Temperature's Rising (12 page)

The gum-smacking saleswoman never missed a beat as she looked over her shoulder. “Hey, Myrtle,” she bellowed. “We got any heart-shaped sheets?” Those customers who hadn’t been paying attention now turned to look at them. Expressions ranged from leering to snickering.

“Heart-shaped pillows?” the older woman yelled back.

Apparently Myrtle was a little hard of hearing.

“No! Heart-shaped sheets!” she called out again.

“What color do they want?” Myrtle bellowed.

“It doesn’t matter! Do you have them or not?” Jessica asked with exasperation.

Conor’s shoulders shook with mirth. Had she really thought he didn’t have a sense of humor? Apparently, when it came to her, he found a lot to laugh about.

Great—when she thought about him she pictured the two of them rolling around in bed together; he apparently only saw someone who inspired him to laughter.

Myrtle waddled over, lifting her glasses that hung on a chain around her neck and placing them on her nose.

She grunted as she bent down in front of one of the cabinets under a counter and slid the door open.

“Here’s some pretty red ones.” She pulled the package out as she straightened. “They’re those silky kind that feel so good against your skin when you’re lying naked in the bed.”

Oh lord, T*M*I. She really hadn’t needed to visualize the grandmotherly saleswoman lying naked in bed. She grabbed the package out of the saleswoman’s hand. “We’ll 100

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take them.” She hugged the sheets as if she were drown-ing and the package was a life jacket.

“Are you sure? I thought I saw some blue . . .”

“No, we like the red ones.” Jessica imagined her face was probably the same color as the blasted sheets. “Can we please check out?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to look around some more?” Conor asked.

“I’m sure,” she said between gritted teeth and led the way to the cash register, hoping Conor would follow.

Thankfully, he did. She held her breath and counted to ten while he took his time giving Myrtle the exact amount of money, right down to the last penny.

“It’s not funny,” Jessica said as they exited the store.

Her stern demeanor slipped and she couldn’t stop the smile tugging at her lips.

Conor’s chuckles turned into deep laughter. Jessica jerked her head toward the sound. An elderly woman walking down the sidewalk even smiled. Jessica decided she liked his laughter. A lot. And that was not a good thing.

“I think because you egged her on, you should buy supper,” she said. Maybe food would make the dizzy, giddy feeling go away. Besides, the egg sandwich she’d fixed this morning and only eaten half of had long since worn off and she was starving. Her stomach was starting to rumble.

“What? You mean you’re not going to buy mine?” His eyebrows drew together. “I did let you pick the sheets.

The least you can do is buy
my
dinner.”

“Yeah, well, after having to listen to the duel of the yelling saleswomen, you should buy mine. And breakfast tomorrow morning.”

He opened the car door for her and she slid inside. After tossing the sheets into the backseat, he went to the driver’s TEMPERATURE’S RISING

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side and climbed in. But before starting the car, he turned toward her.

“How about if I bring you breakfast in bed instead?” he drawled.

It took a few moments for his words to sink in. He was doing it again—trying to make her see that this arrangement couldn’t possibly work and she’d be better off crying uncle. Well, she wouldn’t do it. She could be just as stubborn.

If the truth was known, she should’ve been angry that he was blatantly flirting again, but a vision of the kind of meal he’d serve sent treacherous little spasms of pleasure dancing up and down her spine. It was tempting to ask exactly what he had in mind.

A temptation she’d resist if it killed her. She didn’t eat breakfast, anyway. Not that she didn’t mind a piece of toast now and then—especially if a sexy undercover cop wearing only a smile served it to her.

She turned toward him and quirked an eyebrow.

“Don’t you think that might interfere with the sting operation? And I thought you were so professional.” His eyes narrowed. “Look, I’m just trying to make you see this isn’t going to work out. These people are serious.

They’re hardened criminals, and they wouldn’t think twice before killing either of us, and you’re too much of a distraction.”

Lord, he was even more tempting when he was irritated. His eyes darkened to a deep, sexy green. And she loved the way some of his hair fell on his forehead. He thought
she
was a distraction? When all she could think about was kissing him? Hell, more than that. Kissing wouldn’t come close to what she wanted to do to him.

She reined in her thoughts before they could get past the lip-lock stage. This was no time to think about how it would feel to have his mouth on hers. He was right about 102

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one thing: business before pleasure. And with him being a cop, she’d better forget about any fantasies involving Conor.

What a shame.

She drew in a deep breath. “Then quit flirting with me, Officer Richmond.”

“Remember our deal. We’ll have a fight and you run . . .

run somewhere.” He gripped the steering wheel.

“As soon as it won’t cause our neighbors to be suspicious, that’s exactly what I’ll do.” She was already going to hell for lying. One more wouldn’t make much difference. “I don’t want to be here any more than you do, but I won’t put my father’s job in more jeopardy than it already is.”

“Okay, just so we’re clear about it.” Conor started the car and pulled away from the curb.

Jessica was more stubborn than he’d first thought. Cute and stubborn. The only hardship he’d have over the next day or so was the fact he’d be working. Any other time or place, it wouldn’t take much stretch of his imagination to picture her naked and in his bed.

Like that would happen. Mike was right when he’d said Jessica was pure and innocent. She’d been pretty embarrassed just being in the store when they were buying sheets.

Guilt washed over him. He did feel bad she’d had to see the scantily clad mannequins—even if they were made of plastic. But then, maybe he’d have to open her eyes to a few of life’s realities before she realized she was way out of her league. Damn, he really hated the thought of shattering some of her ideals, but he wouldn’t have her in harm’s way.

The thought of being alone again didn’t sit well. She was starting to grow on him. Not only had she made him smile . . . she’d made him laugh. It had been a while since he’d done either.

“Where do you want to eat?” he asked. The least he TEMPERATURE’S RISING

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could do was let her choose. He doubted she’d last more than one night.

“Take-out is fine. Pizza?”

He nodded.

They stopped at a grocery store and grabbed a few items before driving to the nearest pizza place. In less than an hour, they were on their way back to the house.

Jessica was silent on the ride home, and he wondered if she was thinking about the suspects. She seemed to be interested in the passing scenery, but he knew she was nervous by the way she twisted her button. He’d love to tell her everything would be all right and that he wouldn’t let her come to harm while she was with him, but he didn’t want her getting any ideas that she’d be staying longer than was absolutely necessary.

So he kept his thoughts to himself and made the last turn down their street and into the driveway. He cut the engine and stepped out, popping the trunk open as he walked to the back of the car.

“I’ll get these,” he told her when she grabbed a bag of groceries.

Jessica brushed aside his protests and grabbed a bag.

Conor grinned at her independence. She was a feisty little thing. He grasped a couple of the blue plastic bags and followed behind her.

The woman was going to drive him to drink. She frustrated the hell out of him, but he couldn’t stop his gaze from constantly straying in her direction. She was the most tempting woman he’d ever met.

Even when she’d looked like a street-person-turned-hooker, he’d been intrigued. A smile pulled at his lips.

Then when she was dressed so casually at her father’s home, with her blond waves pulled into a ponytail, she’d reminded him of a little kitten: soft and cuddly. He certainly wouldn’t have minded snuggling next to her . . .

both of them naked.

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And now she was dressed like a lady. A very sexy lady.

She wore a skirt that was fantasy short, and he was having a lot of fantasies right now.

That’s why she had to leave. How the hell could he concentrate on what needed to be done with her perfume swirling around him, reminding him she was there?

He glanced toward the house next door, and this time he really did see a curtain flutter. Someone watched them.

Were they judging if they really were newlyweds?

Jessica set her bag down and turned toward him. “Is your key handy? Mine’s in my purse.” He didn’t answer, but set his bags on the porch and gathered her in his arms. Before she could protest, he lowered his mouth to hers. Lord, this was nice. She tasted like the cinnamon toothpaste he’d seen in the bathroom cabinet when he’d put away his shaving gear.

She was like stormy weather. He could see the flash of lightning and feel the intensity as his arms wrapped around her and tugged her close.

This was work—just doing his job, he told himself, but she wasn’t pulling away.

Their bodies were pressed so close you couldn’t slide a hand between them. Her breasts crushed against his chest, her nipples tight little nubs that poked through her thin shirt, rubbing against his equally thin T-shirt.

He’d only wanted to make everything look real, but damn it, he liked holding her close, tasting the sweetness of her mouth, feeling her soft curves as his hands roamed over her body with a will of their own.

He wanted to do more than kiss her. He wanted to un-dress her, unhook her bra and touch her naked breasts, drawing her hard nipples into his mouth one at a time.

When she moaned, he returned to his senses and ended the kiss. Still, he didn’t immediately pull away.

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Mainly because he didn’t think he had the strength to move just yet.

“I don’t know exactly what you think you’re doing, but it won’t work,” she said.

He caught the tremble in her words and was gratified to know she wasn’t immune to him. “Shh, someone’s watching.” He nuzzled her neck.

She stiffened in his arms. “Oh, I see. We’re doing the put-on-a-show thingy. Make them believe we’re really newlyweds.”

A hard edge had entered her voice. Conor didn’t think he liked the sound of it, but before he could offer more of an explanation, she grabbed his ass and squeezed.

He jumped, reaching for the wall behind her for sup-port.

“Then by all means, let’s give them a show they won’t forget,” she told him.

Before his shock had time to wear off, she began caressing and fondling his ass—anywhere her hands could reach. It was all he could do to keep from groaning. What she was doing sent him close to the edge, but when she began sliding one of her hands between the lower half of their bodies, he knew the show was over—or he wouldn’t be able to walk for the next few days. Either that, or he’d embarrass the hell out of himself.

“I think we’ve convinced them by now,” he managed to croak.

She stretched upward toward his ear and lightly nipped it. “Just remember, Conor. You’re playing with a big girl. I don’t scare easily, and I damn sure don’t play fair.”

She stepped from his arms, turned around, and dug her key out of her purse. He stood there watching her, too stunned to move as she opened the door and waltzed inside.

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Then he frowned. Damn, they’d lied to him at the station, especially her cousin Mike. Jessica wasn’t as naive as he’d been led to believe. No innocent would’ve grabbed his ass. She’d have been flustered and scrambling inside to hide herself away in the bathroom or something.

This changed everything. Flirting wouldn’t work. He bent and scooped up the two bags of groceries. He’d have to think of something else. Damn, how could he have been so gullible? He was a cop, for crying out loud. Just wait until he saw her cousin again.

A door slammed shut next door, drawing his attention.

He watched as George retrieved the mail from the box, saluted him, and grinned.

At least he knew who’d been spying on them. He’d almost forgotten about the criminals next door.

He returned the greeting with a false smile and a wave of his own. “Just wait, Buster—you won’t be grinning for long,” he muttered before going inside.

Jessica was in the kitchen. She wasn’t putting away the food from her bag as much as she was slamming it inside the cupboard. She didn’t look happy. But she looked good. He discovered he was looking at her in a whole new light. One that could get them both in trouble.

“Showing affection is part of the package if we’re to maintain some semblance of being newly married,” he explained, knowing he was lying through his teeth. His job had been the last thing on his mind.

She whirled around and faced him. “I’d appreciate it if you’d warn me the next time you decide to be
affection-ate
.” She shoved her hair behind her ears and glared at him. “Don’t think I don’t know what game you’re playing. If you can get rid of me, then you’ll be able to control the surveillance operation. Believe me, a kiss doesn’t scare me.”

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“Yeah, well, I figured that out.” She stopped for a minute, a puzzled frown wrinkling her brow. “Why would you even think it would?”

“Mike. He said you were . . . a virgin or at least almost one.”

“Oh.” A grin replaced her confusion.

He set his bags on the table and shifted from one foot to the other.

“And you believed him?”

“Well, yeah. He’s your cousin. I figured he knew better than some, and you look . . .” He could feel the heat crawl up his face.