Intimate Danger (Empire Blue) by D.C. Stone Read Free Book Online Page A

so bad if the government-issue car-screaming- cop had a functional air conditioner. But no, that would have been too easy and would have made sense, since two FBI agents were traveling north in ninety-five plus degree heat.
    Stepping away from the chief’s office, he rounded a corner of old wooden desks, and followed the linoleum tile separating the rows. Trent kept his head high, returning the stares of each officer he passed. Yeah, he was a stranger, one unwelcome in yet another precinct and they probably had questions about what the fuck he was doing here. Visions of dogs marking their territory filled his head, only instead of a tree catching the urine, it was his own leg. And, instead of dogs, each of the faces he passed took the place of the animals. He frowned, understanding he would feel the same way if someone stepped on his turf. However, right now there was a huge difference. He was FBI and had a reason for being here. One he damn sure hoped would work itself out.
    He tore his focus away from a large, round male detective who had a dire need of some Tide with bleach , and stopped at the last desk, frowning with impatience at the young woman sitting behind it. Head tilted, she read something from a sheet of white paper lying across her desk. Off to the side was a manila folder, some suspect’s name etched in red ink across the top. Gum snapped between her teeth, the popping filling the air.
    “Excuse me?” he asked with no amount of small irritation.
    The woman glanced up and his gut clenched like a python had its grip. Dark, curly hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, tight tendrils escaping captivity at her temples. The pieces fell along her neck, caressing the skin. An itch developed in his palm. He wanted to reach out and touch a strand to see if it was as soft as it looked. Her eyes were a sweet hazel, although that wasn’t quite the color he would use to describe them. Holding a slight slant on her heart-shaped face, her spellbinding gaze stood closer to a dark whiskey, with specks of green scattered throughout, a start to Spring and grass peeking out to touch the sun.
    He focused on her lips as they moved, but no sound reached past the whoosh of a pulse in his ears. Everything slowed while he stared at her mouth. Her bottom lip puckered out slightly as if pinched to perfection. Full, round, and wide enough to fit with all kinds of fantasies.
    She lifted a hand and snapped fingers in front of his face, breaking the spell.
    “Can I help you?” The woman frowned as if he was interrupting her .
    He cleared his throat. “Yeah, uh, I’m looking for a Detective.”
    Yeah, uh? Dude, you totally are rocking the vocabulary today. He kicked himself mentally.
    The look she tossed him reiterated his thoughts.
    “Well, sir, look around. In case you’re lost, this is the police department. There’s a whole room full of them, so I think you’ve come to the right place.” She raised a brow, waiting.
    “Uh ,” he answered, at a loss of words and clearly with a full head of nothing.
    She tilted her face to the side with another expression that screamed he was wasting her time.
    Christ, get it together, Rossi.
    He tried again. “I’m uh, actually looking for a Detective Lopez.” He pulled his shoulders straight. “If you could point me in his direction, I’d appreciate it.”
    Something flitted across her face, but the expression was gone before he blinked.
    “Okay.” She lifted her hands and pointed at her head. “What do you need?”
    Trent scowled, perplexed, a little turned on, and a lot pissed off. He didn’t have time for games, and while he liked to play with women at times, with everything going on, he didn’t like his reaction to this woman. Not now. First, it was too damn hot in here. And second, he had too much on his plate. Some other time maybe… “I need to discuss that with Detective Lopez.” Two could play at being a smart ass. And before he could let his mouth catch up to the