Standing, he adjusted his gun belt.Maxie stepped back and bumped up against the refrigerator.
She needed to say something.Anything.
“Do you think they’ll…?”She cleared her throat.“Do you think they’ll buy it?The sisters, I mean.”
His blue eyes narrowed.“I did.”
He watched her for a long, intense moment before raking his hand through his disheveled hair.“I’ll pick you up later, okay?”
She nodded, her brain once again tripping over itself.Pretend or not, she’d made out with Zac Ford.And she might have sisters, with an s.
How had her one-word plan evolved into this?
“And for future reference…” he opened the door, but stopped with one foot over the threshold, “…I sleep on the right.”
Chapter Four
That kiss.
Zac couldn’t shake it all day.That, and the feel of Maxie’s body against his, the scent of her perfume and the tiny sounds she made when pleasure overwhelmed her shyness.Everything beyond that was a blur.
It had made for a long, long day.
The only thing he’d been able to concentrate on was the work he’d promised her he’d do.When it had come to that, he’d been Mr.Focus.He’d checked the backgrounds of Lexie Underhill and Roxie Cannon, then had gone on to verify what information he could from the file.It had taken time, but he’d discovered some interesting tidbits.Now, he was back to find out what she had learned.
Pulling into her driveway, he glanced at the house.He’d hated leaving her alone with so many questions unanswered, but he understood, too, that it was personal.Private.He’d pushed a little too hard this morning, trying to get himself put in the same personal and private category.
He tapped his thumb against the steering wheel.Maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her.When he’d left Chicago, he’d vowed he was leaving undercover work too, but this was different.This was a role he wanted to come true.He might have jumped the gun, but he wasn’t sorry for it.The only thing he regretted was bringing her attention to how steamy the kiss had gotten.
It had taught him something, though.Get her out of her head, and all that timidity faded.Earn her trust and she turned warm, flirty and a bit adventurous.He’d only caught a glimpse of that side of her before her reservations had kicked back in, but it had been enough to get his juices flowing.
He wanted to see it again.
Glancing in the mirror, he made sure his hair wasn’t standing on end and rubbed his hand over his jaw.He’d showered and shaved before coming over.It might not be a real date, but he was going to do his best to make her forget that.
He hopped out of his Jeep.Heat had built over the course of the day, and the sun beat down on the back of his neck as he climbed the steps.He only had to knock once before he heard her footsteps.When she opened the door, he was glad he’d made the effort in cleaning up.
“Huuuhn,” he grunted.
She was still wearing the pretty sundress, but she’d done something with her hair.It hung in waves around her shoulders, tempting him to reach out and touch.She’d changed shoes, and the higher heels showed off her legs.They looked as if they could go on for miles.
“Hi,” she said, dipping her chin shyly.
“Hi,” he managed to get out this time.
“You’re out of uniform.”
He’d changed into jeans and a black shirt.“I didn’t think it would help the dinner conversation.Uniforms make some people nervous.”
Her cheeks flushed.
Somehow, he got the idea that uniforms didn’t have the same effect on her.Good to know, he thought, filing away the information for future reference.
“You look fantastic,” he said, his voice coming out like gravel.
“Thanks.”The flush in her cheeks deepened, but she pulled the door open wider.“Come in.It’s hot out there.”
Cool air swept over him as he entered the house, but the moment he stepped inside, his gaze went right to the kitchen chair.It was hot in here too.She pushed the chair under the table, and the screech against the flooring told him there’d be no rekindling of that fire.
