse an assignment. Justice would come back to find her gone and she wouldn’t be spending the night with him. Of course he’d understand, one of his Gift Females might be rescued and she had no excuse to stay.

It still saddened her to leave. I’ll probably never see him again and I wanted to sleep in his arms. Her shoulders slumped but she pushed it back. She had to go. Ten minutes were ticking down.

Chapter Five

Justice read the note Jessie had left on the bed. He’d gotten hung up with the press by the reporters but had hurried back to his room looking forward to being with her.

He read the note again, understood she’d gotten an emergency call from the task force after they’d gotten a lead on a New Species female and she’d had to leave. Tim Oberto had sent someone to pick her up. He snarled and crumpled up the note in his fist.