Again, she totally failed to think of anything intelligent to say.
She shook her head. She needed to go home before she caved and begged him to take her somewhere, anywhere, and touch her. More than touch her. She wanted to forget all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together. Lose herself for a while. Loosen the strictures that wrapped around her life, so she could breathe again.
“But I’m working on it,” he said. Reaching out, he stroked a hand down her cheek. “We’ll work this out. And in the meantime, I’ll keep out of your way.”
He turned and walked away. Then he was gone, and she was left behind, staring after him, her heart aching.
Chapter Thirteen
She closed the door gently behind her, because otherwise she would have slammed it.
Jack was loitering in the station hallway, an expression of sympathy on his face. “You didn’t get it?”
“No,” she snapped. They had turned down her application for the detective bureau, hinting that she needed to be more circumspect with her personal life. A detective must be above reproach.
Assholes.
They had to be kidding.
And she’d sat there and taken it. Because what else could she do?
She couldn’t believe it.
Well, unfortunately she could. But she was still seriously pissed off about it.
“I did warn you,” said Jack. Her eyes narrowed on him. He didn’t take the hint. “I told you hanging around with McCabe wouldn’t do your career any good.”
At his words, fighting mad turned into furiously angry. She stalked toward him and stopped, hands on her hips. “Piss off, Jack. It’s unfair and you know it. And it’s a fucking double standard.”
His eyes widened. He’d probably never heard her swear before.
“Those sanctimonious, hypocritical pricks in there had the nerve to tell me that a detective must be above reproach, when Brayden has been screwing around on his wife with PC Kinsley for the last three months. How circumspect is that?”
Jack glanced around. “Shh.”
“What? Worried your boss will hear? It’s not as if everyone doesn’t already know.”
“Come on. Let me give you a lift home. I’ve got the car today. You can apply again. You’ll get in. Just…”
“Just what? Be more circumspect. Maybe you expect me to kick Logan out of Jenny’s life. Would that help?” He shrugged. “Go away, Jack.” Without waiting for him to answer, she whirled around and stalked away.
Logan sat, feet up on the desk, staring into space. There was probably something he should be doing, but he couldn’t think what. And if there wasn’t, he should be at home, not sitting in his office like some lovesick idiot. He’d gotten Abby’s shift times off Jenny and knew them by heart. She wasn’t working tonight. She’d probably be at home. Maybe he should go round, park outside her house, try and tempt her out.
He’d been so good, keeping his distance, but he was fed up with being good. It wasn’t in his nature, and he had to work too hard.
But she couldn’t come out, anyway. Her mother had moved in with her father, so Abby would be alone with Jenny.
Just as well.
The phone on his desk rang, and Logan picked it up. It was Mark, the bouncer working the door tonight. “Thought you might want to know, your Sergeant Parker just came in.” The entire staff had been amused by Logan’s new relationship with the law.
He frowned. He’d seen her briefly when he dropped Jenny off two nights ago, but other than that they hadn’t spoken since he’d walked away a week ago. And it was killing him. So many times he’d thought about going to her. He wanted her back in his bed, or his truck, or up against the first convenient surface he could find. Now she had come to him, and excitement zinged in his blood. But it was after eleven. What was she doing out so late?
“Is she alone?”
“No, she’s with two girlfriends. And boss, she’s drunk. Made it clear she wasn’t here to see you, just to party.”
Drunk? Party? Neither sounded like Abby. What had happened? “Put her in the VIP section.” He thought for a second, remembering what had happened last time she had been drunk in this club, and it wasn’t going to happen with anyone else. “Don’t let anyone near her, and I’ll be right out.”
He put the phone down and stared at it for a minute, then jumped to his feet, a grin tugging his lips.
She’d come to him.
Even if she denied it.
There were hundreds of other clubs in London if she wanted to party. No, whatever she said, it was him she wanted.