Synergy: New Adult Romantic Suspense (U-District, #1)

by Ashland, Jodi

  “Half time.” Kenzie reached for the cooler. “And you better stand back.”

  BRYCE REMOVED HIS T-SHIRT and took the bottle of water Kenzie handed him. He enjoyed the way Jade’s eyes took in every detail of his bare chest before they locked with his. His heart was already pounding, his body already sweating, but heat seared through his veins with a single look from her. Pouring the cold water over his head did nothing to cool him down. He shook, spraying sweat and water everywhere.

  “Oh!” Jade jumped out of the way.

  “Need another one?” Kenzie laughed.

  “Yeah, thanks.” Bryce sat down in Jade’s seat and gulped from the bottle. He reached for Jade’s arm and pulled her onto his lap.

  “Ick. You’re all hot and sweaty.”

  “Yes, but you’re mine, remember?” Bryce chugged down the rest of the bottle.

  “I remember.” Jade pulled the empty bottle from his hand. “So what are you going to do about it?”

  Bryce didn’t need any further invitation. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her the entire game. Now that she was here, with him, nothing was going to stop him from putting his lips on hers, and damn if she didn’t taste so good.

  “Mmmm,” she moaned when she parted her lips for him.

  “Hey you two.” Jim dumped his water bottle over their heads.

  Jade screamed and jumped out of his lap. The water ran down her lime-green tank top, highlighting her breasts rather nicely.

  “What was that for?” Bryce laughed.

  “To cool you two off. Do you think you can keep your hands off one another long enough to join us at Pete’s Pub after the game?”

  “I can’t promise I’ll keep my hands off her, but we’d love to join you, right, Jade?”

  To his disappointment, she pulled her wet shirt away from her skin. “Do you mind if my friend Steve comes? I kind of already invited him to go out to dinner with us.”

  Jim shot him a look.

  “Sure.” Bryce’s tone was flat. “Want to introduce us to your new friend?”

  “Steve and I have known each other since we were old enough to walk. I haven’t seen him in oh, I don’t know, maybe five years. I’ll introduce you after the game.”

  “Let’s go buddy,” Jim said, holding a hand out to Bryce. “I’m not leaving you here with her when we have a game to win.”

  Bryce let Jim pull him up. He gave Jade another quick kiss before being tugged away.

  “I don’t know about you,” Jim said, as they walked onto the field, “but Steve wasn’t looking at her like they were friends.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Bryce frowned. “But try telling her that.”

  CHAPTER 23

  MURDER DIDN’T WAIT because it was a Saturday night. Neal pulled his ringing phone from his back pocket, grateful for the distraction from a murder-suicide involving domestic abuse. Apparently, the husband had shot the wife right here on their front lawn and then took his own life. This was the third time the police had been called to this residence. And the system had let the woman down. It was infuriating.

  “Hey, Silly.” Neal tried to lighten his voice for Selena. He tapped the medical examiner on the shoulder and pointed to his phone and then to the sidewalk. After a quick nod, he stepped out of the crime scene.

  “I did it!”

  “Did… what exactly?”

  “Oh, don’t take that brotherly tone with me, and get your mind out of the gutter. I finally published my book of poems.”

  “That’s fantastic. What’d you call it?”

  “FOG.”

  “Fitting.” Given that she lived in San Francisco.

  “I know, right? On so many levels.”

  “So now what?”

  “I wait to see if anyone likes it.”

  “They’ll love it.”

  “Yeah, well, not many people read poems.”

  “I do.”

  “Puh-lease, you’re so full of it.”

  “Just a little.” Hearing her laughter lightened the pressure in his chest.

  “I miss you.” Selena sighed. “When are you going to visit? You promised you’d come this summer.”

  “I know. I will. I’m caught up in a case right now.”

  “When are you not caught up in a case? What’s your excuse this time?”

  The heaviness in his chest returned. “Do you remember the woman who helped us out after dad died?”

  “Mrs. Buchanan?”

  “Yeah, she died recently, and her granddaughter needs my help. Someone attacked her.”

  There was a momentary silence. “Okay, I’ll let it slide this time. But promise you’ll come visit.”

  His phone beeped, and Neal pulled it away from his ear to check the caller ID. “I gotta take this call, Silly. It’s police business.”

  “Promise me and you can go.”

  He raised his eyes to the sky. His sister knew he never broke his promises. She also knew she had him wrapped around her little finger. “I promise.”

  “’Kay, bye.” Selena hung up.

  Neal picked up the other call. “Detective Hawkins.”

  “Detective, this is Joshua Greenberg. Sorry I haven’t called you back. I’ve been overseas for the last two weeks.”

  “Where?”

  “China. I’ve been negotiating a deal to open a manufacturing plant for our printed circuit boards.”

  Neal had already heard that from Greenberg’s secretary, but without interviewing him in person, he couldn’t read his body language. The best he could do was see if he could trip Greenberg up and catch him in a lie.

  “What did you need to talk to me about? I have to say, I was a bit surprised you called.”

  “It’s about Jade Buchanan.” Neal paused, letting the silence make Greenberg uncomfortable.

  “What about Jade?”

  “It’s my understanding you’ve been stalking her.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous.”

  Neal remained silent.

  “I mean, I did track her down at her college to make her an offer—”

  “The day after her grandmother died. Don’t you think that’s a bit insensitive?”

  “I assumed she knew, and I was trying to ease her burden.”

  “How’s that?”

  “She’s very young and had just inherited the company. I figured paying her millions for the company would allow her to pursue her own goals.”

  “How is it you found out about her inheritance before she did?”

  “I called her mother. She didn’t come right out and say it, but I inferred it.”

  A crowd was forming around the ambulance. Two police officers were talking to each other. “One second,” Neal said to Greenberg. “Hey officer… control the crowd.” He swept his hand from the lawn to the ambulance.

  “Sorry, sir, I’ll get on it.”

  “I’m back,” Neal said into the phone.

  “Are you, uh, at work right now?”

  “If you’re asking if I’m at a crime scene, yes.”

  “If this is a bad time—”

  “I’ve waited two weeks for you to call me back, Mr. Greenberg. This is a fine time. Homicide happens twenty-four-seven three-sixty-five. I don’t keep office hours. I’m always on call.”

  “So, is there anything else you need from me?”

  “Yeah. How is it you knew where Jade’s classes were?”

  “I, uh, kind of led the nice lady in Admissions to believe I was Jade’s lawyer and had to speak to her urgently about her grandmother’s will.”

  “Not quite the most honest of men, are you?” He didn’t wait for a response. “And what about the twelve phone calls you’ve made to Jade?”

  “I didn’t—”

  “I have your phone records, Mr. Greenberg. Twelve phone calls after she asked you to stop calling her seems like stalking behavior to me.”

  There was a short pause. “Why would you look at my phone records? What’s this about?”

  “Some
one attacked Jade.”

  “And you think it’s me?”

  Neal didn’t respond.

  “Look, my company wants to acquire her company. Its good business, and I know I can be a bit tenacious, but I didn’t hurt Jade.”

  “But you were in Seattle the day she was attacked.”

  “I—how do you know that? I mean, when did it happen?”

  Neal gave him the date.

  “Yes, I met with a company in Portland and then another in Seattle.”

  “I want the names of the companies you met with, anyone you spoke to, receipts for your hotel, food, gas, airline tickets. If you took a piss, I want to know when and where. Got it?”

  “Got it.” Greenberg’s voice had lost its swagger.

  “Good. And stay away from Jade, or I’ll haul your ass in and put you behind bars.” Neal hung up and got back to the murder.

  JADE DROVE KENZIE TO PETE’S PUB in downtown Kirkland, while Bryce went home for a quick shower. Her mind conjured up an image of Bryce standing naked under hot water with soap running down his muscular body. What would it feel like to run her hands down those bulging biceps and rippling abs? She’d been hot for him before today. Now she was burning up.

  Jade followed Kenzie into the back of the sports bar. “We usually grab those tables in the corner over there. I’ll order nachos and a pitcher of beer to get us started.”

  Booths and tables lined the perimeter of the pub, while a bar created an island in the middle, flanked by pool tables on either side. Flat-panel televisions displayed various sports, including baseball, soccer, and golf. Who watches golf? Jade turned from that screen and focused on the Mariners’ pitcher who’d just struck out a Yankee. It had been a while since she’d been to a game at the stadium. Gran had had third-row seats behind first base.

  “Perfect timing.” Bryce’s teammate Richard walked in with a petite blonde as the pitcher of beer was delivered to the table. The two of them sat next to Kenzie. “Amber, this is Jade, Bryce’s new girl.”

  “For real?” Amber tipped her head to the side. “I was starting to think Bryce was gay. Not that gay is a bad thing.”

  “I heard that.” Bryce walked up behind her while everyone laughed.

  “Well, you don’t go out with any of the women interested in you.”

  “That’s because I hadn’t found anyone interesting until now.” Bryce leaned in to kiss Jade on the cheek and sat next to her. She inhaled the heady scent of fresh soap and turned her lips to his.

  Jim arrived as the others were digging into the nachos. “Hey, save some for me.” He put a hand on Bryce’s shoulder. “Pour me a brew.”

  Bryce pulled away from her lips and grinned. His eyes sparkled with amusement.

  “I hope these clowns haven’t scared you away from Bryce yet.” Jim sat next to Jade. “I wouldn’t let his out-of-control womanizing bother you a bit.”

  “If Jade wasn’t sitting between us right now, I’d have you in a headlock.” Bryce slid the beer to Jim.

  “Bring it on.”

  Jade chuckled. “So Bryce is a gay womanizer. Is there anything else I need to know about him?”

  Jim looked around as everyone laughed. “What did I miss?”

  “So how do you guys know each other?” Jade bit into a nacho chip.

  Jim grabbed a plate. “Bryce moved next door when I was six. He practically lived at my house when his parents were going through a divorce. We’ve been best buds ever since.”

  “And Bryce and I used to work together in marketing.” Richard licked salsa from his finger. “For about four years before he went to work for your company.”

  “It’s my company now too,” Bryce reminded him.

  “Yeah, right, I keep forgetting you’re some big hotshot now.”

  Jade leaned in to Bryce and was about to give him another kiss when she spotted Steve by the front door and waved him over.

  STEVE’S GAZE STOPPED on Jade and he gave her a wide grin. Bryce wanted to smack the smile right off his mug.

  “Why don’t you sit here?” Jim scooted over and pulled out a chair between him and Jade.

  Bryce gave Jim a what-the-hell-are-you-doing look, but his buddy just winked and took a swig of his beer. “So, Steve,” Bryce said, putting his arm around Jade to stake his claim on her, “now that you’ve graduated from Berkley, what do you plan to do?”

  “I have an interview with a local law firm in Seattle on Monday.”

  Shit. Deep in his gut, Bryce knew this guy was going to be trouble.

  Jade placed a hand on Steve’s arm. “That’s so exciting. I’m sure you’ll get the job.”

  “Thanks.” Steve flashed his pearly whites at her. “Anyone up for a game of pool?”

  “I am. It sounds like fun.” Jade turned to Bryce.

  He wanted to say no just because Steve asked. But Jade was smiling and having fun, something she didn’t do often enough. “Sure. Kenzie, you want to play to even it out?”

  “Since Steve doesn’t know anyone,” Jade said, “why don’t I partner with him and you can partner with Kenzie?”

  Just great.

  “What’s wrong?” Jade asked him as they headed over to the pool table.

  He stopped and placed his hands on her waist. “I was hoping to be your partner.”

  Jade rose on her toes and slid her arms around his neck. “You can have plenty of me later.” She kissed him softly on the lips, which made him want to whisk her out of there right this second so he could hold her to it.

  Bryce held Jade until she pulled away, then he spoke to his nemesis. “You want to break?”

  “Sure.” Steve did a decent break for a James Bond wannabe and shot a ball in the pocket. “It looks like we’re solids, Jade. Two in the corner.” Steve missed, and Bryce barely resisted gloating.

  Bryce shot two stripes in the corner pocket before it was Jade’s turn.

  “You didn’t leave me any easy ones.” Jade scanned the table.

  Steve placed a hand on Jade’s lower back. “If you bank the ball off the side here, it will bounce back and hit the three.”

  Bryce wanted to break all of Steve’s fingers right then and there.

  “Okay, three in the corner pocket.” Jade lined up her stick, closed one eye, and sighted it down the middle. She was so damn cute, especially when she jumped up as she made the shot.

  Bryce tucked away another shot before missing the second. They were behind by two balls.

  “Five in the corner pocket.” Jade walked to the far end of the table and had to bend way over to reach the cue ball in the center of the table. Steve stood behind her and seriously checked out her ass.

  Looking over his shoulder, Bryce sent Jim a pointed look, and Jim nodded. He’d seen it too.

  “All right!” Steve hooted when Jade made the shot. He used the opportunity to touch Jade again by squeezing her shoulders as she walked toward the cue ball.

  If you touch her one more time…

  “Ready to lose this one, Radisson?” Jade shot Bryce a shit-eating grin.

  “You’re going to scratch it. You know that, right?”

  “Uh-huh.” Jade bent down to take the shot. With a quick flick of her wrist, the eight ball went down without a scratch. “Yes!” Jade threw up her hands.

  The minute Steve grabbed her and twirled her around, Bryce was by her side. “That’s my girl you’re pawing there, mister.” He said it jovially for Jade’s sake, but his eyes bore into Steve’s hard. Bryce slid his arm around Jade’s shoulder and gently pulled her away from Steve.

  “Good game.” Steve backed off, seeming to take the hint. “Let me buy a round of drinks.”

  Jade eagerly went into Bryce’s arms and she grinned. Pride lit her eyes.

  “I didn’t realize you had such a competitive streak.” He held her close. “You’re a hell of a player.”

  “I hate to lose.”

  “Me too.” And in more ways than one. He claimed her lips with his. He wanted to leave no doubt in
Steve’s mind who Jade was with tonight.

  “Who wants tequila shooters?” Steve asked.

  “None for me,” Kenzie said.

  Jade broke the kiss. “I’ll have one.”

  Bryce looked at her. “Since when do you drink shooters?”

  “Since college.”

  It had been eight years since Bryce and his buddies were in college, and Kenzie had never been a big drinker to begin with. He wanted to say no to the shot. But he couldn’t let Steve out-drink him, not in front of Jade. Hanging around the two of them was starting to make thirty feel old. “I’ll have one too.”

  “Three tequila shooters,” Steve ordered. After the bartender filled the shot glasses, Steve passed them out. “On two.” They swallowed the tequila at the same time and followed it with beer.

  “Aleks!” Jade turned around to hug her friend. “I’m so glad you came.”

  “You’ve been drinking without me.” Aleks stepped up to the bar. “Who’s the hunk with the curly blond hair?”

  Bryce chuckled. He tapped Jim on the shoulder. “Aleks, this is my friend Jim.”

  “Can I get you a drink?” Jim asked as he took in her purple hair.

  “Absolutely.” Aleks leaned in close to him.

  Steve placed a hand on Bryce’s shoulder. “We gotta give you two a chance to even the score. How about a game of darts?”

  “Sure.” Bryce was eager to wipe the smile off Steve’s preppy face. He’d seen the way other women in the pub looked at the man, especially when he smiled. He didn’t care for the way Kenzie was taking in Steve’s faded blue jeans and green polo shirt either. Fortunately, Jade wasn’t looking at her childhood friend that way.

  It’s the way Steve looks at her that says everything.

  Bryce kept close to Jade. She was pretty good at darts, but not good enough. And it was apparent Steve didn’t like losing either. Bryce’s spirits lifted when he and Kenzie won the game.

  “I have to go to the restroom,” Jade announced in a adorable half giggle.

  “Me too.” Kenzie followed her.

  “Another round of tequila shooters.” Steve ordered for Jim, Aleks, and Bryce.

  “Did you see us kill them at darts?” Bryce asked Jim.