Dirty (43 page)

I managed to conceal the shudder that went along with hearing that information.

“Billingsly, fifty-nine...”
 
Hobbs coughed, then cleared his throat.
 
“He just made parole.
 
He was serving five to ten on a manslaughter charge, but he swears he didn’t do it.”

Jesus, what a line up.

Ever the professional, Hobbs crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin in defiance of what I felt certain he was thinking himself.
 
“Who do you want to see first?
 
I’d recommend Moffett.
 
We need to get him out of here as soon as possible before the Health Department comes and shuts us down.”

“Good idea.
 
Send him in.”

Famous last words.
 
Two hours later I’d completed the three interviews.
 
I wasn’t sure whether to scream or to cry.
 
Those guys were about as far from what I was looking for as walked on two legs.

And I’d thought Dawson was way off base.

Stop it, I ordered.

I pushed thoughts of him aside.
 
I had to keep searching.
 
There had to be a candidate out there somewhere interested in working with me.
 
Otherwise my uncle was never going to get back to playing ladies’ man.

Speak of the devil.

“I thought I’d let you know that I took care of the Pearson case.”

I pushed aside my troubling thoughts and looked up at Hank.
 
It was a pleasure to see him.
 
I felt closer to him than ever now that I knew the truth about the past.

“Great.”
 
The Pearson case was another of those he’s-cheating-on-me surveillance assignments.
 
It wasn’t my favorite kind of job since you always knew how it would end, but the journey could be entertaining and it paid the bills.

“I’m headed out for an early lunch, want to join me?”

I shook my head.
 
“That’s okay.
 
I’m really behind this morning.”
 
Two whole hours’ worth.
 
“Rain check?”

He winked.
 
“You betcha.”

I watched him pause at Hobbs’ desk before leaving and I thanked God for his continued support.
 
We’d had another long talk a few days ago and cleared the air on the subject of my father.
 
I felt much better about the past as well as the future.
 
Just knowing that my father had never actually doubted me was a tremendous confidence booster.
 
And it was good to confirm that the man I’d always known was a knight in shining armor really was.
 
Hank was the best.
 
A genuine good guy.

Hobbs poked his head into my office.
 
“I’m meeting Ben and Jerry at the Pasta Bistro, would you like me to bring you something back?”

“Nah...that’s okay.
 
I’ll get something later.”

He hesitated and I knew what he was thinking.

“I’m not worried.
 
Someone amazing will come along.”

He nodded.
 
“You read my mind.”

I laughed.
 
Bout time it started working both ways.
 
“Get out of here.”

With Hobbs gone, I opened my middle desk drawer and pulled out the photo of Warren Rayburn.

Though they shared the same mother, his younger brother didn’t look a thing like him.
 
I rubbed my thumb across the handsome face pictured there.
 
“Thanks for a night I’ll never forget,” I murmured. “And for saving my life.”

I sighed and put the picture away.

A mound of paperwork had amassed on my desk.
 
If I didn’t get it done Hobbs had threatened to start a bonfire.

No point putting it off any longer.
 
With cases came the requirement for final reports.

“You look busy.”

At first I was afraid to look up.
 
Afraid I’d imagined...

Then I shook it off.
 
Being afraid wasn’t my style.
 
I lifted my gaze to the man standing in my doorway.

Dawson.

I tried to stop the smile that spread across my face but there was simply no slowing it.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

He took a step into my domain.
 
“That’s no way to greet a guy who’s traveled all this way to see you, now is it?”

As was the norm in his presence my gaze took in every detail.
 
The scuffed boots, the well-worn jeans, the loose button-down shirt with the skin-tight tee beneath and then that face.
 
The kind that you never tired of looking at, like a perfectly cut suit that never went out of style.
 
His lean, chiseled features made my heart go pitty-pat.
 
And then there were those lips...and the eyes.

I took a deep breath for fortification and maybe to kick-start my heart back into a normal rhythm.
 
“You look great.”

He took one slow, deliberate step after the other until he’d reached my desk.
 
“So do you.”

Man, was I glad I’d decided to wear this body-skimming dress and my strappiest stiletto sandals today.
 
I knew I looked good and that went a long way in keeping me on even ground with this guy.
 
Oh, yes, I admit it right now, he was that intimidating.
 
He looked that good.
 
Yanked my confidence right out from under me.

The telephone rang and I answered it without breaking the eye contact.
 
“Mercer.”

“Mercer!
 
I’m going to—”

I hung up.
 
Nothing important.
 
Just Nance ranting.

Back to my tour of Dawson’s assets.
 
Combined with those bedroom eyes was that just rolled out of bed hair and the beard-shadowed jaw I had admired on at least one other occasion.
 
Man, George Michael had known what he was doing when he made that look famous.
 
Too bad he’d let himself go since.

I stood, matched Dawson’s stance.
 
Evened the playing field a little further.

“What brings you back to Houston?”
 
Might as well cut to the chase.

He glanced around the office then fixed that I-want-to-have-sex-with-you gaze on mine.
 
“I heard you were still looking for an investigator.”
 
He shrugged.
 
“And it seems I’m out of a job.”

He’d seen the want ad.
 
Shit.

“You got what you came for,” I said frankly.
 
“I didn’t think you were coming back.”

The beginnings of a smile quirked one corner of his mouth.
 
“What?
 
And give up this exciting work?”
 
He chuckled, a sexy, throaty sound that made me shiver with the memory of being buried alive with him.
 
“Not a chance.”

I wet my lips and forced my mind to consider the situation rationally.
 
In light of his work in the field there was no question he was a keeper—professionally speaking.
 
My history with his brother did give us a kind of connection...almost like family.
 
Yeah right.
 
I caught a glimpse of the other three applicants’ resumes from the corner of my eye.
 
He certainly rose head and shoulders above the competition.

“You’re definitely qualified,” I commented.

“Definitely,” he echoed.

“Hobbs seems to think that your charm will be a significant asset.”

“Significant.”
 
He nodded.

There it was.
 
That cocky attitude that made me crazy.

“But there is one thing, Dawson.”

He leaned closer...or maybe it was my imagination.

“You have to remember who’s the boss.”

“I can absolutely guarantee you that I won’t forget that piece of information.”

I wasn’t sure exactly how he meant that but I kept going as if I knew precisely his intentions.
 
“And, assuming you’re certain you want the job, you would still be on probation.
 
One wrong move and you’re out.”

“No need to worry about that.
 
I do want the job.”
 
He flattened his palms on my desk and leaned closer still.
 
“And I only make one kind of move.”

Every sensory receptor in my being was poised in anticipation of his next words.

“The right one.”

That sexy rasp was nearly enough all by itself to send me over the edge.

But I refused to allow that to happen.
 
I had to let him know here and now that I was in charge.
 
I wasn’t just the boss, I was in control.

For that reason I mimicked his pose.
 
Leaned so close to him that a bee couldn’t have buzzed between us without getting its wings trapped.

“Just one last thing,” I said in my sultriest voice.
 
Two could play this game.

“What’s that?” he murmured, amping up the sex appeal.

I held my breath...couldn’t bear the added stimulus of his scent.
 
“You know how I am about being open and honest.”
 
I watched him watch my mouth move and the acrobatics in my chest skipped to advanced level.
 
Dammit.

“Yeah.”
 
He licked those sculpted lips.

I swallowed tightly.
 
“I need to know how you brought in Big Hoss.”
 
In spite of the monumental tension I smiled.
 
Couldn’t help myself.
 
The electricity crackling between us was mind-boggling...maybe this was my brain’s way of coping.

“I’ll tell you how I collared Big Hoss on one condition.”

“What’s that?”
 
Anticipation seared through my veins.

“You tell me whether or not you fucked Willis to get that information on Brooks.”

My gaze tangled with his and the intensity there stole my breath all over again.

I bolted away from him.
 
“Fuck you, Dawson.”

He took his time drawing to his full height, that cocky lopsided grin making my pulse skitter and royally pissing me off.
 
“Anytime, any place.”

“Get out,” I warned.
 
The impulse to grab the nearest heavy object and hurl it at him was nearly overwhelming.

He backed up a couple of steps, still grinning.
 
When he got to the door he hitched a thumb toward the vacant office across the hall.
 
“That still mine?”

I knew if I said yes that the Mercer Agency and I, for that matter, would be changed forever.
 
I would always have to be on my toes to stay out of dangerous territory with Dawson.
 
Every moment of every day would be a test of my self-discipline.
 
Of my control.

So I had to ask myself, was he really worth it?

Damn straight.

“Do you see another empty office?” I retorted flippantly.

With one last lingering look he sauntered over to his side of the hallway.

I had to be out of my mind.

I had a record of trouble with men a mile long.

Why would I set myself up like this?

And then I remembered a handy piece of my mother’s advice that always gave me hope.
 
Practice makes perfect
.

DEBRA WEBB
, born in Alabama, wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen.  It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the military behind the Iron Curtain—and a five-year stint with NASA—that she realized her true calling.  A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has penned nearly 100 novels. Visit her at www.debrawebb.com .

Recent Books by Debra Webb:

ANYWHERE SHE RUNS, St. Martins Press

EVERYWHERE SHE TURNS, St. Martins Press

FIND ME, St. Martins Press

NAMELESS, St. Martins Press

TRACELESS, St. Martins Press

MISSING(The Colby Agency), Harlequin Intrigue

VOWS OF SILENCE, Harlequin Books