with you and unsure of your involvement in a crime. Procedure says I should take you to one of the local motels or a safe house.”
“Why didn’t you? I would have been fine with that. This was so much more than I expected.”
“I know, but I wasn’t fine with that idea. You aren’t a criminal. You aren’t the one who committed fraud, and now that the error was corrected, hopefully the real one will be caught soon. I wanted to make it up to you, the whole being-in-jail thing. I wanted you to spend the last couple of days in a place that was warm and comfortable, not some cold, impersonal motel with cheap bedding and drafty windows. I mean, Holli , it’s bad enough ”
She was wide-eyed in an instant and stalking him within seconds of his last word. “If you apologize one more time about what happened, I’m gonna knuckleball you again.” She pointed her finger at him and jabbed him in the chest for emphasis. “I’m fine. What happened is fine. It was a mistake. Well, part of it was, anyway. This wasn’t your fault, and I owe you a lot. You risked your job, evidently. For me. I don’t know what to say about that. You shouldn’t have, clear-cut policy or not. I don’t want that on my conscience because then I’d have to make it up to you, and I don’t have anything to offer. Well, maybe I could offer you a job decorating Christmas trees.”
“I ”
“Nope.” She put a finger to his lips, and he watched her fight a smile when he licked the tip. “Not another word about it. You’ve apologized, and I’ve accepted. When will he be here?”
“A few hours.”
“Okay. C’mon.” She held out her hand to him. He didn’t think about not taking it.
She led him back into the bedroom and climbed beneath the covers again. He slid in behind her and wrapped his arms around the soft warmth of her body. Her hair tickled his nose, and her delicious ass teased his already wide-awake penis. Damn thing hadn’t left him alone for four and a half days.
“Michael?”
“Yeah?”
“I wish I wasn’t leaving either.”
He squeezed her and nuzzled his face into her neck, taking a deep breath. “Then don’t. At least, don’t leave for New York. I know you’re supposed to meet your friend, and I…” He started to say he was sorry but stopped himself, afraid she might kick her leg back and do some damage to his very personal person. “Stay here until you have to go home.”
* * * * *
Holli sucked in her breath when she heard the knock on the door. She’d just finished brushing her teeth and was brushing her hair. Michael walked through the apartment, his feet solid against the hardwood floors, and opened the door.
The deep male voice that joined his made her stomach tighten. And not in the hot, sexual way Michael’s voice did. Trepidation filled her. What was she going to do? Even she didn’t know yet. Michael wanted her to stay, and she wanted to stay, but…what about New York? Was he better than New Year’s in the Big Apple?
She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn’t believe she’d pondered that question. He was way better than seeing the ball drop. But what about Charlotte? Holli would have to call her to find out how things were going. If Char was still with her lady friend, she might not want Holli to show up. Nah, she’d still want to see her. At the same time, Charlotte would understand Holli wanting to spend every waking, breathing moment with Officer Hunky until she had to get in her car and head south again.
“ Holli ?” Michael poked his head into the bathroom.
She didn’t know what the heck to do. “Yeah, I’m coming.”
She put her brush in her bag, straightened her sweater, and smoothed her hands down her jeans. She didn’t know why she was so nervous.
A few seconds later, she greeted Michael’s friend and colleague in the living room. She held out her hand to the tall, very good-looking black man. “Hi, I’m Holli .”
His grip was firm, warm, and man oh man…
“Why didn’t you? I would have been fine with that. This was so much more than I expected.”
“I know, but I wasn’t fine with that idea. You aren’t a criminal. You aren’t the one who committed fraud, and now that the error was corrected, hopefully the real one will be caught soon. I wanted to make it up to you, the whole being-in-jail thing. I wanted you to spend the last couple of days in a place that was warm and comfortable, not some cold, impersonal motel with cheap bedding and drafty windows. I mean, Holli , it’s bad enough ”
She was wide-eyed in an instant and stalking him within seconds of his last word. “If you apologize one more time about what happened, I’m gonna knuckleball you again.” She pointed her finger at him and jabbed him in the chest for emphasis. “I’m fine. What happened is fine. It was a mistake. Well, part of it was, anyway. This wasn’t your fault, and I owe you a lot. You risked your job, evidently. For me. I don’t know what to say about that. You shouldn’t have, clear-cut policy or not. I don’t want that on my conscience because then I’d have to make it up to you, and I don’t have anything to offer. Well, maybe I could offer you a job decorating Christmas trees.”
“I ”
“Nope.” She put a finger to his lips, and he watched her fight a smile when he licked the tip. “Not another word about it. You’ve apologized, and I’ve accepted. When will he be here?”
“A few hours.”
“Okay. C’mon.” She held out her hand to him. He didn’t think about not taking it.
She led him back into the bedroom and climbed beneath the covers again. He slid in behind her and wrapped his arms around the soft warmth of her body. Her hair tickled his nose, and her delicious ass teased his already wide-awake penis. Damn thing hadn’t left him alone for four and a half days.
“Michael?”
“Yeah?”
“I wish I wasn’t leaving either.”
He squeezed her and nuzzled his face into her neck, taking a deep breath. “Then don’t. At least, don’t leave for New York. I know you’re supposed to meet your friend, and I…” He started to say he was sorry but stopped himself, afraid she might kick her leg back and do some damage to his very personal person. “Stay here until you have to go home.”
* * * * *
Holli sucked in her breath when she heard the knock on the door. She’d just finished brushing her teeth and was brushing her hair. Michael walked through the apartment, his feet solid against the hardwood floors, and opened the door.
The deep male voice that joined his made her stomach tighten. And not in the hot, sexual way Michael’s voice did. Trepidation filled her. What was she going to do? Even she didn’t know yet. Michael wanted her to stay, and she wanted to stay, but…what about New York? Was he better than New Year’s in the Big Apple?
She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn’t believe she’d pondered that question. He was way better than seeing the ball drop. But what about Charlotte? Holli would have to call her to find out how things were going. If Char was still with her lady friend, she might not want Holli to show up. Nah, she’d still want to see her. At the same time, Charlotte would understand Holli wanting to spend every waking, breathing moment with Officer Hunky until she had to get in her car and head south again.
“ Holli ?” Michael poked his head into the bathroom.
She didn’t know what the heck to do. “Yeah, I’m coming.”
She put her brush in her bag, straightened her sweater, and smoothed her hands down her jeans. She didn’t know why she was so nervous.
A few seconds later, she greeted Michael’s friend and colleague in the living room. She held out her hand to the tall, very good-looking black man. “Hi, I’m Holli .”
His grip was firm, warm, and man oh man…
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