Courting Suspicion. Kimberly Dean

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СКАЧАТЬ They didn’t come any more dangerous than that one, except for maybe the man sitting next to her.

      What was she doing here with a cop?

      ‘Darien’s getting back on his feet,’ she said. ‘He’s not a very patient patient.’

      ‘I know. We grabbed a beer the other night.’

      Her eyebrows rose. She really didn’t like the sound of that. ‘When did you two become best buds?’

      ‘When you and your assistant came sashaying into our lives.’

      Nina tapped her pen against the programme. She did not sashay.

      ‘Nice shoes, by the way.’

      Her jaw set. ‘I like them.’

      ‘So do I.’

      Again, his low tone stroked over her skin in a way that made her distinctly uncomfortable. ‘Drink your beer, Josh.’

      He didn’t grin, but it was close.

      They stayed that way, talking and sparring, as the game moved on, inning by inning. He was a tricky one, though. It was probably from all the interrogation training he undoubtedly had – or because he’d figured out a way under her skin. Nina found herself answering honestly more often than not, and it unsettled her. She was usually more careful than that … had more control. She’d taught herself to keep her opinions and personal matters private around clients. It was only around those closest to her that she allowed more of her true self to show.

      The man was neither a client nor a friend.

      Why was she letting him get to her?

      ‘F-8,’ he said, pointing at her scorecard.

      She’d fallen behind again. The man was distracting, to say the least.

      ‘So what big scandal is going to pull me out to Luxxor next?’ he asked. The crack of the bat against a ball reverberated around the park as the Phillies’ catcher smoked a line drive down the third base line. The action stopped just as suddenly when the ball smacked into the third baseman’s glove.

      ‘Nothing.’ Nina could feel the detective’s gaze on her rather than the action on the field.

      She diligently wrote the out in her scorecard. On paper, all the fuss seemed like nothing. A simple out, the end of the inning – no sign of a close call.

      ‘There’s always something going on over there,’ Morgan said, not letting the subject drop. ‘Why is that?’

      She felt that sizzle of danger again, riding along her nerve endings.

      ‘I couldn’t say, but we’ve appreciated your diligence. There’s no reason you should have to visit us again.’

      ‘So give me one.’

      Her pen stopped, frozen on the paper.

      ‘Go to dinner with me tomorrow,’ he said softly. ‘My treat this time.’

      Her brain stalled out, too.

      The invitation was unexpected. It shouldn’t have been tempting … but it was. The plan tonight was to thank him for his efforts and then walk away. He was too close already. He’d seen more than he should.

      But the words just wouldn’t come.

      She could feel his gaze on her like a heavy weight. She knew she couldn’t see him again, inside her office or out of it. Yet, with every inning that passed, she was dreading the end of the night more and more.

      Silence loomed between them. He wasn’t letting her off the hook. She felt like everyone in the park was looking at them and began to imagine murmurs. People in the stands close to them even turned to watch.

      Suddenly, Nina realised she wasn’t imagining it. Looking up, she caught their reflection on the scoreboard. She and Josh were posted in stunning clarity on the big screen.

      Her stomach dropped. Oh, dear Lord, no.

      The Kiss Cam.

      Hoots and hollers rang up loud around them, and she did the only thing she could think of doing. She lifted her programme in front of her face and hid.

      She was a self-assured, sophisticated woman who didn’t need the attention the selfies crowd seemed to crave these days. Luxxor was known for being discreet. She didn’t advertise her company. The last thing she needed was her face plastered on a fifty-foot-high LED screen.

      But then the detective moved in his seat.

      He caught her wrist and slowly pushed the programme down. His hand slipped into her hair, and he cupped the back of her head. Their gazes caught as he leaned in.

      Nina couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Could barely breathe. She heard the commotion around them surge as his lips covered hers.

      But then all she could do was feel.

      She closed her eyes as sensation bombarded her. The kiss he planted on her was slow, intimate and thorough. The heat built slowly, sexily, until her resistance melted into thin air. Her programme slipped out of her hand. She leaned into him, and a sound left the back of his throat. He sealed their mouths together as his other hand caught her waist. She reached for him and her hand settled on his jawline. The crisp feel of his five o’clock shadow couldn’t have contrasted more with the soft strands of his hair brushing against her fingertips. She wanted to touch more. She wanted to feel more.

      He pulled her closer, and the armrest dug into her stomach. If not for it, he would have had her on his lap, and she wouldn’t have minded.

      He felt so good.

      He made her feel good. Aroused. Safe. Connected. Awakened.

      Around them, the joking laughs turned to embarrassed gasps. The hoots and catcalls became wolf-whistles, but it was the collective sigh that ran throughout the whole of Nationals Park that finally got through Nina’s clouded head.

      She wasn’t safe. This was foolish, risky … dangerous.

      She pulled back sharply, but his hold on her tightened.

      ‘Don’t.’ He lifted the programme again to hide both of them.

      Her breath came hard as she looked into his dark eyes. She could feel his own against her face and her lips. She licked them to stop the tingling, but his gaze dropped with the motion. He kissed her again, hard and fast.

      Hoots rose in volume again, and, even with the programme hiding them, the Kiss Cam operator finally realised he’d focused on a kiss unsuitable for a family-friendly audience.

      Nina pushed away and found her hand against Morgan’s chest. He was warm and hard. The strength beneath her fingertips could have scared her, but it lured her even more.

      She yanked her hand away and turned her head. His lips brushed against her temple. His hand was still tangled in her hair, but she felt his hold gentle. He was slow СКАЧАТЬ