My desk phone buzzed.
I slammed down the button.“What?”
“There’s a Miss Harper here to see you, Detective.”
Colson barked a laugh and threw his hands in the air.
“Tell her I’ll be right out.” I clicked off. “This conversation is over, Colson. Get out of my office.”
“See you in the unemployment line, kid.”
He slammed the door so hard my coffee jumped.
39
JAGG
Ipushed out the front doors of the station and into the blazing sun. It was only eleven in the morning and the humidity was already stifling.
Damn this heat.
Damn Colson.
Squinting, my gaze landed on the show-stopping beauty leaning against the fender of a red Chevy Cheyenne. One dog in the back, one in the front. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Sexiest damn thing I’d ever seen.
A small smile spread as our eyes locked.
My stomach dipped, and for the first time, I realized why they called that butterflies.
God, the woman was gorgeous. Tunnel-visioned, I crossed the scorching asphalt, sweat beginning to bead on my forehead, although I was certain it had nothing to do with the heat.
She was wearing those damn cut-off jean shorts again and a plain V-neck T-shirt that, despite its loose fit, draped over her curves like satin. A worn pair of Birkenstockscovered her feet. A purple baseball cap that read “Life is Good,” on her head.
The T-shirt shirt rippled in the breeze, just enough to hint at an erect nipple that I knew wasn’t because she was cold.
Was she thinking about the kiss, too?
I had to fight from swiping the sweat on my brow as I walked up. I didn’t want her to know the effect she had on me, although, based on the widening grin, she did.
Max paced back and forth in the bed, tail wagging, a long pink tongue panting against the heat. I swear the dog actually smiled when he saw me. Brute was in the passenger seat, a flash of silver irises sparkling in the sun. The pit eyed me as I walked up, but the single flick of his long, thin tail gave him away. I figured that was the closest thing to a smile I was going to get from that one. Progress.
It was a weird moment. Very… relationshipy. My woman, my dogs, coming to see me at work.
In my dreams, anyway.
“What a motley crew,” I quipped.
With a mind of its own, my hand drifted forward and tucked a wayward strand of curls behind her ear. It took everything I had not to lean down and kiss those lips, sparkling with a gloss, that I knew from last night, was sweet and minty. I noticed she’d put on some makeup and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was for me. I hoped so.
“Thank you for the new tires. How much do I owe you?”
“Twenty-thousand dollars.”
She grinned. “Wow. Five thousand a piece, huh?”
“Yep. Those rims aren’t silver, they’re platinum,” I winked. “Only the best for you and those stinky mutts.”
“Well, in that case, put it on my tab, then.”
