Chasing Evil (Circle of Evil) by Kylie Brant Page A

shoulder blade, eliciting a grunt of pleasure from him. “Because I’m not like you. At heart I’m an academic, like my parents. And I don’t have a brave bone in my body.”
    He lifted his head to peer over his shoulder at her. “Don’t kid yourself. I’ve seen you in interviews. Where you go psychologically is every bit as harrowing as where a cop goes physically chasing these guys.”
    “With the distinct advantage of not getting shot at.” Her voice was dry. His unexpected compliment warmed her, but she had no illusions about her capabilities. “My parents were…are academics. They expected me to follow their path.” That had seemed important at the time.
    He dropped his head facedown to the pillow again. It was a wonder he could breathe. “It’s a shame to waste talent like yours.”
    “I’m not wasting it.” She paused to admire the play of muscles in his back as they quivered and jumped at her ministrations. Redoubling her efforts, Sophia said, “With private practice I get the best of both worlds. A varied client list and the opportunity to consult with law enforcement on fascinating cases.” And wasn’t it odd how that circle had been completed, despite her detour to academia. Louis had predicted it would, eventually.
    “I meant your massage technique. You’re so good at it I don’t feel guilty at all for pretending to be asleep when you woke up.”
    “You…” It took a moment for his meaning to register. Indignation quickly followed. “You were not. I checked.” She rolled off him, only to have him follow and capture both her legs with one of his.
    Laughter lit the gold flecks in his eyes. “You mean when you checked my pulse? Or later when you put your hand between my legs to…”
    “You’re shameless,” she huffed. To punctuate her point she gave his chest hair a yank. He grimaced but merely shackled her wrists with one of his hands, stretched them over her head. Raked her nude body with a look that sent quick little bursts of fire through her veins.
    “Smart,” he corrected. “I learned how to control my breathing in the Army. Came in handy in when I was wounded in Afghanistan and trying to convince a Taliban fighter I was dead. As for the other…” She could feel her cheeks heat at the wicked look in his eyes. “I was reciting the Gettysburg Address in my head to distract myself from where your hand was. Although if you’d lingered any longer I wouldn’t have gotten much past four-score-and-seven-years-ago.”
    An unwilling smile pulled at her lips. “Devious and smart. A dangerous combination.”
    He lowered his mouth to hers. “You forgot charming.”
    Against his lips she breathed, “No. I didn’t.”
    His head rose. “May I remind you of the vulnerability of your position?” As if to emphasize his words, he shifted his leg to part both of hers. Slid his knee up to where she was damp and aching.
    “All right, charmingly abrasive. That’s about the best I can do.”
    A slow smiled curved his lips. “Your best has always been good enough for me.”
     
    Walking miles around endless parks to question its patrons went a long way toward helping Sophia regain her composure. Today’s plan had been clear before they retired last night, so she’d dressed in the yoga pants, tee and sneakers she’d brought for lounging in her motel room. She could hardly traipse around the miles of trails in suits and heels, her only other wardrobe options.
    “I know this isn’t your field of expertise,” Cam had told her hours earlier, “but you’re welcome to pair up with one of us. Jenna will join several of Boelin’s men, flashing the victim’s picture to park patrons at all the places where Van Wheton liked to run. “Or you can come with me. I’ll be going over the enhanced security footage Boelin just received.”
    Although there hadn’t been a trace of the maddening man she’d come so close to choking that morning in his terse, matter-of-fact demeanor, the choice had