end of her tirade.
“Micki, I can’t turn my back on evidence. You can’t expect me to ignore the fact that you were shot at, robbed and assaulted. Don’t you want me to catch the guy who’s responsible?”
Micki expelled a deep breath, willing Oz to understand. “Yes, but I want to sell the pictures of the wedding from last week. And I want to sell Zondra her pictures too. That’s what I’m in business for.”
“Micki...”
“Oz...” She set her lips in a firm line and glared at him. “The couple who married last week are on their honeymoon right now. I cannot reshoot their wedding. It was a one-time event that can’t be recreated. It’s over. I’m not going to take a chance on ruining it for them.”
“Micki...”
“Oz, did you ever ask yourself why I made a computer file and then backed everything up on a flash drive?” She waited for an answer, and when none was forthcoming said, “It’s because these pictures are important. Not just because they’re my business but because these particular shots are important to real people. The pictures are part of their fairy tale. It’s romantic, Oz.”
“Are you done?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t guarantee that the cops...”
“Meaning you.”
“We might have to confiscate your flash drive so we can examine the contents closely.”
She folded her arms across her chest and widened her stance. “Nope. Not gonna happen. You don’t care what happens to my flash drive. You’ll have to wait until I can have it downloaded for you. I’d do it myself, but all my computer equipment is wrecked.”
“Micki, you’re wasting time. We can’t wait around on this.” He sighed as she took their plates to the kitchen.
Micki ran water and washed dishes. She clanked the utensils against china until Oz quit trying to talk to her.
“Okay Micki, I give up.” He spread his hands wide. “But if the lab techs can’t recover your files from the hard drive, I’ll have to take the flash drive.”
#
CHAPTER FIVE
Micki lay on the sofa. Although the idea of sleeping in the luxury of Oz’ arms was tempting, she knew that sleep would be the last thing on his mind.
“Are you punishing me for wanting to turn in your flash drive?” he’d asked.
“Not yet,” she’d replied pleasantly.
And now she was on the sofa. She had tried it on her back and had curled up on each side in turn. Now she was stretched out on her stomach with her face resting on her arms.
She turned over again and found herself staring up into Oz’ eyes. He stood over her, eating her up with his dark smoldering gaze.
“Did you want something?” she asked airily. Big Mistake .
“Yeah.” He leaned over and scooped her up.
“Oz?”
“That’s my name.” He carried her to the bed and slid her between the sheets. “I can’t sleep in here knowing you’re out there.”
“Insomnia?”
“Yeah.” He climbed in beside her and gathered her in his arms.
She squirmed around to face him. “Oz, I don’t think we should open this can of worms.”
“Can of worms?” he growled in her ear. “Talk about your romance. I’m just going to sleep with you, Micki. We’re not making love.”
“We’re not?”
“Disappointed?” She could hear the grin in his voice.
“Surprised.” She turned over, nesting herself against his body.
“I can’t guarantee to leave you alone unless you quit wiggling around and rubbing your cute little butt cheeks against me. That drives me nuts,” he said.
“I’ll remember that.”
He kissed her ear. “You never forgot.”
#
When Micki awoke, she was alone in the bed. Hearing the shower running, she remembered all the showers she’d shared with Oz and how his big hands had tenderly lathered her every mound and crevice, but that was then and this was now.
Micki got up, pulled on her clothes and walked barefoot into the kitchen. She started the coffeepot before reaching for the flash drive masquerading as a sleek pen. She glanced
“Micki, I can’t turn my back on evidence. You can’t expect me to ignore the fact that you were shot at, robbed and assaulted. Don’t you want me to catch the guy who’s responsible?”
Micki expelled a deep breath, willing Oz to understand. “Yes, but I want to sell the pictures of the wedding from last week. And I want to sell Zondra her pictures too. That’s what I’m in business for.”
“Micki...”
“Oz...” She set her lips in a firm line and glared at him. “The couple who married last week are on their honeymoon right now. I cannot reshoot their wedding. It was a one-time event that can’t be recreated. It’s over. I’m not going to take a chance on ruining it for them.”
“Micki...”
“Oz, did you ever ask yourself why I made a computer file and then backed everything up on a flash drive?” She waited for an answer, and when none was forthcoming said, “It’s because these pictures are important. Not just because they’re my business but because these particular shots are important to real people. The pictures are part of their fairy tale. It’s romantic, Oz.”
“Are you done?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t guarantee that the cops...”
“Meaning you.”
“We might have to confiscate your flash drive so we can examine the contents closely.”
She folded her arms across her chest and widened her stance. “Nope. Not gonna happen. You don’t care what happens to my flash drive. You’ll have to wait until I can have it downloaded for you. I’d do it myself, but all my computer equipment is wrecked.”
“Micki, you’re wasting time. We can’t wait around on this.” He sighed as she took their plates to the kitchen.
Micki ran water and washed dishes. She clanked the utensils against china until Oz quit trying to talk to her.
“Okay Micki, I give up.” He spread his hands wide. “But if the lab techs can’t recover your files from the hard drive, I’ll have to take the flash drive.”
#
CHAPTER FIVE
Micki lay on the sofa. Although the idea of sleeping in the luxury of Oz’ arms was tempting, she knew that sleep would be the last thing on his mind.
“Are you punishing me for wanting to turn in your flash drive?” he’d asked.
“Not yet,” she’d replied pleasantly.
And now she was on the sofa. She had tried it on her back and had curled up on each side in turn. Now she was stretched out on her stomach with her face resting on her arms.
She turned over again and found herself staring up into Oz’ eyes. He stood over her, eating her up with his dark smoldering gaze.
“Did you want something?” she asked airily. Big Mistake .
“Yeah.” He leaned over and scooped her up.
“Oz?”
“That’s my name.” He carried her to the bed and slid her between the sheets. “I can’t sleep in here knowing you’re out there.”
“Insomnia?”
“Yeah.” He climbed in beside her and gathered her in his arms.
She squirmed around to face him. “Oz, I don’t think we should open this can of worms.”
“Can of worms?” he growled in her ear. “Talk about your romance. I’m just going to sleep with you, Micki. We’re not making love.”
“We’re not?”
“Disappointed?” She could hear the grin in his voice.
“Surprised.” She turned over, nesting herself against his body.
“I can’t guarantee to leave you alone unless you quit wiggling around and rubbing your cute little butt cheeks against me. That drives me nuts,” he said.
“I’ll remember that.”
He kissed her ear. “You never forgot.”
#
When Micki awoke, she was alone in the bed. Hearing the shower running, she remembered all the showers she’d shared with Oz and how his big hands had tenderly lathered her every mound and crevice, but that was then and this was now.
Micki got up, pulled on her clothes and walked barefoot into the kitchen. She started the coffeepot before reaching for the flash drive masquerading as a sleek pen. She glanced
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