Temperature's Rising (3 page)

Apparently, he wasn’t immune to her, either. In fact, he reminded her of a little boy with his nose pressed against the glass of a candy store window. He suddenly shifted his feet and cleared his throat.

“It won’t work.” He met her gaze. “And just because you’ve been arrested a few times doesn’t mean you know all the officers. This
is
my first week, though.” She didn’t mention she’d figured that one out. Her father had extolled the new officer’s qualities until she’d eventually tuned him out. She frowned. He’d blatantly hinted Officer Richmond happened to be single. Her father hadn’t described him, though.

Not the sexy green eyes or the thick black hair or the way a woman would ache to run her hands over his firm, muscled body.

She cleared her mind when she realized the direction her thoughts had strayed. Her father had only mentioned 22

Karen Kelley

his name. Maybe he should have listed the officer’s other qualities as well?

No, no, no! She wasn’t about to get involved with a cop.

“What won’t work?” she wanted to know as she refo-cused her attention.

“Trying to seduce me.”

Oh really! His ego was slightly inflated.

The situation was too funny. She’d love to see his expression when he hauled her in front of her father with handcuffs . . .

No, that would be cruel. She quickly dismissed the thought scampering across her brain, but it popped right back up.

A quirky sense of humor ran in her family, so it wasn’t her fault that all sorts of possibilities were going through her mind. You might even call it an inherited trait. Totally out of her control. And right now she really couldn’t help herself, and besides, she did need a ride since her car was locked.

Lowering her voice, she said, “Is that what I’m attempting to do?” She slid her tongue slowly over her upper lip. “Seduce you?”

His mouth parted slightly and he swallowed. The air sizzled between them as his gaze swept over her, raw and hungry. It started at her shoulders and moved downward, touching her breasts and causing her nipples to ache.

Slowly his gaze lowered. She caught her breath when it lingered on her hips, before moving downward. Her legs trembled with the need to feel him pressed between them.

The radio in the front seat crackled with static.

She expelled her breath in a whoosh and shifted from one foot to the other. Furiously, she began twisting the second button on her blouse. When the cuffs jangled, she jerked her hands down. Damn habit!

Okay, this game had gone on long enough. Time to TEMPERATURE’S RISING

23

end it. “You’ve made a mistake. In fact, you couldn’t be more wrong. My name is Jessica Ne . . .”

“You can tell it all to the chief.” Stubborn man! She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Fine, she hadn’t talked to her father since last Sunday, so she’d be able to kill two birds with one stone. He was always saying she didn’t visit him at the office enough.

Reaching through the open window on the passenger side, Conor grabbed the microphone off the seat. “One-fifty-six will be in route with a ten-ninety-five in custody.”

He looked over his shoulder. She followed his gaze, but the other three women had quickly departed.

“Your friends got lucky this time,” he told her.

“They’re not my friends.”

“Don’t try to deny it. I saw you wave at them.” She didn’t try to explain she’d been attempting to wave them away so they wouldn’t lower the property values.

He probably wouldn’t believe her anyway.

The radio crackled. “Received one-fifty-six.” He dropped the mike on the seat and opened the back door.

Jessica hesitated. He must have thought she’d do something foolish, like try to run, because he took a firmer grip on her arm.

“Do you want to go to the station the easy way, or the hard?”

The officer was starting to annoy her. She batted her lashes and in her sexiest voice said, “Oh, the easy way, of course. I’d hate to think I’d made anything hard on you.” His brow creased into tiny lines.

“If you think you’re being cute, think again. Maybe you don’t realize just how much trouble you’re in.”

“This isn’t my first trip to the police station.” Jessica tossed her blond hair over her shoulder, winked, and eased down onto the light blue vinyl seat.

24

Karen Kelley

“Why do you do it?” he asked, his tone suddenly serious as he leaned forward.

She turned. Their faces were only inches apart. His lips were set in a grim line. This charade needed to end here and now.

“Listen, this isn’t what you think . . .” she began, only to be interrupted.

“I won’t change my mind.”

If that’s the way he wanted it. At least no one could say she hadn’t tried to warn him. She shrugged. “A girl has to make a living somehow.” She was almost certain she’d regret that remark.

With a look of disgust, Conor slammed the door. She tried to stop the grin from spreading across her face, but couldn’t. Maybe if she hadn’t known what to expect. If she’d been just a little frightened, things might have been different. But, Jessica had a good idea what would tran-spire once they arrived at the station.

A niggle of guilt tickled her spine, but she ignored it.

She hadn’t instigated any of this. What happened would serve him right for not letting her explain the situation.

She glanced down at her clothes. Okay, so maybe some of it was her fault, but she certainly hadn’t awakened this morning and decided to end her day looking slutty and getting arrested.

He opened the door on the driver’s side and climbed behind the wheel. The car purred to life when he turned the key. After looking to make sure it was clear, he eased into traffic.

“You know, there’s no reason for you to continue in this line of work.”

Jessica met his gaze in the rearview mirror. He had the deepest, darkest green eyes she’d ever seen. They grabbed her, making it hard to look away. Not that she tried.

“I bet there’s a lot of things you’d be qualified for,” he continued, making a left at the stoplight.

TEMPERATURE’S RISING

25

“You mean—
me
?” She quirked an eyebrow.

“Sure.” He turned his attention back to the road and took the entrance to the freeway, increasing his speed as he merged with the flow of traffic.

She’d seen the expression on his face. Like he was preparing himself to explain the
real
facts of life. She’d only heard it all a zillion times from her father ever since she’d reached high-school age: the importance of being a productive citizen.

Year after year, the same tired speech, even though she was twenty-seven years old. Why did all cops want to save the world? Officer Richmond didn’t appear any different.

And real estate was a good, honest profession, even if it wasn’t the job her father wanted for her. She’d tried it his way, but it hadn’t worked out.

They passed the mall and garden center. Well, it would be over soon. They were almost to the station.

Maybe she really should attempt to explain one more time that she wasn’t a hooker. He was new in town. What would it hurt to cut him a little slack?

Ah, what the heck? If she did convince him that her profession was perfectly legal, the fun would end before it ever really started. And she wanted to see Conor’s expression when he discovered who she was. Her father had a great sense of humor so he’d get a good laugh out of it.

“I bet there are a lot of jobs you’d be good at,” he continued. “And all legal. You could be a waitress or care for the elderly.”

And here she’d thought her college degree showed.

She frowned and glanced downward, turning her foot to the side. Maybe it was her three-inch black heels? In her profession, sensible loafers would work better, but she had a fetish for shoes—heels being on the top of her list.

They made her feel like a lady, even if they were murder on her feet and it’d taken a month of practicing to walk in the blasted things.

26

Karen Kelley

He looked like he expected her to comment on his brilliant idea. She knew her sarcasm would be lost on him. “Or what about a high-powered real estate agent who sells expensive properties and makes a bundle on commissions?” A little stretch of the truth. She hadn’t made a bundle of money yet. The sale of the commercial property would’ve been her first major deal.

“Well . . . yeah.” Slowing, he exited on Rifle Road.

“But you’d probably have to go back to school. The main thing is the life you’re leading can get you killed.”

“Ha! And yours won’t?”

“That’s different.”

When she opened her mouth to argue, he sent her a quelling look. She clamped her lips together.

He turned his signal light on and pulled into the parking lot in front of the red brick police station. She noted that most of the day shift had left. There were only five patrol cars and around ten personal vehicles. Jessica knew who owned three of the cars.

Officer Richmond didn’t speak again until he’d pulled to a stop and helped her out. “I really hate doing this, but it’s my job. Someday you might even thank me.” Yeah, but he’d kill her. “Listen, Officer Richmond, I’ve been trying to explain something to you. I really don’t think you want to do this. It will hurt you a lot more than me . . .”

“Don’t make this harder than it already is.” Her gaze lowered naughtily. It didn’t appear to be, but she could change that if given a moment alone with him.

His grip tightened on her elbow as he led her down the hedge-lined sidewalk and up a short flight of steps. After opening the double glass doors, he nudged her shoulder so she’d go inside.

“Okay, it’s your funeral,” she muttered, stepping into the cool interior of the building. Her heels clicked across the black-and-white tiled floor.

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27

The dispatcher, seated behind a smudged glass window, casually raised her head. The widening of her eyes was the only indication that everything wasn’t quite right.

Mike Winslow stepped from one of the closed rooms.

He barely spared them a glance as he looked at the report in his hand.

“Hi, Jess. Conor,” he absently mumbled.

Mike suddenly stumbled, his head jerking up.

“Hello,” she answered between clenched teeth. The look she sent in his direction had him snapping his mouth shut and continuing on without saying a word.

“You know Mike?” Conor asked with obvious surprise.

“We used to sleep together.” Okay, she’d probably pay for that remark, too, but she couldn’t help it. Her father always said she had a mischievous streak a mile wide. It wasn’t really a lie. She and Mike
had
slept together. Of course, she’d left out the fact she’d been three, Mike four, and they were second cousins.

“Do you also know he’s married?”

“Oh, yeah.” She should. They’d gotten married Febru-ary fourteenth and she’d been one of the bridesmaids.

Ugh! His wife had chosen the ugliest red bridesmaids’

dresses and huge red straw hats adorned with red feathers.

Her colors had been red and redder. The church had looked like the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, but the only thing that truly mattered was Mike’s happiness. She would’ve worn a dress made of burlap if it made her cousin and new cousin-in-law happy.

But Officer Richmond didn’t look pleased by her ad-mission she’d slept with Mike. His lips thinned as they turned a corner and started down a long, narrow hallway wide enough for only two and a half people. Offices opened on either side, but most of the doors were locked, the men and women having left for the day.

They were taking the shortcut.

28

Karen Kelley

Jessica caught her breath when her Aunt Gloria rounded the corner with a stack of papers in her hands.

Her soft brown hair was neatly combed away from her face, and she wore a blue print dress that looked new. Jessica liked the way it brought out the color of her eyes.

Her aunt glanced up, down, then her head jerked up again. Her gaze strayed to the missing button on Jessica’s blouse. “I told you playing with buttons would get you in trouble some day.”

Jessica pleaded with her eyes for her aunt not to say anything.

“What?” Conor asked.

Her aunt countered with her own question. “What’d she do?”

“Soliciting.” His voice was gruff, almost like he hated being the bearer of bad news.

Aunt Gloria’s lips twitched. “You know, if you’d wanted a man there are other ways to go about it.” Jessica crossed her eyes, wanting her aunt to pick up the game. She shouldn’t have worried. Aunt Gloria was a Nelson, after all.

With an impish gleam, the older woman shifted the papers to her other arm. “I bet the chief will want to talk to her. This isn’t her first trip to the station.”

“So she told me. You’d think she’d pick a different profession. I was taking her to lock-up, though.”

“No, I’m sure the chief will want to see this prisoner personally. Follow me.” She turned.

“You don’t have to come with us. I remember where his office is,” Conor informed her.

“Don’t mind a bit.” She continued down the hall, bumped the door to her office open with her hip, set the papers down on an already crowded desk, and sauntered to the chief ’s door.

She rapped her knuckles on the opaque glass and TEMPERATURE’S RISING

29

without waiting for an answer, opened the door. “The new officer brought you a criminal, Chief.”

“Do what?” He’d begun to stand when they entered.

“What the . . .” His salt-and-pepper eyebrows drew together, forming a single line.

Jessica pulled away from the officer and strolled over to him. “Well, hello, sugar. Seems like forever since I saw you, but we both know it was only last Sunday, don’t we?” She winked at Conor. Then kissed her father on the cheek.

Chapter 3

The way the hooker leaned close to the chief made Conor want to throw up. This job had appealed to him because of the family-like atmosphere. Boy, had he been fooled!

He glanced around the office. Hell, the chief even had ivy growing along the windowsill. He’d assumed the pictures on his desk were family, even though he hadn’t seen the faces. A man like that didn’t keep a mistress young enough to be his daughter, even if he was widowed.