“Don’t do that,” I whispered.
“Do what?”
“Call me ‘baby.’”
“Addison,” he whispered, but before I could respond,his mouth covered mine and I was pushed gently against my foyer wall. I gasped, giving him better access, and his tongue swept inside. I responded, deepening the kiss, weaving my fingers into his hair and holding on for dear life. He broke the kiss, dropping his forehead to mine as we tried to catch our breath. “Fuck.”
I frowned. “Not the typical response I get after a kiss.”
“Don’t get mad,Addison,” he ordered. “It was a damn good kiss. Just wasn’t expecting it to be.”
“Oh, well, that’s making this whole thing so much better,” I ground out, and pushed him away.
“I swear to God, I’m not an ass, sweetheart.” He shook his head. “I just can’t seem to get a handle on anything when I’m with you.”
“Jake, I really do need to go, okay?” I dragged my hands down my face. “Let’s just takea beat and—”
“Have dinner with me,” he interrupted. “Tomorrow night. I’m not workin’, no one will interrupt us. I’ll even turn my phone off.”
“I’m busy tomorrow night,” I lied.
“Lunch.”
“I’ll be nursing my best friend... who wasattacked. Remember her?” Jake smiled, and my stomach flipped. “Why are you smiling?”
“Just figurin’ you out, Addison.”
“Well, stop it. It’s creepy.”
He slid hishand to my cheek, running a thumb over it. “I’m sorry I was a dick earlier.”
“I’m not a whore, Jake.”
He sighed. “I know you’re not. Shit, baby, seriously. I shouldn’t have said it.”
He was right, he shouldn’t have. “Then why did you?”
“Because you freak me the hell out.”
I let out an inelegant snort. “You’re ridiculous.”
“How do you figure?”
I shook my head. “I don’t have time to strokeyour ego right now, Jake. I have to go.”
“So, you were going to stroke my ego?” He chuckled. “That’s a good start.”
“In an effort to be clear,” I said, “I like you, Jake. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t waste my time having lunch or dinner... or standing with you in my apartment after my best friend was shot at... let alone trying to date you just to get information about Dylan’s case. I would simplycall Daddy, make him talk to Mike Warner, the Commissioner, and find out what I need to know.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “I know Mike Warner, honey. He would never share.”
“Mike’s my godfather, Jake. He’d share. He might not share everything, but he’d share enough for me to feel better or he’d indicate whether or not Dylan’s screwed, but either way, it would be an answer.”
“Then why don’t youdo that?”
“I plan to. But it’ll be when he’s had a couple of beers at the charity dinner and auction.”
He dropped his head back to the ceiling and swore.
