Read Online Careful What You Kiss For by Jane Lynne Daniels - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jane Lynne Daniels
Ads: Link
“You’re kidding. You?”
He put a hand to his heart. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“I didn’t mean — ” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, staring at the floor. “It’s just that, of all the things I thought you would become, a cop never entered my mind.”
“Right.” He smiled, for the first time in what felt like years. “You thought maybe a car thief.” He had shown her how to start a car without a key.
“Gambler.” She also cracked a smile.
He’d almost forgotten. He’d also shown her how to play poker. “Con artist.”
“Writer.”
“Are you kidding me?” He would have laughed if her words hadn’t sent such an unexpected thrill through him. She didn’t know about the half-written murder mystery buried in his desk. No one did. “I had enough trouble graduating from high school.”
“This is me, remember? You loved books. Words. You wrote me poetry. And it was good.”
They needed to get off this subject. Fast. “Come on. Gangbanger. That’s what you thought.”
She hesitated.
“Don’t lie,” he said. “It entered your mind.”
Her eyes met his, clear and steady. “I knew you’d end up fine.”
“Not just now when you found the gun.”
“I couldn’t — think of a good reason you’d have one.”
He screwed up his mouth. “Guess that’s fair. I wasn’t headed for anything good when you knew me.”
“I never thought of it that way.” Tensley turned away. She dropped into the chair and the cat jumped up to take what looked like a familiar position on her lap. She began stroking his fur. “So much has happened. I wish I could tell you.” Her voice trailed off. “Things you wouldn’t believe.”
Unfortunately, he was pretty sure he would. He took a seat opposite her, on the sofa. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She seemed to consider it for a moment and then make up her mind. “No. I want to know about you and this whole cop thing. Do you like it?”
“I do. And I’m good at it.”
Tensley’s smile was wistful. “I’ll bet. They probably have you deal with the teenagers just like you.”
They had in his first job. “Sometimes.”
“So an old lady bakes you muffins because you’re single. Have you ever been married?”
Careful, Max. “Once. For about a minute.”
“Any kids?”
“No. You?”
An odd expression, as though she had to think about it. “Not that I know of.”
At least she hadn’t lost her sense of humor.
Then she raised her head, fixing her gaze on him. “Why were you there last night?”
He leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him.
Tensley sat up straighter, dislodging the cat.
Max switched into his best no-bullshit cop voice. “We need to talk about that.”
CHAPTER SIX
“I was working last night,” Max said. “But I’m sure you figured that out.”
Tensley ignored Gemini the cat, who had leaped from the chair after losing his spot and was now attempting to sear his disapproval into her brain. “No. I didn’t.” Here’s where Max would say he knew she didn’t belong in that place. That a real stripper would be able to spot a cop the minute she laid eyes on him.
She leaned forward. Waiting. Hoping.
“First time I’d been to that club. Just got assigned.” He hesitated, staring down at his hands. “I knew you worked there, though. Saw the flyer.”
Right. How could she have forgotten the flyer? Lila Friggin’ Delightful. Her heart sank. So much for her not belonging there. She leaned into the back of the chair, shoulders slumping.
“You must have been surprised to see me.”
“You could say that.” Tensley clasped her hands together so tight, her fingertips went red and her knuckles white.
“Or maybe not. Given the fact that you remember me as number one on the cops’ most-hated list.”
Oh dear God, his smile made her knees go weak. She hoped she didn’t have to use them any time soon because, if he kept smiling, she was pretty sure her knees would
He put a hand to his heart. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“I didn’t mean — ” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, staring at the floor. “It’s just that, of all the things I thought you would become, a cop never entered my mind.”
“Right.” He smiled, for the first time in what felt like years. “You thought maybe a car thief.” He had shown her how to start a car without a key.
“Gambler.” She also cracked a smile.
He’d almost forgotten. He’d also shown her how to play poker. “Con artist.”
“Writer.”
“Are you kidding me?” He would have laughed if her words hadn’t sent such an unexpected thrill through him. She didn’t know about the half-written murder mystery buried in his desk. No one did. “I had enough trouble graduating from high school.”
“This is me, remember? You loved books. Words. You wrote me poetry. And it was good.”
They needed to get off this subject. Fast. “Come on. Gangbanger. That’s what you thought.”
She hesitated.
“Don’t lie,” he said. “It entered your mind.”
Her eyes met his, clear and steady. “I knew you’d end up fine.”
“Not just now when you found the gun.”
“I couldn’t — think of a good reason you’d have one.”
He screwed up his mouth. “Guess that’s fair. I wasn’t headed for anything good when you knew me.”
“I never thought of it that way.” Tensley turned away. She dropped into the chair and the cat jumped up to take what looked like a familiar position on her lap. She began stroking his fur. “So much has happened. I wish I could tell you.” Her voice trailed off. “Things you wouldn’t believe.”
Unfortunately, he was pretty sure he would. He took a seat opposite her, on the sofa. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She seemed to consider it for a moment and then make up her mind. “No. I want to know about you and this whole cop thing. Do you like it?”
“I do. And I’m good at it.”
Tensley’s smile was wistful. “I’ll bet. They probably have you deal with the teenagers just like you.”
They had in his first job. “Sometimes.”
“So an old lady bakes you muffins because you’re single. Have you ever been married?”
Careful, Max. “Once. For about a minute.”
“Any kids?”
“No. You?”
An odd expression, as though she had to think about it. “Not that I know of.”
At least she hadn’t lost her sense of humor.
Then she raised her head, fixing her gaze on him. “Why were you there last night?”
He leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him.
Tensley sat up straighter, dislodging the cat.
Max switched into his best no-bullshit cop voice. “We need to talk about that.”
CHAPTER SIX
“I was working last night,” Max said. “But I’m sure you figured that out.”
Tensley ignored Gemini the cat, who had leaped from the chair after losing his spot and was now attempting to sear his disapproval into her brain. “No. I didn’t.” Here’s where Max would say he knew she didn’t belong in that place. That a real stripper would be able to spot a cop the minute she laid eyes on him.
She leaned forward. Waiting. Hoping.
“First time I’d been to that club. Just got assigned.” He hesitated, staring down at his hands. “I knew you worked there, though. Saw the flyer.”
Right. How could she have forgotten the flyer? Lila Friggin’ Delightful. Her heart sank. So much for her not belonging there. She leaned into the back of the chair, shoulders slumping.
“You must have been surprised to see me.”
“You could say that.” Tensley clasped her hands together so tight, her fingertips went red and her knuckles white.
“Or maybe not. Given the fact that you remember me as number one on the cops’ most-hated list.”
Oh dear God, his smile made her knees go weak. She hoped she didn’t have to use them any time soon because, if he kept smiling, she was pretty sure her knees would
Similar Books
