Loose Lips

Loose Lips Wynter Daniels Book 2 in the Long and Hard series.

Olivia Worthington has a problem. A guy she barely knows has stolen precious jewels from the museum where she works, and it‟s all her fault. Distrustful of the police, she seeks her ex-boyfriend‟s help. When she draws him into a hornet‟s nest of trouble, she wonders if he‟ll walk away for good. Computer geek and security expert Grady Long was just starting to get over Olivia when she shows up on his boat begging for help. How is he supposed to resist the woman who regularly walks through his dreams? But his weakness for her may cost him more than he has to give.

Ellora‟s Cave Publishing

www.ellorascave.com

Loose Lips ISBN 9781419935527 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Loose Lips Copyright © 2011 Wynter Daniels Edited by Shannon Combs Cover design by Syneca Photography: Seal Nel, oknoart/Shutterstock.com Electronic book publication September 2011 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora‟s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora‟s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher‟s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author‟s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author‟s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.

LOOSE LIPS

Wynter Daniels

Wynter Daniels

Chapter One Olivia tried to peel open her eyes but she was so groggy. She stretched her arms and legs. Had she nodded off in front of the TV again? God, her life was pathetic. A familiar musty smell wafted to her nose. My office. She‟d been speaking to Angel, but her memory was fuzzy about what happened next. She was about to leave for the day when he‟d called to say he was at the back door. Why had she let him into the museum after hours when she hardly knew the guy and certainly didn‟t trust him? Grappling to understand how she‟d fallen asleep at work, she forced her eyes wide. Her brain was foggy but she focused on the last thing she could recall. “It’s important.” Angel stood at the back door holding up a latte from her favorite coffee shop. “Please. It’s exactly the way you like it.” Flashing that sexy grin that had first attracted her, he pleaded. “Give me a chance to explain, Olivia. I promise, I’ll only keep you a minute.” What had been so important that he had to speak to her right then? She had no idea if they‟d discussed whatever it was. And where was he now? Glancing at the clock on her desk, she gasped. She‟d let Angel in around seven forty-five and it was after ten now. She pulled herself up and stood on her wobbly legs. Hanging on to the edge of her desk, she sucked in a big breath and her strength returned—mostly. She grabbed her purse then hurried from her office. Her shoes clacked on the terrazzo floor and echoed in the long corridor. A headache stabbed behind her eyes. She didn‟t remember showing Angel out. The pieces of the puzzle in her head didn‟t fit together. Her heart raced as she strode toward the exit, only stumbling once or twice.

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The night security guard sat up taller as Olivia passed his desk. “G‟night, Miss Worthington.” She couldn‟t come out and ask if he‟d seen her with Angel, didn‟t want him to think she was some sort of ditz. “Have you been here all evening, Carl?” He squinted at her. “I took a dinner break around eight, but aside from that, yeah. Something wrong?” “N-no. Just wondering.”Something niggled at her, something she couldn‟t quite recall. She picked up her pace. When she got to the back door, she stopped and grasped the handle, afraid she‟d pass out. The Josephine jewels! The necklace and earrings were on her desk earlier when she‟d been cataloguing the new arrivals in the traveling Napoleon exhibit. She didn‟t remember locking the baubles in the safe and she hadn‟t noticed them before she left her office. A burst of adrenaline had her rushing back to check. Oh God. She headed to the back hallway so she wouldn‟t appear an even bigger dingbat to Carl. She unlocked her office door and said a little prayer before she went inside. The box the jewels had been in lay open on her desk. Please let them be in the safe. But they weren‟t there. She could barely breathe as she closed the heavy steel hatch. She searched her office, every nook and cranny, each drawer, the entire closet. They were gone. Angel! She never should have let him in. She didn‟t know him well enough. In truth, she could be fired for allowing a guest to enter after hours, not to mention what they‟d do to her for losing part of a priceless two-hundred-year-old jewelry collection. Angel must have taken the items. Why couldn‟t she remember anything past bringing him back to her office? Had he drugged her? Slipped something into her latte?

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It was the only thing that made sense. The familiar white paper coffee cup was nowhere in sight. How could Angel have known she kept valuable pieces in her office? Had she blabbed about her job? Well, maybe once or twice. She fisted her hands. Damn it. She loved the job. Assistant curator for the history museum had been a dream come true, despite her father‟s warning that she couldn‟t handle it. Her boss was definitely going to can her when she found out, maybe even have her thrown in jail. She paced, racked her brain to figure out what to do. If she called the police they might accuse her of the theft, as if she‟d make up such a far-fetched story. No, she couldn‟t trust the cops. They hadn‟t believed her last time. She‟d only been in the job five months and she‟d already screwed it up. Her father had been right after all. She wasn‟t responsible enough for such an important position. More proof that she was nothing but the screw-up he‟d always insinuated. Maybe someone else had taken the jewels, another employee of the museum. No, everyone had left for the long weekend by the time she‟d started out. She‟d been working late, again. Wasn‟t as if she had a life. The two dates she‟d gone on with Angel had been her only evenings out since… Grady Long. For heaven‟s sake. Grady was part of a security company. He‟d know what to do. She pictured his clear blue eyes, his crooked grin, his bulging biceps and triceps. But she couldn‟t dwell upon his ample physical assets. It was his crime-solving skills she needed now. Too bad she‟d bowed out of his life without so much as a kiss goodbye. Even after he‟d confided his father had done practically the same thing when Grady was a kid. He‟d told her how devastated he‟d been. She could relate since she‟d lost someone nearly as important when she was a child. The guilt of having hurt someone as sweet and giving as Grady still soured her stomach, but she kept reminding herself it was as much for his own good as for hers.

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Still, she could have found another way. Her stomach clenched. She should have treated him better. It wasn‟t his fault she‟d fallen in love with the guy.

***** Grady woke with a start. Holding his breath, he reached for his forty-five from the nightstand then peeled back the sheets. The floor creaked and his senses shot to full alert as he got out of bed. He neared the stairs then froze when he saw a black-clad figure shift in the shadows. He swallowed hard and stepped closer, positioning himself between the intruder and the only way off the boat. “Unless you want me to shoot a hole through you, you‟d better put your hands up, now.” The person made no move. “Now!” The hammer clicked as he cocked it. A dark streak bolted from the shadows and shoved past him. Instead of shooting the target, he grabbed for it. He managed to hook his arm around the guy‟s neck, stopping him cold. Then he held his weapon to the back of the intruder‟s head. What the fuck? It was a woman, and not a very big one. He breathed in and picked up on her vanilla scent and immediately recognized his intruder‟s identity. “Let me go. I…can‟t…breathe.” That voice. Shit. He could never hurt her, even though she‟d destroyed him. Lowering his gun, he spun her to face him and caught a glimpse of huge eyes. It was impossible to see their color in the dark, but his memory could. They were the shade of rich milk chocolate. He stashed his gun in the waistband of his briefs.“Want to explain what the hell you‟re doing here after a three-month absence?” “I need your help.”

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He laughed then went to turn on a lamp. Olivia‟s plump red lips pursed and her eyes blazed with…anger, fear? She wore all black—jeans and a tight-fitting longsleeved T-shirt. A single red curl stuck out from beneath her cap. “Most people pick up the phone or shoot off an email when they want to contact someone. Why‟d you show up at midnight like a cat burglar?” She shuddered and released a long sigh that reminded him of what she sounded like in the heat of passion. “I didn‟t think you‟d speak to me if I called ahead. Anyway, this isn‟t the type of thing I can discuss over the phone or, God forbid, in an email.” Was she trembling? The air was warm and muggy so she couldn‟t be cold. Her comfort wasn‟t his concern anymore. She hadn‟t given a damn about his feelings when she‟d blown him off like Ingrid Bergman had Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. But he couldn‟t bring himself to turn her away. He wished to hell he didn‟t still care but he did, just like Bogie had. “Come on. I‟ve got beer in the fridge.” He led her to the padded bench seat and got them each a cold bottle. She hated the stuff but he no longer kept that sweet soda she liked on hand. She sat then tipped her chin at him. “Want to put on some clothes?” He reluctantly yanked a pair of jeans out of a drawer and pulled them on. Grabbing his beer from the table, he gestured at the galley sink where he‟d left the plate and glass he‟d used for his dinner. “Sorry for the mess. I wasn‟t expecting guests.” Finally, a grin lit up her face.“I seem to remember you telling me you hated having company, which is why you live on a boat in a nearly deserted marina.” He shrugged. “I just like the water.” She shook her head. “Don‟t pull that with me. You can‟t stand to be around people.” “Most people.”She was one of his few exceptions. He sat at the table, hesitant to be too near her. Why torture himself with a close-up view of that creamy white skin or another whiff of her scent? “So what‟s going on? Debutantes don‟t make a habit of sneaking onto boats.” 9

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“I‟m not a debutante.” She sat up straighter. “I‟m making my own way.” Some cushy position at a museum where her rich daddy held a seat on the board. “Right, your own way. I‟d forgotten. So why‟d you come here and why are you shaking like a leaf?” She took an uncharacteristic gulp of beer then set the bottle down hard on the table. A giant belch escaped her lips and her face reddened. She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Excuse me. I don‟t normally drink so fast.” Or nearly at all. He‟d never seen her consume more than a half glass of wine. “I‟m in trouble. Some very old and valuable jewels were stolen from my office at the museum. I could lose my job, maybe even be arrested.” “When? What kind of jewels?” “Tonight, just a little while ago. They‟re part of a traveling exhibit, a topaz necklace and earrings.” She wrung her hands. “Any idea who stole them?” “No. I have no clue.” Her voice was higher now. What a lousy liar. She swallowed and shifted her eyes down and to the left. “This man must have stayed in the museum after closing. He barged into my office and tied me up.” She rubbed her wrists but no evidence of rope burns showed on her pale skin. He forced away the memory of making love to her with her wrists tethered to his bedposts. His cock twitched to life. “Yeah? Then what?” “H-he made me drink some coffee. I passed out a few minutes later. He must have drugged it.” “Drugged it. Uh-huh. Then he made off with the loot?” This was resembling a Sam Spade mystery more and more. She bobbed her head. “Well, I suppose so. I lost consciousness before he left.”

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He downed the rest of his beer then tossed the empty bottle into the recycling bin. Standing, he folded his arms over his chest. “Get the hell out of here. Tell your bullshit story to some other sucker.” Her jaw dropped for a moment but she snapped it shut an instant later. “Why, what…” He took her arm and pulled her up. “Go. There‟s only one thing I hate more than being dumped without explanation and that‟s being lied to.” Bile burned the back of his throat. She shook him off. “Please, Grady. I need your help.” “Sorry.” He pointed up the stairs. “You burned this bridge, baby.” Her eyes glistened and his resolve slipped but he fought to hang on. “Out.” She grasped the railing. “What do I have to do?” “Tell me the truth. If what you described had really gone down, you‟d have phoned the police.” She gasped. “Are you suggesting I had something to do with the theft?” “I think you know who robbed the museum. Question is, why won‟t you tell me?” A few tears spilled onto her cheeks. Her shoulders sank and she sniffled but she remained mute. “Go, Olivia. I don‟t have time for this bullshit.” She‟d ripped out his heart when she‟d disappeared the last time. He was just beginning to get over her but now she‟d reopened the wound. “I understand.” She nodded solemnly as she hugged her arms around her body and a part of him took solace in her pain. Didn‟t she deserve to suffer a little? She‟d certainly dished it out to him, but those big brown eyes cut straight through all his defenses. Damn it.

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He fought the urge to comfort her but he couldn‟t resist for much longer. He had to give her one last chance. “Want to tell me the truth?” How could she explain that she‟d been a complete fool to allow Angel into the museum after closing? She‟d been fool enough to walk away from Grady, the best thing that ever happened to her. But if she didn‟t give him the real story about the theft, he wouldn‟t help her and there was no way she‟d be able to find Angel and get the jewels back by herself. Besides, how could he help her solve a case when she wasn‟t giving him the details? She bit her lower lip, trying to find the words that wouldn‟t paint her as a total idiot. “I think I know who did it.” He lifted an eyebrow and a zing of desire ricocheted through her. I have no right to those feelings, not anymore. Angel was a toad next to Grady. Why had she ever agreed to go out with Angel? “I did something dumb.” She told him about letting Angel into the museum then waking alone in her office. He scrubbed a hand over his face and let out a groan. “You‟re sure he slipped something into your coffee?” “Yeah. I‟ve never fallen asleep at work.” “I‟m unclear about how he knew you‟d have those jewels out.” She returned to the bench. “I don‟t think he did. But…I may have let it slip that I‟d been cataloguing the collection and that it included both Josephine‟s and Marie Louise‟s jewelry.” “Whose?” “Oh, sorry. Napoleon‟s first and second wives. I was so excited that Marianne, my boss, had enough confidence in me to allow me to handle the cataloguing by myself. This was the first time. I failed with flying colors, huh?” “So this Angel is a friend of yours?” He sat beside her and his denim-covered thigh brushed against her leg.

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She squashed the memory of hooking her feet around those rock-hard legs all roped with muscle. Why couldn‟t he have put on a shirt and spared her the torture of gazing at his broad, tan chest and six-pack abs? She‟d thought nothing could harm her when she was in Grady‟s arms, but then she‟d always assumed her favorite uncle would have been in her life forever. Just fairytales. Clearing her throat, she concentrated on the matter at hand. He‟d asked her to be honest. “We went out, only twice.” Tiny muscles around his jaw quivered. He couldn‟t be jealous. Surely he was over her by now. He was a great-looking man and had probably had dozens of women waiting in the wings after she‟d left, but the possibility that she was opening old wounds was almost unbearable. “I was…lonely. I had no intention of dating him again. He was merely…someone to fill a couple of evenings. It never would have gone any further, believe me.” Why was she explaining herself? He couldn‟t possibly care anymore, not after she‟d treated him so shabbily. “I only asked who he is.” Her cheeks heated. “Well, that‟s who he is.” “Do you think he sought you out because of your job? Maybe he was after items from the collection from the start.” “No, that‟s not at all what I think. He asked me out because he liked me, but…maybe when I let it slip about my job, he seized the opportunity.” Although she‟d met him at the pub across the street from the museum. Perhaps Grady was right about Angel. He‟d merely been using her to get to the jewels. But hadn‟t she used Angel to try to forget about Grady? “What does he do for a living? Tell me everything you know about him.”

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She took a long drink of her beer and winced at the unpleasant taste. At least the alcohol calmed her nerves.“He said he was a consultant. I guess I should have gotten more information but how was I supposed to know he planned to rip me off? I should have his number on my phone but I‟m not sure where he lived. His last name is Ramirez, unless he made that up.” Grady must think I’m a complete idiot. “Give me your phone.” He extended his palm. She reached into her back pocket then handed it over. Grady monkeyed with it a minute before holding it to his ear. “The message says this isn‟t a working number. Strange.” He gave the cell back then started pacing the small area. “Where did he take you on your…dates?” “We met at a restaurant in South Beach the first time. For our second date he picked me up from work and we saw a movie. He stopped at some warehouse on the way back but I waited in the car while he went inside.” “Where?” “I don‟t remember.” “What do you think he did when he went inside?” She didn‟t want to admit that Angel had left her sitting there for nearly an hour in a not so great area. He‟d apologized when he returned to the car but she‟d insisted he take her straight home. She didn‟t need a guy who treated her like dirt, especially after Grady had practically set her on a pedestal. Memories of all wonderful things Grady had done for her and said to her filled her head and she had to clench her teeth to keep from crying. “I‟m not positive but I suspect he bought drugs. I wanted nothing to do with him after that and I told him so when he dropped me at my place.” He sat beside her, so close she picked up his masculine scent, like a mix of freshly laundered clothes with a hint of the beach. “This guy sounds like a real loser. He could be dangerous. We should call the cops. Hopefully your boss will forgive one slip-up if

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you‟ve been an otherwise good employee. Besides, isn‟t your father a bigwig at the museum? He‟ll be able to smooth this over for you.” She shook her head and backed away. “I‟m sure my boss will fire me. And by the way, my father had nothing to do with me getting that job and I‟d never ask him to step in.”She‟d never hear the end of it if her father had to help her keep her position. Her most recent transgression would be added to his list of all the ways she‟d let him down. She‟d hoped for redemption in her father‟s eyes when she‟d landed the job on her own, but that hadn‟t happened. He still made her feel like a failure for her numerous sins. She‟d embarrassed the family by acquiring a police record, she‟d not been an A student in college or high school and worst of all, she hadn‟t been born a boy. She tucked away thoughts of all her failures, as she always did. “Okay. But I have a few contacts at the sheriff‟s office. I really think that‟s the route to take.” “Please, I‟m scared they won‟t believe me.” Grady had to help her. She had nowhere else to turn. He narrowed his gaze. “Why wouldn‟t they?” She thought back to that awful incident at the mall. She‟d never told anyone but if she didn‟t come clean now, Grady would kick her out, or worse—force her to call the cops. She sucked in a breath and hoped he wouldn‟t hate her even more after she admitted what she‟d done all those years ago. “I was seventeen and my friends and I were shopping at Jordan‟s department store. We all attended the most exclusive high school in Boca Raton but two of the girls were shoplifting. I swear I had no idea.” She kept her eyes down rather than looking at Grady and the disappointment his expression probably held.“Anyway, undercover security guards hauled us into the office. One of the girls had slipped a pair of earrings into my pocket. There was no other way they could have gotten there. The guards didn‟t believe me, nor did the police.” The worst of it was that even her father thought she was lying. But then, he‟d never taken her side in anything. She ventured a glance at Grady.

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His expression softened. “That‟s not going to happen now. Just be honest.” She gave her head a heavy shake. “I won‟t do it. Please, Grady. I need you to help me figure this out.” She leaned against his arm and he hissed in a breath. No, she couldn‟t do this to him. As much as she missed him, she wouldn‟t toy with his affections. But when he draped an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer, she couldn‟t help her body‟s reaction. She didn‟t want those tingles in her belly only Grady could inspire. She couldn‟t handle any of those kisses that turned her insides to mush. Bad enough she‟d been forced to run away from him once. She didn‟t have the willpower to do it again. He tipped her chin up and brushed his lips over hers and she couldn‟t stop herself. Grady wasn‟t only the man who‟d awakened her body and taught her how wonderful sex could be, he was also the love of her life. He slid his arm around her and drew her against him. Every nerve ending sizzled with raw need. She knelt on the padded seat and hooked her arms around his neck, kissing under his ear, along his collarbone and nipping his shoulder. She plowed her fingers through his thick hair as if her hands had a mind of their own. Skating her lips over the stubble on his chin and along his strong jawline, she allowed herself to indulge in torrid memories. Liquid heat pooled between her legs. She locked her lips on his and slid her tongue into his mouth. His familiar taste curled around her senses and made her hunger for more of him—for all of him. She pressed her breasts to his hard chest and her nipples puckered and ached for his touch. They‟d been so good together, so much better than she‟d ever imagined. He circled his hands around her waist and kissed her hard, moaning into her mouth. But then he suddenly broke away and forced her back. “Stop, Olivia.”

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Chapter Two Grady refused to let Olivia use him. He wasn‟t an idiot. I am when it comes to her. She‟d haunted his dreams for too damn long. He focused on the long, lonely nights right after she‟d left him. He‟d lain awake, wondering what the hell he‟d done wrong. He could have showed up at her apartment or at the museum and demanded an explanation, but since she‟d changed her phone number and hadn‟t bothered to contact him, he hadn‟t wanted to make a fool of himself. She‟d already made him feel like one for falling for her. One night he‟d staked out her apartment, waited for her to show up to make sure she was okay. She‟d appeared just fine. He sure as hell wasn‟t. For months he‟d wanted an explanation, something to help him make sense of things. “Why‟d you disappear from my life?” Her eyes clouded. “I‟ve never done goodbyes well.” “That‟s not an answer, damn it.” He wished he didn‟t still want her so badly, that she wasn‟t the only woman he wanted. He‟d tried drowning his sorrows in the leggy brunette bartender at the pub near the office, but after some heavy petting, he‟d made some asinine excuse then left her on her sofa in her bra and panties with an apology. Olivia buried her face in her hands then heaved a sigh. “I never meant to hurt you. If the tables were turned I‟d probably never speak to you again.” He gritted his teeth. “Believe me, I hadn‟t planned to.” “I‟m sorry, Grady, I just couldn‟t continue in the relationship.” Had it been that bad? Not from what he remembered. The sex had blown him away. She‟d appeared to like it too, judging by the way she‟d shouted his name as she

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came and by those deep scratches she‟d etched into his back and his shoulders. She‟d told him no one had ever made her feel as good as he had, made her come as hard. Had she been faking it? No woman was that good an actress. But that wasn‟t all they had. They‟d shared a deeper connection, talked about their hopes and dreams, the disappointments of their pasts. He‟d respected her and cared about her. If he let her in again, she‟d only destroy him all over again. Still, he had to know why. “You could have called me, texted me—anything.” “I told you when we started seeing each other that a relationship was a bad idea, that I wasn‟t any good at it.” “At what? Being there for each other, caring? At making love? Because I thought we were damn good together.” “We were. That was the problem.” She got up and absently crossed the space to his bed and sat on the end. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head. “I can‟t talk about this now. I have to find Angel and get those jewels back. If I can return the pieces before Tuesday morning when my boss returns to work, she‟ll never know they were gone.” So much for answers. One thing was clear, though—she was in way over her ginger-haired head. Grady strode to the nightstand and picked up his phone. “I‟m calling the police.” “No.” Olivia got up and tried to snatch his cell away. Her five-foot-nothing stature was no match for his superior height. He held the phone over his head as she jumped, swatting to get it to no avail. He picked up her sweet scent as her body brushed his. She caught his eye and pinned him with her amber stare and they both stilled. Those plump lips parted and it was as if she‟d hypnotized him. He stashed the phone in his back pocket then grazed his hands down her sides. At her sigh, he took her mouth, plundered and explored, unable to stop himself. Carnal need took him over as he cradled her head as if she belonged to him. She tasted of beer and mint and desire. His cock lengthened and pressed painfully against his jeans. 18

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Olivia traced the contours of his erection and every ounce of his common sense jumped ship. He slipped his hands under her shirt then lifted it over her head and tossed it away. Her fair skin was as perfect as he remembered, nearly translucent. Erect nipples poked through the thin lacy fabric of her black bra. He palmed her breasts and took comfort in her husky moan. She kissed his chest as she unzipped his pants. When she sneaked her hand inside his jeans and rubbed his cock through his briefs, need coiled tightly inside him. “Get naked, now.” He kicked off his clothes as she shucked her jeans, revealing a tiny scrap of fabric masquerading as panties. Holy God, he‟d forgotten how gorgeous she was. He sat on the bed and pulled her onto his lap so she straddled him. This was how he loved her most—like a beautifully wrapped Christmas present that held every earthly pleasure imaginable. She rocked her hips, sliding along his hard-on. He kneaded her C-cup orbs, teased the taut peaks through their lace covering. She peeled her bra away then fed her breasts to him in turn. He licked her silky skin, circled the areolas. She arched her back as he scraped his teeth over her nipples the way she liked. He couldn‟t wait to bury himself to the balls inside her. He flipped her onto her back and hovered over her, taking in her satiny skin and the uncompromising desire in her eyes. She reached out for him and he gladly lowered himself into the familiar comfort of her arms. He tasted a few of his favorite spots—the hollow of her neck, the area behind her ear and her smooth shoulders. Working his way south, he kissed a line down the plane of her stomach to the green stone at her navel. She squirmed beneath him. She had to be the most ticklish person he‟d ever met. Her moans filled the air, as elemental as the water lapping at the hull. He sucked on her nipples, raked his teeth over her skin and feasted on her sweetness. He didn‟t care if

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she was using him, didn‟t give a damn what she‟d done. Nothing mattered except the moment, the torrid pleasure and the prospect of making love to her. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair and wriggled under his touch. “Mm. Feels nice.” He rolled her panties down her sexy legs. Then he settled between her thighs and picked up the scent of her desire. He slid his fingers through the tuft of red curls that shielded her sex. She shuddered and her breath caught as he ran his hands over the smooth skin of her inner thighs, nearly grazing her intimate lips, but not quite. She lifted her hips, coaxing him closer, but he couldn‟t completely shake the pain she‟d left in her wake—or his need for answers. Had she thrown him over for another man? No, he‟d have sensed it if she was the cheating type. It had to be something else. He shoved the nagging thought from his head and teased a finger lightly over her slit. Then he pushed through her lips into her slickness. She rewarded him with a long, sultry sigh. His woman was back. If he could prove that he could take care of her, help her work out the hot water she‟d gotten herself into, maybe then she‟d stick around and give the two of them a chance. He couldn‟t to let her walk away again even if that meant buying into her troubles. Olivia bucked as Grady stroked her entrance. Her orgasm was so close. He was the only man who could entice her arousal so quickly—and so often. She‟d had a couple other lovers before him, but none that had made her climax over and over as Grady had. He spread her open and licked her intimate folds, sending tendrils of bliss from her core to every cell in her body. She fisted her hands in the sheets as he swirled his tongue around her engorged clit. “Oh yes, Grady.” She squeezed her eyes shut and her orgasm crashed through her. She convulsed in ecstasy as Grady slowed his pace, milking every last morsel of euphoria from her flesh. Aftershocks of divine pleasure rolled on and on.

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She sighed contentedly. He shifted higher and kissed her lips with a tenderness that terrified her. I won’t fall for him again. As if she‟d ever stopped loving him. But she couldn‟t allow herself the luxury of thinking about a future with him. It would end badly and she couldn‟t bear to hurt him again. Grady had been wonderful to her—too wonderful. The moment she let her guard down he would reject her, just as every man she‟d ever cared about had. Rather than risk the awful pain it was so much easier to be the one to break away. He cupped her mound and dotted soft kisses along her neck. “I want to see you come again.” His deep voice jarred her back to the present. She didn‟t want him to stop and she yearned to pleasure him as he had her, but falling back into his arms wasn‟t fair to him. And besides, she was on a mission—and if she failed, she stood to lose everything. “No, Grady. I‟m sorry but we can‟t continue this. I‟ll…I‟ll make it up to you. I promise.” The disappointment on his face cut straight through her. How could she make him understand that she was all wrong for him, that he deserved a woman who wouldn‟t run out on him, one who‟d love him as completely as he‟d loved her? The notion of another woman touching him, loving him, turned her stomach, but he was good man and she wished he‟d find happiness. Without me. She locked the steel trap around her heart. “I have to go find Angel. If you won‟t help me then I‟ll do it by myself. Just lend me a gun.” His blue eyes turned stormy. “Not on your life.” He shoved off the bed. Grabbing his pants from the floor, he yanked them on. “What is it you want from me? Beside a weapon, that is. I‟m a tech person, not a PI. If you need one, I‟ll get one of my brothers over here.” She slid to the edge of the bed and took his hand but he shook her off. If she could have turned to anyone else, she would have. His face was taut with anguish. She hated 21

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that she‟d caused that pain. “If you‟ll just tell me how to use the internet to find Angel, I‟ll get out of your hair.” He swiped his laptop from a shelf and set it on the bed. “Easier to do it myself.” He tapped keys as he studied the screen, his eyebrows tightly pinched together. “Ramirez?” “Right.” She turned her back to him as she dressed. “You wouldn‟t happen to know his middle initial or date of birth, would you? There are two dozen people listed as Angel Ramirez or A. Ramirez in South Florida.” She slipped on her shoes then climbed onto the other side of the bed so she could view the computer screen.“Holy cow. How‟d you get into the driver‟s license files?” “You want me to help you or not?”He turned the laptop away from her. “About how old is he?” “Late twenties, I think.” He tapped more keys. “Let‟s eliminate anyone born prior to nineteen-eighty to play it safe, and all the females with that name.” He pursed his lips and growled. “Still too many. Let‟s try the Department of Corrections files. He‟ll be on here if he‟s been a guest of any county jail in the state.” She swallowed hard. “You think he‟s a criminal?” His laugh held no humor. “Just a hunch.” He showed her the screen with a picture of a badass-looking man who, thankfully, wasn‟t the Angel she knew. She drew a relieved breath. “Not him.” “Okay. How about this one?” He tapped a key and Angel‟s picture appeared. She leaned closer and gasped at the mug shot. “Oh my God. That‟s him. He got that scar on his cheek when he fell out of his crib. At least, that‟s what he told me.” “Yeah, I‟m sure that was it.” Grady‟s fingers flew over the keyboard. “Let‟s see. Extortion, kidnapping, money laundering, drug trafficking. This is one bad dude you‟ve hooked up with.”

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Her pulse raced. “I didn‟t hook up with him. I went on two lousy dates with him and I mean lousy. Well, at least the second one was.”She tipped her chin at the computer. “If he did all those things why isn‟t he still locked up?” “He may have scored a plea deal or beaten the rap. I‟m looking at charges filed against him, not the outcome.” He pulled up another page. “This is convictions. Looks like the only thing he was convicted of was simple possession. The other charges were either dropped or he got a deal to plead guilty to a much lesser crime. He served a year and twenty months, part of it on home confinement.” “How do you know he wasn‟t acquitted of all those more serious offenses?” He rolled his eyes. “Because simple possession wasn‟t one of the original charges, Pollyanna.” She stiffened. “I‟m not a Pollyanna. I just…want to be sure what I‟m dealing with.” “What you‟re dealing with is a dangerous person who probably drugged you then committed grand larceny. I don‟t want you anywhere near him.”He shut the laptop and snatched it off the bed as he stood. “I‟m sorry but we have to call the police in on this. You have no business playing sleuth with something so dangerous.” Jeopardizing her job—or her freedom—was out of the question. She got up and feigned dizziness. Grabbing onto Grady‟s arm, she sighed. “I think I feel a migraine coming on. Would you mind getting me some aspirin?” His face grew taut with concern. “Of course.” He helped her sit then he disappeared into the bathroom. The instant he left the room, she hurried up the stairs quietly as she could. No way would she sit by and let him sic the cops on her. Finding Angel would have been easier with Grady‟s help but she‟d rather go it alone than take a chance on ending up in a jail cell. “I don‟t have any real aspirin. Will ibuprofen work?” Grady searched his poorly stocked medicine cabinet but all he could find was a few sample packets of painkillers.

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He checked the date on the package. “I think it‟s okay a few months after the expiration date, don‟t you?” Silence. Oh God. Had she passed out? He poked his head outside the door and scanned the room. “Shit, shit, shit.” He took the stairs two at a time, praying she‟d just gone outside for some air, but the top deck was deserted. He finished dressing at lightning speed, tucked his .45 into the waistband of his jeans then took off after her. Her car wasn‟t in the marina parking lot but figuring out where she‟d gone couldn‟t be too hard. She didn‟t have enough information on Angel to chase him down yet so she‟d probably gone one of two or three places. He started with the most obvious—her apartment. After finding it empty, he headed to her parents‟ estate, arriving in Boca Raton in record time. Through the high gate he glimpsed Olivia‟s car parked outside the guesthouse. Unfortunately the Worthingtons had a damn sophisticated security system, but he had yet to encounter an electronic barrier he couldn‟t breach. He grabbed his laptop and soon located the wireless network floating in the Ethernet, waiting for him to challenge it. He found the code in seconds then used it to open the gate. “Checkmate.” Grinning, he drove through, passed the imposing stone mansion then parked near the small cottage where Olivia was not so stealthily hiding out. Hers was the only car in the compound except for an old beater. Angel’s? What if the bastard had come after her? Grady didn‟t bother knocking. He drew his weapon and stormed into the two-room building. Olivia gasped as she bolted out of her seat at the desk. She held her hand over her chest. “My God. You scared the hell out of me.”

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Blowing out a relieved breath, he holstered his gun. She‟d changed into blue jeans and a tight-fitting T-shirt that showcased her assets. He clasped his hands in front of him to hide the evidence of what she did to him. “I saw the other car outside and I thought maybe someone had come after you.” “Someone, meaning Angel?” He shrugged. “Why not?” “The car belongs to Natasha, my parents‟ housesitter. They‟re off cruising the Aegean or something. No, maybe Greece was last time. I don‟t know.” “Why‟d you leave your door unlocked? Didn‟t you learn anything about security the whole time we were together?” She lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow. “I‟m inside a walled estate with a locked gate. At least, it was locked until you did your voodoo on it.” “You have no right to be pissed off at me. I‟m not the one who broke into your place dressed like a cat burglar in the middle of the night. I didn‟t lure you into bed then disappear, again.” Shit. He despised letting his emotions show through the cracks. Her cheeks flushed pink. “I didn‟t exactly have to lure you into bed. And what choice did I have but to run away? You were going to call the cops on me.” She crumpled onto a loveseat. “Not on you. I think the police can help. You might be in danger. What the hell did you expect?” She held up a frou-frou pocket knife with a mother-of-pearl handle. “I‟m armed so you don‟t have to worry.” He couldn‟t hold back a chuckle. “With that letter opener?” She squared her shoulders. “I asked for your help but you made your answer clear. I have no other options but to try to find Angel on my own.”

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Not in this lifetime.“What‟s your plan, Miss Marple?” “Who?” “Never mind.” He sat at the desk and glanced at the computer. A map of Miami filled the screen. “What are you trying to find?” She slipped the knife into her pocket. “I was surprised that Angel was listed in the phone book.” “How do you know it‟s the same guy? There are probably almost as many listings in the phonebook as I found in the drivers‟ license logs.” “I remember him telling me about this big annual festival they were having at a Hindu temple down the street from his house last weekend. He complained about the noise and the cars. So I researched it online then found the phonebook entry for the Angel Ramirez within a block of the temple.” She folded her arms over her chest, obviously proud of her detective work. Damn, she was even more adorable than usual with that smug grin. He reined in a sudden rush of arousal. “I‟m impressed, but what‟s the plan? Show up there in the middle of the night, knock on the door and say, „Hey, Angel. Would you mind giving me back those jewels you stole from my office?‟ I don‟t think you‟re going to get far with that.” She huffed. “Give me a little credit, would you? I‟m going to stake the place out until morning, see if I can get inside when no one„s home. Then I‟ll search for the jewelry.” He shook his head. “That would be breaking and entering.” “Like what you just did to get through the gate?” She gave him a mocking smile. He cleared his throat. “Well…yeah, sort of.” Damn it.

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Olivia prayed Grady would agree to accompany her to Angel‟s place, but regardless, she had to go. If she didn‟t return the jewels to the museum, her father would never let her live it down. She could just hear him now. I knew you’d screw up that job, just like you screw up everything. Even worse than dealing with his disappointment was the prospect of ending up in jail. And she‟d lose the position she loved so much. But she couldn‟t think that way. She would succeed. She went to the closet and rummaged around until she found a baseball cap. Tucking her hair inside, she faced Grady. “You coming?” Please? She crossed her toes inside her sneakers. “I ought to tie you up so you stay put.” The notion sent a zing of erotic excitement straight to her core. But now wasn‟t the time. She gestured to the hook next the door. “Hand me my car keys, would you?” He snatched them up then dropped the ring into his pants pocket. “Grady, please. I have a lot on the line.” She held out her palm. “Are you aware that it‟s…” He checked his watch. “Two thirty in the morning?” She squared her shoulders. “What better time to play cat burglar?” He scrubbed a hand over his face and she recalled the scratch of his beard on the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. A sweet ache settled low in her abdomen. “This is a bad plan, Olivia. I‟ll go with you but I don‟t like it.” She grinned triumphantly. “Let‟s go then.” The trip took less than half an hour since the roads were virtually empty. Grady parked his pickup across the street from a gray bungalow typical of the neighborhood. “That‟s his car.” Olivia tipped her chin toward the classic red Mustang in the driveway. “Think we should search it?” Movement in the front window of the house drew her attention. 27

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“Not right now. The last thing we need is for you to get caught playing Nancy Drew.” When the front door opened, he yanked on her arm. “Get down.” She slid lower in the seat. “That‟s him,” she whispered. “The guy keeps strange hours.” “Exactly what I was thinking.” Angel opened the passenger door then retrieved a small grocery sack from inside the car. “Look, he‟s carrying a bag.” She dug her fingernails into his wrist. “What if that‟s the jewels?” “Ouch.” He yanked his arm away. “Go ask him to give them back.” “Yeah, right.”She‟d always loved Grady‟s sarcasm but it just irritated her now, although she couldn‟t stay upset with him for long, especially when he was sticking his neck out for her. Angel locked the car, glanced toward them a moment, then returned to the house. No telling if he‟d noticed them. “We have no idea if the jewels were even in there,” Grady said. “You could make him give you the bag. You‟re the one with the gun.” “Damn good thing. Let‟s not do anything foolish. We have no idea what Angel is capable of.” She met his stare. “What if he leaves?” He flattened his lips and glanced toward the house. “We can follow him.” “Or stay here and search his house after he‟s gone.” “You understand that‟s illegal, right?” A hint of a grin played on his lips and she yearned for him to kiss her.

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“A lot less illegal than stealing priceless jewels from a museum.”She tore her gaze from his. Being this close to him wasn‟t easy. Why did he have to smell so good and be so freaking sexy? “This is your show, baby. If you want to search his house after he leaves, have at it.” She swallowed hard. “I do.”She leaned her head back and yawned. Some of the nervous energy she‟d been running on waned. She shut her eyes for a moment. Grady jerked awake when a souped-up car engine roared to life. Olivia was fast asleep, her head resting against his arm. He‟d been dreaming about her. They were in his bed on the boat and he was teasing her with a feather over her bare pussy. Ignoring the tightness in his pants, he glanced toward Angel‟s house as the Mustang tore out of the driveway in a cloud of smoke then sped down the street. He contemplated following but this early in the morning with hardly any traffic on the roads, chances were good he‟d be noticed. Besides, the more he thought about it, he realized he wanted more information about Angel before he set off after him. For all he knew the guy could be dangerous, and Grady would never purposely put Olivia in harm‟s way. He pulled his laptop out from behind his seat and booted it up. It had never been this important to solve a case before. He couldn‟t help but wonder if this was some sort of test of his devotion to her. Not that he thought she‟d made up any of the story. He was sure he‟d finally gotten the truth out of her. Maybe if he succeeded in helping her get the jewels back and keep her job, she‟d come back to him—and stay this time. She purred softly but didn‟t wake. He clenched his jaw against the flood of memories—all those adorable noises she made in her sleep, her vanilla scent and her silky hair against his skin. But reminiscing was painful and if he let her in before he proved himself to her, she‟d only abandon him again. She‟d destroyed him when she‟d run out on him. Hell, she was still playing with his emotions. He‟d been sure they were going to make love back on his boat—until she‟d stopped him cold. Reminded him of the end of their relationship. 29

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He wanted nothing more than to trust that if they tried again, she‟d give it her all and not bolt the first time they had a bump in the road. No doubt in his mind that she was the woman for him, but love didn‟t always have a happy ending. Sometimes it bit you in the ass. The morning sun rose up over the dashboard, bathing the interior of the SUV in an amber glow. Olivia scrunched her eyelids then stretched like a lazy cat. She opened her eyes and dreamily smiled up at him. Then she seemed to rein in her pleasure at seeing him. She sat up straight, cleared her throat and glanced at Angel‟s house. “Did he leave?” “A couple minutes ago.” She narrowed her gaze. “What? You saw him and you just let him go?” Irritation tightened his stomach. “Following him was my suggestion but you nixed it, remember? You said you wanted to stay here and search his house, so go.” He lifted his arms behind his head and threaded his fingers together, completely confident that she wouldn‟t stick her foot outside the truck without him. She blanched. “Go? You mean you‟re not coming with me?” As if he‟d let her enter a possibly dangerous situation all alone. Still, it was fun to mess with her. He was enjoying the way she squirmed. “Oh, you need me?” She pursed her lips. “I‟ve never picked a lock or whatever we‟ll need to do to get inside.” “Are you asking for my help?” Her cheeks colored. “Well, yes.” “Let‟s go.” They strode across the street to the house and he led Olivia around to the back door, away from view of the street. He peeled back the weather-worn mat and grinned. “Never fails.”

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He donned a pair of latex gloves before unlocking the door. Olivia started to pass him, but he grabbed her arm and hauled her to a stop. When she protested, he held a finger to his lips then tucked her behind him before heading into the kitchen. Leading with his .45, he swept the room, then the next and the next. The overpowering scent of pine cleaner filled the air. “It hardly looks lived in,” Olivia whispered. Once he was sure the place was empty, he put his weapon away. “Maybe the guy is into simplicity. Do me a favor and don‟t touch anything. You never know when your fingerprints will turn up where you don‟t want them.” Returning to the kitchen, he made a beeline for the refrigerator. A few six-packs of beer, two water bottles and two takeout containers. “I can‟t believe this is a guy‟s house and it‟s so clean.” Olivia lifted an accusatory eyebrow at him. “So I don‟t always hang up my clothes. My boat might be messy but it‟s never dirty.” “That‟s true.” He opened a cabinet but froze when a loud explosion of glass ripped through the house. Tires squealed outside then another window crashed in the front of the house. He only needed a quick glance into the living room to confirm that someone had bombed the place with Molotov cocktails. Fire raced through the bungalow. Olivia‟s scream jerked him into action. If he didn‟t get her out fast, they‟d both be toast.

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Chapter Three Grady rushed Olivia out the back. She bent over, hands on her knees, and gulped in air. “We have to get out of here.” Grady started shaking his head. “This is a crime scene now. Do you know how much trouble—” Rather than wait for him to finish, she took off, sure he‟d follow. “What the hell are you doing? We have to call the police,” he called. She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Hear those sirens? Someone already has. We broke into the place, Grady. We made it a crime scene before somebody bombed it.” He muttered something under his breath but thankfully started after her. They crossed two neighboring backyards then took an alleyway out to the street. “This is crazy.” “Then go back there. But I‟m not.” Guilt prickled at her. She‟d dragged him into her mess du jour. Thankfully, he kept right on her tail. As the sirens grew louder, Grady let her into his car. “We should have stayed until the cops arrive. It‟s the right—” “Nope, not happening. I‟m not going to hang around and let them arrest me. What are we supposed to say? „Oh by the way, after we broke in but then someone torched the place, so we thought we‟d be upstanding citizens and hang around to help‟. Come on, Grady, get real.” Still shaking and out of breath, she hooked her seat belt. A chill slithered up her spine as she imagined what could have happened if they hadn‟t gotten out in time. Grady didn‟t even look at her as he pulled away from the curb and cautiously steered past the burning house.

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She set a hand over her chest. “My heart is pumping so hard. Is it possible to have a heart attack from fear?” “You‟ll be fine.” She couldn‟t hold back a frustrated groan. “This is all my fault. If only I‟d kept my big, fat mouth shut about the jewels, Angel never would have stolen them and I wouldn‟t be in this mess now.” He blew out a long breath as he turned out of the neighborhood. “You know what they say. Loose lips sink ships.” Wiping her cheeks, she glanced at Grady and said a silent thank-you that he‟d agreed to go with her to Angel‟s house. If he hadn‟t been there she might be on her way to jail now instead of sitting beside the man she loved. But she couldn‟t get too used to having Grady around. Soon enough, he‟d be gone from her life. Every man she‟d ever cared about had rejected her, including her own father. Rather than expose herself to the inevitable pain, she‟d run away and saved Grady the trouble of dumping her. He‟d have eventually discovered what the others had about her. I’m unlovable. “We can‟t be sure the jewels had anything to do with Angel‟s house getting firebombed, although we can‟t rule it out. And if you‟re going to beat yourself up for telling Angel about it, you have to place the lion‟s share of the blame on his shoulders. He decided to drug you and steal the pieces. No telling whom or what the bastard is involved with to merit having his home set ablaze.” “I‟m so sorry I‟ve dragged you into this, Grady. I had no idea this would get so dangerous, but I couldn‟t just stand there and wait for the police to come and arrest me. I hope you can forgive me someday.” She shook her head and sniffled. God, he could have been killed at Angel‟s house and she‟d have been to blame. The notion turned her blood to ice. He squeezed her knee and a sweet ache settled low in her belly. 33

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He stopped for a red light. “I need you to rack your brain to remember anything and everything you can about Angel.” He drove onto a causeway flanked by the turquoise waters of Biscayne Bay. “Where are we going?” “My boat. Whoever torched Angel‟s house might have been aiming at you, so you can‟t go anywhere near your place or your parents‟ estate. You‟d be too easy to find there.” She gulped. “Y-you think that was directed at me?” “Not necessarily, but better safe than sorry. We can call my brother Wyatt. He used to be with the Boca police, and he plays poker with a Dade County sheriff‟s detective who might be able to help.” She shuddered at the idea of speaking to a cop about her situation, a former Boca Raton cop, no less. “I don‟t think so.” He sliced her a glance. “It‟s okay. My brother‟s cool.” She had to trust Grady‟s judgment. “If you have to tell your brother, so be it, but no cops.” He mumbled something under his breath she couldn‟t make out. “Promise me.” He sighed. “Fine, no cops.” She didn‟t deserve his help but she was profoundly grateful for it. “Thank you.” Reaching across the seat, she took his hand. An electric spark of passion arced between them. She immediately retracted her arm and tamped down the desire she had no right to act upon. They rode in silence to the marina then strode to Grady‟s boat. Olivia crossed the upper deck to the stairs then went below ahead of Grady. She stopped in the galley area for a bottle of water. Sinking onto one of the padded benches that served as the living

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room furniture, she rubbed the back of her neck. Every muscle in her body was sore. “Would you mind if I took a hot shower?” He held up an index finger as he pressed his phone to his ear. “It‟s Grady. I have a…situation. I need to talk to you. Call when you get this. Thanks, bro.”After he hung up he fetched a clean towel and handed it to her. “As soon as Wyatt can make it here we have to tell him what‟s going on. He was a cop for nearly ten years. He‟ll know what to do.” “I hope so.” She ignored the knot in her stomach as she headed to the tiny bathroom. The woodsy scent of Grady‟s cologne hung in the air and reminded her of making love with him. Need and regret stormed through her. Forcing the emotions from her head, she turned on the water, then stripped off her clothes and glanced in the mirror. Her nipples were puckered and hard. She ran her fingers over her breasts, closed her eyes and imagined Grady touching her. What could her fantasy hurt? Forbidden lust flooded her. How many times had they made love in that shower? Ten, fifteen? Yet every episode was wonderfully unique and each kiss surpassed all that came before. The year they‟d been together had been the best of her life. She‟d turned him on to sushi and he‟d introduced her to dozens of old black-and-white Hollywood classics. She‟d have never met Ingrid Bergman or Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn or James Stewart had it not been for him. He‟d taken care of her when she‟d had an awful flu and she‟d helped him pick out perfect birthday gifts for his family and taught him how to play gin rummy. He‟d become a huge part of her life, bigger than she‟d planned. But she knew eventually he‟d turn on her if they took things any further. Why couldn‟t she just live in the moment, ignore her fears and dive into the pool of delightful possibilities that awaited her in his arms? But it wouldn‟t be fair to him.

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She pushed open the curtain and stepped inside the stream of hot water. Maybe she should have made the water cold to take the edge off her craving.

***** Grady paced the floor, trying to banish visions of Olivia‟s nude body from his brain. But she was so close, only feet away in his shower. He moved to the bathroom door, pressed his fingers to the cool metal. No. How could he still want her after she‟d stomped on his heart? But it wasn‟t his heart straining against his pants at the mere thought of her. Think about something else. He checked his phone again, hoping for some word from Wyatt, but there was nothing. As he shoved the cell into his pocket, it rang. “Hey, what‟s up?” Wyatt asked. “I have a friend who‟s in trouble.” After explaining the situation to his brother, Grady turned his back to the bathroom. “I wish you hadn‟t left the scene, but I understand knee-jerk reactions. You might not want to mention this to Harper just yet. You know how he gets about illegal stuff.” “Right. Mum‟s the word.” “First thing we have to do is find out as much as we can about this Angel person. I‟m sure you‟ve already hacked into a bunch of websites, but see if you can get info on his jobs, convictions, whatever. I‟m up in West Palm, but I can be at your place in about two and a half hours. Can you hang tight until then?” “Yup. Thanks, bro. I owe you.” He hung up then started a pot of coffee. Then he initiated new searches on Angel. He glanced toward the bathroom for the hundredth time. What the hell was taking Olivia so long? He strode to the door and frowned at the sound of the shower still running.

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Something caught his eye on the floor—a daddy long legs walked right under the door and out of sight. He remembered how Olivia had screamed every time she‟d encountered one of the numerous spiders that regularly invaded his boat. She was under enough stress already. He eased open the door and stepped on the bugger then grabbed a tissue and got rid of it, but he couldn‟t resist a glimpse at the shower. Silhouetted through the white curtain, Olivia looked like a curvy apparition. She washed her shoulders and neck. A stream of water cascaded off the tips of her breasts. His cock ached with need. He grasped the edge of the sink to steady himself and knocked over the liquid soap. An instant after the bottle hit the floor, Olivia peeked out from the shower. The surprise on her face morphed into unmistakable lust as her gaze raked over him from head to toe. She pulled the curtain open wider, revealing most of her nude body. Like a kid caught peeping into the girls‟ locker room, he let out an idiotic chuckle followed by a bumbling apology. Still, he couldn‟t keep his gaze from wandering lower, to her soap-slick breasts and below. Foamy water droplets ran down her abdomen and disappeared in the patch of red hair covering her mound. Too late to hide his obvious erection. He met her stare and it drew him closer, through the steamy heat. She’s going to destroy me again. But he couldn‟t help himself. He took her face between his hands and covered her lips with his, forceful and demanding. No gentleness this time. He licked and sucked, tasted and took. Finally Olivia pulled away. “I don‟t want to hurt you.” Her eyes were big and glassy. How the hell was he supposed to not touch her? He grabbed her wrists and reeled her back in. She struggled against him, but only for a moment.

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“I told you, I‟m a grown man. I‟m not asking for any kind of commitment.” Although one would be nice. He swallowed back the lump in his throat. “I want you. And I intend to have you, right here, right now.” He grasped her arms tightly and kissed her hard. When he released her seconds later, he skimmed his eyes over her lush body—full, upturned breasts, flat stomach and curvy hips. He started undressing but she took over. She tore at his clothes, opened his fly and slipped her wet hand inside. He shut his eyes as she grasped his hard-on and squeezed him the way he loved. Longing coiled tightly inside him. He made fast work of his jeans and T-shirt. Olivia pulled him into the shower with her, practically clawing at his skin. “I‟ve missed you so much.” She covered his face with kisses. If she wanted him so badly, why had she left him? His libido trumped reason. He circled his arms around her and drew her against him. He wished her body didn‟t fit so perfectly to his, as if they were made to be together. She stopped kissing him and her expression turned serious. “I don‟t want to h—” He touched a finger to her lips before she could get the word out. Last thing he needed now was for her to back away out of guilt or caution. He tipped her chin up and stared into those chocolate-colored eyes for a long moment. “We‟ve already discussed it. I don‟t want to hear another word. I can handle…whatever this is.” The lines around her eyes disappeared. “Okay.” She picked up a washcloth and sluiced soapy water over his chest, his shoulders then down his arms. Next she gently washed his abdomen and his sides before focusing her attention on his cock. All his blood headed south as she cleaned him with long, slow strokes. When she knelt in front of him, he clutched the handrail, afraid the anticipation would topple him in the small space. She wrung out the cloth over his erection then cleared away the leftover suds from his skin.

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She grasped him at the root and gave him a long swipe with her tongue. Pleasure coiled tighter as she closed her mouth over his length. He wove his fingers through her hair and leaned his hips toward her, pushing deeper into the warm, wet confines. His balls constricted with need as he stroked in and out. “Mm.” She always seemed to enjoy giving him head—almost as much as he loved receiving it. He shut off the faucet so they wouldn‟t run out of water. They‟d want to rinse off later and the water heater was small. But he couldn‟t think about anything except Olivia and the way she raked her teeth over his flesh. He was close—too close. Clenching his jaw, he rallied his control and forced himself to back away. He helped her stand then cupped her backside, sank his fingers into her soft skin. It was amazing how perfectly those smooth cheeks filled his hands. But there were so many luscious things to hold and to taste on her body, he couldn‟t decide where to begin. The full swell of her breasts pressed demandingly into his chest. Clarity abandoned him, making way for the powerful desire that had dominated their relationship from the start. She leaned against him and shivered. “Cold?” When she lifted her hooded gaze to his eyes, the heat of her stare convinced him otherwise. Olivia drew a steadying breath. The air between them crackled with electricity. “I‟m not cold at all.” Lust burned red-hot inside her. Rivulets of water rolled over his welldefined pecs. She loved that his chest was almost completely hairless and his skin always tan. At six-foot-three, he towered over her barely five-foot frame but it had always worked for them.

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Grady bent to nip her shoulder and a quivering sensation rolled over her skin. He moved his hand slowly, purposefully around her thigh to her mound. She bit back a gasp as he started rubbing up and down. God, he hadn‟t forgotten how to touch her. A heavy, demanding pulse settled between her legs. He worked flesh over bone, sensing just the right pressure, the perfect rhythm. Pushing his long, knowing fingers inside her, he stroked and she tightened around him as he coaxed her pleasure higher and hotter. She sank her nails into his upper arms. Grady pinned her against the shower wall and she whimpered with helpless need, the sound echoing in the tiny space. He used his thumb to rub her cleft. Ripples of delight radiated from her core, set her whole body on fire. Her climax detonated in a sweet rush of bliss. She squeezed her eyes shut and rode the waves, hanging onto Grady with all her might. How could she deny that they were made for each other? True, she hadn‟t had many other lovers, but nothing—no one—had ever come close to the carnal joy he brought her. And there was more, their connection ran deeper, but she couldn‟t think about that. If she let herself fall for him again, she‟d just get hurt, and so would Grady in the process. He withdrew his fingers and she was vaguely aware of him reaching to the medicine cabinet. Then he was sheathing himself. Her pulse pounded at the anticipation of having him inside her. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she took over for him and rolled the condom over his erection. She‟d wished she could have done it more slowly but she was too hungry for him to wait. Meeting her stare with darkened eyes, he moved closer. He lifted her as if she weighed nothing, then braced her back against the shower wall and entered her. There was nothing gentle or slow about it, but she didn‟t want tenderness now. She needed full-on passion. Her sex stretched to accommodate his length as he pushed

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deeper, filled her beyond capacity. The pain eased, replaced by building euphoria. She hung onto his shoulders and he started thrusting. I’ve come home. She blocked out everything else and let the familiar joy take root. She tightened her intimate muscles, massaging Grady‟s cock as he stroked in and out. He let out a deep, totally male growl. “Christ, that‟s good.” He rode her harder and harder as his grasp tightened on her hips. She could so easily lose herself in him if she let go, but she wouldn‟t. As he pumped, she arched against his driving thrusts. At least she gave him satisfaction—that was evident in the taut muscles on his face and neck, and in his reddening complexion. But she couldn‟t give what he‟d asked for. She refused to surrender her heart only to risk having it handed back in shreds. Grady released a few incoherent gasps then emptied himself inside her. She pressed her ear to his sweat-damp chest then shut her eyes, comforted by the steady cadence of his heartbeat. He set her down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “We should get dressed. Wyatt will be here soon and I have to check on my research before he arrives.” Then he was gone. She could hardly fault him for the quick exit considering how she‟d ended things with him when they‟d dated. Still, his absence left her cold. She wrapped her arms around her body to still her shivers. Why had she allowed herself that indulgence? It was so selfish of her to toy with Grady‟s emotions but she couldn‟t help herself, especially after he‟d pretty much insisted. Too bad they were so damn good together in the bedroom department. And in every other way. She dried off then dressed in a T-shirt and drawstring shorts Grady had set out. When she left the bathroom, she found him glued to his computer. He‟d always retreated there when things got weird between them. She sat on the bench and cleared her throat. “Find out anything else?”

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He tapped on the keyboard but didn‟t answer. “Hello?” A slightly older version of Grady came below deck. His hair was an inch or two shorter than Grady‟s. The same blue eyes she knew so well lit up as he smiled and offered his hand. “Wyatt Long.” She smoothed down the front of her T-shirt, suddenly self-conscious in the baggy outfit. “Olivia Worthington.” Tentatively, she shook with him. Had he been on the Boca force when she‟d been falsely accused of shoplifting? Of course, there were probably more than a hundred of them at any given moment. He hadn‟t been one of the officers who‟d treated her so shabbily, though. She‟d never forget those faces. Still, her stomach lurched. Grady glanced up from his laptop and tipped his chin at his brother. “Thanks for getting here so fast. There‟s beer in the fridge or coffee on the counter.” “I‟m good. Have you found out anything else?” Wyatt sat across from Olivia, who somehow managed to look beautiful even in clothes that were several sizes too big. She drew her knees against her chest and furrowed her brow. Her body language was so easy to read. Already she didn‟t trust Wyatt. Well, too damn bad. Wyatt was more intuitive than he and they needed the help. Grady cleared his throat. “As a matter of fact, I just discovered that Mr. Ramirez beat a grand larceny charge in Puerto Rico seven years ago. He had an expensive attorney. Take a wild guess what he was accused of stealing.” “Jewelry?” Olivia ventured. He nodded. “Emeralds.” Olivia bolted out of her seat and paced the room. She slapped her forehead. “God, I was such an idiot. I played right into his hands.” Wyatt shook his head. “He‟s probably very experienced at this. Don‟t beat yourself up. Tell me about the jewels he stole.”

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She poured herself a cup of coffee. “The necklace is the most beautiful thing you ever saw. Huge emerald-cut topazes set in yellow gold, about a dozen of them. They belonged to Napoleon‟s first wife Josephine. The earrings are single stones surrounded by tiny diamonds. The set was a gift from one of her lovers, but she was a notorious spendthrift and had to sell them later in life.” Grady couldn‟t help but be drawn in as she continued the history lesson. She spoke with such passion and reverence. The job was important to her, that was obvious. He hoped to God he could help her keep it. “Try to remember as much as you can about your dates with Angel,” Wyatt said. “Where did he go, who did he talk to?” She muttered a curse. “I don‟t know. We only went out twice and no one ever came with us.” “What about that warehouse you said he took you to? Maybe we should start there.” Grady sipped his coffee and tried to avoid her eyes. He hadn‟t intended to make love to her yet. He‟d wanted her to come to him, hungry and in need of his touch. Instead, he‟d given in to his lust. She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I can‟t remember where it was.” Wyatt braced his elbows on his knees and threaded his fingers together. “Think back to that night. Can you recall any smells, sounds or sights near the spot?” She shut her eyes and her brows scrunched in concentration. Moments passed then she let out a gasp. “I heard jet engines. It was near the airport.” “Good girl,” Wyatt said. “Remember anything else?” She sipped her coffee then nodded. “Really big potholes, a few of them right in front of the building. It was raining and Angel drove his precious car into one. He cursed a blue streak. I think I could find the place if we drove around the area near the airport. Can we?” She fixed Grady with a stare so full of hope that he would rather have died than refuse her.

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“Yeah, sure.” “That‟s good.” Wyatt stood and rubbed his hands together. “Print me Angel‟s photo. I‟ll check with some of my contacts to see if any of them recognize the guy. But first, work beckons. I have to escort a Saudi royal to a banquet in Coral Gables. Sorry, guys, you‟re own your own for a while. I‟ll be reachable by phone and I‟ll put out some feelers with Metro Dade about the firebombing. Maybe the cops have a lead on it.” Grady hit the print button then got up and handed Angel‟s picture to Wyatt. “Thanks, man. I‟ll give you a call later.” He nodded. “Walk me out.” Grady glanced at Olivia. She lifted an eyebrow, obviously on to Wyatt‟s attempt to speak to him in private. “Yeah, okay.” He followed his brother upstairs then stepped off the boat onto the dock. “What‟s up?” Wyatt leaned against a post and folded his arms over his chest. “Isn‟t that the same Olivia who broke your heart a while back?” He stared out over the water and schooled the tension from his face. “I wouldn‟t say she broke my heart. We dated, yes.” Wyatt set a hand on his shoulder and grinned. “You are so full of shit, or else you‟re in complete denial. Just be careful, okay? I don‟t want to see my baby brother become that sad sack again, okay?” Grady shook him off. “Get the hell out of here.”But in truth he appreciated Wyatt‟s concern. He drew a deep breath then headed below deck. Olivia had somehow transformed one of his good shirts into a dress. She cinched a belt around her waist and looked as if she‟d just stepped off the runway of a New York fashion show. “Your brother thinks I‟m using you, doesn‟t he?” She set her hands on her hips. “He‟ll help us if we need it. Does it matter what he thinks?” But in truth, Wyatt‟s opinion did count.

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She dropped his gaze. “Ready when you are.” Brushing past him, she headed toward the stairs but he hooked her arm to stop her. “Before we go, how about we clear the air?” Fear flashed in her eyes. “W-what do you mean?” “You know damn well what I mean. Why‟d you run out on me? What the hell was so bad that you had to completely disappear from my life three months ago? It obviously wasn‟t the sex.” She squirmed out of his reach. “This isn‟t the time. If we don‟t find those jewels by—” He cut her off with a hand in the air. “Yeah, I know, by Monday. But before I go anywhere with you I want some answers.” She glanced up the steps as if she planned to run away—again. No. He wouldn‟t let her. Before she could get away, he grabbed her arm, hoisted her over his shoulder then carried her to the far end of the room and dropped her onto the bed. She huffed indignantly and started to back away but he climbed over her and pinned her down. “Now, Olivia. I‟m all ears. Explain.”

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Chapter Four How was she supposed to think with Grady hovering above her on all fours? “Don‟t you understand that the clock is ticking? We don‟t have time to—” He silenced her with a kiss—a mind-numbing, toe-curling, make-her-forget-hername experience. She squirmed in an attempt to dissipate the heat pooling between her legs. When he finally released her, she could only look up at him, mute and out of breath. “Was that the kiss of two people who shouldn‟t be together?” His voice was a low rumble, as sultry and intense as his stare. “Why‟d you leave me?” The agony in his eyes sliced through her. Regret tugged at her gut. She managed to gather her wits enough to speak. “I‟m not cut out for relationships. It had nothing to do with you. I take full responsibility for the breakup.” He bolted off her as if she were radioactive. “I don‟t give a shit about who was responsible. You pulled the rug out from under me. Things were going so well, I thought…” He glanced away and shook his head, fisting his hands at his sides. She closed the distance between them, her heart breaking for the pain she‟d caused him. She‟d made a grave mistake coming to him for help. The wounds she‟d inflicted by leaving him were still gaping. She started to wrap her arms around him but stopped. “The kindest thing I can do would be to get out of your life. If I don‟t find Angel and return the jewels, I‟ll have to pay the consequences.” But she refused to keep hurting the best man she‟d ever met. She quickly gathered her things then headed to the stairs. Turning back for a last glimpse, she smiled although her eyes were filling with tears. She didn‟t trust her voice but she had to say something. “I‟m so sorry.” She climbed the steps then made her way off the boat. 46

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“Olivia!” She stopped at Grady‟s shout but took a few seconds to rein in her emotions before she spun around to face him. Everything inside her wanted to reach out to him, to kiss away the lines straining his forehead and the bulge of tight muscles around his jaw. It would be better for them both if she just left now, before they became too invested in each other again. He ran to her. “Let‟s go find Angel.” She swallowed hard and tried to muster all her resolve. “No. You‟ve already risked too much for me. I have to do this alone.” “Your car is back in Boca at your parents‟ place.” The tension etched on his face smoothed out and a smug grin lifted one side of his mouth. “Guess you‟re stuck with me, huh?” She mentally kicked herself. Why hadn‟t she thought about that? He fished his key ring out of his pocket and tossed it in the air. Catching it, he gestured toward the parking lot. “Come on. We have a warehouse to locate.” He brushed past her, leaving her speechless. What had inspired the sudden change in him? He‟d gone from a ball of anger and nerves to almost happy-go-lucky. Or was it all an act? Grady wasn‟t about games but he didn‟t wear his emotions on his sleeve either. She wished she could figure him out but time was ticking by. She had little choice but to go with him. They drove toward Miami International armed with a street map and a GPS. Olivia searched for familiar roads and landmarks but everything looked the same. Grady steered down yet another similar road but it wasn‟t the one—there were no big potholes. Was she merely putting off the inevitable? Maybe the best thing to do was to come clean with her boss. Fess up and prepare to pay the consequences. She sank deeper into the seat and tried to envision her life without the museum job. Somehow she‟d managed to get through the last few months without Grady. Nothing her boss or even the law could do to her would be worse than that self-imposed prison. 47

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She glanced across the seat at Grady as he squinted at warehouses and road signs. Even after she‟d run out on him without explanation, he still seemed to care. If ever there was a time for him to reject her, it was now, yet he‟d stuck with her. He wasn‟t like the others. She should give the relationship another chance. Sucking in a breath and crossing her fingers in her lap for courage, she said a silent prayer. “Grady?” Grady pointed down a side street lined with warehouses. “Didn‟t you say something about big potholes?” Two gaping chasms marred the asphalt in front of one of the doors. She followed his gaze and gasped. “Oh my God. This is it.” He negotiated his pickup around the holes and parked around the side of the row of metal buildings. “The place looks nearly deserted.” She sank her fingers into his arm. “Is that what I think it is?” She gestured to the back corner of a red car sticking out from behind aware house. “Maybe it‟s not as empty as it seems.” He reached into the glove box and grabbed his .45 then stuck it in his waist holster. “You stay here with the doors locked, got it? And if anyone comes out, slide down so they don‟t see you.” He hated the idea of having her wait alone but he couldn‟t risk bringing her with him. She was definitely safer in his truck. “But—“ “No buts. I don‟t know what I‟ll find in there, and I don‟t want to worry about you any more than I already am. Which unit did Angel go into that night?” She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and he had to remind himself of his mission. “I‟m not sure.” Great. “If I‟m not back here in ten, call the cops. Got it?” Her throat bulged slightly with a swallow, then it was gone. “Okay.” “I‟ll be fine.”

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She nodded then threw her arms around him and pulled him to her for a kiss. She glided her silky lips over his, so soft and sweet he considered not getting out of the vehicle. “I…You‟re the best.” Had something changed? The hesitation he‟d sensed earlier was gone. He narrowed his eyes at her and studied her face but she gave little away. Pulse racing, he exited his truck and casually strode around to the front of the building. Rust crawled up the metal exterior like an orange canker. He listened at the first roll-up door for several seconds but didn‟t hear a thing. There was a regular entry door beside it. After glancing both ways, he tried the handle and found it unlocked. He entered the cavernous space and waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the low lighting. A half wall at the back of the room probably led to an office or a closet. Before he‟d covered a quarter of the distance to it, he picked up a low, animal growl. He grabbed his weapon and pointed it at a huge dog stalking toward him. “Nice puppy,” he said quietly. The angry mutt bared its teeth. Grady backed to the door but the animal started barking. “Good dog. I always donate to the ASPCA. That has to count for something.” No way was he going to shoot it. The dog growled again and snapped its jaw in threat. “We had a dog when I was growing up. His name was Cujo. Aw shit, guess I shouldn‟t have told you that.” As long as he spoke, the dog appeared to listen and— more importantly—didn‟t tear him to shreds.“You probably have some silly name like Tulip or Violet, right? Kind of like when they give monster guys nicknames like Tiny.” The back of his heel made contact with the wall. All he had to do was sidestep to the door and he‟d be home free. He ventured a glance over his shoulder and said a silent thank-you that he was only a couple feet from his escape. “Nice doggy. Please don‟t bite me, fella.” 49

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He backed through the door and slammed it shut in an instant. Thankfully the street was still deserted. Smoothing back his hair, he headed to the next warehouse down the block but found it locked. The unique high-pitched whine of an impact wrench was barely audible. Someone was working on a car inside but warehouses in Florida were notoriously difficult and expensive to air condition. If he were a betting man, he‟d lay odds that whoever was inside didn‟t want to be seen. He briefly considered calling the cavalry but the cops wouldn‟t come just because he suspected some sort of illegal activities were taking place inside. But his brothers would, if they were able. Wyatt had said he was busy with an assignment for their Saudi clients but maybe Harper or Beau could come and back him up. The office was only a fifteen-minute drive away. He stepped back from the building, ducked behind a tree and placed the call. Beau answered and thankfully agreed to head over right away since Harper was on his way to Tampa to meet with a new client. “I‟m heading to my car now,” Beau assured him. “Can you hang tight until I get there?” “Definitely. Thanks, man.”Breaking into buildings wasn‟t exactly his forte. Hacking into computer networks, now that was his kind of gig. He had to figure out if Angel was inside and what the hell was going on in there. But he‟d just glean as much information as he could from the outside until his brother arrived. He rounded the corner of the building and made his way through the high weeds to a bank of windows, but they‟d been soaped over and he couldn‟t get a glimpse inside. Unless… He grinned when he spotted a broken pane covered with newspaper. Carefully as he could, he tore the edge of the paper away and peered through the hole, but his view was hindered by shelves of car parts. Male voices and rap music replaced the sound of the drill. 50

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“That all you‟re gonna give me? This stuff is worth a freakin‟ fortune.” “Not if it‟s too hot to move, dumb ass.” “That‟s bullshit. I went to a lot of trouble to get it.” “Joseph brought me a four-carat diamond ring. My buyer was very generous.” “Fuck Joseph. Did he tell you he burned down my damn house? Soon as I find that motherfucker, he‟s dead.” “He‟d never do something like that. Had to be an enemy.” The window was too high for Grady to reach any but the lowest panes. He grasped the sill and tried to hoist himself up a little but he slipped and landed hard on the ground. Holding perfectly still, he waited to make sure no one had heard. After a long moment, he got up and pulled away more of the newspaper, but he still couldn‟t make out much besides a late-model Honda that was elevated on a hydraulic lift. The music got louder. Something clicked behind him. He started to turn to investigate when— “Don‟t move.” Shit! Cold metal pressed against his neck. He froze. Son of a bitch.

***** Olivia checked her watch again. Grady had only been gone six minutes but she was growing worried. What if he got hurt? How could she live with herself knowing she‟d been responsible? Unease raised the hair on the back of her neck. No one had ever gone to such lengths for her. More proof that she could trust him not to reject her. If he didn‟t think she was worth loving, he wouldn‟t be laying everything on the line for her.

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She thought about phoning the police even though the allotted time hadn‟t yet passed but her distrust of them gave her pause. Would they come if she called in an anonymous tip? She switched on Grady‟s GPS and tapped her fingers on the seat as the machine located a signal. Finally, a map appeared on the screen and she was able to pinpoint their location. She committed the street names to memory then slipped out of the truck and around the building. Where was he? A chill rolled over her skin. She should have insisted on going with him. Glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, she kept hoping she‟d catch sight of him. Please let Grady be okay. The second warehouse looked vaguely familiar. That must be the one. The front door was locked and the windows were way too high for her to peek inside so she turned around and retraced her steps back to the truck. Eight minutes. Corralling all her courage, she started toward Angel‟s car. There was a high chainlink fence on one side and an area of thick bushes and weeds on the other. She spotted an open window on the back wall and had to try to peek inside. Never mind that her legs were bare under Grady‟s dress shirt, probably not the best wardrobe choice. But Grady had put his neck on the line for her. It was the least she could do. She made her way through the brush to the window, ignoring how the sharp palm fronds scratched her legs. She sneaked a look inside. The dingy office was empty. A desk in the far corner was nearly empty—except for the grocery sack like the one Angel had carried from his car yesterday while she and Grady were watching him. That had to be the jewels. Suddenly the office door flew open. Oh God. She was busted. All the air whooshed from her lungs.

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“Who the hell are you? You always go around peeping inside people‟s windows? You some kind of weirdo?”Angel shoved Grady into a small office. A flash of fair skin and red hair dropped away from the window. Damn it. Why had Olivia followed him? He prayed that neither Angel nor the other man had seen her. She should have called the cops by now. Hopefully Beau or the law would arrive at any moment. The gun jabbed him between his shoulder blades. “Answer me, asshole.” “I told you. My brother rented a warehouse around here for his business and I was looking for it. This obviously isn‟t the one.” Lame, but it was all he could think of in a pinch, which reinforced his decision not to get his PI license. He was a lousy liar. Unlike his brothers, he was a lot more comfortable messing with computers than he was with trying to track down bad guys. “Bullshit.” Angel set Grady‟s .45 on the desk in front of the older man who‟d taken a seat there. A plastic grocery bag there looked like the one he‟d seen Angel with the night before. Could it be the jewels? “Easy, Angel.”The other man rubbed his hand over a jagged scar that ran the length of his arm. Then he fixed Grady with an imploring stare. He tipped his chin toward Angel. “The truth would go a long way to appease him.” “You spying for Caesar?” Angel asked. “Who‟s Caesar? I told you why I was looking in,” Grady said. He focused on a frayed black-and-white movie poster hanging on the wall behind the desk. How could these men be so bad if they liked old movies? Angel struck the back of his head with the butt of his weapon. “Let me take him into the shop and use some of your power tools on him, Stitch. Then he‟ll start talking.” Well, that answers my question. They could be that bad and still like the classics. Beau would be here before Angel could make good on his threats. The fact that Angel had a record as a small-bit thug and not a murderer kept him from growing too nervous. But Angel‟s partner in crime was an unknown. 53

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Stitch took the bag from the desk and stashed it in the top drawer. “I don‟t think there‟ll be any need for that. Look at him, Angel. Does he look like a Skull King, for Christ‟s sake?” The Skull Kings? Grady had researched the gang for a case last year. If these men were in a rival gang they had to be part of either the Miami Mafia or the Enforcers, the most ruthless and violent of any gang in South Florida. He was smack in the middle of gang turf. And Olivia was outside by herself, peeking in the damn windows. I have to warn her. If he could get rid of one of them, he was confident he‟d be able to overpower the other. He whipped his head toward the office door. “What was that?” Both men glanced at the door then at each other. Stitch stood and grabbed Grady‟s weapon from the desk and trained it on him.“Go check,” he told Angel. “We‟ll wait here.” Grady held up his hands and waited a few seconds after Angel left to use a Krav Maga gun disarm on Stitch. The move went just as it had in the self-defense class his brother Harper had insisted they all take. He knocked Stitch out cold, but not before the gun went skating across the floor and under the desk. He had no time to hunt for it before the commotion brought Angel back into the office. But Grady was waiting behind the door. The moment Angel entered the room, Grady punched him hard in the face. His fist landed with a sickening crunch. Angel stumbled backward but unfortunately managed to shake off the stun of Grady‟s blow. By the time Angel got his bearings and opened his mouth to warn his buddy, Grady was elbowing him in his solar plexus. Angel‟s gun fell somewhere nearby. Out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed Olivia in the window. Was she climbing through? No!

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Damn woman didn‟t listen to a thing he told her to do. She‟d never change. He didn‟t want to alert Angel to her presence, but if she managed to get into the building there was no telling what might happen to her. As he and Angel fought, he was forced to turn his back to the window. A thump had him chancing a glance over his shoulder—only for a second. Olivia was in a heap under the window. Was she hurt? Angel clocked him with a right hook that knocked all the wind out of him. Another punch and he saw stars. All he could think about was Olivia as he tried to hold onto consciousness but the room spun and wobbled. Angel was dragging Olivia away. Her eyes were wide with fear. I have to help her. He dropped to his knees then fought to get up.“Olivia!” Then everything went black. Olivia‟s heart lodged in her throat when Grady hit the floor. Oh God, no. What if he was dead? And she hadn‟t even told him she loved him. Anguish and regret paralyzed her. She shrugged Angel off and raced to Grady‟s side. “Grady?” She sank to her knees and laid her head on his chest, not even caring what Angel might do to her. No physical pain could worsen the agony in her soul. “So this is all your fault, huh? You brought this Peeping Tom here?” Angel retrieved a gun from the floor then grabbed her hair and made her stand. Pain spiked through her head. “He hurt my friend. Me and Stitch, we take care of each other. You and your boyfriend are gonna pay.” He gave her hair a harder tug as he turned her to see the other man whom Grady had knocked out cold.

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Clenching her jaw at the agony, she tried to punch at Angel but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. “You shouldn‟t have done that.” His breath fanned warm over her shoulder and she shivered with revulsion and fear. “Screw you.” She stomped her foot down hard on his but he only laughed. “Aren‟t you a little bad-ass? If I‟d known you were this full of piss and vinegar I‟d have had some fun with you when you were passed out yesterday.” She continued kicking, fighting to get away, but he lifted her off the ground and carried her from the room. “Where are you taking me?” He kept mum as he hauled her across the expansive warehouse that looked like the inside of a mechanic shop. What did he plan to do with her? Panic made her blood run cold but she refused to let him see that he frightened her. Helping Grady was her only focus. What if the guy Grady had knocked out came to first? He might kill Grady. Her throat seized up. She kicked and punched with all her might. She had to get back to the office to check if he was okay. “Please, Angel. Put me down. I‟ll do whatever you want, just let go of me.” He dropped her in the middle of the floor then gave her a hard shove. She landed on her backside but she didn‟t care. “Okay. You‟re a poor little rich girl, right? I‟ve heard of your family. They have lots of money. I bet you can get your hands on some cash. Time to make a trip to the ATM.” Brushing herself off, she stood. Her father had rescinded her access to her trust fund but if Angel thought she could pay him, she wouldn‟t argue. She‟d agree to anything if she thought it would buy Grady some time to wake up. “Let Grady go and I‟ll get you whatever you want. I can help him to his car then I swear I‟ll—” Movement in the room they‟d just left had them both glancing toward the door. She offered up a prayer that Grady had come to.

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“Stitch?” Angel hooked his arm around Olivia‟s neck until she could hardly breathe. When he got no response, she allowed herself a glimmer of hope. He pulled her back into the office as she clawed at his hands to get him to loosen his grip. His friend was facedown on the floor but he was obviously breathing. Angel used his foot to roll the man over, but Stitch still didn‟t open his eyes. Cursing under his breath, Angel jabbed the gun into her back. “Let‟s go, now.” No! She had to make sure Grady was okay. “What happened to you taking care of Stitch?” “That‟s none of your business. Move.” He pushed his weapon harder against her. “Now.” She had to slow him down. Grady had always told her never to get into a car with a bad guy. Once you do, you’re a goner. Besides, she wasn‟t leaving this place without Grady. Tears filled her eyes at the memory of his voice. Would she ever hear it again? If Stitch woke before Grady, what would he do to Grady? She couldn‟t stop shaking. Why had she wasted the last few months without him, instead of taking a chance? That was what love was all about, risking it all. But she‟d been a coward. She had to make it up to him. Swallowing hard, she stopped before they reached the exit. Angel crashed into her. “What the hell are you doing? Move it.” “I won‟t go with you.” Despite having a gun pointed at her, she managed to spin around and elbowed Angel in the gut. He flinched, but the stunt barely slowed him down. He wrenched her arm behind her and turned her back the way she‟d been. Pain splintered across her shoulder.

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The moment he pushed her through the door into the daylight, she yelled at the top of her lungs. “Help me!” But the street was still desolate. Angel laughed then he tightened his grip on her arm. “Ouch. That hurts. Quit it.” But her complaints fell on deaf ears. “Next time do what you‟re told, bitch. Keep your damn mouth shut or I‟ll shove something into it.” He practically dragged her around the building to his car as she kicked and clawed and screamed. No way was she going to cooperate, but he was so much bigger than she, it was futile. They passed Grady‟s truck and she dug her feet into the dirt. “Wait.” He tightened his grip. “What now?” Think! “H-how do you expect me to get you cash when I don‟t even have my ATM card? It‟s in my purse, in the truck.” She tipped her head toward the vehicle. He grumbled but gave her a shove toward the passenger door. “Get it. And don‟t think about doing anything dumb.” Did she still have that pocket knife in her bag? As Angel hovered next to her, she dug through her things, trying to feel around for the weapon. She breathed in Grady‟s lingering scent and wished with all her might that he would somehow prevail over Stitch. “Come on.” He gave her a push and she fell against the seat. Instead of waiting for her to regain her balance, he lifted her legs and boosted her into the cab. Then he got in and shut the door. He started climbing over her. Oh, God. What does he plan to do to me?

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Chapter Five Grady shook off the fog in his head and forced his eyes open as someone slapped lightly at his face. “Grady!” Beau stood over him, bent low. “Come on, get up.” He let his brother help him stand. “What the hell happened?” Beau pointed to Stitch, who was sprawled on the floor near the desk. “Where‟s Olivia?” His heart raced as he grasped Beau‟s shoulders. “There‟s no one else here, bro.” God, no. “Angel must have taken her. Come on. We‟ve got to find her.” He bolted out the office door then ran through the large warehouse. If something had happened to her he‟d never forgive himself. Why hadn‟t he left his gun with her? “I‟m right behind you. I‟m sure you‟ll fill me in later.” Visions of Olivia in that bastard‟s clutches filled his brain. He picked up his pace and charged out of the building. Squinting against the blinding midday sun, he headed to his truck but stopped dead in his tracks at what he found. Angel was on top of Olivia in the cab, struggling with her. Rage surged through Grady, but he knew better than to rush in and possibly cause her to get hurt. He silently signaled his brother to go around to the other side as he approached the driver‟s door. Then he nodded for Beau to open the other door at the same instant he did the driver‟s. Beau grabbed hold of Angel‟s ankles and hauled him out onto the ground. Grady met Olivia‟s wide-eyed stare. Thank God she seemed unhurt. He immediately circled

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the truck to help his brother. Angel was facedown in the dirt. Beau stood above him, holding Angel‟s gun on the bastard. When Angel started to stand, Grady landed a hard kick to his side. “Stay there, you son of a bitch. Try to get up again and I‟ll blast a hole through your head. With pleasure.”Pulse pounding, he accepted the gun from Beau and stashed it in his holster. Beau took out his own weapon then gestured at Olivia. “I got this. Go to her.” He winked. Sirens sounded in the distance as he followed his brother‟s advice. Olivia practically jumped into his arms. “God, Grady, I‟m so glad you‟re okay.” She smoothed down his hair and wiped a gentle hand over his cheek. “You should have stayed put and called the police like I told you.” He couldn‟t keep from wrapping his arms around her. Pissed off as he was, he was still incredibly relieved to find her unharmed. “What the hell was he doing?” “I tried to find my knife in my purse when he wanted me to get my ATM card. When I wasn‟t quick enough, he climbed in and tried to slap me. I fought him, hard. I remembered what you said about not getting into a car with a bad guy so when he got into the truck, I immediately started punching him.” “At least you listened to something I told you to do.” She wriggled out of his embrace. “I have to go get those jewels. If the cops take them, they‟ll lock them in some evidence room for eternity and I‟ll lose my job. Then we have to talk.” She started back toward the warehouse but he caught hold of her arm. He thought about Stitch. “Hey, there‟s a bad guy in there and he might be awake by now.” Her face clouded. “But I need those jewels back.” He gritted his teeth. “Fine. We‟ll be right back, Beau. You got everything under control?”

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Beau waved him on. “Yeah, go ahead. Sounds like the cavalry‟s almost here.” Olivia gasped and tugged on his hand. “Please, Grady. We have to hurry.” She kept trying to move ahead of him so he had to keep hauling her back. When they reached the office, Stitch was nowhere to be found. The plastic sack that had probably contained the museum‟s jewelry was gone too. She hurried to the desk and searched the drawers. “No! Oh, God, Grady. Now what?” He scanned the room and his gaze landed on the open window where he‟d seen Olivia earlier. There was a chair under it against the wall. Olivia would have fallen onto it if the thing had been there a few minutes before. He held a finger to his lips and thankfully, Olivia zipped hers. He climbed onto the chair and looked out the window. Stitch crouched in the bushes, apparently unaware of his presence. Grady thought about going after him until a cop appeared at the clearing, blocking Stitch‟s exit. Stitch surreptitiously set the bag on the ground before standing and raising his arms in the air. Grady got down off the chair and faced her. Would she disappear from his life again if she thought the pieces were lost? Something inside him has to find out. “Sorry, baby. I tried.” She dropped her shoulders from the weight of the implications. Nodding, she hugged her arms around her body. “You‟ve been wonderful through all of this. Please don‟t feel like you‟ve failed. I don‟t know what I‟d have done without you.” “Does it even matter now? You‟ll lose your job, won‟t you?” She shrugged. “I‟ll find another. But…” Maybe he was more important to her than she‟d let on. “What?” he ventured. “I‟ve been thinking about us.”

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Here it comes. He held his breath. Would she run out on him again? He steeled himself for the blow, but before she could get out a single word, a police officer barged into the room. “Grady Long?” the cop asked. He nodded. Whatever she had to say would have to wait. “I guess you ran into my brother.” He shook with the officer then led him outside to answer what felt like a hundred questions for the police report. Rather than mention the stolen jewels, he gave the officer a similar story to the one he‟d concocted for the bad guys. He was merely looking for warehouse space for one of his brothers and stumbled upon the chop shop. After the cops had taken Angel away, Grady thanked Beau and sent him on his way. “I don‟t understand something.” Olivia opened the door to the truck. “Hmm?” “If they caught Stitch and have him in custody, where are the jewels?” He feigned a gasp. “I‟ll be right back.” Without another word, he ran behind the building, climbed through the bushes and retrieved the bag Stitch had dropped on the ground. When he returned to the truck, he handed Olivia the jewels. There. He‟d done what he‟d set out to do. He‟d fixed it for her. If she ran out on him again then he‟d become a damn monk. Olivia wiped away tears as she stared into the plastic sack that held Josephine‟s jewelry. “How did you…? Never mind. I‟m sure I don‟t want to know.” He chuckled. “Yeah. If I told you, I‟d have to kill you. And you‟re way too cute to kill.” She tried to gather her emotions so she could speak. She wanted to thank him without blubbering and, more importantly, to ask him to give them another chance. As she tried to think of the right words, Grady parked the truck. She looked out and realized they were in the back lot at the museum.

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“I figured we should get Josephine‟s jewels back where they belong as soon as possible.” He shut off the engine then picked up the bag. “Good plan.” She grabbed her purse and headed to the back door. After she retrieved her key, she hesitated. “Grady, I‟m so appreciative of all you did for me. I can‟t even find the words to express my gratitude. But you‟ll have to wait out here. I can‟t let you come inside with me. I don‟t want to break a rule again. I hope you understand. From now on, I‟m a rule follower.” He held up his hands in surrender. “I get it. Do what you have to. I‟ll be here waiting.” She gave him a fast kiss then slipped her plastic card into the slot beside the door. The light above the card reader flashed red. She tried again, but her key wouldn‟t work. Unease tightened her gut. Had Marianne discovered the jewels were missing and revoked Olivia‟s access to the museum? If her boss discovered the items were missing she could kiss the job goodbye. She crossed her fingers and tried again. The door opened and Marianne stood just inside with a middle-aged black man. “I‟m surprised to see you.” Marianne crossed her arms over her chest. “This is Donald Lancaster, the head of security.” “Don, how are you?” Grady rushed past her and shook the man‟s hand. “Long time no see.” Lancaster glanced from Grady to her and back. “Is she a friend of yours?” “You could say that.” Marianne huffed. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but we have a serious situation here. Important pieces are missing from the vault.” “Not anymore.” Olivia offered a silent prayer that all would be forgiven. Marianne lifted an accusatory eyebrow. “So you‟re admitting you took them?”

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Grady tucked her behind him. “Someone else did, actually. But she‟s laid her life on the line to get them back.” He handed her the bag. She looked inside and sighed. “That‟s a relief. But how did the jewels leave the museum in the first place?” Olivia squared her shoulders. “I take full responsibility. I let a friend inside after hours and he drugged me then stole the necklace and earrings.” She held her breath as Marianne and Lancaster exchanged a glance. Grady stepped toward the twosome. “Look, Don, she knows she made a mistake, but—” Olivia grasped his arm and tugged him back. Grady had come to her rescue too many times already. “I‟ll understand if you have to let me go.” Marianne held out her palm. “Your security key, please.” She‟d never find another job she loved as much. Swallowing a giant lump in her throat, she handed it over. “You‟ll have to earn back your security clearance.” Marianne gave the card to Lancaster. “See you Tuesday.” With that, she turned and headed back into the building. Lancaster waved at Grady then followed her inside. When the heavy door clanged shut, Olivia finally exhaled. “Oh my God. We did it, Grady.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly but he twisted out of her embrace. “Come on. Let‟s grab your things from my boat then I‟ll give you a lift back to Boca.” He strode toward the truck, leaving her cold. She couldn‟t blame him after all she‟d put him through, but she prayed he‟d give her one more chance. Grady didn‟t look at Olivia as she climbed into the cab. “Do you mind if we go straight to Boca instead?” She clipped her seat belt as he steered out of the lot.

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So that was it. Just as he‟d feared, she was going to disappear from his life now that he‟d managed to bail her out of the tight spot she‟d gotten herself in to. It was foolish of him to expect any other outcome. “Sure, fine.” He turned on the stereo and cranked up the volume on a pop song he‟d never heard before. “Can we talk now?” Olivia shouted over the music. “What‟s the point?” He didn‟t need her explanations. She turned off the radio but his ears continued ringing for a few seconds. “You don‟t owe me courtesy but I‟m asking for it anyway.” His mother hadn‟t raised him to be rude. He cleared his throat. “I‟m sorry. But if you‟re going to thank me again and tell me you‟re no good at relationships, I‟ve heard it before. No need to waste your breath.” “That wasn‟t what I had in mind. I wanted to explain why I had to leave you three months ago.” He merged onto the interstate and braced himself for whatever bomb she planned to drop. “I was miserable without you. Believe me, I was hurting as much as you. I never imagined that I‟d fall for you—or for any man. My grand plan has always been to casually date guys and never fall for any. I didn‟t intend to love you, but I do, and that‟s why I ran.” She slid closer. “I love you, Grady.” She loved him, still. He had to smile. “Is falling in love so awful?” “Some love is. I‟ve had some painful experiences with love. You see, I was never good enough in my father‟s eyes. He‟s trying to be less judgmental, but I‟ve been a letdown in his eyes. His love hurts. I had an uncle when I was growing up, related by marriage. He taught me to play pool and chess, came to my school plays, did lots of stuff my father wouldn‟t. He was more of a dad than my own father ever was. But when my aunt divorced him, he moved to Arizona and I never heard from him again.”

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His gut tightened at all the disappointment she must have experienced. It‟s weird that someone who seemed to care about you enough to do all that stuff with you would just disappear from your life. She shrugged. “I found out years later that he‟d tried to stay in touch, but since he and my aunt were going through a pretty nasty divorce, my parents thought it best to keep his letters from me and not allow his phone calls through. My father apologized but it was too late by then. He was trying to protect my mom‟s sister from any further pain.” He sped up to pass a slow-moving car. “Did it help to know your uncle didn‟t reject you?” “A little, but the damage had already been done.” He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her skin. “I bet I could find him for you.” “Maybe. I‟ll think about that, thank you.” She stared past him. “I‟m getting along okay with my folks now. I mean, we‟re not really close, but as long as I don‟t screw anything up in my life, there‟s relative calm. And I‟m okay with that. It‟s who they are and nothing I do will ever change that.” She gave him a smile, the best thing to happen to him in hours. “Can you ever forgive me for running out on you?” “I may need a little more convincing.” He winked at her but he‟d proceed cautiously. She wasn‟t the only one who‟d been affected by rejection. “So why am I dropping you in Boca?” Another sunny smile. “I left a few things there, and of course, I want to get my car.” “So you‟ll come to the boat after?” “If you‟ll have me.” As if he could stop himself from loving her. “I guess.”

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She elbowed him. The musical tone of her laughter loosened the knot of tension in his stomach, but what guarantee did he have that she wouldn‟t get spooked and run again?

***** Olivia hurried along the dock, loaded down with her overnight bag on one shoulder and Grady‟s freshly washed shirt over the other arm. She stopped a few yards from the boat when she caught a glimpse of him waxing the railing on the top deck of his boat. Damn, but he was sexy in his board shorts. Olivia‟s breath locked in her throat as she took in his bulging shoulders and chest, glistening with sweat, and those lean legs roped with just the right amount of muscle. He might be a computer geek, but he had the body of a powerful warrior like one of the statues at the museum. She couldn‟t wait to run her hands over his granite-hard pecs and biceps. “Hey there,” he said. His deep voice and knowing grin only intensified her lusty haze. “Hey yourself.” “You could have kept my shirt. Looks way better on you than it ever did on me.” He set down his rag then followed her below deck. Red-hot awareness sizzled through her as she set her things on the bed then turned to face him. “Sorry I took so long. I decided to grab a shower and pack a few things.” She gestured at her bag. He strode to the galley sink and washed his hands. “You‟ll be happy to know the fire at Angel‟s house had nothing to do with you. He thinks one of his own gang members did it out of jealousy.” “How do you know?” He gestured at the computer. “I got in to his arrest report on the sheriff‟s office database.”

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She shook her head. “That sounds awfully illegal. Not that I can talk about illegal, mind you. Was there anything about—” “I know you‟re worried they‟ll find out about the jewels but he never mentioned them. He‟s not stupid enough to incriminate himself. Besides, they discovered enough weed and stolen car parts in the warehouse to keep him and Stitch locked up for a long time.” She eliminated the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her chest to his bare back. She breathed in his pure male scent and sighed. “Are you a mind reader?” He spun around to face her wearing that shit-eating grin she‟d come to love. “I‟m reading yours right now. You want me to rip your clothes off and ravish you.” He gave her a blistering kiss and heat flooded her veins. A ship‟s horn sounded nearby but she barely took notice. Her whole body hummed with need as Grady skimmed his mouth along her neck and shoulder. He picked her up and she clung to him like a life raft. It had been so long since she‟d given anyone enough of herself to get hurt but she wanted to offer Grady everything, all she had to share. He carried her to his bed and laid her down in the middle. Stretching out next to her, he pulled her against him and just held her. She closed her eyes and absently ran her fingers over his chest. The steady cadence of his heartbeat anchored her. Even when they weren‟t making love, this was where she wanted to be. Forever. His kissed the top of her head and she smiled up at him. “I love you.” “Me too.”He grazed his thumb over her bottom lip and she kissed it. Meeting his smoky stare, she felt her pulse spike. Liquid desire pooled between her legs. She raked a fingernail over his flat nipple and he released a grunted exhale. There‟d be plenty of time for snuggling later.

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“We need to get you out of those clothes.”He opened each button on her shirt at a maddeningly slow pace then pushed the fabric aside, leaving her breasts bare. Cool air shimmered over her skin and her nipples puckered. The second she started fiddling with her belt, Grady covered her hands with his. “Let me.” Instead of taking her jeans off, he worked his hand inside and rubbed her sex through her panties. She lifted her hips and rocked against him, increasing the erotic friction. When he stopped rubbing her, she silently questioned him. “We have all the time in the world.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. It hit her that she‟d always been in a rush to make love, afraid his rejection would come too soon for them to finish. But Grady wouldn‟t hurt her like she‟d always feared. This was all about passion and tenderness, not racing to the finish line. “Just relax and let me touch you.” He trailed his tongue along her collarbone and kissed the hollow of her throat. Knots inside her that she‟d always kept tightly tied loosened up. She sighed with relief. “That‟s better.” He kneaded her breast and plucked the taut point, grazing his callused fingers over her sensitive skin. A delicious ache settled in her lower abdomen. Tendrils of arousal set every nerve ending on high alert. Grady nibbled on her, caressed her as if she was a china doll or a rare flower. She‟d never been so keenly aware of her femininity or her sexuality. He unzipped her pants and gradually peeled them off. Then he hooked a finger under her panties and lowered the fabric enough to reveal the red fluff covering her mound. She bucked her hips as her desire revved higher.

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“Patience.” Grady rolled her underwear down, dotting moist kisses on her legs along the way. He closed his hands around her ankles and lifted her legs to his shoulders, his intense gaze fixed at the juncture of her thighs. She squirmed under the intimate scrutiny but his expression turned dark as sin. His stare held no judgment, only appreciation. He kissed the tops of her feet so tenderly she nearly cried. Then he slid his hands up her legs, and she held her breath, eager for his touch. But he stopped a fraction of an inch below her sex. She whimpered a complaint. He set her legs down and stretched out beside her. She reached for him, but he patted her hands to still her. He propped himself up on his elbow and traced the curve under her breasts in turn. His maddeningly slow caresses gradually moved south until he lazily stroked the sensitive area between her thighs. She rolled her hips toward him but it didn‟t coax him to hurry. Grady licked a trail between her breasts then pulled one taut, tingling peak into his mouth, abrading her nipple with his teeth. She moaned her satisfaction and grabbed a fistful of his hair to keep him there. He parted her intimate lips and stroked his wickedly skilled fingers through her wet folds. Little shock waves rolled through her, curling around her senses as her state of arousal ramped higher and hotter. He rubbed and stroked, unlocked door after door, moving her closer to the brink of bliss. She held her breath and let the torrid flood pull her under. Ripples of pleasure exploded inside her. She twisted and shook, rode the tide to ecstasy only Grady could inspire. He smiled down at her and the love in his stare made her orgasm so much more gratifying. How could she have entertained the notion that he‟d ever reject her? The man not only accepted everything about her, he‟d protected her by risking his life. She couldn‟t ask for more.

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Grady pressed a kiss to Olivia‟s lips then sat up and fished a condom out of the drawer. He pulled off his shorts and tossed them away. But before he could open the foil packet, she took it from him and set it down. “Not yet.” Mischief sparkled in her chocolate eyes as she climbed over his legs so she straddled him. “You can‟t just electrify my whole body then expect me not to do the same for you.” “You don‟t have to—” She cut him off by touching two fingers to his lips. “I know I don‟t have to, Grady. I want to.” Far be it from him to refuse a round of the best head he‟d ever had. Need quickened his blood as she moved off of him then licked her lips. She stirred her thumb over the tip of his erection and swiped a drop of pre-cum. Then she sucked the finger into her mouth. “Mm.” The carnal intent in her expression was unmistakable. His jaw went tight with anticipation as she closed her fist around his shaft and squeezed. She bent over him and swirled her tongue under the crown. When she dragged her fingernails lightly over his balls, he gasped at the sensation. Closing her mouth over his cock, she clamped her hand more firmly around the root. She took him deeper, flicking her tongue over his taut flesh as she did. Need coiled inside him as she used her talented mouth to drive him to the brink of release. It would be so easy to lose himself in the moment. He was tempted to let go but this wasn‟t how he wanted his climax this time. He longed to be inside her, their eyes locked together in intimacy. Garnering all his control, he touched her neck. She stopped what she was doing and lifted her head, a question in her eyes. “That was amazing, but if I don‟t make love to you this very minute I‟ll explode.” She nodded as she sat up. He found the condom in the sea of wrinkled sheets and tore the packet open.

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“Let me.” Olivia accepted the condom then rolled it over his erection. Then she shifted into position on top of him and he guided her onto his shaft. Grasping her hips, he pushed inside her, inch by inch, more with each stroke. She furrowed her brow and moaned as he started thrusting, lifting her then pulling her down on his cock. She raked her nails over his chest, the sweet pain only heightening his passion. She pivoted and vaulted her hips, treating him to unmatched euphoria. The erotic friction grew to a fevered pitch. Olivia threw her head back, crying out his name. He gripped her hips hard and rutted her as the innermost walls of her sex convulsed with her orgasm. The need to let go gripped him, but he hung onto his control by a thread. Olivia met his stare and finally, he let go. His climax hit with a white-hot blast. Shrapnel of pleasure penetrated his body from every angle, to every cell. She squeezed him tight, milking every last drop of bliss from him. The love in her expression electrified him as his orgasm waned. He wished he could keep her here forever but he dared not count on her staying. Brushing the thought from his mind, he pulled her close and breathed in the musky scent of their union. After a few blissful minutes of holding her, she popped her head up. “I have something for you.” She climbed off of him and he took advantage of the moment to head to the bathroom. When he returned her found a tiny silver gift box on his pillow. “What‟s that?” She patted the mattress next to her. “Come here and open it.” His pulse leapt like a jackrabbit as he climbed onto the bed and picked up the package. He shook it and something inside rattled. Olivia gave his chest a playful slap. “Just open it, Grady.”

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He took off the top then narrowed his gaze at the two keys and the slip of paper with number and letters written on it, a code of some sort. And it was vaguely familiar. “What is all this?” She picked up one of the keys. “This one‟s to my apartment door and the other unlocks the guesthouse at my parents‟ estate. And you ought to remember the gate code since you hacked it only yesterday.” In the year they‟d dated, she‟d never given him a key before, let alone two. Olivia took the box from him and set it aside. Then she mated her fingers with his. “I really hope I can resist the urge to run and hide, but if I ever succumb to it, I want you to be able to come find me. If you want to, that is.” A lump caught in his throat. “Oh, I‟ll want to, all right. But maybe instead of running away from me, you‟ll run to me.” Tears filled her eyes as she nodded. “That‟s my plan.” He scooped her into his arms and smiled when she grasped him as if her life depended on it. “I love you, Grady.” “I love you too, baby.” Finally he could trust in love and in the woman he was meant to share his life with.

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About the Author Wynter Daniels is the multi-published naughty alter ego of contemporary romance author Dara Edmondson. She lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years and their two nearly grown children. They are all the slaves of two very demanding cats. Wynter enjoyed careers in marketing and the salon industry before her wicked prose begged to be set free. She hopes you enjoy her steamy stories.

Wynter welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at [email protected].

Also by Wynter Daniels Belle Behind Bars Blackout Burning Touch Customer Service Getting Even with Warren Horsing Around Rude, Nude and Socially Unacceptable Sizzle at Sea The After Party Tropical Exposure Tropic of Trouble

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