“Missus has a roast going.” That was Grant Jackson, one of the detectives. “Feel like a beer?”
“You’ve got the right idea. Let’s head out the front and walk to the pub. I’ll lock up on the way out.”
Julia banged a fist against the vent. “If they go out the front they won’t pass the property office. They won’t hear us.”
Max gritted his teeth. “I can’t be that unlucky. Surely to God I can’t be.”
“We’re the last people in, yeah?” Jackson called. “Where’s Connor?”
“I’m here,” Max shouted. “I’m in the property office, you tool.”
Julia giggled nervously.
“Connor left half an hour ago. What about that IT bird? Was she in today?”
“Who?”
“You know, the tall girl with legs up to her chin? The one Halloran wants a crack at?”
“I know who you’re talking about. Julia Something. I don’t like Halloran’s chances of getting those legs open though, she barely looks at anyone.”
“Oh, man, gross.” Julia groaned.
All at once, Max felt quite capable of tearing the evidence room door from its hinges. He jammed his hands in his pockets, willing his superiors to shut the fuck up.
“Yeah, she’s all right. She’d look better without that stupid thing in her nose. Why do women do that to themselves?”
Julia touched her nose stud, looking pained.
“Don’t listen to them.” Max gestured to his nose. “It looks good.”
It did. Like a little point of light, highlighting how delicate everything around it was.
“Come on, let’s get out of here. Beers’ not going to drink itself.”
Daly and Jackson’s footsteps faded away, taking their last chance of escape with them. Max sighed heavily. “Who says men don’t gossip, huh?”
“Men say men don’t gossip.” Julia’s smile was bitter. “I guess I’ll just wear an enormous paper bag to work from now on.”
“Don’t worry about what those old bastards think, they don’t know the first fucking thing about looking good. Besides, they shouldn’t be talking like that at all, it’s totally inappropriate.”
Julia scuffed the ground with her boots. “I don’t mind. Seriously.”
“I mind. You don’t deserve to hear that shit.”
She smiled, freckles collecting on her nose. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” Without thinking, Max touched her arm. Sparks shot up his fingers and they both jerked away like two magnets repelling each other.
“Sorry, I—I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine. I get what you were trying to do.”
Julia moved away, stretching her arms over her head. Her top rode high and Max caught a glimpse of toned, golden stomach. He wanted to nuzzle it, keep his lips moving south until he hit the waistband of those painted-on jeans. He closed his eyes. This was not good. Much as he hated himself for it, part of him was all too happy to find himself trapped with Julia. The same part that kept staring at her lips and wondering if she wanted a reassuring hug. If that didn’t make him the shittiest cop in the world, Max didn’t know what did. He counted to ten, then did it again for good measure. Man up, shit happens, get over it. Sure, he had a totally inappropriate attraction to the IT girl. He could keep it in his pants for the next forty-eight hours. Less, if he found them a way out.
He turned to Julia. “I’m going to take a look at the door. Maybe you could search through the computer junk? See if there’s anything useful?”
“Sure, um, do you want some space or something?”
Max avoided her eyes. “Yeah, I need to clear my head.”
A flush crept over her cheeks. “I’m sorry for putting us in the situation. I shouldn’t have left the door propped open with an encyclopedia.”
Max frowned. “Don’t blame yourself. I was the one who let it shut.” And part of me is happy about it, which is worse.
“How about we agree it’s Henrietta’s fault and move on?”
“Sounds good.” Max headed for the entrance. “Look for an operational phone or computer. I’m gonna check out the door.”
“Max?”
Jesus, she needed to stop saying his name. “What’s up?”
Julia hesitated. “Everything’s…going to be okay, yeah?”
Max’s chest ached. Maybe it made him a hero-complex-having idiot but God it felt good when she looked at him like he had all the answers. Like she felt safe because he was with her. “Of course, Jules. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“We’re not going to starve?”
“Not even close.”
But he was close. His chest was almost touching hers. When had he gotten so close?
“That’s good to know,” Julia said. Her eyes were huge under the fluorescent bulbs, green and gold fire. He touched her arm again, not to be reassuring but because he had to know how she felt. Electricity zapped up his fingers once more.
“Max,” she whispered. “Max…”
Their mouths were inches apart. He could count every freckle on Julia’s nose, every lash that surrounded her jewel-bright eyes. It would be easy to kiss her. Just bend down and slide his tongue into her mouth real slow. Feel her taut body melt against his. God, he wanted it. Wanted it more than he wanted to leave this room. If he’d had his way he’d have done it, he’d have kissed her until she couldn’t breathe. Julia stepped back, the clatter of her boots unnaturally loud on the concrete floor. “You want me to look through the electrical stuff, yeah?”
Max’s body tensed, a billion conflicting chemicals firing in his brain. “Sure, yeah, computer stuff.”
“Cool, well, I’m going…over here.”
She practically fled from him and her obvious panic made Max want to shoot himself in the dick. He hoped his father wasn’t watching him from the great beyond because if he was, his old man would have a fit. His only son was thirty-three, about to get divorced and terrifying young women in enclosed spaces. If he started snorting coke and waiving speeding fines for mates, he’d officially be everything his dad hated. Sickened with himself, he turned toward the locked door, promising that from here on out he would keep at least three feet away from Julia at all times.
A vision of her soft pink lips parting as she looked at him flooded his brain. Max rubbed his aching temples.
Fuck it.
Five feet.
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