Under Wraps by Joanne Rock Page B

the investigation.” He frowned. “I didn’t think he could have pulled this off at the time, based on his lack of access to the Premiere accounts, but that was before I knew the crime involved a lot of cyber decoys…”
    He trailed off as he jumped to his feet to retrieve a laptop. She watched the flex of muscles in his thighs as he walked and wished she could feel him against her all over again.
    â€œYou investigated Alec?” She felt adrift suddenly, both because Jake had bolted so fast after telling her they wouldn’t be preoccupied now thatthey’d—essentially—gotten the sex impulses out of their system, and because she was at such a major disadvantage in a relationship where he knew far more about her than she knew about him.
    â€œHe made a few investments for you,” Jake explained, not even sparing her a glance as he fired up the computer and connected it to his phone for internet access since the hotel didn’t have wireless. “That gave him a certain financial savvy. And I knew you ended things acrimoniously based on the fact that you nearly took my eye out in an attempt to throw darts at a picture of his face.”
    â€œBut you cleared him.” Marnie tried not to let it sting that Jake had reverted to his supersleuthing. That was, of course, why they were here. “So you must have had some evidence to toss him aside as a suspect. When you cleared me, you needed video proof.”
    â€œYou were a far more likely candidate for this. You’re smarter, for one thing.” Jake slid on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt before bringing the laptop back near the fireplace.
    Near her.
    Her heart beat faster, and for once, it wasn’t simply because of his proximity. New worries crawled up her spine as she began to grasp the implications of Alec’s possible guilt. She gripped the afghan tighter to her chest to ward off a sudden chill.
    â€œAlec is a Princeton graduate,” she reminded Jake. Not that she wanted to defend her ex-boyfriend, per se. But she wanted Jake to know she hadn’t chosen a total loser.
    â€œActually, he lied about that.” Jake flipped his screenaround for her to see, showing her a brief background sheet on Alec Mason. “He doesn’t have a criminal background, but it looks like he’s bluffed his way into most of his jobs with padded résumés.”
    Marnie scanned the highlights of Alec’s career as Jake spoke, trying to absorb the fact that her ex had betrayed her on even more levels. The ground shifted under her feet, and this time it didn’t have anything to do with Jake or Alec. Instead, she simply felt like the world’s biggest fool for trusting men in the first place.
    â€œI used to think it was a good quality to see the best in people.” How many times had she counseled friends to look on the bright side? How often had she told herself that life’s obstacles were merely road signs to take a new and more exciting path? “I had no idea it made me so—”
    She couldn’t decide on any one word that would describe how she felt right now. Alec’s face grinned at her almost as if he knew he could take her heart for a ride and get away with it.
    â€œHey.” Jake set the laptop aside as he reached for her. Putting an arm around her waist, he pulled her close. “It is a good quality to see the best in people. I tend to see the worst, and I can tell you that has bitten me in the ass more times than I can count.”
    Her eyes burned, but she refused to feel sorry for herself.
    â€œAt least no one ever takes you for a sucker.” That was the word she’d been looking for. She’d been a total sucker where Alec had been concerned. “You’ve never been taken in by someone who wants to use you.”
    â€œNo. But I’ve been roped in by ideas and institutions, believing in the police force or the military only to be disillusioned when