She shakes her head. “I’m good, thanks.”
Jess turns and bends to grab a beer from the fridge. I curl my fist and press it to my mouth. Desire wraps itself tightly around my insides and pulls them tight. When she turns back to me and hands over the chilled bottle, I take a quick drink and fight the urge to press the bottle to my head. Or my crotch. Which is where all the heat is taking residence right now.
“Are you going to let me get you a drink when you finish?” I pass over a note and wave off the change.
“I don’t really drink.”
“A coke then?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She glances around the bar, her silver earrings swinging against her neck, making me want to lick a path up it. “I’ve got to get back to work.”
Lifting my beer to her, I nod. “I’ll be here.”
She rewards me with a returning nod and an uncertain smile as she tucks her hair behind her ear and serves the waiting customers. I try not to watch but it’s hard not to. Every moment is like a fucking drug to me. The way she moves her hips, how she leans across the bar. I can’t quite figure out when I became so obsessed with just watching her. Perhaps at the bank when I saw her in that cute little suit, her hair all prim or when she leant across slightly to reveal a hint of cleavage that had my mouth watering. Maybe she did more damage than I realized when she swung the door at me.
I grip my beer. Shit, what an idiot. This is a job. I’m going to have to keep repeating that to myself. Find the money. That’s my goal. It is not to fall for whatever game Jess has going on. Whatever is it, it’s a smart one. All the wide-eyed looks and tight reserve. If it wasn’t for her shady past, I’d believe her to be totally innocent.
Everything about her—her sweet voice, stammered words and blushing cheeks goes against her hot rocker look. This has definitely piqued my interest. In a professional way, of course. As a P.I. I look beneath the surface, see things that others don’t. I see something in Jess. I’m just not sure what it is.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and my stomach sinks. I pull it out and release a breath when I see who it is. Mitch
“Yeah?”
“Where are you?”
“On a job,” I say tightly.
“That mystery job?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.” I press my finger to my ear as peal of feminine laughter rings out behind me. Truth is, I should have been done with this job long ago and I need this big payday. It was meant to be simple. Track down the money she stole, hand over the details to the client and get paid. That was the idea.
Problem is, all other paths have come to a dead end. I need to go to the source.
Jess Callahan.
“Doesn’t sound like you’re working. Connor is gonna be pissed you blew us off for a woman.”
I hear laughter in Mitch’s voice. I was meant to be shooting pool with them. “I haven’t blown you off for a woman.” My gaze drifts to Jess. “It’s just a job.”
She goes on tiptoes to grab a glass from the top shelf behind the bar, affording me a peek at that tight ass and I grit my teeth. Just a job, just a job, just a job.
“Can’t take one night off?” Mitch asks.
“You know I can’t, buddy.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
Mitch knows all about the crap my ex-partner, Richie, put me through. We’ve been friends since we both trained to be bodyguards and we don’t have secrets. Not many at least. But while Mitch thrived on the routine, I itched for something more. So I went on to train as a P.I. and met Richie. We shadowed the same guy for a while—my mentor, Franklin—until we decided to go into business together. What a mistake that was.
“The cops will catch up with him soon,” Mitch says.
I snort. “Doubt that. He’s probably on some tropical island enjoying spending my money.”
“You’ll find him if the cops don’t. You’re the best investigator I know.”
I snort again. I can’t even find this my client’s money and the suspect is right in front of me. I’ve been off my game since Richie did a runner with the business savings. Which was pretty much every penny I have.
Mitch says something else but I can barely hear him over the woman behind me laughing. That, and Jess comes around from behind the bar and I get distracted. She glances my way and a cautious smile teases her lips. She’s warming to me. Seeing her all coy and sweet doesn’t seem to do anything to calm my need for her. In fact, it increases it. Is it just because she’s mysterious and shit? God knows I love a mystery. Maybe that’s it.
Yeah, I’m just curious, that’s it. I just wish my cock understood that. I fight the need to adjust my jeans and throw back the rest of my beer in a bid to distract myself from those endless legs. Endless legs that I would kill to have wrapped around my hips.