Deadly Valentine by Jenna Harte Page A

napkin. “You’re dripping.”
    He let her clean up his mess, watching her face as she did so. He was studying her, she realized. She didn't like it. What was he seeing? Talk about feeling vulnerable.
    “I didn't imagine that when I ran into you again that I'd be embroiled in a murder mystery. Did you?”
    She decided not to tell him again that she'd hadn't imagined ever meeting him again. “No.”
    “Perhaps we could spend a few minutes talking about something other than Asa and his family.”
    “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”
    “Is there anyone, besides Deputy Dan, who is going to beat me up for kissing you?”
    Her jaw dropped. How could he move so quickly from talking about murder to kissing? “Me maybe.”
    “If it's only you, I think it’s a risk worth taking.”
    Tess went on high alert. Sure, she was attracted to him. She even considered indulging that attraction. But she didn't think she'd have the opportunity. He wasn't really interested in her, was he? Now that the opportunity was staring at her with his gorgeous green-blue eyes, she realized that she wasn't brave enough to indulge in whatever he offered.
    Jack laughed. “Don't look so panicked. I'm not so bad at it.”
    “I'm sure you aren't. But I'm not in the market for a relationship.”
    “Now that’s a waste.”
    “A waste?”
    “You’re smart, confident, beautiful.”
    “That may be, but as I said earlier, I’m not interested," she said despite the fact that the tingling in her body suggested otherwise.
    “Oh, you’re interested alright.”
    “Your arrogance is showing," she said taking a bite of ice cream to cool the heat growing inside her.
    He grinned. “It makes me irresistible.”
    “It makes you annoying.”
    Laughing, Jack reached across the small table to push a loose curl out of her face. “That too. Do you always wear it up?”
    “Huh?”
    “Your hair? Do you always wear it up?”
    “Yes, why?” Reaching around her, he pulled the pins from her hair. “What are you doing?”
    “I want to see it down. I think it will be prettier down.” He ran his fingers through her hair, sending a delectable shiver through her. She bit her lip to keep from sighing.
    “Jack.” She pushed his hand way and then used her own fingers to brush through and manage the curls he’d set free.
    “I was right. It’s prettier down.” He reached across again to play with a stray curl. Capturing her gaze with his, “You’re beautiful.”
    “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t practice your charms on me.”
    “This is no practice," he said, his voice turning from playful and amused to serious, intent.
    Placing his hand on the nape of her neck he pulled her to him. Her slight resistance didn’t stop him from taking what he had to have. With his free hand he pulled her chair closer to his. She let out a small yelp as her chair jerked towards him. Taking advantage, he let his tongue explore her open mouth. Her brain told her to push him away, but her hormones had other ideas. She tilted her head, letting him take the kiss deeper. What could one kiss hurt after all? She broke her own rule and let the kiss take over, giving into the thrill of him.
    Even as her ice cream dropped to the floor, the kiss went on and on. She was oblivious of their surroundings. He was the only thing in her mind. He wasn't wrong when he said he was pretty good at kissing. He tasted like chocolate and sin. Even a strong woman like Tess couldn't overcome the heady temptation of such a combination. She returned his kiss, lacing her fingers through his hair and pulling him closer. She heard him groan and his hand slipped to her waist pulling until she was nearly on his lap. That was when her brain finally regained control, and she jerked away from him. That had been way more than a little kiss. Too much more.
    “Tess.” Jack dropped his brow to hers. 
    She reassembled her senses, rebuilt the wall that had for three years kept her heart safe. She pulled