female?
T.J. strode into his office, Empty. She wasn't on the cot and she wasn't at his desk making calls.
Fear locked down hard. “Tess?”
He sprinted across the room and threw open the door to his private office, only to find it empty. “Dammit, where are you?”
Something rustled in the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, and he pulled his Smith & Wesson from his holster. Silently, he inched toward the door, keeping his shoulder to the outside and his right arm free for a clear shot.
Focus.
Breathe.
He balanced on the balls of his feet, leveled his gun, hit the door in one smooth motion. “Police. Don't move,” he growled.
The door snapped open.
Tess stared back at him, white-faced. She had a scrap of lace clutched to her chest and a skimpy pair of electric-blue underwear that clung like a dream to her backside.
And she wasn't wearing a hint of anything else.
G ut wrenched.
That was how T.J. felt as he took in Tess's mile-long legs. His head tilted slowly as he lingered over the sight of her slender waist and the thrust of high, full breasts.
Desire plugged him dead center at his chest.
He was an officer of the law, dammit. He was a friend of her brother's and he'd given his promise to protect her.
But he was a man first.
T.J. doubted any man this side of death could have looked away from the woman before him. His hand was still outstretched, gun level. It took an immense force of will to drag in a breath, force his hand back down to his side, and slide his gun into its holster.
“What was that for?” Tess asked hoarsely.
“I couldn't find you. I was worried.” T.J. tried to ignore the filmy strip of lace stretched across her breasts. He wondered what would happen if that lace happened to slide down an inch or two.
Get a grip, McCalL
But he didn't turn away, and he couldn't stop wondering.
Gut wrenched and no mistake.
“I'm trying to dress here. I'd appreciate it if youwould leave,” Tess said, two angry spots of color in her face.
“Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “That is, I didn't mean—” T.J shook his head, fighting for sanity. He took a step backward a split second before the door slammed in his face.
Very smooth, McCalL Point a gun on her, why don't you?
He took a harsh breath. “You okay in there?”
He heard the sound of running water, followed by the rustle of clothing. “Oh, I'm just wonderful. I happen to love it when men bang open the door while I'm half-naked and stick a revolver in my face.”
“It was a Smith and Wesson double-action automatic. No one in law enforcement uses revolvers anymore. Can't get enough rounds off fast enough for safety. They also have a dangerous tendency to jam.”
“Oh, do forgive me. That makes this all
entirely
different.” The door jerked open. Tess charged out, hands on her hips, fully dressed now.
Dear sweet heaven, how she was dressed. Her clingy little dress nudged the middle of her thighs and outlined every curve. At the moment it was definitely burning a path into his neural network. “Nice dress,” he drawled.
“Forget the dress.” Something whipped him across the face and drifted onto his shoulder. Blinking, he looked down and saw it was the lace she had been holding against her chest.
A garter belt. A white lace garter belt with tiny pink roses.
T.J. tried hard to swallow as the lace slid through his fingers. “I think,” he said slowly, “that this is going to look a whole lot better on you than on me.”
Her breath came out in a strangled puff of anger.“This is
not
funny. What just happened was not funny. Not by any stretch of the imagination. You could have
shotmc.
”
TJ. shoved back his hat. “You might want to hold it right there. I'm a trained law officer with fifteen years of experience. Contrary to what you see on TV, we
don't
shoot first and ask questions later.”
“You could have fooled me.” Her eyes glittered. “I've seen baboons with more self-control.”
“You'll want to
T.J. strode into his office, Empty. She wasn't on the cot and she wasn't at his desk making calls.
Fear locked down hard. “Tess?”
He sprinted across the room and threw open the door to his private office, only to find it empty. “Dammit, where are you?”
Something rustled in the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, and he pulled his Smith & Wesson from his holster. Silently, he inched toward the door, keeping his shoulder to the outside and his right arm free for a clear shot.
Focus.
Breathe.
He balanced on the balls of his feet, leveled his gun, hit the door in one smooth motion. “Police. Don't move,” he growled.
The door snapped open.
Tess stared back at him, white-faced. She had a scrap of lace clutched to her chest and a skimpy pair of electric-blue underwear that clung like a dream to her backside.
And she wasn't wearing a hint of anything else.
G ut wrenched.
That was how T.J. felt as he took in Tess's mile-long legs. His head tilted slowly as he lingered over the sight of her slender waist and the thrust of high, full breasts.
Desire plugged him dead center at his chest.
He was an officer of the law, dammit. He was a friend of her brother's and he'd given his promise to protect her.
But he was a man first.
T.J. doubted any man this side of death could have looked away from the woman before him. His hand was still outstretched, gun level. It took an immense force of will to drag in a breath, force his hand back down to his side, and slide his gun into its holster.
“What was that for?” Tess asked hoarsely.
“I couldn't find you. I was worried.” T.J. tried to ignore the filmy strip of lace stretched across her breasts. He wondered what would happen if that lace happened to slide down an inch or two.
Get a grip, McCalL
But he didn't turn away, and he couldn't stop wondering.
Gut wrenched and no mistake.
“I'm trying to dress here. I'd appreciate it if youwould leave,” Tess said, two angry spots of color in her face.
“Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “That is, I didn't mean—” T.J shook his head, fighting for sanity. He took a step backward a split second before the door slammed in his face.
Very smooth, McCalL Point a gun on her, why don't you?
He took a harsh breath. “You okay in there?”
He heard the sound of running water, followed by the rustle of clothing. “Oh, I'm just wonderful. I happen to love it when men bang open the door while I'm half-naked and stick a revolver in my face.”
“It was a Smith and Wesson double-action automatic. No one in law enforcement uses revolvers anymore. Can't get enough rounds off fast enough for safety. They also have a dangerous tendency to jam.”
“Oh, do forgive me. That makes this all
entirely
different.” The door jerked open. Tess charged out, hands on her hips, fully dressed now.
Dear sweet heaven, how she was dressed. Her clingy little dress nudged the middle of her thighs and outlined every curve. At the moment it was definitely burning a path into his neural network. “Nice dress,” he drawled.
“Forget the dress.” Something whipped him across the face and drifted onto his shoulder. Blinking, he looked down and saw it was the lace she had been holding against her chest.
A garter belt. A white lace garter belt with tiny pink roses.
T.J. tried hard to swallow as the lace slid through his fingers. “I think,” he said slowly, “that this is going to look a whole lot better on you than on me.”
Her breath came out in a strangled puff of anger.“This is
not
funny. What just happened was not funny. Not by any stretch of the imagination. You could have
shotmc.
”
TJ. shoved back his hat. “You might want to hold it right there. I'm a trained law officer with fifteen years of experience. Contrary to what you see on TV, we
don't
shoot first and ask questions later.”
“You could have fooled me.” Her eyes glittered. “I've seen baboons with more self-control.”
“You'll want to
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