“And what did he mean by ‘professional’?” I ask.
Gareth turns and frowns at me. “Wow, you’re more innocent than I thought, Briar.”
His words take the breath out of me. I stutter nonsensically as he pulls me into a tiny white room, finally finding my tongue as he presses me down into a chair.
“Well, if I’m so innocent, why not let me go?”
Shaking his head, Gareth cuffs me to the table. “I didn’t meanthatkind of innocent, Briar.”
“Well…what did you mean?”
“Come on, Briar. I think you know.”
Being a waitress at a truck stop teaches you how to deal with obnoxious people. Drunks, bullies, guys who just want a cup of coffee so they can catcall you while you’re working. So I have a thick skin. But Gareth cuts right through it.
His dark eyes meander over my body, and I’m suddenly embarrassed at how ratty I look. These jeans are falling apart, and I’ve worn this shirt three days in a row without a wash. My hair is a mess too.
But what do I care? I’m not trying to impress this man.
He arrested me on trumped-up charges! I shouldn’t give a damn what he thinks.
But as he pulls up a stool beside me and the warmth of his body drapes over me, I realize a terrible truth: Idocare what Gareth Rawls thinks about me. I do.
And what’s even worse, I want him to like me.
“So is this your game?” I ask bitterly. “You just pull girls over and then bring them in here forquestioning?”
To my surprise, he looks offended. “No.Never.”
I scoff. “You really expect me to believe that?”
Good God. My face is burning. All the way down to my chest. My nipples are hard under my shirt, and jealousy flares in me as I picture Gareth with other women here, in the same situation, his eyes taking in their bodies.
“Oh, so you’re a good guy?” I ask.
He looks down at me, eyes burning with mysteries I can’t decipher. “We’ll see.”
This man scares me. Being cuffed to this table scares me. So then why am I blushing? What is this damp sensationbetween my thighs? “Whatever you’re expecting here, it’s going to disappoint you.”
He raises his chin, frowning. “You think you would disappoint me, Briar?”
Reaching out, he brushes my hair back with a finger, then traces my cheekbone with his thumb, stopping just before my lips. The scent of his sweat makes my heart kick against my ribs.
“I…I know I would.”
Gareth leans closer and inhales deeply. Is he smelling me? Oh God. I missed my shower this morning. He’s going to hate it.
“You’re a virgin. Aren’t you, Briar?”
I could lie. I do it all the time at the diner. But Gareth isn’t just some nosy trucker. He’s a cop. He’d know. And the thought of him knowing I lied to him is somehow worse than him knowing the truth.
“Is that a standard interrogation question, Officer? Because it seems more personal.”
Gareth breathes a hungry breath, expanding his already massive chest. “Personal or not, I need an answer.”
“Yes, I am.”I hold his gaze, fighting against the blush. “And you’re a mind reader?”
Gareth’s lips shift slightly, twisting into something close to a smile. The tip of his tongue slips out like a snake. His pupils dilate, as though he’s discovered a treasure he’s been searching for.
