In the Line of Duty: First Responders, Book 2
Page 11
“How so?”
“We work together.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re a manager for Mendelssohn’s department store. I’m a brand manager at Nitrous. We work for separate companies.”
“Companies with a tenuous agreement at the moment. One which I’d like to convince you we can honor.” An undeniable spark of enthusiasm lit her baby blues.
“I have no doubt in your abilities, Breeze. But you have no bearing on a business agreement. So we’re free to explore whatever we’d like.”
“I’m not interested.” She set down her fork and gave him a sympathetic smile. “I would never jeopardize my career by mixing my professional and private life.”
“I’m not asking you to do that.” He set down his own fork and stared into her eyes until she dropped her gaze.
“I’ve worked too hard to have people think my success is due to anything other than my professional abilities. And when you’re a woman, that’s exactly where people’s minds go.”
“But we don’t work together.”
“People will assume the Nitrous account ebbs and flows with how we’d be doing personally.”
He dropped his head back and cursed the part of himself that found her protests charming. “Then you’d better give me your home number and address.” Her eyes were wide when he gazed down at her and squared his shoulders.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“If work is the only place I can get a hold of you, people will talk. If you want to keep things private, we can.”
“I’m flattered, really. But there’s no room in my life for what you’re offering. I’m focused on my career. I work over a hundred hours a week.”
His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “Why would you do that?”
“To be the youngest store manager in Mendelssohn’s history.” She picked up her fork again, smug satisfaction lighting her face.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-six.”
“And how old was the youngest store manager?”
“My grandmother was twenty-eight when she got her first store.”
So she was trying to follow a family tradition. Still, that was no excuse. “Aren’t you worried about burnout? Exhaustion?”
“I manage my time very efficiently. I try not to waste a moment.” She returned to her food, obviously not wanting to waste a nanosecond debating the issue with him.
What she needed was someone to show her there was more to life than work, breaking records, living up to someone else’s expectations. That living life in fast forward meant missing all the good parts.
What she needed was him.
He ate carefully, watching her every move. Planning how he’d launch his sensual strike on her. There was so much more to life, so many wonderful things he could teach her to enjoy. And exotic food was just the beginning.
But it was a start.
“You have to eat.” He set his fork next to his empty plate.
“I couldn’t have another bite.” She pushed her plate away, a satiated grin playing at her lips.
“No, I meant dinner tomorrow. If you really do make the most of every moment, then you can find a way to work us into your agenda.” Pulling his wallet from his back pocket, he dropped some bills on the table and found his feet.
“I thought I was paying,” she said, reaching for her purse.
“Then it wouldn’t be a date.” He took her hand and pulled her up beside him. With her body flush against his, a feverish awareness heated his blood. How he wanted to take advantage of the situation. But he knew if he moved too fast, it would be the last he ever saw of Breeze Cohen.
“This is not a date.” Her statement made him grin. Keeping her hand in his, he led her out of the restaurant and back to her car.
“It is a date, Breeze.” He backed her up to her side of the car, stepping closer so she couldn’t duck away.
“No, it’s not.” A hint of laughter danced in her eyes.
“Then why am I doing this?” He ran his finger along her jawbone and her breath hitched as he tipped her chin up. Her eyes darkened to a cobalt blue as he neared, long lashes fluttering closed as he lowered his mouth over hers.
All her resistance evaporated. In the kiss he only tasted intuitive surrender. She melted into him just as she had when she’d fallen into his arms that morning. Wholly and without the slightest reservation.
His lips glided softly against hers, gently coaxing her into far more forbidden territory. He threaded his hand into her thick curls and slanted her mouth more securely against his.
Her purse dropped to the ground with a distant thud and her hands reached for him. One hand rested on the arm he had braced against the car door. The other moved between them. She touched his chest tentatively with her fingertips, her palm, then flattened against him. Logan felt the imprint of her splayed hand through the thin fabric of his shirt as if she’d branded him without ever touching his skin.
A breathy moan parted her lips, opening her to him. He dipped inside, tasting her, drowning in a softness that seemed to go on forever. Knowing this was as far as she’d let things go, he took his time. Sampling, learning, enjoying.
Greed and lust had him stepping closer still, pressing the length of her body against his, and she froze, stiffening beneath his hands. Sensing her doubts, he drew his mouth away but couldn’t bring himself to lose contact yet. He brushed his thumbs along her jaw and pressed his forehead to hers.
“Dinner, tomorrow.”
“Logan.” She frowned, her finger tracing her slick bottom lip. “I don’t think—”
“Breeze, if I have to kiss you again to convince you I’m not sure I can stop there.”
She nodded. “Dinner. Tomorrow.”
In the Line of Duty
Donna Alward
When it comes to love, sometimes a girl has to go above and beyond.
First Responders, Book 2
Jake Symonds has been a thorn in Constable Kendra Givens’s side since the night they first met, when she’d had to arrest him. In his boxer shorts. The drunken comments he made that night are worsened by the truth she’ll never admit. For a fleeting moment, they’d connected.
Two years later, when she’s called to investigate a break-and-enter at his pub, the last thing she expects is for the now-competent businessman to cook her breakfast. But she’s no fool. The former bad boy still lurks beneath the charm. And his business involves the one thing that she’s hated since it ruined her childhood. Alcohol.
As far as he’s concerned, Jake has changed, but Kendra still has a stick up her butt. Yet he can’t help but like her sass and quick wit. One well-aimed baseball at the carnival dunk tank later and he’s got a date.
Their spark of attraction quickly flares out of control, but their emotional baggage is stacked too high to risk anything deeper—until one tragic night strips the barriers from their deepest fears. And Kendra realizes the greatest danger Jake presents is to her heart.
Warning: Readers should be aware that any sexy comments made to police officers will be used against them in the hottest way possible.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
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In the Line of Duty
Copyright © 2012 by Donna Alward
ISBN: 978-1-61921-081-3
Edited by Heidi Moore
Cover by Angela Waters
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First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: August 2012
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