Panic hammered away in her chest, bringing a momentary shut-down to her brain…and her lungs, because at this moment as she stared at his bathrobe and the muscular bare legs, she couldn’t breathe. Her worst nightmare—for today, anyway—had come true. She’d been caught in the suspect’s apartment looking like a girl going to her first prom, and holding a G42, no less! What kind of bad horror flick was this?
The rhythm of her heart was as fast as a speeding train, and she knew it would derail and crash at any moment. If that happened, she’d be standing in the middle of his room, looking like a complete idiot in a fancy dress, with a gun.
What would he think when he saw her? Although she could imagine plenty, it worried her that she didn’t look like a police detective. Naturally, he’d think someone was here to end his life. She definitely didn’t want him thinking that.
Without another thought, she pushed the glock back in her beaded purse. Just then, the man raised his head and saw her. He stopped. His mouth hung open as his gaze moved over her. It didn’t bother her the way he scanned up and down her body like some kind of hungry coyote, but what concerned her was the way her mouth dried so quickly and cotton had taken up residence in her throat. This man was absolutely the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on—and she’d seen many in her twenty-five years.
She forced herself to breathe—in through the nose, out of the mouth—before the oxygen stopped transporting to her brain. This handsome man made it impossible to concentrate. From his wet, short dark hair, to the cotton robe wrapped around his muscular frame, giving her a peep-show of his bare legs and thighs, was it any wonder her mind was so mixed up?
Willing the words to come to her mind, she struggled with an excuse of what to tell him. Standing before him without her glock, made her feel naked…and of course, brain dead. She certainly wasn’t being professional now.The captain is going to ask for my badge and gun!
Mr. Reeder’s narrowed gaze stayed on her as he walked toward her. When he finally stopped in front of her, the suspicious glint to his eyes had disappeared. A sexy, crooked grin touched his mouth.
Sexy?She tried to shake the image out of her head. He was a murder suspect! Thinking of him this way was against the rules, and she kept the rule book in her head at all times.
“How did you get in?” he asked, pulling out his earphones.
“I…um,” she swallowed hard, “the door was already opened a little. I…heard a heavy thump inside. I…didn’t know what to think except you had fallen or something.”
He nodded. “Oh, that. Well, I accidentally knocked the hamper over.” He ran his gaze over her again. “So I suppose you decided to come today, anyway?”
The deep timbre in his voice made her heart flip-flop. Yet, why had he asked that question? What did he mean? Unless… Perhaps he knew who she was and wondered why she was here instead of tomorrow. But how could he know her purpose for being here? Especially dressed like this?
She clutched her hands and held them to her middle. If only she had her gun, she’d feel more secure. She grumbled under her breath. What was she thinking to put it away so soon?
“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” he spoke again. “In fact, why don’t you come over here.” He motioned to the dinette table. He slid his Ipod into the pocket of his robe. “We’ll have a drink to break the awkwardness between us.”
Slowly, she shook her head. He had no clue to her identity. Nobody asked a police detective to have a drink of liquor with them. Maybe a cup of coffee or tea…but never liquor!
Now the question remained, who then, did he think she was? For some reason, Mr. Reeder wasn’t at all surprised to see a strange woman—who dressed this fancy—in his apartment in the middle of the day. Obviously, he expected a woman like this, too. Yet, he certainly wasn’t dressed like he was going out for a night on the town, as she was.
Perhaps she should play along and see where it led. After all, she was a detective, and she’d do anything to get the answers to her questions.
Trying to relax her stiff legs, she wobbled to the table that was fancy enough to sit royalty. The Victorian style set came with matching mahogany, cushioned chairs. Did people really sit on something this expensive and actually eat?
Hesitantly, she sat on one of the chairs. She didn’t take her eyes off him when he walked to the liquor cabinet, reached into the glass cabinet and took out two glasses.
“What would you like to drink?” he asked. “I have just about everything there is.”
She couldn’t stop gaping at his magnificent build. Her brain told her to stop, because she loathed it when others looked upon her as if she was dessert served on a China plate with a golden spoon. But how could she stop admiring something so magnificent? He moved so sensual, like a model that’d been trained to turn a woman’s head.
He glanced at her over his shoulder as if waiting for an answer. She licked her dry lips. She wasn’t a big drinker, even at special occasions when it called for champagne, she was usually the one turning it down and asking for ice water with a lemon. And because she was on duty, drinking was definitely out of the question.
Mr. Reeder’s eyes narrowed on her again. His intent stare brought her out of her improper thoughts, and yet, her mind still remained blank. Silently, she scolded herself for acting this way. He wasn’tthatgood looking was he?Oh, yes, he is!But she still needed to quit acting like a deaf mute.
She cleared her throat, preparing to say something, even if it was stupid. This had to be the longest she’d gone without speaking.
“I’m assuming Derek sent you.” His grin made his eyes twinkle.
Are his eyes green?That wouldn’t be a good thing. She’d always loved to stare into a man’s dreamy, green eyes.
Her mind quickly came out of the clouds and consumed his question. Who was Derek? Well, since she was already in character—whatever character he thought she was—she’d play along. She nodded instead of verbally replying. Where was her voice?
His smile widened. “Please don’t be scared. Loosen up a little. I’m going to have brandy, would you like one?”
She shouldn’t, but… She didn’t have to drink it. Instead, she’d just act like it. That would be good enough. She gave him another nod.
His long, lean fingers plucked off the bottle cork of the crystal decanter and poured the rich amber colored liquid into two crystal goblets. He brought the drinks to the table and rested one on a coaster in front of her.
