Read Online Throwaway by Heather Huffman - Free Book Online Page B

right?”
    “Sure, I know that,” she nodded, not entirely
convinced herself.
    “Damn it, Jessie,” he wrapped his fingers
through her hair and pulled her to him, his mouth hungrily claiming
hers.
    Maybe he couldn’t convey whatever message he
intended to with his kiss, but he did succeed in clearing her mind
of anything other than him. When he finally pulled back, his eyes
searching for something in hers, she half-heartedly shoved at
him.
    “That was really stupid. You’ll get yourself
pulled from my case.”
    “Argh,” Gabe’s gargled cry of frustration
made Jessie smile. “You are going to be the death of me,
woman.”
    “Take me home before it’s the other way
around,” she playfully shoved at him again.
    He grudgingly obliged. Jessie leaned over to
kiss Dan’s cheek goodbye as Gabe tossed a tip in the jar. Jessie
clung to Gabe’s side, her face buried in his shoulder in hopes no
one would recognize her on the way out.
    When they made it back to the car, she sunk
low in the seat, determined to not ride back the way she’d come.
They worked out the details for Tuesday afternoon and then talked
about nothing really of consequence. She wanted to ask him to take
her to their little diner for a greasy burger but thought that
might seem too desperate. So she settled for a tender goodnight
kiss at the Metrolink station by the Scottrade Center and the
promise of stolen time away on the horizon.
     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    With plans to make a bag to pack, the next
few days went more quickly than Jessie imagined they would. She was
disturbed to realize it was harder to shut off her mind when she
worked since she’d met Gabe. It was an unfortunate side effect.
    From her first encounter with Spence, Jessie
had been finely tuning the art of detaching her mind from her body
as needed. She could now go on autopilot completely on demand. Or
rather, she could, until meeting the scruffy cop with dark good
looks and a dimple. Damn that dimple.
    Once she made that unfortunate discovery, it
was impossible to work. At the rate she was buying herself from
Spence, she’d blow through her mattress money in no time. With that
worry looming overhead, she knew the time had come to organize and
count her savings.
    After counting out twenty envelopes, each
containing a thousand dollars, she felt a little better about her
ability to avoid work for a while. She also decided not to bother
with packing and to just ask Gabe to take her shopping on the way
down. She wanted clothes that covered her body. She wanted to walk
into a room and not be noticed.
    There was nothing in her wardrobe now that
didn’t command male attention.
    “Jess?” Harmony tapped at her door
hesitantly.
    “Just a second,” Jessie shoved the last
envelope back under her mattress and ran to grab the door.
    “Are you okay?”
    “Sure… why?”
    “I don’t know. You just seem a little off
lately.”
    “I’m okay, really,” Jessie assured her with a
friendly smile. “Sorry if I’ve seemed weird or something.”
    “Have you heard anything from Gabe
lately?”
    “Not lately,” Jessie shrugged, mentally
adding that lately could mean in the past day or two. “Have
you?”
    “Nah, it’s been weirdly quiet. I haven’t seen
any heat at all, actually. It makes me a little nervous.”
    “Huh. That’s odd. Wonder where they went…
maybe they’re just better at hiding.”
    “Or they found an informant.”
    “Or that,” Jessie nodded carefully.
    “I worry about you, Jessie.”
    “Shouldn’t that be the other way around? I’m
the older, wiser friend, after all.”
    “Older, yes,” Harmony stuck her tongue out at
Jessie and dodged her playful swat.
    “Seriously, though. Vance stopped me at the
market. He’s worried about you, too.”
    “Vance is a nervous wreck because Spence is
making his job nearly impossible. It’s tough to protect someone who
keeps throwing themselves in front of a train.”
    “Yes, I know,” Harmony gave her a