Courting Suspicion

by Kimberly Dean

  She rested her hand against his chest. He was warm and sweaty.

  ‘I’m on the Pill,’ she said. ‘Not because I’ve been seeing anybody –’

  Until him.

  The blush was never going to leave, that was clear. She let out a puff of air and lifted her chin. His gaze was honed on her like a dark spotlight.

  ‘It regulates my cycle,’ she said. ‘I don’t sleep around, Josh.’

  He cupped her face. ‘I know you don’t.’

  She shifted her weight.

  ‘Not because you’re not good at … Hell, we are awkward with this morning-after thing.’ He tossed the towels into the corner of the room and bracketed his arms around her. ‘You’re spectacular in bed, but I want to make sure you feel safe there with me.’

  ‘I do.’ She wrapped her arms around his waist.

  He bent his head to look her in the eye. His hair was still mussed from sleep, and whiskers darkened his jaw. ‘So we’re going to try riding bareback for a while?’

  She bit her lip, but then nodded. It sounded so sexy, she could hardly breathe. The thought of not having to stop and prepare? The idea of being that close and intimate with him?

  Her detective?

  ‘Yes,’ she said.

  His big body shuddered. He leaned his forehead against hers and rubbed her side. ‘Last night just about blew my mind. This morning, I was so curious to see if it was a fluke, I jumped right over a few steps.’

  She lifted an eyebrow. ‘A fluke?’

  He smiled slowly. ‘The experiment was a success. Results have been proven.’

  Nina let out a gasp when he swept her up in his arms against his chest. He began carrying her easily back to the bedroom. ‘Put me down. I’m not a child.’

  ‘I think we already covered that, but you’re a bitty thing, and it makes me feel manly.’

  She ran her finger down the pulse beating in his throat. ‘Manly?’

  He stopped suddenly, not even out of the kitchen. ‘Is that a television in your refrigerator?’

  ‘Do you like it?’

  He let out something close to a growl. ‘You need to call your office. You’re going to be in late again today. Really, really late.’

  Chapter Ten

  ‘Wow. You look fantastic,’ Rielle said when Nina finally arrived at the office.

  The compliment made her steps hitch. She paused to smooth her dress over her hips and quickly regained her stride. ‘Thank you. Sorry I’m late.’

  She typically came into the office later on mornings after events like the one the night before, but today she was more than a little tardy. Even Security had given their watches a second glance.

  ‘Did you finally get some sleep?’ her office manager asked. ‘You look so relaxed and, I don’t know, bright-eyed.’

  Nina felt enough heat settle into her cheeks to match the hot pink dress she was wearing.

  ‘Not really,’ she said. But she had gotten some early-morning exercise. ‘Did I miss anything?’

  ‘Nothing important.’

  Rielle passed along a stack of mail, and Nina leafed through it. ‘Has Casey checked in? How did Widow Hawkins enjoy the event at the Capitol?’

  ‘She loved it, even though they ran into Dane there with Noelle.’

  Nina’s chin snapped up. ‘That’s not important?’

  How had she missed that accident waiting to happen? She’d seen all the players. Two words – Josh Morgan.

  ‘It’s OK,’ Rielle said, patting down the air. ‘We handled it.’

  ‘How bad was it? Do we need to do any damage control?’

  Nina pinched the bridge of her nose. They should have thought that through when scheduling – or at least have given Dane a heads-up that a former client would be attending. He was a House staffer now with a bright future. They needed to be more careful.

  ‘Dane smoothed things over,’ Rielle said. ‘He introduced everyone and took Casey and Mrs Hawkins on a private tour of his office.’

  Well, that was one way to handle it – head on. Nina just hoped the encounter hadn’t been too uncomfortable for Noelle. Mrs Hawkins had been told that Dane had left the escort industry. She surely wouldn’t have made a scene; she was a client who particularly valued discretion. Yet it must have been uncomfortable for everybody to have professional and personal lives cross in that manner.

  Had Noelle been the only one not in the know?

  ‘See if you can work with Brody Haynes to get a special tour of the Rotunda restoration set up for Noelle’s class,’ Nina said. ‘In the evening, when the restorers are there. Invite the parents, too.’

  She nodded. ‘I’ll go make some calls.’

  ‘You don’t have to call Dane,’ Rielle said as she made a note for herself.

  Nina stopped halfway down the hallway. ‘He already called, too?’

  ‘Mm hm.’

  Nina turned on her heels, not feeling all that steady.

  Rielle smiled softly. ‘I’m happy for you. The detective is a good guy.’

  He was, or Nina was beginning to believe he might be. She just wasn’t ready to discuss it.

  She hooked her hair over her ear. ‘He was working security last night. I didn’t know he’d be there.’

  Sienna came out of the break room with a fresh cup of coffee. ‘A pretty intimidating security guy from what Dane said.’

  Nina looked back and forth between her staff in confusion.

  Rielle shrugged. ‘He mentioned something about the detective wanting to break his fingers one by one and then make him sit on them.’

  ‘What?’ Nina suddenly remembered Dane touching her arm. She’d have to have been made of stone not to notice the reaction that had prompted. She fingered her earring. ‘Morgan crashed the event to talk to me. You know how he can get when he’s working on a case.’

  Rielle nodded. ‘Focused.’

  Sienna shuddered. ‘Intense.’

  ‘But hot.’

  ‘And super sexy.’

  ‘Protective.’

  ‘Enough,’ Nina said. She wasn’t accustomed to teasing. It made her uncomfortable. Hot, like her skin was prickling.

  Sienna’s expression became serious, and she toyed with the braid hanging over her shoulder. ‘Just be careful, Nina. Remember what he does for a living. It could be dangerous to get close to him.’

  Rielle turned in her chair with her brow furrowed. ‘What are you saying? He won’t hurt her. Look at her.’

  Nina couldn’t bear the scrutiny. She knew better than anyone how she was playing with fire.

  ‘Enough,’ she repeated. She manipulated others’ love lives; she couldn’t accept others delving into hers. Friends or not. ‘We have work to do. I landed an exclusive contract last night.’

  In that moment, you could have heard a pin drop. Rielle spun in her chair so fast her hair flew, and Sienna nearly spilled her coffee.

  ‘Between you and the detective?’

  Nina felt the tips of her ears go hot. ‘No, Genieve and Brody Haynes.’

  ‘Brody?’ Rielle gasped.

  ‘And Genieve?’ Sienna frowned. ‘But – when – how –’

  Nina lifted an eyebrow. ‘I was working last night.’

  She turned on her heel and strode down the hallway to her office. Let them stew on that for a while.

  She closed the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, she let the blue and grey colour scheme soothe her. She’d done more than work last night.

  She’d risked her heart.

  The tenderness between her legs was a reminder of just how uninhibited she’d been, but she couldn’t find it in herself to regret it.

  She headed across the room, and the soft carpeting muffled her footsteps. Her office was her private zone. It knew more of her secrets than anybody, and it didn’t judge.

  She stopped to check her reflection in the mirror in the attached bathroom. She did look relaxed and bright-eyed. Happy, even. She centred the locket hanging from the chain around her neck. Apparently
what Morgan had was better than wrinkle cream, yoga and ginkgo biloba combined. If she could bottle it, she’d be a gazillionaire.

  Unless she kept it all to herself.

  She sighed. Could she keep him?

  She shook the thought out of her head. Work. She needed to work.

  She crossed the room and sat down behind her desk. She put the mail aside and smoothed her hands along the shiny smooth surface. It felt like ages since she’d been here.

  Control settled back onto her shoulders like a comfortable cloak. She felt secure here, confident and powerful. She looked at the blue elephant on the corner of her desk with its trunk lifted in a load roar.

  At once, she felt more like herself. She picked up her desk phone to make her first call of the day. It took only two rings before a familiar voice answered. ‘I hear you’re bored.’

  Genieve let out a frustrated sigh from the other end of the line. ‘Nina, that man is a tyrant. No Zumba, no dinners out, no sunbathing … I can’t take it.’

  Nina turned in her chair to look out the window at the DC skyline. ‘I know, sweetie. Brody’s just trying to keep the reporters away from you. It shouldn’t be that much longer. I’m sure he’s told you his plan.’

  ‘Plan, plan, plan. That’s all he ever does. I want action.’

  Nina’s brows rose. From what she’d seen, Haynes was the one guy who got down and dirty to make things happen. Had he not talked to Genieve at all about his proposal of an exclusive contract?

  Of course he hadn’t. He might be a wheeler and dealer, but he was still a man.

  ‘He’s such a stick-in-the-mud,’ Genieve complained. ‘I’m going out of my mind.’

  Nina ticked her fingernails against the arms of her chair. She, on the other hand, was one who kept her promises. It was called gaining leverage.

  ‘Well, if you’re really looking for something to do, I could use your assistance.’

  ‘I’ll do anything.’

  Two birds with one stone. It was almost too easy. ‘All right, well, ever since that break-in happened to you, we’ve been trying to compile a list of clients who might have a grudge against you or Luxxor.’

  ‘You think somebody was trying to get back at us?’

  Obviously the escort believed the senator had been the target of the exposé.

  ‘At this point I really don’t, but the exercise exposed a lot of holes in our database.’

  There was a hesitant pause on the other end of the line. ‘You know I’m not a paperwork girl, Nina.’

  ‘No, no.’ She was well aware of Genieve’s distaste for the daily grind, but she also knew the redhead was practically an empath. ‘Here’s my idea. I’ll give you a list of people, and you compile everything you know about them: their likes and dislikes, passions and interests, known associates, affiliations, any quirks, etc. Record them on your phone if you wish. Rielle can transcribe them later.’

  Nina would have done it herself, but she just didn’t have time any more. Out of all her staff, Genieve was the one who read people best. She picked up tells, moods and desires like a human metal detector.

  ‘I could do that,’ the escort said with more enthusiasm.

  ‘It would be such a help.’ And it would put Mr Haynes in her debt. ‘I’ll have Rielle call you with names.’

  ‘All right.’ Genieve went quiet for a moment as her boredom and nervous energy ratcheted down. ‘Nina, Brody said nobody knows who called those reporters with the tip.’

  ‘That’s true.’ Nina folded an arm across her waist. Somebody with ill will was still out there, and it wasn’t clear if they had finished striking out. The break-in had to be Genieve’s worst nightmare, but Nina’s was slowly becoming that picture somebody had sent of her and Josh kissing. ‘Do you have any idea who might be responsible? Did the senator mention anything?’

  ‘No, he was as surprised as I was.’

  ‘Was he?’ Nina asked impulsively. She bit her lip, but then decided to ask. ‘Because just between you and me, Josh – I mean Detective Morgan – was wondering if Gunderson arranged the whole thing.’

  ‘You mean like a set-up?’ Genieve thought for a while. ‘No, I don’t think so.’

  Nina felt deflated. ‘No, you’re right. He wouldn’t do something like that to you.’

  And he definitely wouldn’t want to get caught in a sex scandal with an escort, not during campaign season.

  ‘Oh, I wouldn’t put it past him if he thought it would get him rating points. I mean, he was good to me and all. Very good. I think he might even have been a little sweet on me, but –’

  ‘But what?’

  ‘He’s got an undescended testicle, Nina. If he wanted to make a ratings grab, it wouldn’t include filming his junk.’

  Nina was stunned speechless. Josh hadn’t told her that! Then again, did straight men really look at other men’s genitalia, even if they were on police evidence video? She dipped her head and rubbed her forehead. Oh, who was she kidding? Genieve had been naked in that video, too. She knew exactly where her detective had been looking – interested or not.

  ‘OK, that scenario is off the list.’

  ‘So … you and the detective have been talking?’ Genieve asked cautiously.

  Nina rubbed her forehead harder. The day had started off so good. Really good. ‘Yes, we’ve been talking.’

  ‘I’m really sorry he got dragged into this. I know he’s been lingering around Luxxor, looking for … never mind … I just know my luck could not have been worse.’

  Yes, it could. Nina thought of Detective Higgins with his spiky blond hair and puffed-out chest, and her stomach turned. ‘It’s all right, sweetie. It wasn’t your fault.’

  ‘Morgan hasn’t been giving you a hard time, has he?’

  Nina crossed her legs reflexively.

  She cleared her throat. ‘Speaking of difficult men, did Brody mention to you the discussion he and I had last night?’

  ‘What discussion?’

  Nina sighed. She might as well get ahead of this, too. ‘I told him you can’t remain in hiding for ever.’

  ‘Well, hallelujah for that. Thank you.’

  ‘Don’t thank me just yet. His solution was a bit … creative.’

  Genieve let out an unladylike snarl. ‘What did he do?’

  There was no way to break it easily. ‘He told me to sign you to an exclusive contract – with him.’

  ‘What?’ The exclamation came out of the escort like a shot. Tension rang in the silence afterwards until Genieve broke out in laughter. ‘You can’t be serious.’

  ‘I am,’ Nina said. ‘He’s willing to pay for your full time.’

  ‘To keep me away from the spotlight until the election is over,’ Genieve said dryly.

  Nina didn’t doubt that was the desired outcome. She just wasn’t as sure about the intent. ‘So … I should tell him we decline.’

  ‘I didn’t say that.’ Genieve went silent as the gears in her head turned. ‘I’m not opposed to taking his money. It would be his money, right? Not the campaign’s or his company’s?’

  Nina could guarantee that campaign funds wouldn’t be spent on this. ‘I can make it a stipulation of the contract.’

  Brody Haynes might be a political player, but he’d just stepped onto the escort’s turf.

  ‘Would you like me to include the no-sex clause?’ she ventured.

  Genieve let out a scoff. ‘Why handcuff ourselves – especially if we find we want to use handcuffs in the future?’

  Wow. Nina pulled back in surprise. ‘Genieve, the contract would be real.’

  ‘So let’s make him sweat.’

  Suddenly, the redhead wasn’t laughing any more. ‘It’s never going to happen, Nina. He’s spinning things. It’s what he does.’

  Nina considered that. ‘So you want to use this contract to spin him?’

  ‘Like a record, baby.’

  Nina leaned back in her big leather chair and stared at the ceiling. Exclusive contracts were never easy, bu
t this one might be too volatile for her to take on. She needed to consider all the implications carefully.

  ‘Why don’t you get back to me with your list of conditions?’ she said.

  ‘I’ll do that.’

  ‘And Genieve? Make sure you negotiate them with Brody first.’

  She had enough on her plate to deal with, including her own difficult man. If people were going to sweat, for once it wasn’t going to be her.

  * * *

  Josh poured himself a cup of coffee in the break room at the station house and winced when he took a drink. The stuff tasted like paint thinner. He was getting spoiled with Nina’s special blend.

  Then again, he was getting spoiled with Nina, period.

  A smile settled onto his lips at the thought. When he took another sip, it wasn’t so bad. Alvarez walked in just in time to see the satisfied expression, and horror crossed his face. He shuddered when he looked at the paper coffee cup and went to the vending machine instead.

  ‘You’re in a better mood today.’ The detective looked at the selections available and jabbed the number for a Hershey’s bar. ‘A lot better.’

  Josh shrugged. ‘I had a good night.’

  Understatement of the year.

  ‘That was something the other day, wasn’t it? With Higgins and the blonde?’ Alvarez poured himself his own cup of coffee, but then broke off a chunk of chocolate and dipped it in to melt. ‘You said she’d eat him alive.’

  Josh’s eyebrows rose. Genius. He began to dig into his pocket for quarters.

  ‘How did you fare?’

  Josh caught the detective’s inquisitive look reflected in the glass window of the vending unit. ‘I held my own.’

  ‘She was something.’

  Yeah, she truly was.

  Josh was glad that photo of the two of them was tucked away safely in the case file. Before he could get himself into trouble, he turned to head back to his desk. He came up short when the commander walked in with a dollar in his hand.

  The big bear of a man nodded at the two of them. ‘Gentleman.’

  ‘Commander,’ they said in unison.

  The man eyed their coffee, and his brow furrowed. With a hearty nod, he walked over to get a chocolate bar for himself. At this rate, they’d run out of Hershey bars before the night shift.