Hot Ice Read Online Free PDF Page A

that she was orienting herself. "Let's get you washed up so I can check the damage. I'm not so sure waiting until later for a doctor to examine you is such a smart idea. They worked you over pretty good."
    "Believe me, I know," she said ironically. "I was there. Point me to the bathroom. I need a shower more than anything right now."
    Christ, she was cool. If he wasn't looking right at her, he would never have known how nervous she was from her tone of voice. Hunt led her across the room and shoved open the door to the small bathroom. "Need help?"
    She shot him a sightless glance that needed no interpretation. "Just show me the taps and a towel."
    Hunt leaned over and turned on the water, then pulled the plunger to activate the showerhead. Water beat down in the clean but stained porcelain tub. "The room is only six feet wide. Get out of the tub, and the towel rack is right in front of you at twelve o'clock. Yell if you need me."
    She swayed on her feet. "I won't."
    The sweet smell of steam started filling the small room. "Right."
    "I don't suppose there's a lock on this side of the door?"
    " 'Fraid not."
    She didn't move. "Close it on your way out."
    The bathroom was intentionally windowless. She wasn't going anywhere. There was a nifty, completely hidden escape door in the wall behind the towel rack. But she didn't need that information.
    "I'll be right outside." He'd be right here watching. As if he'd leave her alone even for a quick shower. He waited a beat, walked across the tiled floor, sidestepped into the shallow alcove in the wall beside the towel rack, then nudged the door with his foot, sealing them both inside. He needed to know how good an actress she was.
    The second the door snicked shut, her shoulders slumped. "Shit. Shit. Shit," she whispered under her breath. "This is bad. Really, really bad."
    She stumbled around the small room, brailling her way from tub to toilet to towel rack.
    Hunt stayed absolutely still, barely breathing, allowing her to pass him by millimeters. He wasn't a voyeur. He simply had to be certain that she wouldn't die on his watch. At least not now, not while he needed information.
    The contents of the safe were too important—hell, critical . She was the key. He wasn't letting her out of his sight for a millisecond until he had that disk in his hand and checked the data to verify it was what they expected.
    Considering his body's unwelcome response to hers, he'd prefer waiting for her in the other room. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall as she started undressing. Her breasts were small and firm beneath a black sports bra, her skin blotchy with dirt and bruises. He scanned her slender body, noting the slew of old, faded scars; side, both knees, left shoulder. He was particularly interested in her more recent injuries. Nothing appeared broken and she wasn't bleeding.
    She wasn't faking the blindness, however.
    She toed off what looked more like black ballet slippers than sneakers, then dragged down the skintight black jeans apparently not painted on her long, slender legs, taking her panties with them.
    Hunt's mouth went dry at the sight of those long, long, long legs, narrow waist, and tight ass. She winced as she shuffled her way to the tub, removing the confining bra on the way.
    She turned, presenting him with the long elegant line of her back. He observed the brown streaks on her skin. Not only dirt and bruises, but the dusky Mediterranean complexion, which extended no farther down than her neck.
    From her breasts down, Miss "Annie Sullivan," aka Serena Carstair, aka sixteen plus other, equally false names, was as white as the driven snow.
    She banged a knee on the edge of the tub and swore soundlessly, then bit her lip as she spent several seconds trying to regain her bearings before stepping into the enclosure. Sliding her feet cautiously on the slick floor of the tub, she splayed her hand on the wall and backed under the spray, then, eyes closed, tipped her head back.