Read Online Say No To Joe? by Lori Foster - Free Book Online

higher, one lower. “You don’t know my family,” he rumbled. “They’d go nuts worrying. They know what I do and they know it’s sometimes dangerous. The fewer details they’re aware of, the better.”
    Luna sighed. “That’s nice.”
    Pausing in his seduction, Joe bent around to see her face. “Nice?”
    â€œTo have family like that, I mean. To worry about you. To . . . care.”
    Temporarily sidetracked, Joe propped his chin on top of her head. He’d never before realized how short Luna was in comparison to his six feet, three inches. He guessed her to be around five-six, but she had such a presence about her, he’d always thought her taller. “You don’t?”
    â€œNo, not really.” As if catching herself, she turned in his arms and gave him a chiding shake of her head. “Look at you, trying to work your moves when you can barely stand up.”
    â€œHey, I’m up.” He looked at her mouth. “In more ways than one.”
    She fought a smile. “I thought we weren’t going to talk about that.”
    â€œNot then.” Pressing into her so that she couldn’t miss his rising erection, he murmured, “But now . . .”
    â€œNo.” She flattened her hands on his chest and stared up at him. She had the most beautiful caramel-colored eyes, lightened with glowing gold flecks. “We have to finish talking about your background check.”
    A frown replaced his grin. “Oh, yeah. I’m pissed about that.”
    â€œDo you have a criminal record?”
    He considered swatting her for that impudent question. “Of course not. I used to be a cop, remember? I got picked up a few times, but that was just—”
    â€œYou’ve been arrested?” She went wide-eyed in shock again, then shook her head as if she expected no better.
    Joe locked his jaw. “Sometimes in the thick of things, it’s tough to see who’s the good guy and who’s the bad.”
    She gave him a cynical look. “And you like to blur the edges?”
    â€œSometimes.” He rolled one shoulder. “Police have to be cautious. So I’ve been hauled in a time or two, but I’ve always been released.”
    She slid away from him and moved to the other side of the table. “So there’s nothing to worry about, right? You’ve never been arrested, so you have nothing to hide.”
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    She clutched the chair in front of her. “So you do have something to hide?” Annoyance clouded her eyes. “If they reject you, then that means I’ll have to go alone. I might as well leave now instead of wasting time waiting for you.”
    His molars would be dust by the time they finished this tooth-grinding conversation. “You’re not going without me.”
    â€œWanna bet?” She started to pace again.
    Joe caught her arm when she neared him. “I’ll pass, all right? They might frown over my job, but it’s legit. That still doesn’t give you the right to go snooping—”
    â€œWhat exactly is your job? I know you used to be a cop, then a bounty hunter.”
    â€œI’ve done a lot of things,” he said evasively, knowing he’d walked the gray areas more than once. “Private detective work, bouncer. Right now I hire out as a bodyguard.”
    â€œA bodyguard? For who?”
    â€œAnyone who needs protection.” All this gabbing got to him, so he turned to leave the room. “Mind if we finish this conversation in bed? I’m about shot.”
    â€œOh, of course not.” She hustled along with him, reaching the bed first to turn down the sheets so he could crawl right in. “Is that better?”
    â€œIt’d be better if you joined me.”
    â€œIt’d kill you if I joined you.”
    Joe laughed. “Bragging about your skill in the sack? Damn, no need to build the anticipation,