still glaring at Corcoran.
“Fred, keep up the good work. We’ll get out of your way. Brennan is understandably upset. Particularly now that someone has died at the site. Do me a favor, Fred. When you get things stable or if anything changes, come and give me and Brennan an update.”
Fred stepped back looking from one man to the other. After a moment’s reflection, he shrugged and turned to Sam.
“Sure thing, Sam. Just as long as you keep this ignorant asshole out of the fire scene.”
“Will do, Fred.”
A slight smile tugged at Sam’s mouth as the angry little man stormed off, muttering under his breath about rich assholes without the brains God gave gutter snipes. Sam motioned to Corcoran to follow him.
“Now, Brennan, let’s you and I join Lt. Nilsson and Sgt. Baker. If you haven’t heard, Sgt. Baker was the first on the scene tonight. His quick actions brought the CFFD here in record time. Unfortunately, not in time to save the man who was sleeping in the house that’s turning to cinders.”
~~~
The next morning, Annika stared at her watch. It was hard to believe it was only 10 o’clock in the morning. The way her body felt, it could have been midnight. They’d been at the fire scene until 3 a.m.. She could barely remember Sam half-carrying her up the stairs to her apartment. He’d given her that sexy smile that melted her insides and murmured, “There’s nothing I’d like better than to tuck you in bed, Lieutenant. After slowing undressing you, of course, one piece of clothing at a time. But given that you are having trouble keeping your eyes open, I’ll be a gentleman and just see you to the door.”
He’d leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Pleasant dreams, Princess. I know that mine will be.”
Even now, hours later, Annika could feel his lips on her cheek. Damn, she was so far gone. She’d never given in to a man so completely. Allowed him to capture her thoughts and her dreams. But Sam Carter had done exactly that. And rather than trying to push him away, she was counting the minutes until she saw him again. As if her thoughts had conjured him up, Sam poked his head in to the entrance to her cubicle.
“Hey. You.”
At the sound of his voice, heat hit her core. Annika was sure her face was as red hot as she felt. She wondered if Sam knew the effect he was having on her. At his sassy wink, she had a damn good sense that he did.
“Hey, Princess. Marian said you were looking for me. Said you needed the contact numbers for Nate’s relatively legitimate forensic accountants. Be prepared to shade your eyes. Nunn and Wiese tread a fine line between what is legal and what is flat out criminal activity. But they can smell wrongdoing in their sleep. Who do you want them to investigate? Corcoran?”
Annika nodded. “Among others.”
Sam grinned. “No wonder you’re a top notch investigator. You know how to keep your mouth shut. Well, the dynamic duo is expecting your call. FYI. Nate put them on Corcoran’s tail a couple of days ago. Told them to report to you.”
Annika tried to hide her annoyance. Of course Nate wouldn’t think anything of butting into her investigation. At Sam’s questioning glance she stifled her response. She’d been told more than once by her superiors that she didn’t always have to go it alone. But trust had never been her strong suit. She wished she could be as easy as Sam and Nate were with each other. They never seemed to feel the need to prove themselves. But then why would they? They were both as close to perfect as they could be. When she didn’t respond to Sam’s unspoken question, she was grateful he didn’t press.
“Nate and I are off to meet with the Chief, to bring him up to date and to see if we can stave off the press. Don’t have to tell you, given Nate’s rep with the media, we’re going to be overrun soon. Hope you’re up for it, Annika. When the press gets a glimpse of our dazzling new fire inspector, they’ll be tearing down the
“Fred, keep up the good work. We’ll get out of your way. Brennan is understandably upset. Particularly now that someone has died at the site. Do me a favor, Fred. When you get things stable or if anything changes, come and give me and Brennan an update.”
Fred stepped back looking from one man to the other. After a moment’s reflection, he shrugged and turned to Sam.
“Sure thing, Sam. Just as long as you keep this ignorant asshole out of the fire scene.”
“Will do, Fred.”
A slight smile tugged at Sam’s mouth as the angry little man stormed off, muttering under his breath about rich assholes without the brains God gave gutter snipes. Sam motioned to Corcoran to follow him.
“Now, Brennan, let’s you and I join Lt. Nilsson and Sgt. Baker. If you haven’t heard, Sgt. Baker was the first on the scene tonight. His quick actions brought the CFFD here in record time. Unfortunately, not in time to save the man who was sleeping in the house that’s turning to cinders.”
~~~
The next morning, Annika stared at her watch. It was hard to believe it was only 10 o’clock in the morning. The way her body felt, it could have been midnight. They’d been at the fire scene until 3 a.m.. She could barely remember Sam half-carrying her up the stairs to her apartment. He’d given her that sexy smile that melted her insides and murmured, “There’s nothing I’d like better than to tuck you in bed, Lieutenant. After slowing undressing you, of course, one piece of clothing at a time. But given that you are having trouble keeping your eyes open, I’ll be a gentleman and just see you to the door.”
He’d leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Pleasant dreams, Princess. I know that mine will be.”
Even now, hours later, Annika could feel his lips on her cheek. Damn, she was so far gone. She’d never given in to a man so completely. Allowed him to capture her thoughts and her dreams. But Sam Carter had done exactly that. And rather than trying to push him away, she was counting the minutes until she saw him again. As if her thoughts had conjured him up, Sam poked his head in to the entrance to her cubicle.
“Hey. You.”
At the sound of his voice, heat hit her core. Annika was sure her face was as red hot as she felt. She wondered if Sam knew the effect he was having on her. At his sassy wink, she had a damn good sense that he did.
“Hey, Princess. Marian said you were looking for me. Said you needed the contact numbers for Nate’s relatively legitimate forensic accountants. Be prepared to shade your eyes. Nunn and Wiese tread a fine line between what is legal and what is flat out criminal activity. But they can smell wrongdoing in their sleep. Who do you want them to investigate? Corcoran?”
Annika nodded. “Among others.”
Sam grinned. “No wonder you’re a top notch investigator. You know how to keep your mouth shut. Well, the dynamic duo is expecting your call. FYI. Nate put them on Corcoran’s tail a couple of days ago. Told them to report to you.”
Annika tried to hide her annoyance. Of course Nate wouldn’t think anything of butting into her investigation. At Sam’s questioning glance she stifled her response. She’d been told more than once by her superiors that she didn’t always have to go it alone. But trust had never been her strong suit. She wished she could be as easy as Sam and Nate were with each other. They never seemed to feel the need to prove themselves. But then why would they? They were both as close to perfect as they could be. When she didn’t respond to Sam’s unspoken question, she was grateful he didn’t press.
“Nate and I are off to meet with the Chief, to bring him up to date and to see if we can stave off the press. Don’t have to tell you, given Nate’s rep with the media, we’re going to be overrun soon. Hope you’re up for it, Annika. When the press gets a glimpse of our dazzling new fire inspector, they’ll be tearing down the
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