“I’m not used to talking to myself.” He chuckled lightly. “Can you at least tell me your name?”
She swallowed, moistening the cotton dryness in her mouth. “Britt,” she squeaked.
His dark eyebrows drew together. “Your name is Britt?”
She cleared her throat.Russell, what is wrong with you?“Yes. My friends call me that. It’s short for Brittany.”
When his expression relaxed, relief poured over her. His sensual grin returned and made her body weak. She silently cursed the effect. Perhaps it was the heat in the room. Why else would her brain refuse to work? She was a police detective, not a simpering female who swooned at the first smile from a good looking man.
“It’s great to finally meet you, Britt—or do you want me to call you Brittany?”
“Britt is fine.”
He arched an eyebrow. “I actually like Brittany. It’s such an angelic name. It makes me think you’re an angel from Heaven sent here to put me on the straight and narrow.”
She bit her tongue from snickering. That was a line she’d heard before. All through the two years of college, and then at the Police Academy, she’d been propositioned one way or another and heard almost all the pick-up lines in the book. She’d ignored the sleazy men her father had warned her about and concentrated on her studies. But this particular pick-up line took her by surprise, mainly because a man of his caliber would actually use it on a woman.
“So, my shy woman,” Mr. Reeder’s voice took on a hint of humor, “if you don’t mind, I want to call you Brittany because it fits the petite and delicately beautiful woman sitting at my table.”
Once again, his compliment took her off guard. Against her will, her heart pounded faster against her ribs. With a shaky hand, she lifted the drink to her lips and pretended to sip. She noticed his gaze wandered over her red, silk dress again, and then to her legs. Why was he so bold with his inspection? She didn’t think she’d spilled food on her dress during the brief time she was at her father’s, and soon-to-be stepmother’s, engagement social.
“So you’re one of Derek’s friends.” He took a quick drink of his brandy, his gaze never leaving her eyes. “Tell me, Brittany, how long have you known Derek?”
Brittany should be drilling him with questions, but since he thought she was someone else, playing along was essential. She’d already led him to believe she was new, so she quickly thought up an answer. “About two weeks.”
He took another sip of his drink. “Derek can be a jokester at times, don’t you think?”
“Why do you say that?”
“He told me he was fixing me up with a girl he’d just met, but he didn’t tell me how gorgeous you are.” He winked.
Her face heated quickly, and she inwardly cursed her body’s reaction. Good grief! She had never acted this way before. It must be the heat in the room, for sure. There was no other explanation for it.
“So, what’s your specialty?”
She inhaled sharply.What in the crap is he talking about?
“You know,” he continued, sitting in the chair across from her, “Derek wouldn’t have fixed us up if he didn’t think you could please me in some way.”
She about choked on her own saliva. “Pl...pleaseyou?”
He laughed deeply. “Yes. Isn’t that why you’re here? To entertain me?”
Brittany’s mind swam with ideas. He couldn’t possibly meanthat. Yet, what else could he mean? Did he think she was a call girl or something? No way! Three years ago, her precinct cracked open a prostitution ring. Could Seattle possibly have another one?
Anger flowed through her and she bit her lip. She couldn’t blow her cover, yet. She hadn’t gotten any answers about the murder, so she had to keep pretending. So now she needed to figure out some kind of specialty. “Well, I…I can give a really good massage.”
He continued to give her his devilish grin, the one he probably used to charm many women. She liked the way the corners of his perfect mouth lifted, because it made her heart thud a little quicker. The feeling wasn’t totally uncomfortable. In fact, it was almost relaxing.
She didn’t consider herself pretty in any way, but she’d had the kind of toned body the guys in college liked—physical enough to take them on at anything. Being around three brothers kept her in shape, and she competed with them in most of their sports. However, she knew even in high school, that if a guy didn’t like her for her mind, he wasn’t worth it.
Mr. Reeder would be the type of man who went out with a woman just for her good looks. Then again, she was sure he’d be able to get any woman he wanted. All he had to do was smile.
Trying to shake away the burning interest in this man that grew inside of her like Jack’s magic beans in his fairy tale story, she decided it was time to take control of the situation. How else would she find out if he had anything to do with Hillary Banks’ murder?
She tilted back the goblet of brandy to her mouth, and pretended to drink again. After placing it back on the coaster, she rose from the chair and walked toward him. She motioned to the chair for him to sit.
He followed her direction and sat. Hesitantly, she placed her fingers on the muscular cords of his neck, just inside his bathrobe. Warm sensations shot through her, and she bit her lip from groaning aloud. Her fingers nearly melted against his smooth skin.This is going to be harder than I thought.
