by Lori Foster
Judd expected the cursing, then the inevitable demand for details. The telling took all of three minutes, and during that time, Howell didn’t make a single sound. Judd tried to downplay his initial meeting with Emily and the fact she’d seen him perform, but there was no way to get around it completely. When Judd finished, he heard a rough rumble from Howell that could have been either a chuckle or a curse. “She could throw a wrench into the works.”
Judd chose his words very carefully. “Maybe not. I’ve been thinking about it, and it might actually strengthen my case. Being a stripper in such a sleazy joint makes me look pretty unethical. And I’ve made it known I’d do just about anything, including stripping, to make a fast buck.”
“But Donner hasn’t taken the bait yet.”
“He will.” Judd was certain of that. Donner always used available locals. That was how he worked. “It will happen. But maybe, with a classy woman hanging around to make me look all the more unscrupulous, Donner will buy in a little quicker.”
“You think he’ll figure the little lady is keeping you?”
“What else would he think? We’re hardly the perfect couple. As long as she’s informed and close enough for me to keep an eye on her, she’ll be safe. And Donner will definitely get curious. Besides, I don’t have much choice. She made it real plain she’d investigate on her own if I didn’t see fit to help her. It’s a sure bet she’d tip Donner off and send him running.”
Howell chuckled. “Sounds like you got everything nicely under control.”
No. He didn’t have his libido under control, or his protective male instincts that had him wanting to look after her despite his obligations to the job and his loyalty to Max. “I can handle things, I think. It would have been better not to have a civilian involved, but my options are limited now.”
“I could have her picked up for some trumped-up violation. That might buy you a little time to settle things without her around.”
The thought of Emily being humiliated that way, being harassed—by anyone other than himself, was unthinkable. “No. I’ll keep an eye on her. Besides, she’s so clean, she squeaks. I doubt you’d find anything. And I already tried scaring her off, but she’s sticking to her guns.”
“Determined, huh?”
Judd snorted. “I almost think she wants Donner as bad as I do. She was taking pictures. Can you imagine? I took the film. I don’t think there’s anything important on it, but I don’t want to take any chances. Not with this case.” And not with her. “So I’ll let her hang around a while, and use the situation to our advantage. In any case, she’ll probably be with me when I perform at the bar on Tuesday.”
“Keep me posted as soon as you know about the film. And in the meantime, watch your backside. Don’t go getting romantic ideas and blow this whole thing.”
“Fat chance.” He hoped he sounded convincing. “I just wanted you to know what was going on.”
“You need any backup on hand, just in case?”
“No.” Everything had gone better than he could have hoped. His performance was convincing, even superior to the other dancers’. But he didn’t intend to share all that over the phone. It was humiliating. “I don’t want to take a chance on blowing it now. I’m accepted. No one suspects me of being anything but a stripper.”
“Yeah, you fit the bill real good.”
Judd ignored that taunting comment. They’d checked the place over in minute detail before setting up the stakeout. Donner definitely used the room above the bar to make his deals and meet contacts. So it was imperative that Judd be on hand. Unfortunately, the bar was such a damn landmark, having been there for generations, the only transient positions available were the dancers’. The bartenders had been there for years and the bar’s ownership hadn’t changed hands except within the same family. If Judd wanted Donner he was stuck stripping. And he wanted Donner real bad.
“As I said, it’s a believable cover, but I hope like hell we can wrap it up soon. I don’t want to take any unnecessary chances.”
And he didn’t want Emily to get caught in the middle of his own personal war.
“Judd? Is there something you’re not telling me? Has something happened? Is it time?”
His instincts told him things would come to a head soon, but he kept that thought to himself. “Hell, it’s past time, but who knows? Something’s bound to break soon. Either a deal or my back. Those ladies can be real demanding when you’re peeling off your clothes.”
As he’d intended, his cryptic complaints lightened the mood. “You’re the perfect guy for the job. Just don’t start enjoying yourself and decide to leave us for bigger and better things.” Howell laughed, then cleared his throat. “Stay in touch, and for God’s sake, stay alert. Get the hell out if things go sour.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open.”
Judd felt a certain finality settle over him as he replaced the receiver. His superior hadn’t nixed his plans with Emily, and it was too late to call off the cover, regardless of his personal feelings. He’d be spending a lot of time in Emily’s company. And that filled him with both dread and sizzling anticipation.
HE HADN’T SLEPT a wink. The combination of worry and excitement from his vivid dreams of Emily worked to keep him tossing all night. But the knock on the apartment door sounded insistent, so he reluctantly forced himself out from under the sheet, then wrapped it around himself to cover his nudity.
“Just a damn minute!” On his way out of the room, he picked up his watch and saw it was only eight-thirty. Just dandy.
Carrying his pistol, he looked out the peephole, then cursed. He stuck the gun in a drawer, just before jerking the door open. He managed to startle Emily, who nearly dropped a large basket she was holding in both hands. “Are you one of those perverse people who rises with the sun?”
Emily didn’t look at his face. She was too busy staring at his body. Judd sighed in disgust. “I’m showing less now than I did last night, and you didn’t faint then, so please, pull it together, will ya?”
That moony-eyed look of hers was going to be the death of him. A man could take only so much.
And she was looking especially fetching this morning in some kind of light, spring dress. It was just as concealing as the one she’d worn last night, but there was no tie at her throat, only a pearl brooch that looked as if it cost a small fortune. This dress nipped in at the waist, and showed how tiny she was. He could easily span her waist with his hands. His palms tingled at the thought.
“What the hell are you doing here, Emily? It’s still early.”
“I…actually, I thought we might have breakfast. You did say we would talk this morning.”
“Eager to get started, are you?” Turning away, Judd stared toward the kitchen, then back to Emily. “I wasn’t up yet. If you want coffee, you’ll have to make it.”
Emily seemed to shake herself. “Ah, no. Actually, I thought…you know, to thank you for everything you did for me last night…taking me home and all that, well…I cooked for you.”
She ended in a shrug, and Judd realized how embarrassed she was. Or maybe she thought he’d mock her again, ridicule her for her consideration.
He raked a hand through his hair, still holding the sheet with a fist. “What have you got in there?”
He indicated the basket with a toss of his head. Emily’s smile was fleeting, and very relieved. She glanced around the room, taking in the apartment’s minimal furnishings: a couch, a small table with two chairs, a few lamps, a stereo, but no television. His bedroom sat off to the right, where the open door allowed her to see a small night table and a rumpled bed. The kitchen was merely a room divided by a small, three-foot bar.
He liked the place, even though the neighborhood was rough and the tenants noisy. It wasn’t home, but then he’d never really had a home, at least not one of his own. He’d lived with Max Henley a while, and that had seemed as close as he’d ever get to having a family. But that was before Max died. Ever since, his life had been cen
tered on nailing Donner. Where he lived was a trivial matter.
He waited to see Emily’s reactions to the apartment, but she didn’t so much as blink. After a brief smile, she set the basket on the wobbly table, then opened it with a flourish. “Blueberry muffins, sausage links and fresh fruit.” She flashed him a quick, sweet smile. “And coffee.”
He was touched, he couldn’t help it. “I can’t believe you made me breakfast.”
“It’s not fancy, but you didn’t strike me as a man who would want escargots so early in the morning.”
He grimaced, then ended with a smile. “And you didn’t strike me as the type who would cook for a man.”
“I like to cook. My mother thinks it’s some faulty gene inherited from my ancestors. But since I’m not married, I don’t get to indulge very often.”
“What about dates? You could do some real nice entertaining in your house.”
She busied herself with setting out the food. “I don’t go out much.”
He wasn’t immune to her vulnerability. He reached out and touched her hand. “No woman has ever cooked for me before.”
She stared at him, shocked. “You’re kidding.”
Feeling a little stupid now for mentioning it, Judd shook his head. “Nope.”
“What about your mother?”
“Left when I was real little. My father raised me.”
“Oh.” Then she tilted her head. “The two of you are close?”
He laughed. “Hardly. Dad stayed drunk most of the time, and I tried to stay out of his hair, ’cause Dad could get real mean when he drank.”
“That’s awful!” She looked so outraged on his behalf, he grinned.
“It wasn’t as bad as all that, Em.”
“Of course it was. I think it sounds horrid. Did you have any brothers or sisters?”
“Nope.”
“So you were all alone?”
That was the softest, saddest voice he’d ever heard, and for some fool reason, he liked hearing it from her. “Naw. I had Max.”
“Max?”
“Yeah. See, I wasn’t all that respectable when I was younger, and Max Henley busted me trying to steal the tip he’d left for a waitress. With Max being a cop and all, I thought I’d end up in jail. But instead, he bought me lunch, chewed me out real good, then made me listen to about two hours’ worth of lectures on right and wrong and being a good man. I was only fourteen, so I can’t say I paid that much attention. When I finally got out of that restaurant, I didn’t think I’d ever go back. But I did. See, I knew Max ate his lunch there every day, so the next day, when he saw me hanging around, he invited me to join him. It became a routine, and that summer, he gave me a job keeping up his yard. After a while, Max kind of became like family to me.”
Emily was grinning now, too. “He was a father figure?”
“Father, mother, and sometimes as grumpy as an old schoolmarm. But he took good care of me. I guess you could say he was a complete ‘family figure.’” And Donner had robbed Judd of that family.
“He sounds like a wonderful man.”
“Yeah.” Judd looked away, wishing he’d never brought up the subject. “Max was the best. He’s dead now.”
“I’m sorry.”
Judd bit his upper lip, barely controlling the urge to hug her close. She had spoken so softly, with so much sincerity, her words felt like a caress. Somehow, she managed to lessen the pain he always felt whenever he thought of Max. God, he still missed him, though it had been nearly six months since Donner had killed him.
Judd nodded, then waited through an awkward silence while Emily looked around for something to do.
She went back to unloading her basket. As she opened the dishes, Judd inhaled the aromas. “Mmm. Smells good. Why don’t you get things ready while I put on some pants. Okay?”
“I’ll have the table set in a snap.” Then she grinned again. “I hope you’re hungry. I made plenty.”
Judd shook his head. She was wooing him with breakfast, a ploy as old as mankind, and he was succumbing without a struggle. If he was ever going to keep her safe, he’d have to keep his head and maintain the control. The only way to do that was to make certain some distance existed between them. He couldn’t be moved by every small gesture she made.
When he emerged from the bedroom two minutes later, Emily had everything on plates. He noticed there were two settings, so obviously she planned to eat with him. He also saw that, other than coffee mugs, she’d found only paper plates and plastic cutlery in his kitchen. But she didn’t seem put off by that fact. A tall thermos of coffee sat in the middle of the table. It smelled strong, just the way he liked it.
“This is terrific, Emily. I appreciate it.” Normally, he didn’t eat breakfast, but his stomach growled as he approached the table, and he couldn’t deny how hungry he was.
Emily poured his coffee, still smiling. “I thought we could talk while we eat. Maybe get to know each other a little better. I mean, we will be working together, and we’re practically strangers.”
He glanced up at her. “I wouldn’t say that.”
She blinked, then looked away. “How long have you been…ah…”
“Stripping?”
“Yes.” There was another bright blush on her cheeks. Judd wondered how she kept from catching fire.
“A while,” he said, keeping his answer vague.
“You…you like it?”
Good Lord. He laid down his fork and stared at her. She was the most unpredictable woman he’d ever met. Watching her eyes, he said, “Everyone should experience stripping at least once. It’s a fantasy, but most people don’t have the guts to try it.”
She sucked in her breath. The fork she had in front of her held a piece of sausage, ready to fall off. She looked guilty.
Ah. He smiled, reading her thoughts. “Admit it, Emily. You’ve thought of it, haven’t you? Imagine the men, or even one man, getting hotter with every piece of clothing you remove. Imagine his eyes staring at you, imagine him wanting you so bad he can’t stand it. But you make him wait, until you’re ready, until you’re completely…naked.”
She trembled, then put down her fork, folding her hands in her lap. Judd didn’t feel like smiling now; he felt like laying her across the table, tossing the skirt of her dress up around her shoulders and viewing all of her, naked. For him. He wanted to drive into her slim body and hear her scream his name. It angered him, the unaccountable way she could provoke his emotions, leaving him raw.
“You want to strip for me, Emily? I’ll be a willing audience, I can promise you that.”
“Why are you doing this?”
Her tone was breathless, faint. With arousal or humiliation? He slashed his hand in the air, disgusted with himself. “Eat your breakfast.”
“Judd…”
“I’m sorry, Emily. I’m not usually such a bastard. Just forget it, all right?”
She didn’t look as though she wanted to. Instead, she looked ready to launch into another round of questions and he couldn’t take it. He began eating, ignoring her, giving all his attention to his food.
He waited until she’d taken a bite of her muffin, then said, “I’ve decided if I’m going to help you, I’ll need more information.”
Emily swallowed quickly and looked at him, her eyes wide. “I told you everything.”
“No. I need the whole truth now, Emily. How you’re involved, and why. What really happened.” He took a sip of coffee, watching her over the rim of his mug. “Who’s the kid? But most of all, what does he have to do with you?”
Chapter 4
EMILY KNEW HER LUCK HAD JUST RUN OUT. AND though it surprised her he’d figured her out so soon, she had expected it. Judd wasn’t an idiot, far from it. And she supposed it was his obvious intelligence and insight that made her feel so sure he would help her.
How much to tell him was her quandary.
Judd evidently grew impatient with her silence. “Stop trying to think up some elaborate lie. You’re n
o good at it, anyway. Hell, if I can tell you’re planning to lie, you’ll never be able to carry it off. So just the truth, if you please. Now.”
Emily frowned at him. He didn’t have to sound so surly. And he didn’t have to look so…sexy. He’d shocked her but good, answering the door near-naked. Even now, with his pants on, he still looked sleep-rumpled and much too appealing. She cleared her throat and stared down at her plate.
“All I can tell you is that someone I hold dear was injured when that gun misfired. Since I know no one else is going to do anything about it, I have to. And the only thing I can think of is to make sure that the man who sold the gun is brought to justice.”
“Is the guy a lover?”
Emily blinked. “Who?”
“The man who is dear to you.”
His sneering tone had her leaning back in surprise. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just a boy. Only sixteen.”
Judd shrugged. “So who is he? A relative?”
Why wouldn’t he just let it rest? Why wouldn’t he—
“Dammit, Emily, who is he?”
He shocked her so badly with his sudden shout, she blurted out, “My brother!”
“Ah. I suppose that could motivate a person. Never having had a brother myself, I wouldn’t know for certain, of course. But I can see where you’d want to protect a little brother.” Judd rubbed his whiskered jaw, then added, “Why don’t your parents just go to the police?”
Emily stood up and walked away from the table. How had he gotten her to reveal so much, so easily? She knew she had no talent for subterfuge, but she hadn’t thought she’d crack so quickly. When she turned to face Judd again, she caught him staring at her ankles. Her silence drew his attention, and when his gaze lifted to her face, he didn’t apologize, but merely lifted a dark eyebrow.
Trying to ignore the heat in her face, Emily folded her hands over her waist and said, “My parents hate scandal more than anything. They’d rather move to another country than have their name sullied with damaging speculation.”
“Don’t they love their son?”