Arouse Suspicion by Maureen McKade Read Free Book Online Page B

she nodded and slipped it back inside the pack. "It's in better shape than you are." She eyed him closely, noting the scrape on his left temple where blood oozed. He held his right arm stiffly, telling her the bruise was worse than your standard owie.
    With her tremors easing, Danni started the truck and turned the vent fan to defrost. She pulled onto the street, shiny with the watery reflection of the city lights. Her place was on the other side of town, but her father's house was only ten minutes away. It might do them both good to take a hot shower, dry their clothes, and have some coffee before driving another half hour to her office, where Nick's vehicle was parked.
    They rode in silence as Danni tried to remember anything about the car or driver who had nearly turned them into roadkill. She didn't want to believe it was anything other than a reckless or drunk driver, but her gut wouldn't let her off the hook.
    When Danni turned into her father's driveway, Nick shot her a look. "What're we doing at Paddy's place?"
    "You've been here?"
    "A few times."
    That's right. Nick was the infamous Rocky, her dad's favorite juvenile delinquent. And the object of her first adolescent crush. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the bitterness.
    "What're we doing here?" Nick repeated, this time with a shade of impatience.
    Danni opened her eyes. "I thought we could dry our clothes and have something warm to drink before I take you back to your car."
    "Are you trying to get me out of my pants, Ms. Hawkins?" Sultry heat wrapped his low voice in velvet, caressing her as if he'd touched her with his strong, square hands.
    She kept her attention trained on the dim porch, trying not to imagine Nick Sirocco sliding out of those snug blue jeans....
    Danni cleared her throat, and her mind with it. "In your dreams."
    "Or yours."
    Damn, the man was too good at this game. Or she was too long out of it.
    "Do you mind if I bring Gus in?"
    A streetlight illuminated Nick's eyes, as vivid and blue as a mountain lake. She almost forgot the question. But then her gaze shifted to the swollen and bloody bump on his forehead, reminding her why they were here. "No, that's fine."
    The rain had diminished to a light mist, but Danni still hurried to the covered porch. Nick and Gus joined her as she unlocked the door. Danni flicked the switch, and light flooded the interior, bringing an avalanche of memories.
    Nick closed the door behind them, and Gus trotted into the living room, where she plopped down on the carpet.
    Danni set her backpack on the floor, then removed her jacket, revealing her shoulder holster and damp T-shirt. Glancing up, she noticed Nick eyeing her chest. He was probably comparing her attributes to Bambi's. Danni didn't have a prayer with her 34Bs pitted against a pair of 38Ds.
    She resisted the urge to cross her arms, to cover her puckered nipples clearly visible through the damp cloth. A wet T-shirt contest queen she wasn't. She told herself it was merely her body's reaction to the cold. "There's a bathroom at the top of the stairs with towels in the linen closet. Go ahead and take a shower," she said. "If you toss your clothes outside the door, I'll put them in the dryer."
    "Thanks," Nick replied.
    Danni watched him trudge up the stairs, taking guilty pleasure in eyeing his tight, denim-encased backside. She was surprised he wasn't moving more stiffly, since he'd taken the brunt of the pavement's punishment. Her muscles were beginning to feel like she'd hiked up Mount Rainier.
    Ignoring her body's demands for a few more minutes, she removed her revolver from the shoulder holster and efficiently wiped it down. It didn't matter if she was a cop or a PI, she had to be able to count on her weapon.
    When she was done, she removed the shoulder holster and placed it and her gun on the kitchen table. She put on a pot of coffee, then leaned against the counter. Her gaze settled on the teapot-shaped clock that had hung above the stove ever since