Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1) by Renee Benzaim Read Free Book Online

feet.
    "I'll get you in the mood," he said and tugged her out onto the tiny dance floor.
    He pulled her close as they started to move around the floor, and he sang softly into her ear along with the music.
    'you see this guy, this guy's in love with you'
    She moved her head away from him so he wouldn't be so close to her ear.  It was irritating.
    'yes you're the one who makes me feel the way I do'
    "Look, Jesse, if you want to dance, then dance.  Cut out this blowing-hot-air-singing-in-my-ear crap."
    He just laughed.
    'tell me now, is it so, don't let me be the last to know'
    He pulled her closer. A funny feeling started in the pit of her stomach and crept down her legs.
    'my hands are shakin', don't let my heart be breakin '
    Good gracious, I don't need this , she thought.  Jesse looked into her eyes and it was as if they were breathing together, becoming one out on the dance floor.
    'cause, I need your love, I want your love'
    Annie's knees felt weak. Jesse held her tighter.  She didn't try to resist.  His hand moved up her back, pulling away the band at the bottom of her braid.  Slowly he ran his hand through her long, dark hair, unbraiding it, releasing it all around her shoulders and down her back.  She swung her head from side to side until her hair enveloped them.
    She glanced over at the bartender and saw him smile and shake his head as he polished the bar glasses and set them on the shelf.
    'say you're in love, in love with this guy, if not, I'll just die'
    Jesse nuzzled Annie's ear, took a little nip of her earlobe.  She groaned and pressed closer.  This isn't me.  This isn't how I was raised or how I act.  But. . .
    All of a sudden, Jesse spun her away from him and twirled her around, laughing, her hair flying everywhere.
    "See, I told you I'd get you in the mood."
    She jerked away from him and ran to their booth, picked up her purse and rushed out the door, her face red with humiliation.  How could I have let him make such a fool of me?  Why did I even let myself respond to him the way I did ?  She hopped into her Jeep Wrangler and headed home, thanking God that she wouldn't have to face him again in the near future.

* * *
    Friday, 10 August 2012, 9:00 PM
    Jesse picked up his phone and dialed Annie's home number.  What he was about to do went against the grain.  The ladies called Jesse, not the other way around.  At least that's how it was before Annie entered his life.
    His marriage to a District Attorney's Office Investigator several years ago ended in a mutual divorce.  He admitted that his career was more important to him than SueEllen, his wife, but he came in a poor second to her career aspirations also.
    They were both shallow, self-centered individuals, and why they married in the first place still puzzled him.  After the divorce, she moved on to bigger and better career opportunities in San Diego.
    Nevertheless, the trophy women he surrounded himself with after his divorce weren't much in the way of improvement.  He just couldn't seem to break the habit.
    He hadn't paid much attention to Annie when she worked in the Rural Crime Unit, but when she was promoted to detective in the Robbery/Homicide Unit in January 2010, he found her 'down home' accent and view of life amusing.  At first.  After he worked a few cases with her, however, he came to respect her intelligence and her abilities as a Robbery/Homicide detective.  Her values pulled him back to his roots and the way his parents and grandparents raised him on the reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina.
    When did I drift away from my roots?  When did making points with the powers that be become more important than being true to myself?   he wondered.
    Even though he recognized this flaw in his character, he didn't make a 180-degree turnaround.  His less-than-sterling character attributes reared their ugly heads when he least expected them.  Usually when he and Annie were together.
    They went to dinner from time to time, but he