stomped a safe two yards away.
“That’s my cell phone. I have to take the call.”
“Huh?”
His ego swelled almost as big as his dick at the sex-fogged confusion in her eyes.
The phone buzzed again. He glanced at the display.
Kinnison.
It was like getting kicked in the ass in an ice bath. And, he realized, exactly what he needed. A reminder to keep his hands, mouth—and any other body parts—away from temptation.
* * *
W ATCHING D IEGO TALK on the phone, Jade’s body trembled with the aftershocks of desire. All she could think of was how much she wanted Diego, covered in hot fudge and whipped cream. She’d never felt this way before. Anticipation, excitement, heat, they all tangled together.
It was too fast, though.
Wasn’t it?
Her mind pointed out that sex, even fling sex with a passing hottie who fit every single one of her fantasy requirements, always had repercussions. Responsible women made sure they could handle the repercussions before they dived off the deep end. They thought through the consequences.
And they made sure they were dressed appropriately. And since all Jade’s good lingerie was being washed—again—she was stuck in granny panties and a torn cotton mustard-yellow bra. Pretty much the unsexiest undies she owned.
There. Shaking her hands as if she could fling off the sexual tension, she gave a decisive nod. That should keep her from giving in to temptation.
Feeling like one of the teenage girls she often lectured, Jade tried to at least look calm. Sure, her stomach was dancing. Her pulse was racing. Maybe anticipation was doing questionable things to the bagel she’d had for breakfast. But she didn’t have to look as if she was freaked out. Faking It with Fashion 101... Look good and people believe you are good. Or in this case, look confident and he wouldn’t realize her toes were shaking.
While a part of her wondered when she’d become obsessed with sex, or at least sex with Diego, the rest of her—the parts that weren’t racing, dancing or threatening to spew—tried to remember everything she knew about being strong and empowered. About taking charge and going after what she wanted.
Clueless that he was front and center in her obsessive mental debate, Diego ended his call and tucked his phone into his pocket. She watched him stride across the slate, legs long and lean in dark denim. Here he came, temptation in a leather jacket.
She tilted her chin high, pulled her shoulders back and pressed one hand against her stomach. Strong and steady, she was ready to face down temptation. How’s that for empowered? she thought as she mentally patted herself on the back.
“We should get to work.”
She frowned. What happened to temptation?
“Work?” She peered at his face. Closed, distant and almost chilly. Her gaze slid to the phone he was tucking into his pocket. Had someone died?
“Work. I need to solve this case and get back to my own life,” he said.
If he’d sounded angry, or impatient, she’d have been able to dish it right back. But he simply sounded...gone.
The way he’d be as soon as he solved this silly Panty Thief case. Gone, back to his own life. His exciting world. His career and his dreams.
And Jade would be here.
Same life.
Same town.
Same unfulfilled existence.
Pressing her lips tight together to keep the sudden tears at bay, Jade rubbed her hands over her arms, wishing she’d thought to grab her jacket.
“You okay?” he asked, closing the distance for a brief second to sound concerned.
“I’m fine,” she said, shrugging as if it’d knock the tension off her shoulders. “Just chilly. I have an extra coat inside, though.”
“C’mon, then.” He gestured toward the library door. “Get it so we can go talk to people. You said you’d be able to ease the way so they’d open up to me, right? Fill me in, gauge fact from fiction?”
“Sure thing,” she murmured absently, stepping into the dimly lit back room and making her way to the
“That’s my cell phone. I have to take the call.”
“Huh?”
His ego swelled almost as big as his dick at the sex-fogged confusion in her eyes.
The phone buzzed again. He glanced at the display.
Kinnison.
It was like getting kicked in the ass in an ice bath. And, he realized, exactly what he needed. A reminder to keep his hands, mouth—and any other body parts—away from temptation.
* * *
W ATCHING D IEGO TALK on the phone, Jade’s body trembled with the aftershocks of desire. All she could think of was how much she wanted Diego, covered in hot fudge and whipped cream. She’d never felt this way before. Anticipation, excitement, heat, they all tangled together.
It was too fast, though.
Wasn’t it?
Her mind pointed out that sex, even fling sex with a passing hottie who fit every single one of her fantasy requirements, always had repercussions. Responsible women made sure they could handle the repercussions before they dived off the deep end. They thought through the consequences.
And they made sure they were dressed appropriately. And since all Jade’s good lingerie was being washed—again—she was stuck in granny panties and a torn cotton mustard-yellow bra. Pretty much the unsexiest undies she owned.
There. Shaking her hands as if she could fling off the sexual tension, she gave a decisive nod. That should keep her from giving in to temptation.
Feeling like one of the teenage girls she often lectured, Jade tried to at least look calm. Sure, her stomach was dancing. Her pulse was racing. Maybe anticipation was doing questionable things to the bagel she’d had for breakfast. But she didn’t have to look as if she was freaked out. Faking It with Fashion 101... Look good and people believe you are good. Or in this case, look confident and he wouldn’t realize her toes were shaking.
While a part of her wondered when she’d become obsessed with sex, or at least sex with Diego, the rest of her—the parts that weren’t racing, dancing or threatening to spew—tried to remember everything she knew about being strong and empowered. About taking charge and going after what she wanted.
Clueless that he was front and center in her obsessive mental debate, Diego ended his call and tucked his phone into his pocket. She watched him stride across the slate, legs long and lean in dark denim. Here he came, temptation in a leather jacket.
She tilted her chin high, pulled her shoulders back and pressed one hand against her stomach. Strong and steady, she was ready to face down temptation. How’s that for empowered? she thought as she mentally patted herself on the back.
“We should get to work.”
She frowned. What happened to temptation?
“Work?” She peered at his face. Closed, distant and almost chilly. Her gaze slid to the phone he was tucking into his pocket. Had someone died?
“Work. I need to solve this case and get back to my own life,” he said.
If he’d sounded angry, or impatient, she’d have been able to dish it right back. But he simply sounded...gone.
The way he’d be as soon as he solved this silly Panty Thief case. Gone, back to his own life. His exciting world. His career and his dreams.
And Jade would be here.
Same life.
Same town.
Same unfulfilled existence.
Pressing her lips tight together to keep the sudden tears at bay, Jade rubbed her hands over her arms, wishing she’d thought to grab her jacket.
“You okay?” he asked, closing the distance for a brief second to sound concerned.
“I’m fine,” she said, shrugging as if it’d knock the tension off her shoulders. “Just chilly. I have an extra coat inside, though.”
“C’mon, then.” He gestured toward the library door. “Get it so we can go talk to people. You said you’d be able to ease the way so they’d open up to me, right? Fill me in, gauge fact from fiction?”
“Sure thing,” she murmured absently, stepping into the dimly lit back room and making her way to the
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