Shades of Temptation by Virna Depaul Read Free Book Online Page B

missed
anything.
    Jase propped his hands on his hips. “She’s a relative of the
guy who shot you?”
    Carrie barely glanced at him. “It doesn’t matter.” But God, it
did. She’d almost melted down in front of him. She couldn’t afford to appear
weak in front of anyone, let alone Jase. He was the person who rattled her the
most, and therefore the person she had to be most wary of. She rubbed her arms,
trying to warm her icy skin. It was a mild evening, and she was wearing a coat.
Why was she so cold?
    “Carrie…”
    At his worried tone, Carrie’s gaze finally snapped to his.
Licking her lips, she wished things could be different. That for just a second,
he’d hold her. She hadn’t had a lover in years. Except for the one brief kiss
Jase had given her over a month ago, she hadn’t allowed herself even the most
casual contact with anyone, even a friend. A little human kindness. Was that too
much to ask?
    Yes, it was, she conceded as she remembered just how hard it
had been for her to walk away from his kiss.
    That kind of human connection always came with a price.
Always.
    She shook her head. Took a fortifying breath. Tried her best to
give him a reassuring smile. “I’m okay, Jase. Honestly.”
    “What happened, Carrie? It looked like you were having some
kind of panic attack. Maybe coming back to work tomorrow isn’t such a good
idea.”
    Her spine snapped straight, and she looked at him through
narrowed eyes. “It might have looked like a panic attack, but it wasn’t one. I
told you, I was just surprised.”
    “The way you were surprised when Kevin Porter pulled a gun on
you?”
    “What’s—what’s that supposed to mean?”
    He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. God knows plenty
of cops get hurt on the job. It doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. But
you—”
    “But I what?”
    “But your report says you took cover while he was in the house.
If that’s the case, how’d he shoot you?”
    “I took cover, but I needed to detain him. I stepped out. I
called for him to put his gun down. When he didn’t, I fired.”
    “You fired and you missed,” he said quietly. “Anyone could
have. It doesn’t make you any less of a cop. But maybe you haven’t quite
accepted that. Maybe that’s what this is about. Maybe you need some more time
before coming back to work.”
    He was so spot-on she almost panicked. Laughing harshly, she
focused not on his concern, but on what he’d gain if her return to SIG was
delayed. “Of course. I almost forgot. You wanted the lead on The Embalmer case.
That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”
    “I asked Mac for the case,” he said. “But that’s not why I’m
concerned.”
    “No,” she sneered. “You’re just worried about me, aren’t you?
Afraid I’m going to get myself killed? Well, I don’t buy it. You didn’t visit me
in the hospital, Jase. Not once. So don’t act like you’re so concerned about
me.”
    Carrie almost groaned at the way his eyes widened with
realization. Why had she said that? She should have been grateful he’d stayed
away, allowing her to settle her scrambling emotions without having to deal with
him, too. But she couldn’t deny that part of her had been hurt by his seeming
lack of concern.
    He opened his mouth. Shut it. Finally spoke. “I came to see you
in the hospital right after you were shot. You were higher than a kite on meds,
but I didn’t realize you wouldn’t remember.”
    Biting her lip, she glanced away, not wanting him to see just
how much his revelation meant to her.
    “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to question your competence. I
didn’t mean to make you mad. I just didn’t like seeing that woman come down on
you, and I know you well enough to know you don’t reach out for help
easily.”
    His words took the steam out of her. He seemed sincere. And
truthfully, she was too appalled by her own words and loss of control to argue
with him further.
    He looked around. “Where’s your car?