Page 24 of Armed ’N’ Ready

A light breeze brought with it her scent, all flowery and pretty. No matter how much he wished otherwise, he couldn’t deny it. Something about her torqued every one of his senses.

“Can’t a guy get some relaxation while he’s watching his dog play?” He locked his hands behind his head and looked up at her.

“I have no doubt this is not a social call. For you or your partner.” She jerked her head to the dog run.

“And you accused me of being overly suspicious?” He clucked his tongue. He was beginning to enjoy this. “Now who’s being suspicious?”

Her lips compressed into an even thinner line. “I’m not stupid, Sgt. Houston.” She yanked out the chair next to his, then sat and leaned into his personal space. With her blue eyes and sun-kissed complexion, she was just as lovely as he remembered. “I know you want something. You said you don’t deal in bullshit, so how about doing me the courtesy of getting to the real reason you’re here.”

“Fine.” He unlocked his hands from behind his head and leaned in until their faces were only inches apart. Bad idea. This close and his senses were more than going into overdrive—they were sparking with ignition.

Her sweet scent was in his nose and lungs. Her warm breath fanned his face like a gentle caress.

The job, he reminded himself.

He hadn’t acted since college, but he could do it, and he wouldn’t fail.

Showtime. Act I, scene I, starring Nick Houston.

“Until Joe Myer shows up, I’m your new bartender.”

…

Andi must have misheard him. “You’re what?”

“Your new bartender,” Nick repeated with a deadpan expression. “I’ve seen your want ad, and I’m your guy.”

“You can’t be serious.” But the look on his face said otherwise, and in her gut, she knew he was. “No, no, no.” She shook her head slowly, deliberately, and repeatedly to ram home the point that there wasn’t a chance in Hades that she’d entertain such a bizarre proposition. “I have interviews this morning for a new bartender. I don’t need you.”

“Cancel them,” he said in a harsh tone.

“No.” She straightened then glanced at the nearest table, making sure no one could overhear their conversation. The one thing she had that was all hers was the café, and he was trying to force his way into it. Not. A. Chance. “You must be out of your mind if you think I’m going to allow you to work here. Besides, you already have a job.”

“You said you’d do anything to show the extent of your cooperation. Don’t make a liar out of yourself,” he added.

Damn the man for knowing just which of her buttons to push. Before she could respond, he reached behind him, the movement tightening the dove-gray T-shirt over his body, giving her an up close and personal view of just how well defined his chest and shoulder muscles were. Until now she’d only seen him in his stiff, starched uniform, protective vest, and so much equipment on his belt that she hadn’t realized how narrow his waist was.

When he leaned slightly to the side, her eyes dipped to where the T-shirt was tucked into a pair of seriously faded jeans. A worn brown leather belt with a rectangular brass buckle snugged tight emphasized the fact that there wasn’t a single roll of fat on the man. “Here.”

Huh? She tore her gaze from his perfect torso, embarrassed at the smile tugging at his lips. Crap. She’d so been caught ogling him, and he was eating it up.

“Want your phone back?” He grinned openly now, those sensual lips a stark contrast to all the chiseled planes and angles of his normally serious, now incredibly handsome face.

He was holding something out to her. Her pink cell phone. She automatically reached for it, but stopped, jerking her hand back. Suspicion prickled sharply in her brain. This was way too soon. Only yesterday Cox had informed her in no uncertain terms that it could be months before the phone was returned to her.

She glared at him. “What’s the catch?”

He set the phone on the table. “While your phone was in our custody, Joe called, but he wouldn’t talk to us. We had a female officer answer, but he knew it wasn’t you.”

Now she understood why she was getting her phone back. “You want me to call him. I already tried that yesterday, and he wouldn’t answer. What makes you think he’ll answer if I call him now?”

“He probably won’t. I think he’s savvy enough to power off the phone when he’s not using it, so he can’t be traced or tracked by the phone’s signal. But you two are obviously…close.” She could swear his jaw clenched. “He’s been trying to reach you, and I think he’ll do it again,” he continued. “You and this phone are our only link to him. Try calling him once. Assuming he doesn’t answer, leave another message reiterating the sense of urgency that he calls you back.”

There didn’t seem to be any harm in that. “What if he does answer?”

“Try to talk him in.”

“Why?” She let out a sarcastic laugh. “You’ll arrest him if he turns himself in.”