L.A. Confidential by Julie Kenner Page B

me?”
    â€œDon’t you have to work tonight?” A nonanswer.
    â€œNope. I’m all yours.” He should be working. Not only were Sundays usually busy, but he and Tim made a habit of going over the specials for the next week every Sunday night.
    He flashed her a relaxed grin, then reached out and closed his palm over her clasped hands. “Besides, I am working.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, delighting in the softness of her skin. “We’re scouting locations, remember?”
    â€œRight.” She shivered slightly. Good.
    â€œCold?” he asked, certain her shiver had nothing to do with the temperature.
    â€œA little. The ocean air.”
    They were cruising south on the Pacific Coast Highway toward Santa Monica. Beside her, the sun had begun its nightly descent into the ocean, and a wash of orange and purple filled the sky, reflecting off the gold of her hair. It was a beautiful, magical tableau, and he wanted to hold the moment close to his heart.
    But it was all an illusion. They weren’t lovers out for a twilight drive. Instead she was sitting next to him, her mind probably going a million miles a minute as she wondered where he was taking her…and what was in store for her once they got there. He wondered how long she could hold out before she asked again.
    â€œKen…”
    Fifteen seconds. He stifled a grin as he turned to her. Her hair was blowing free, and he tucked a strand behind her ear, the tiny moment of intimacy tighteningthe band around his heart even more. “You’ll see when we get there.”
    â€œHmm.” She turned in the seat to face him better, then tied her hair back with a rubber band she’d dug from her purse. “Will you tell me if I guess?”
    He answered the tease in her voice with a slow smile. “You want me to tell you if you’re cold, warm…or hot?”
    â€œYes, well, um…” She shifted in her seat again, frowning at the countryside. “Are we stopping in Santa Monica or going farther south?”
    â€œWhere would you like to go?”
    â€œYou’re the one calling the shots.”
    He took his eyes off the road long enough to look at her. “Am I? I wasn’t completely sure.”
    â€œTrust me,” she said, meeting his eyes. “I’m completely at your disposal.”
    â€œHow nice for me.” He’d pitched his voice low and was rewarded by the spot of color that touched her cheeks.
    She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. “Do you plan to let me in on what you’ve got in store for me? Or is that as much of a secret as where we’re going?”
    â€œI thought you liked surprises.”
    â€œI thought I did, too. But this one’s got me a little on edge.”
    In that case, he’d already accomplished at least part of his mission. “It’s just dinner, Lisa. And I’m not the Marquis de Sade. Just relax and enjoy the drive.”
    Â 
    E NJOY THE DRIVE . Lisa leaned back in her seat, wondering how he expected her to do that without knowingwhat he had planned. She was completely at his mercy and flying blind.
    And considering her little episode in the hotel room earlier, she was also more than a little…well, on edge. She wanted to keep as much control as possible, and he wasn’t helping by keeping her in the dark.
    Scowling, she cast him a sideways glance. “Not even a hint?”
    He reached over and flipped on the radio, fiddling with the dial until he found an oldies station. He didn’t say a word, just started humming along with a Beatles’s song.
    Frustrated, she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. Ken could be stubborn when he wanted to be, and she knew better than to try to drag out information that he didn’t want to reveal. Still, she wished he’d say something, anything. She’d agreed to his absurd condition, and that meant that tonight she was his. Part of her