Part 7 (1/2)

Her face cleared, and a wide smile flashed. With an impish look, she raised a brow and dropped her gaze to the zipper of his jeans. Already semierect, his d.i.c.k reacted as if she'd run her hands, instead of just her eyes, over it.

”You know how to play, if that makes sense. To laugh and not take every little thing seriously.”

”Why bother? Life is too short to be all uptight. I'd much rather play, as you put it. Have a good time, enjoy myself. As long as I don't hurt anyone else, why shouldn't I do whatever makes me happy?”

d.a.m.ned if he didn't want to see what he could do to make her happy. Desire, never far from the surface when he was with her, engulfed Jesse. He reached out to grip her hips, his hands smoothing over the silky skin along the edge of the waistband of her jeans.

Intrigued by her body decorations, he traced his index finger over the gold chain settled in the curve of her waist. He glanced up to meet her eyes. They had a soft, bidding look in them that invited him to enjoy himself.

And she was involved with one of the nastiest crime rings in the state?

It didn't compute. This woman, with her freewheeling-but-hurt-n.o.body-else philosophy, just didn't seem like a criminal. For all her bad girl image, Audra really wasn't hard enough. Which meant she was just entering the criminal life.

He bit back a sigh and ignored the bad taste in his mouth. If he could get her to turn evidence on Davey and the triad, he could get her out of the picture fast, solve the case. Then maybe ask her out for real.

With that promise to himself, he forced himself to stop playing with her belly chain and let go of her hip.

”So, you know, in the name of physical stimulation, are you into p.o.r.n?” he blurted out.

Audra's mouth dropped, her eyes growing huge. Like he'd asked her to have a threesome with a goat.

Lucky for him, she recovered with a shake of her head, and rolled her eyes. ”I know some people really get into it, but it's not my thing. Who needs to watch someone else get off? I'm selfish. If there's any moaning going on, I want it to either be me, or because of me.”

Jesse frowned. His informant was sure Larson had been lured in by the triad through his p.o.r.n obsession. The guy had even hinted that the hot babe Larson made the handoff to dabbled a bit in movies herself. That had purportedly been the clincher-the opportunity to be face-to-face with one of the women he fantasized about.

”Then you probably haven't done any films like that, huh?” he asked. As soon as the words were out, Jesse wanted to slap himself in the forehead. So much for subtle investigation.

”Films? You mean p.o.r.n? As in starred in a skin flick? Me?”

”Yeah. I mean, I hear that's a hot turn-on for some people, doing it on film.”

”I know a few who are into taping their personal encounters for their own viewing pleasure, if you know what I mean. But even that's a little much for me. I'm not shy, I've just never felt the need for a souvenir.”

She squinted at him, a bemused smile on her face.

”What?”

”Nothing, really. I just wouldn't have taken you for one of those guys.”

”What guys?” Jesse asked blankly.

”A guy with a p.o.r.n fetish. You seem more into making your own moves than watching someone else's.”

”You think I meant I...? No, I mean, sure I have, but I don't. I have, of course. That is, you know, bachelor parties and stuff. But not like date replacement or anything. I don't, um, you know, watch it for s.e.xual aids or whatever.”

Jesse wondered if he babbled long enough, whether he could distract her with bulls.h.i.+t so that she wouldn't notice the color heating his cheeks. He hadn't blushed this much since p.u.b.erty. And that had probably been because of p.o.r.n, too.

Audra gave a husky laugh. She curved the back of her hand over one of his still warm cheeks, then stepped closer. She leaned into his body, just the barest brush of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest. Before Jesse could moan, she'd pressed a soft, friendly kiss to his other cheek and stepped back.

”And you said I I was cute?” was cute?”

She turned away to lean over the counter, giving him a sweet view of her denim-clad b.u.t.t. Turning back around, a set of keys dangling from her fingers, she winked.

”I have to lock up. Then I'll be happy to give you that show you asked for.”

s.h.i.+t. Now what was he supposed to do? The plan had been to get her to tell him what p.o.r.n link she'd used to hook up with Davey. He'd figured he could use that to make his own connection with the guy, then lure him in. But it seemed she was somehow unconnected. Or one h.e.l.l of an actress. But why would she bother to hide something like that? It would be pointless.

Since the p.o.r.n thread had gone nowhere, he should tug on the gang affiliation. He needed a few names, maybe an idea of what other pies the triad had their sticky criminal fingers in.

He could hardly ask her if she was in a gang. Not after his rookie p.o.r.n questions. So he'd go along with the fas.h.i.+on show and wait for the opportune moment.

And maybe if he told himself often enough that she was a suspect, seeing Audra in a few dozen slinky, s.e.xy outfits wouldn't make him explode with desire.

6.

AUDRA USED the time it took her to lock the boutique door and shut the blinds to catch her breath. She'd met a lot of different guys in her Wicked Chick days. Maybe, sometimes late at night, she might admit to herself that some of those men she regretted. But with all her experience, she'd never before met a guy like Jesse. the time it took her to lock the boutique door and shut the blinds to catch her breath. She'd met a lot of different guys in her Wicked Chick days. Maybe, sometimes late at night, she might admit to herself that some of those men she regretted. But with all her experience, she'd never before met a guy like Jesse.

There was something special about him. She wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but she'd have to watch out for it. After all, he'd actually had her opening up about her past. And that was something Audra never did. Especially not c.r.a.p about CPS and the endless stress dodging them had brought to her teen years. Other than her endless truancy reports, her only real run-in with the law trying to spring a dog from death row. Of course, the cops had always hara.s.sed her anyway, just because they thought she looked like the type to be trouble.

It was all a part of her life she was more than happy to lock the door on. The only information she shared with guys was the turn-them-on, keep-them-guessing kind.

Then again, Jesse wasn't her average kind of guy.

He was an intriguing mixture of sweet and s.e.xy, shy and sensual. The way he flirted was a major turn-on for her. In her considered opinion, he could definitely deliver on the promise of that flirtation. After all, she hadn't been able to get the memory of his talented fingers and delicious mouth out of her head all week.

How many guys talked p.o.r.n in such a cute, un.o.bnoxious way? Audra had a strict personal policy to only do what brought her pleasure, what felt good to her. If a guy was into a form of kink she didn't like, she'd say so, straight up. Like she'd told him, she wasn't into watching s.e.x. She was more a kinesthetic, hands-on kind of girl.

Having closed the boutique for the night, she turned to face Jesse. He stood there, all s.e.xy male confusion, fingering a purple silk chemise.

Yum.

”So you never answered my question. What's your pleasure?” she asked him.

His gaze shot to hers and he grinned, a boyish flash of white teeth.

”Such a leading question,” he returned.

”Isn't it, though? The real question is, do you want to do the leading or be led?”

”I think I'd like both, depending.”

Audra sauntered over to where he stood, the purple silk between his fingers. His obvious sensual appreciation for the tactile fabric was a good sign. One she wanted to explore. Enough of this chitchat prelim c.r.a.p; it was time to rock and roll.

”Why don't we take turns? I'll start.” With that, she looped her arms around his neck and gently pulled his head down to meet her hungry mouth.

Mmm. Delicious.