Page 12

“If I said I was refusing, what would you do?”

“I’d find another PI.” Instant. “I’d keep searching until I got someone to take the case.” Though time was of the essence if she wanted to use the dedication as cover for heading back to Florida. She’d just gotten the invitation two days ago. Actually, it had been mailed to her weeks before, but she’d only opened it recently. Then she’d known that she had to act.

And Memphis gave me the recommendation of Hunter just in the nick of time. Hunter seemed perfect. The fact that he was literally in her own city had made it seem like their partnership was meant to be.

“Well, I certainly can’t have you running to the competition. That’s just bad business.” He extended his right hand toward her.

She stared at his fingers.

He wiggled them. “We’re shaking on the deal. It’s a customary thing to do.”

Shelby didn’t reach for his hand. Not yet. She had a few terms that he needed to meet. “Do you have some sort of confidentiality agreement? Like, to make sure the things I say to you won’t later be sold to some publisher in a book deal or repeated to a reporter at the first opportunity?”

He kept his hand extended. “Did someone do that to you before?”

“Yes.” Whispered. Her gaze rose and collided with his. “A few someones. Ripping apart the final girl can be fun.”

“Not for me.” A muscle flexed along his jaw. “I will keep your confidences. I will never hurt you.” Another flex of that muscle along his hard, square jaw. “And I can guarantee that no one will ever rip you apart on my watch.”

A shiver skated down her spine. “Does that mean you’ll take my case?” Yes, she’d just repeated her earlier question because she would really like a simple yes or no answer. He had still not given her one yet. It felt like he was leaning toward a yes, but it would be fabulous if he could just say that one simple word.

Yes.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m taking you.”

“What?”

“Taking the case,” Hunter amended as he cleared his throat. He also wiggled the fingers that he’d never dropped. “Shake on it?”

Sure. Whatever. Her hand extended, and her palm brushed his. His fingers closed around hers, and there it was.

A surge.

An awareness.

Heat pulsed through her, starting right there, where their palms touched. She sucked in a breath even as she met his stare. It had been so long since she’d felt this particular awareness that it took her a moment to process exactly what she was feeling. But, yes, there it was.

Attraction. Desire. Need. Streaking through her body. Surging beneath the surface of her skin.

“I’ll take the case,” Hunter confirmed in his deep, rough voice. “I’ll sign any confidentiality agreement that you want. From here on out, consider us partners.”

She should pull her hand back. There was no need whatsoever to keep holding Hunter’s hand for this long. But…

She could still feel that heat. That awareness. It was slowly flooding her, every single cell, and it was like she was waking up. How long had it been since she’d wanted someone else? Since she’d looked at someone, touched someone, and felt desire?

Getting close to others wasn’t an option for her. She didn’t trust them. Oh, she’d tried. One particular experience had ended in utter disaster.

And yet…

“Trust me,” Hunter urged her. “I won’t let you down.”

No, no, she’d just met him. Her hand yanked back. Immediately, she missed his warmth. What in the world was that about? Her hand curled into a fist, almost as if she was trying to…to keep the memory of his touch.

Oddly enough, she saw his hand do the same motion. But there was no desire flashing on his face. No wild lust in his eyes. He just kept staring at her with that intense stare of his, a cool detachment on his face. Obviously, he had not felt that strange pulse of awareness. This was just a PI case for him.

Business only.

Which was great. Fine. Business. “Is there paperwork for me to sign?”