Blue Jeans and a Badge by Nina Bruhns Page A

“Well?”
    â€œSays he might have something of interest concerning Clyde Tafota.”
    â€œHe’s turned up?”
    â€œNo, something about a job he did recently.” He shot her a wink. “I really think Ted just wants to meet you. I said we’d meet him at the Shamrock Slipper for dinner. My treat.”
    She wasn’t sure quite how to respond to any of that. So she settled for, “Why would he want to meet me? How does he even know about me?”
    â€œI may have mentioned you in passing.”
    She hiked a brow.
    â€œA couple times.”
    She hiked the other brow.
    â€œI may have confessed I thought you were hot.”
    Her jaw dropped. “Do grown men really say stuff like that?”
    â€œOnly when they’re not thinking straight.” He gave her a little-boy smile. “Anyway, that’s probably why he wants to meet you.”
    She covered her mouth and stifled a laugh. “Oh, my God, Philip. What am I going to do with you?”
    His smile turned lopsided, and she held up the other hand as she laughed, waving it in a “stop” gesture. “Don’t answer that.”
    â€œWe could start with dinner and a movie,” he suggested, grinning.
    â€œThere’s a movie theater in Piñon Lake?”
    â€œNo. But we can rent one and go to my place after dinner.”
    â€œYou’ve got a one-track mind, O’Donnaugh,” she said with amused exasperation.
    She’d never experienced this kind of pursuit before—where she was the quarry being run to ground. But it also felt…good. Nobody’d ever wanted her this much, in quite this way. Not a nameless he-just-wants-to-jump-her-bones way, but in a real, he-wants-Luce-Montgomery way. Philip had made it clear he wanted her, but he really wanted her.
    â€œDetermination,” he said. “That’s what makes me a good cop.”
    â€œI can believe it,” she muttered, affection and admiration all mixed up with a rising dose of alarm. How could she possibly keep this man at arm’s length?
    â€œI guess it’s only fair to warn you,” he said, and suddenly she wondered if she really wanted to keep him at arm’s length.
    â€œAbout what?” she asked, even more alarmed because somehow, deep down, she already knew the answer.
    Then he looked her straight in the eye and smiled. “I always get what I’m after,” he said. “Always.”
    Â 
    Since they had plenty of time for the trip back to Piñon Lake, Philip made a stop in Santa Fe at the museum to see if Renata was in town or out on a dig somewhere.
    â€œDr. Jesper will be back from Albuquerque tomorrow,” they were informed.
    Philip left her a note, and they walked around the collections for a few minutes before leaving.
    â€œSome beautiful things,” Luce said as they admired the ancient pottery. “These are awesome. How old did you say they were?”
    â€œThese are a few hundred years old, but some of the pueblos around here make some pretty good reproductions if you’re interested.”
    â€œYeah? I may have to think about switching my collection.”
    â€œYou collect pottery?”
    She gave him a goofy smile. “Um, not exactly.”
    â€œWhat do you collect?”
    She stuck her tongue inside her cheek. “It’s a little embarrassing to admit.”
    â€œDildos?”
    She barked out a burst of laughter and smacked him lightly on the arm. “No! Not— I collect Santas.”
    â€œSantas? As in ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas?” She nodded and he broke out in a wide grin. “You’re kidding me.”
    She smothered her own grin and poked him in the chest. “One more word and you’re a dead man, O’Donnaugh.”
    He lifted his hands as he laughed. “Okay, I surrender.”
    â€œI’ve collected Santas ever since I can remember,” she said, and rubbed her arms up and down as if cold. “My