Sex & the Single Girl by Joanne Rock

try.”
    In fact, maybe she just needed to turn her attention to new projects and a new direction. Commit herself to staying away from shady, dangerous men who couldn’t follow a rule to save their lives.
    She gazed out at the boats on the water and realized it was fully dark now. “I just hope I can leave Aidan in the past where he belongs.”
    She waited for Summer to say something, and when all remained silent in her friend’s chair, Brianne wrenched her gaze from the bobbing lights on the water. Summer stared over Brianne’s shoulder toward the club.
    Turning, Brianne saw a familiar too-large silhouette standing on the patio that would be converted to a restaurant when the club was running at full steam.
    A familiar, muscle-bound silhouette that had invaded her dreams and even now made her pulse pick up speed.
    Damn.
    â€œDon’t hold your breath, girlfriend,” Summer whispered across the table. “But I don’t think that man is interested in your past. Psychic powers are not my cosmic forte but I’m still getting a strong vibe he’s interested lock, stock and barrel in your here and now.”

7
    B Y THE LIGHT OF a few flickering torches around the patio perimeter, Aidan thought he saw a flash of heat in Brianne’s eyes. A second of unadulterated hunger that he recognized because he felt the same damn thing so keenly he hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours that morning.
    As Brianne straightened her spine and sauntered toward him with a long-stemmed glass in one hand, however, Aidan quickly realized he must have imagined that sizzling flash of connection between them. Brianne had mastered the art of cool detachment in her years as a New Yorker and she was giving him attitude with both guns. Blinking his gritty eyes, Aidan realized lack of sleep was screwing with his perceptions.
    Not a good thing for a guy in his field.
    He needed to get his mind off Brianne and back on his case. A feat which shouldn’t be so freaking hard considering he had new evidence in hand, damn it.
    Brianne glided to a stop a few feet away on the patio overlooking the ocean. Her friend—the part-owner with the crazy fashion sense and the off-key soprano— lingered down by the water, stretching her arms toward the stars like some kind of pagan priestess or maybe a yoga instructor. The woman was a trip.
    And although Aidan’s highly functional male eye recognized the blonde as a beauty, she didn’t flick his switch the way Brianne could in her austere gray, ankle-length dress and bare feet.
    The woman personified temptation.
    She held out her half-full glass in offering—Eve with an apple. “You look like you need this more than me. Rough night, Agent Maddock?”
    â€œI never indulge myself while I’m on the clock, Bri. But talk to me after hours and you can bet I’ll be happy to take whatever you have to offer.” If she planned to drive him to the brink of insanity with her in-your-face attitude, Aidan would damn well push a few boundaries, too.
    He couldn’t tell if he’d managed to rile her or not, however. She simply retracted the glass and took a long swallow of whatever it contained.
    Aidan watched as her dark pink lips pursed around the rim of the goblet and she tossed her head back to sip the ruby-colored brew. His throat constricted along with hers as she drank.
    And he was suddenly so damn thirsty he couldn’t stand it.
    She polished off the libation with a satisfied smack of her lips. “It was a one-time offer, Aidan. Guess you’ll have to find your indulgences elsewhere tonight.” Flicking open the tiny remote computer she wore strapped to her wrist like an oversized watch, Brianne pushed a few buttons. “I notice you’re here early. You’re welcome to my office if you’d like to start viewing the monitors, but I don’t plan to join you until the club opens at eleven.”
    Seizing her hand,