Part 14 (1/2)

”So? Will you do it?”

”Of course,” she said with a sigh as she rehung the blue nightie.

Maybe Jesse was into sports bars?

JESSE STOOD outside the gilt-trimmed door of the boutique and ground his teeth. This was the last place he should be. On a date with a suspect he was in imminent danger of falling for. outside the gilt-trimmed door of the boutique and ground his teeth. This was the last place he should be. On a date with a suspect he was in imminent danger of falling for.

A suspect, for that matter, whose worst crime to date had been flirting with a known criminal. Because other than the flirting, and Dave's conversation afterward, Jesse had nothing on Audra. At least, nothing illegal.

Especially now that they'd found out her sister-in-law had blown off the lingerie company in China that sidelined as a money-laundering front. Reports said the woman had barely kept the appointment. Whether it was because they were backing away from dealing with the triad, or because the women really weren't involved, Jesse couldn't tell.

Nowhere in the communiques, the e-mails or the chats he'd hacked from Davey's computer was there any reference to Audra by name or by any description other than ”hot babe.” Without more, the only involvement he could pin on her on was whatever Dave had pa.s.sed to her in the club. That, and the large sum of money conveniently deposited into the boutique's account.

Neither of which, so far, was enough to convict her. Which meant there was a remote chance she could be innocent.

Jesse should be focusing on the case. He'd finally made a breakthrough on Davey's computer system. The guy had accessed an off-site storage unit to transfer a large sum of cash. Jesse hadn't been able to break into the system yet. But the way his fingers tingled when he worked at it a.s.sured him it'd be the key he needed to blow this case out of the water. A little deep excavation and he'd have enough to nail Davey boy. And, if the strings he was pulling led where he thought they would, enough to take down the Du Bing Li Du Bing Li triad too. triad too.

He should be working on that now instead of going through with this date. He was a lousy actor. There was no way he'd be able to pull off the smitten suitor bit.

But the captain had other ideas. Shale had as much as promised Jesse his coveted promotion if he nailed this case with no loose ends. A promotion that would prove, to Jesse at least, that he'd succeeded by doing things his his way. Using his brains and those computer skills his father had so often disparaged. His family would finally accept that his brainiac tendencies were just as valuable as his father's flash. way. Using his brains and those computer skills his father had so often disparaged. His family would finally accept that his brainiac tendencies were just as valuable as his father's flash.

So he squared his shoulders, reached for the door handle and prepared to reel in his last loose end.

Audra was bent at the waist talking on the phone. Her back was to him so he had a mouthwateringly sweet rear view. Her short skirt hiked up to show the seams running up the back of her black stockings. Jesse swore he felt his heart stop. Other parts of his body, however, raced to full alert.

d.a.m.n, she had to be the s.e.xiest thing he'd ever seen. When she straightened and turned, a glowing smile on her face as she saw him, he wanted to groan. She looked that good.

”So he's that good, huh?” she said into the phone as she blew Jesse a kiss. ”You're definitely welcome.”

With a quick goodbye, Audra clicked off the phone and leaned across the counter to set it in its cradle.

”That was my friend, Isabel, calling to thank me,” she said with a wicked look on her face as she turned back to face him.

”For?”

”Bringing her over to the naughty side.” She winked. ”We have all the good s.e.x over on this side.”

Jesse's body stiffened in reaction. He wasn't going to give in to the naughty. He had a job to do, loose ends to tie up. And arrests to make.

”It sounds like she appreciates your bad influence.”

”Definitely,” she said, coming toward him. Those delicious, stocking-clad legs seemed to go on forever, from the edge of her short skirt to feet encased in gladiator-style spiked heels. Her hair was a solid black, giving her an oddly conservative look after her fuchsia-tipped ends of the previous week.

Audra reached him and, without hesitation, put both hands on his chest to lean up and press her lips to his. Against the soft pressure of her kiss, he opened his mouth without thought and met the sweet dance of her tongue.

Jesse's hands curved over her slender hips, and he pulled her flush against him. His body welcomed the feel of hers like a homecoming. It was all he could do to break away and end the kiss.

”I missed you,” she said in her husky tone. That voice had haunted his dreams. In those dreams, he'd imagined her doing all sorts of decadent things to his body, describing each one as she did it. ”I haven't been able to think of anything but you and our phone conversation since last night. How soon can we do it for real?”

”I missed you, too,” he admitted. And he had. Not just because his body had been rock-hard every time her image popped into his brain. But he'd missed her sweetness, her fun outlook on life.

Then he shook his head and gave her a rueful look.

”I'm really not trying to be a tease or whatever you'd call it. But I do want to spend more time with you before we actually, you know...”

”You know? Last night, you told me how delicious I tasted, and today you can't say s.e.x?” she teased with a laugh.

”Go figure.” Jesse grimaced, then gave a laugh and a stiff shrug. Last night he hadn't been looking for evidence to arrest her. He'd do well to keep that fact front and center in his brain tonight. He had to get the goods to nail her, or cut her loose. ”You ready to go? I thought we could get something to eat, spend some time talking.”

”Sure. I just need to grab my jacket and shut down the computer first. Dinner sounds great. I need to make one stop first, if that's okay with you.”

He followed her down the hall to the office and stopped in shock at the sight of the once immaculate room.

”Whoa. What happened here?” It looked as if someone had tossed the place. Maybe in search of missing or stolen information? ”Did you call the cops?”

”Cops? Why on earth would I want to bring some busybody cop in here?” Audra followed his gaze around the room. As if seeing the mess for the first time, she winced. ”Ooooh, you mean the mess? If I claim a tornado set down in here, do you think Natasha will believe me?”

”You did this yourself?”

”It's been a h.e.l.lish week. I guess I kind of let housekeeping duties slide.” Audra's shoulders sagged and she ran her hand through her hair. ”I don't suppose you'd care to have a seat and flip through some lingerie magazines while I tidy this up a bit?”

She eyed what was probably still a sh.e.l.l-shocked look on his face and wrinkled her nose. She looked around the mess of papers, piles of fabric and lacy things, and the half-buried computer. Then she grinned.

”I know, you're a computer geek, right? Want to play online or something? I won't be more than a quarter, maybe a half hour at the most. And I'll treat you to a drink afterward?”

Could it get any better? If she was was crooked, she really needed to take lessons. The first rule of being a good criminal is not to trust anyone. Audra was practically inviting him to invade her privacy. Then again, she'd welcomed his fingers into much more private places than her computer keyboard. crooked, she really needed to take lessons. The first rule of being a good criminal is not to trust anyone. Audra was practically inviting him to invade her privacy. Then again, she'd welcomed his fingers into much more private places than her computer keyboard.

Which didn't prove she was innocent, Jesse forced himself to remember. But, maybe a few quick strokes on that keyboard and he could at least figure out how guilty she was. Then he could find a way to make her a deal, get her to roll over on Larson. She'd be in minimal trouble, and he'd be there to set her on the straight and narrow.

”You can cruise the Net, play games or something. Whatever floats your boat.”

Resolved and comfortable that it was for her own good, Jesse smiled back and flexed his fingers.

”What computer geek can say no to an offer like that?”

Audra laughed. ”I wonder what would get you more excited? A fully loaded, up-to-the-minute, technologically advanced computer? Or me, naked?”

Jesse let the images flash through his mind and heaved a delighted sigh. ”How about both? You, naked, on my lap while I use the computer?”

”Kinky. I like that.” She cleared a couple bolts of silky-looking fabrics in jewel tones off the rolling computer chair and, after looking around, stacked them in a corner by the door. ”Here, get comfy. I'll run in and get you a soda. Then it'll only take me a little bit to tidy things here and we can go.”

”Sounds great,” Jesse said absently, his b.u.t.t already in the chair and fingers hovering over the keys. He waited until she left the room before hitting her programs option to see what bookkeeping software they used. He'd opened it, minimized and was playing Tetris online when she came back.

”Cola, right?” She leaned over his shoulder to set in on the desk, her breast brus.h.i.+ng his forearm. Distracted, Jesse saw the bars stack up on his screen through blurred eyes. A vision of her, naked on his lap while he worked some complex computer program, flashed through his mind.

d.a.m.n, he wanted her. And if he connected her to the crime, she'd be so off-limits, he might as well l.u.s.t after a cover model as Audra. He'd have no chance with her. Who knew regret could hurt so bad?

Unable to help himself, Jesse pulled her around so she sat across his lap, her back cradled in the crook of his arm. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him and she curled both her hands around the back of his neck and raised one brow in tempting dare. She felt right in his arms. s.e.xy, but comfortable at the same time.