growl and a cough sputtered from him. “Of course I’m not getting forgetful. I’m not TEMPERATURE’S RISING
45
that old.” His tone softened. “It’s just that you’re my little girl. I enjoy your company.”
She sighed with relief. “I enjoy yours, too.” Wrapping her arms around his middle, she hugged him close, breathing in the familiar smell of peppermint. Her father always kept a jar close by, saying the candy was good for an upset stomach. She knew better. He had an incurable sweet tooth.
A sigh escaped. In the future she’d have to remember how sensitive he was about his age.
The doorbell chimed.
Her father jumped as if he’d been shot.
“Oh.” He coughed, then cleared his throat and tried again. “Now I wonder who that could be?” She just bet he did.
“Why don’t you open the door and find out?” She stepped back, folding her arms in front of her as suspicion coursed through her veins. His air of innocence didn’t fool her for one minute. Damn, she’d been hoodwinked!
Her father was a master at the game and she a lowly novice.
“Sometimes I wonder where my mind has gone,” he mumbled as he strolled to the door and opened it. “Officer Richmond—what a pleasant surprise.” She looked from her father to Conor. Great! Mr. Testosterone himself. He seemed startled she was there, but quickly recovered and turned his attention back to her father.
“I have those papers you wanted, Chief.” He hesitated.
“You did ask me to drop them by after work, didn’t you?”
“Yes, of course. I’ve been so busy today I guess it slipped my mind.”
Jessica just bet it had. Couldn’t her father see the man wasn’t interested in her? He’d been ticked off when he discovered who she was, then treated her like a child. He could care less about her.
46
Karen Kelley
I wonder why. She frowned.
The last time she’d looked in the mirror she hadn’t noticed any warts. She squared her shoulders. Not that it mattered what he thought about her appearance.
She dragged her attention back to the two men when Conor handed her father a thick, brown envelope.
“Ms. Nelson.” He nodded toward her.
Oh my, now wasn’t he polite?
“If there’s nothing else you needed, then I’ll see you Monday.”
“Nonsense! I won’t hear of you leaving since you drove all this way. Come in and visit for a while. I always like to get to know my new officers.” Her father dragged the younger man inside and shoved the door closed. Jessica wondered if he thought Conor might try to escape. She should be so lucky. He wasn’t her type at all. The man had absolutely no sense of humor. He was as dry as a West Texas dust storm.
Absently, her gaze wandered over him. He dressed nicely, though. The deep brown sports coat fit his broad shoulders rather well. Her gaze slowly slid over the cream-colored shirt and down his tan slacks. She envisioned herself wallowing in a decadence of layered chocolate. Damn, she had to quit thinking about Conor like he was . . . like he was a piece of candy and she was about to gobble him up.
She knew what her problem was—she’d been dating Al too long. They hadn’t slept together. There was just something about him that held her back, kept her from making a commitment.
And when she dreamed at night, it wasn’t Al who filled her dreams. Her lover was faceless, but he had an incredible body and slow-moving hands that swept her off to a world filled with erotic pleasure. Sweat always drenched her body when she woke up, and left her yearn-ing for her fantasy lover.
TEMPERATURE’S RISING
47
She sighed.
When she caught her father’s raised eyebrows, she realized she’d begun twisting her button. Sheesh! A daughter didn’t have impure thoughts about a man—especially a virtual stranger—when her father was in the room. She had to get hold of herself . . . and her vivid imagination.
She could have impure thoughts when she was alone.
“Make yourselves comfortable in the
45
that old.” His tone softened. “It’s just that you’re my little girl. I enjoy your company.”
She sighed with relief. “I enjoy yours, too.” Wrapping her arms around his middle, she hugged him close, breathing in the familiar smell of peppermint. Her father always kept a jar close by, saying the candy was good for an upset stomach. She knew better. He had an incurable sweet tooth.
A sigh escaped. In the future she’d have to remember how sensitive he was about his age.
The doorbell chimed.
Her father jumped as if he’d been shot.
“Oh.” He coughed, then cleared his throat and tried again. “Now I wonder who that could be?” She just bet he did.
“Why don’t you open the door and find out?” She stepped back, folding her arms in front of her as suspicion coursed through her veins. His air of innocence didn’t fool her for one minute. Damn, she’d been hoodwinked!
Her father was a master at the game and she a lowly novice.
“Sometimes I wonder where my mind has gone,” he mumbled as he strolled to the door and opened it. “Officer Richmond—what a pleasant surprise.” She looked from her father to Conor. Great! Mr. Testosterone himself. He seemed startled she was there, but quickly recovered and turned his attention back to her father.
“I have those papers you wanted, Chief.” He hesitated.
“You did ask me to drop them by after work, didn’t you?”
“Yes, of course. I’ve been so busy today I guess it slipped my mind.”
Jessica just bet it had. Couldn’t her father see the man wasn’t interested in her? He’d been ticked off when he discovered who she was, then treated her like a child. He could care less about her.
46
Karen Kelley
I wonder why. She frowned.
The last time she’d looked in the mirror she hadn’t noticed any warts. She squared her shoulders. Not that it mattered what he thought about her appearance.
She dragged her attention back to the two men when Conor handed her father a thick, brown envelope.
“Ms. Nelson.” He nodded toward her.
Oh my, now wasn’t he polite?
“If there’s nothing else you needed, then I’ll see you Monday.”
“Nonsense! I won’t hear of you leaving since you drove all this way. Come in and visit for a while. I always like to get to know my new officers.” Her father dragged the younger man inside and shoved the door closed. Jessica wondered if he thought Conor might try to escape. She should be so lucky. He wasn’t her type at all. The man had absolutely no sense of humor. He was as dry as a West Texas dust storm.
Absently, her gaze wandered over him. He dressed nicely, though. The deep brown sports coat fit his broad shoulders rather well. Her gaze slowly slid over the cream-colored shirt and down his tan slacks. She envisioned herself wallowing in a decadence of layered chocolate. Damn, she had to quit thinking about Conor like he was . . . like he was a piece of candy and she was about to gobble him up.
She knew what her problem was—she’d been dating Al too long. They hadn’t slept together. There was just something about him that held her back, kept her from making a commitment.
And when she dreamed at night, it wasn’t Al who filled her dreams. Her lover was faceless, but he had an incredible body and slow-moving hands that swept her off to a world filled with erotic pleasure. Sweat always drenched her body when she woke up, and left her yearn-ing for her fantasy lover.
TEMPERATURE’S RISING
47
She sighed.
When she caught her father’s raised eyebrows, she realized she’d begun twisting her button. Sheesh! A daughter didn’t have impure thoughts about a man—especially a virtual stranger—when her father was in the room. She had to get hold of herself . . . and her vivid imagination.
She could have impure thoughts when she was alone.
“Make yourselves comfortable in the
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