She Can Tell by Melinda Leigh

he had to work to keep his voice level. Yeah, he was annoyed with the judge, but he never had trouble with emotional control. Ever. Until he’d met Rachel.
    “Damn. I don’t know why this is a surprise. I should’ve counted on Vince to play dirty.” She scowled, and the temper that lit her eyes made her sexier. What was wrong with him?
    “He has to join Alcoholics Anonymous, attend twice-weekly meetings, and generally keep his nose clean until the next hearing.”
    Rachel’s disgusted snort echoed Mike’s opinion. The conditions were simply a cover-your-ass move for the judge so it didn’t look like he was just letting the scumbag go to please an old crony friend, which was exactly what he was doing.
    Rachel chewed her lip in silence. Mike searched her face. Something about her totally threw him off. He’d spenthalf the night stapling tarps over the graffiti on her barn. Had to be a reason. Was it the way emotion played so transparently across her face? She was incapable of deception. Or the way her dark hair fell in loose, shining waves around her shoulders? It smelled like…He leaned a little closer. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t back down. No, she would never back down. Her eyes blazed with that sexy fire. Mike inhaled. Lemons. She smelled like lemons, all fresh and clean. The scent of her hair made him think of other body parts he’d like to sniff.
    Footsteps sounded in the hall behind Mike. He turned his head. Vince Mitchell was coming down the hall, his trophy wife hanging off his arm. In her sky-high heels, the beautiful young woman on his arm was taller than her wiry, gray-haired husband. Tanya Mitchell had restrained her long platinum blond hair in a conservative bun, but her suit was too tight for her to pull off the suburban wife image. With overly enhanced breasts straining the buttons of her silk blouse, the pearls and pumps getup made her look like Donna Reed’s slutty alter ego. Her heavy makeup contrasted with Rachel’s clean, fresh face.
    Vince guided Tanya past. One arm slid around his wife’s body. His hand gave her hip a possessive squeeze, but his beady eyes darted back and forth between Mike and Rachel. Mike realized too late that he was standing closer to her than professional interest would dictate. Hell, his face was only a few inches from her head. Yes, he’d actually sniffed her hair in the hallway of the municipal building—in full view of the town councilman who’d been trying to fire him for the past year.
    Suspicion lit Vince’s thin face. His mouth twisted in an evil, satisfied smile. Mike gritted his teeth. He’d known all along his interest in Rachel was going to come back and bitehim on the ass. Now that Vince knew about it, it was only a matter of time.

    Rachel felt his withdrawal. Mike’s body was still close enough that she could smell his damned aftershave and feel the heat his body emanated. But his attention was riveted on the blond bimbo’s retreating butt. Yup. Vince’s wife had it all going on. Legs, butt, boobs, all
Sports Illustrated
Swimsuit Issue perfect. Oh well. Rachel couldn’t take it personally.
    Mike’s eyes closed as he moved a step away from her. “I can’t believe I just did that.”
    “Did what? Got an eyeful of Tayna’s booty?” Rachel patted his forearm. “Give yourself a break. Mightier men have fallen.”
    Mike’s brow creased. “No. It’s not that. I can’t believe Vince saw…
that
.” He motioned between them with one hand.
    “Is that a problem?”
    “Yes.” He paced a few feet away and back. “You’re a key part of an active case. Professional ethics dictate that I cannot be involved with you.”
    “Oh.” Disappointment settled over Rachel like freezing drizzle. She pushed it away and lifted her chin. “I wasn’t aware that we were involved.”
    Mike pinched the bridge of his nose.
    “Your face is getting all red,” Rachel said. “Have you had your blood pressure checked lately?”
    “I never did anything