Body Heat

by Carly Phillips

  But she was their child and sometimes, as a result, her anxieties resurfaced. “Free-floating anxiety,” an analyst she’d seen at the hospital had explained to her. Amorphous anxiety with no basis in the factual situation going on around her now. So what if she’d seen a man twice? That didn’t make him a stalker.

  “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

  Brianne nodded. “Absolutely. Now, what were you saying?” Shaking off the feeling completely wasn’t easy, but with even breathing and a change of subject, Brianne was able to at least feel some semblance of control over her feelings. And that was enough to steady her.

  Kellie shrugged. “I said you’d also mentioned a mirrored exercise room in the penthouse. I think you’re set, Brianne. You’ve got all you need for a darn good summer. All you need to do is let yourself go.”

  She inhaled deeply. All you need to do. As if it were so simple, when she’d been single-mindedly focused on her job and her brother for so long. Buying the sexy garments wasn’t the same as actually wearing them. She knew that now. And buying the revealing underwear definitely wasn’t the same as having Jake see her in them. She thought of Kellie’s words again. Let yourself go. Yes, it was time to concentrate on her needs for a change.

  Her needs and Jake’s. That was all she needed to do.

  SHE’D SEEN HIM, Louis thought. She’d looked into his eyes and known he’d been admiring her. How could he not appreciate a babe who was into sexy duds? How could he not consider the possibility of screwing such a hot creature—and screwing Lowell at the same time?

  Now, that he couldn’t resist. He took a drag, then ground the butt on the pavement with his heel. He didn’t think she’d noticed him when he’d walked past the coffee place, but he’d have to be more careful next time. And there would be a next time. Because Lowell had been snooping around, asking questions again. Louis had known within minutes, something Lowell probably knew would happen.

  Cat and mouse, Louis thought. So let the games begin. And those games both started and ended with Brianne Nelson. Detective Lowell’s woman…but not for much longer.

  CHAPTER SIX

  JAKE HADN’T DONE surveillance detail in too long. After an afternoon watching a gourmet shop with nothing to show for his effort, he was stiff and frustrated. The only reason the place remained open and hadn’t been closed down for good was the lack of proof that linked the pills to the restaurant. They’d gotten a warrant and searched the place based on the circumstantial evidence at the scene, but they’d come up empty. No surprise there, Jake thought. Ramirez was good, and once those kids ODed, he’d clean out fast. But Jake believed the crook was arrogant enough to resume business later.

  In theory, the drugs could have come from anywhere. Nothing connected the recent OD to Ramirez—at least, not yet. They were awaiting the toxicology report.

  On his way home, Jake had stopped by Frank’s place for a visit. He’d played street hockey with Frank’s son and shared coffee with Iris, his wife. When Frank was alive, his time with them always reminded him of his failed marriage and all he’d missed out on—kids, a wife who understood him. Since the shooting, the visits had become an emotional ordeal, and all he felt was guilt.

  Tonight Jake looked forward to turning his attention to Brianne. She not only attracted him sexually but she made him feel good, something he needed after the day he’d had. During his surveillance watch, he’d wracked his brain to come up with an idea, a place he and Brianne could go. He wanted to get them out of the apartment and into the real world, but he wanted an outing that would be memorable for Brianne.

  After an entire day of thinking, he still was at a loss. She’d be back soon, and he had no idea what kind of evening to suggest. Post-therapy, of course. He’d promised her he’d be on his best behavior, and he meant to keep his word.

  He walked across the apartment, Norton by his side. After the daily walks and feedings, Norton had grown to trust him more. He still preferred Brianne, something Jake understood, but he no longer whined for hours on end when left alone with an on-leave detective for company. And Jake, having too much idle time on his hands until Ramirez made a move, had begun to appreciate Norton’s silent companionship.

  He sat down carefully on his sister’s velvet sofa, hoping the denim wouldn’t rub off on the off-white material. Rina had said not to worry the last time he’d complained, so he settled himself in more comfortably, crossing one leg over the other, waiting for Brianne.

  Need and awareness pulsed through his veins and, impatient, he picked up one of the magazines on his sister’s marble table and began flipping through the pages. Photos of New York City at night captured his attention, and his gaze settled upon the article’s title, “Sexy City Nights.”

  Tonight would be that and more, he vowed, the wanting increasing along with the wait. One picture in particular caught his attention: two lovers sharing one ice-cream cone, tongues licking the ice cream but so close that it alluded to more. Looking at the photo, the viewer could easily imagine the conclusion, melded tongues as well as dessert.

  The thought of Brianne’s sweet mouth, flavored with cool ice cream, her tongue licking the side of the cone slowly and erotically as she lapped up the excess drips…His body grew hard and he shifted in his seat, wondering if ice cream would cool him off.

  He must have it bad if a simple magazine piece turned him on. But it wasn’t the magazine, Jake knew. It was Brianne. His gaze dropped to the magazine once more, and he turned the page. Same background, new photo, and this time the couple shared more than the ice-cream cone, they shared each other. Tasting ice cream off each other’s lips.

  Ice cream. Jake flipped the magazine closed, no longer needing to distract himself with vague ideas. Thanks to the “Sexy City Nights” article, Jake now had the solution to the special place he could take Brianne. No doubt desserts in her home were parceled out as scarcely as pizza. But he could change that for her, starting tonight. They could share their own sexy city night.

  As if he’d conjured Brianne by thought, the elevator doors slid open and she walked into the apartment, a contradiction in dress and appearance. Her normal hospital scrubs told him she’d been at work, but her arms, laden with packages, indicated she’d also been shopping.

  “I can’t believe how hot the subway was,” she murmured to herself. She allowed the packages to topple onto the floor and let out a huge sigh of relief. Norton woke up from his nap and greeted her with a wagging tail and slobbering tongue. Jake had already grown used to the routine.

  “Can I help you get those things to your room?” he asked.

  She jumped, obviously startled. “I didn’t realize you were here.” She scrambled to collect her bags without help.

  “Should I be insulted you forgot already? We had plans tonight. Therapy, and then I thought we could go for a walk.”

  Her face flushed redder than it had been from the heat. “I didn’t forget, I just…” She juggled the bags once more and ducked one behind her back. “Let me get myself settled.” Without waiting for his response, she darted around him and headed toward her room, the Victoria’s Secret bag knocking against her work uniform as she walked.

  Jake laughed, but his soft chuckle disappeared quickly as he realized the reason for Brianne’s nervous behavior and contemplated what might be in that shopping bag. Victoria’s Secret sold women’s intimate garments—silk, lace, teddies, all designed to enhance and reveal, to make any normal man drool.

  Jake wouldn’t swear he was normal, but he was a man. The thought of seeing Brianne in any seductive lingerie was enough to send him over the edge. And the mere possibility that she’d bought new things with him in mind…Well, there wasn’t much that would cool him down.

  Forty-five minutes later, however, he acknowledged that torturous therapy sure took the edge off. Intense pain shot through his shoulder, making the daily ache feel like a woman’s soft touch in comparison. He had been working with a therapist since a couple of weeks after the injury, bu
t Brianne’s approach was different, more thorough. She’d been right in saying some therapy wouldn’t be enough. He needed Brianne if he wanted to return to full mobility.

  He needed her for more than just rehabilitation, he acknowledged, as he waited for her return from the kitchen with ice packs to cool down his shoulder. He yearned to know more about this woman, a desire that went beyond the physical.

  He’d grown up in a happy family. They’d lacked money for extras, but they hadn’t lacked love. His parents had been high school sweethearts, and the love they shared permeated the small apartment they’d lived in. Even their move to Florida hadn’t lessened the bond that existed between them and their children. He wondered what Brianne’s upbringing had been like.

  She said she’d raised her brother after her parents died—but what had her childhood been like before she’d been burdened with responsibility? Had she always been this determined, driven person, or had becoming her brother’s guardian changed her from a lighthearted girl to a responsible woman?

  Knowing she was leaving at the end of the summer, he told himself, he was free to explore, and indulge in, all facets of her and his desire. There’d be no painful breakup when September came. But a small part of him wondered if such a short span of time would be enough to satisfy him.

  He shook the thought off, knowing better than to mull over things he couldn’t control. He wasn’t in a position to change the arrangement, anyway, since even if Brianne were staying, his life was in such turmoil and flux that he couldn’t contemplate anything more than a fling. And she wasn’t in the market for something longer or more enduring. He’d had one woman give up on him and bail. No way he’d leave himself open to that again.

  He had the summer, Jake thought. Now would have to be enough.

  PRIOR TO JAKE’S WORKOUT, Brianne changed out of her hospital scrubs and took the time to clean up, makeup and all. For the first time in ages, she’d looked in the mirror and seen a woman staring back. A woman with thoughts, feelings and needs of her own.

  And those needs included Jake. Testing his abilities, lifting his arms, feeling his muscles expand and contract beneath her fingertips had aroused her beyond belief, beyond anything she’d felt before—and in her fevered dreams she’d experienced plenty.

  Now she paused when she reached the doorway to the gym, ice in hand, and took a moment to watch Jake as he leaned back in his chair and grimaced when the leather touched his bare shoulder. The play of emotions across his face now and as he’d worked out were honest and strong. She felt bad causing him such intense discomfort and pain, but he’d thank her in the long run.

  She bit down on her lower lip. He’d said he had been in therapy, and his ability to move proved him right. She wasn’t arrogant or presumptuous but she knew without a doubt she could bring him much further than his old therapist had, if only because he seemed so determined and dedicated. She wondered why he’d led Rina to believe he’d done so much less toward his recuperation, then cautioned herself against getting too involved.

  She swallowed a harsh laugh. Who was she kidding? She planned on sleeping with the man. Brianne Nelson didn’t indulge in one-night stands that meant nothing. Anything she shared with Jake would be intense and memorable, even if she had to leave him behind when the summer was over.

  She wanted to know all about him, and she would find out. Asking questions, getting to know him, wouldn’t change how she felt about him. She knew she was in danger of falling hard. But whether she fell or not, she’d just have to exercise the same self-control she had in the past. She’d overcome her anxieties in caring for her brother; she’d put her life and needs second to his. Knowing Jake’s kind of life could cause her heartache and pain, she’d just have to walk away when their time together was through. If she kept in mind his occupation and his claim that he wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, she shouldn’t have any problem keeping things in perspective. Or so she hoped.

  She walked into the room and came up beside Jake. “Here. Let’s ice down the shoulder.” She placed blue gel packs on his bare skin, swallowing hard, knowing how much discomfort he was in and wishing she had more than her professional expertise to make him better. “This will contract the muscles and ease the pain.”

  “Ahhh.”

  She recognized his groan of relief and winced, knowing she’d caused him this agony. “So what did you have planned for us after this?”

  She hoped the change of subject would help him concentrate on something else, and help her concentrate on something other than Jake. And her undergarments. For their session, she wore spandex Capri pants that provided ease of movement, but the tight material showed off both her legs and her behind for his view, as she’d intended. Beneath the skin-hugging material, she wore sexy underthings, and she felt the combination of silk and lace stretch and glide with every move she made. She’d handpicked the mauve panty and matching bra in tactile lace of delicate flowers. Between the flowers, sheerer lace allowed her skin to show through—a lot of skin.

  She wondered what Jake would think and how soon he’d have the chance to think it. Her body trembled with delicious anticipation.

  “Hey, I’m the one with ice on my shoulder. Are you cold, too?” he asked.

  She forced a grin. “I stuck my hands in the freezer to retrieve that ice, remember?”

  He nodded. “Are you too cold for ice cream?”

  The simple question seemed to hold a wealth of importance she couldn’t understand. She met his blue-eyed gaze, which danced with possibility and…hope? She wondered if she was misinterpreting his expression and tone of voice, but she couldn’t help but sense her response was important to him. “I’m never too cold for ice cream. Why?”

  “What’s your favorite flavor?” he asked.

  “Well, I’m embarrassed to admit, I’m not picky. Any flavor will do.” At that moment, her stomach began to growl, a reminder she’d only had time to grab half a sandwich from the hospital cafeteria for dinner. “Especially now.” She laughed and pressed one hand against her stomach.

  “Did you have dinner?” His forehead furrowed with concern.

  “A little.” She’d been too rushed and too nervous about their time together to consume much. “But ice cream sounds great. What did you have in mind?”

  “A place called Peppermint Park on the corner of Sixty-sixth and First. They have a huge assortment, and it comes highly recommended by Rina.”

  “Yum.” She ran her tongue over her lips, noticing his eyes followed the movement. She obviously had the power to attract him, and they’d already made the bargain to act on that attraction. Slow and easy.

  Did she have the nerve to move up the timetable? Heaven knows, she desired more than food and conversation with this man. His kisses had been just a prelude. She wanted much more.

  He pulled his gaze from her lips, but his jaw clenched and his eyes stayed glued to hers, desire in the molten depths. If he kept looking at her that way, they’d never make it out for dessert. But the whole Peppermint Park thing seemed to mean something to him, and the idea of indulging in the creamy dessert held a long-forgotten appeal.

  “You know, ice cream sorta fell into the category of pizza. If we had extra, we bought some, but generally we reserved it for special occasions. Birthdays, Marc’s graduations, things like that.” She shook her head, suddenly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make my life sound like some poor me tale. Believe me when I tell you, all things considered, we had it good.”

  He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Nobody in their right mind would feel sorry for you. But I am glad to know I picked right.” He cleared his throat, and this time she sensed his embarrassment. “I wanted to take you someplace you’d remember. Someplace special.”

  Good thing she had already acknowledged that she could fall hard for him and had barriers up to prevent it. Otherwise his concerned expression and tender, generous gesture would definitely steal her heart. She tried not to listen to the voice
in her head laughing hysterically at her pathetic attempt to conceal her growing feelings for Jake Lowell.

  JAKE SAT on a wooden bench beneath a huge awning, Brianne by his side and Norton at her feet. She’d insisted on giving him an airing, and while she was at it, Jake taught her how to get Norton to “do business” quickly and efficiently. She was impressed by Norton’s abilities and obviously pleased Jake had agreed to take the pooch along.

  Seeing how happy he could make Brianne—and his sister’s dog, he thought wryly—gave him a warm feeling he hadn’t had in far too long. He glanced at Brianne. Vanilla fudge ice cream dripped over the sides of her cone, and her little tongue darted out to catch the remains.

  Like the photograph. Two lovers sharing something intimate, something more than just an ice-cream treat. Brianne was unknowingly reenacting the erotic photo. Only, she wasn’t an anonymous face. She wasn’t just his fantasy. She was his. Every night for the long, hot summer. He’d already tasted her, knew how her silken mouth and soft lips responded to his.

  His fists clenched at his sides as he restrained from acting on his desire. Not now, not yet. He bit hard into his own chocolate-chip scoop and sugar cone, but the sweet dessert didn’t provide the kind of satisfaction he had in mind.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  Brianne’s voice was a welcome intrusion. “Sure.”

  “Well, it’s more of a professional question and it’s kind of silly, but I was wondering how you know whether you’re being followed.” Her cheeks turned pink, and she stared at her cone. “See, I told you it was silly.”

  She was more uneasy than embarrassed, and Jake knew she’d been serious. Seconds ago, he’d thought nothing could distract him from thoughts of making love to her, but she’d managed. “What makes you ask?”