Veiled Intentions by Delores Fossen Read Free Book Online Page B

hip.
    Nope.
    The pretense of dragging her off to bed wouldn’t be much of a stretch at all.
    Bruce Donovan stepped in front of them when they started across the reception area. “Hey, you’re not leaving already, huh?” he asked, seemingly shocked.
    â€œKate and I have some, uh, catching up to do.” Joe made sure there were enough undertones in that remark.
    Too bad Donovan didn’t pick up on those undertones. He placed his hand on Katelyn’s arm and gave her an almost intimate rub with his fingers. His fingers even strayed a bit in the direction of Katelyn’s breast.
    â€œBut you haven’t even checked out the other matches on your list,” Donovan reminded her. “And here I selected them just for you.”
    She chuckled again, a low sexy purr, and lifted her equally sexy gaze to Joe. “I’ve already found all the matches I need. Now it’s time to play with a little fire.”
    With that naughty double entendre, she pushed Donovan’s hand aside, tightened her grip on Joe’s waist and got them moving toward the door.
    â€œMan, I hope he’s the killer,” she grumbled under her breath. “Because I would so enjoy kicking his ass.”
    Joe forced himself not to smile, which was easy, since they’d hardly made it a step before Addison Merrick stopped them.
    â€œBruce tells me you’re thinking of leaving?” Merrick asked.
    Katelyn did her part with yet another sultry smile and a sensual snuggle against him.
    â€œYes. Thanks for arranging this,” Joe added, hoping that would be the end of it.
    It wasn’t.
    â€œBut you can’t go. Not yet. I need the two of you to sign release forms.”
    Since this was the first he’d heard mentioned of release forms, and since Merrick was a murder suspect, Joe was automatically suspicious. “We’re in a bit of a hurry. Can’t this wait?”
    â€œAfraid not. It’s a legal requirement. Normally, I put out the forms a little later in the evening, but if you’ll come with me, I’ll have you sign them in my office.”
    There wasn’t a lot of time for Joe to debate the issue, but what a heck of an issue it was. If he declined, it could very well blow the undercover operation when it’d barely gotten started. If he said yes, it would be a meeting away from witnesses, away from the safety of being in a public place. Besides, standard procedure required—
    â€œLet’s make this quick,” Katelyn insisted.
    And then there was that angle. His partner making a decision without even consulting him.
    Joe hoped Merrick didn’t notice how much his jaw tightened.
    Merrick smiled, that too-artificial smile that Joe didn’t even try to interpret, and the man motioned for the guard before he turned toward the hall. It didn’t surprise Joe when the guard followed. Basically, Merrick was leading them to a location where they’d be out of sight from the others, and he was taking his hired gun along with him.
    And they had no backup.
    Maybe he wouldn’t regret Katelyn’s let’s make this quick in the next couple of minutes.
    â€œIs this guy a friend of yours?” he asked Merrick. Joe tipped his head to the guard stalking along behind them.
    â€œAn employee,” Merrick answered without even looking back. “I need someone to witness your signatures.”
    Of course he did.
    Well, at least there was one consolation in all of this. If by some long shot Merrick wanted to do them some harm, then it’d almost certainly mean he was their sniper. Katelyn and he could perhaps end this right here, right now. Of course, that would mean a gun battle in a confined space with innocent people nearby. Not his first choice of ways to bring this to a close.
    Obviously Katelyn had figured that out, as well. She kept her arm around him as they followed Merrick, but using Joe’s coat as cover, she eased her hand into his slide