Synergy: New Adult Romantic Suspense (U-District, #1) (25 page)

Bryce placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. He lifted her chin so she was looking up at him through glassy eyes. “I know we shouldn’t be together. You’re my boss.”

Her throat stung.

“But I have strong feelings for you, and I don’t want to take this relationship slow anymore.” He gently pulled her into his arms. “Do you have the same feelings for me?”

Jade didn’t have to think twice about his question. She was crazy in love with him, but she couldn’t tell him that. She didn’t want to scare him away. Was she supposed to say,
Yes. All I think about when I’m near you is when are you going to kiss me again?
No, Aleks would probably tell her to play it cool, keep the ball in her court. That would keep him on his toes.

His muscles tensed and he started to pull away. She put her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. “Yes,” she whispered.

He took a deep breath and relaxed. “I thought I’d just made a fool of myself. I know we shouldn’t be doing this”—he placed a hand on the side of her cheek—“but I want an exclusive relationship with you.”

Her pulse jumped. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure it’s
not
the right thing to do given we work together, but yes, that’s what I want. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. The only person who can fire me is you.”

She couldn’t stop the wide grin from spreading across her face or her chest feeling so light, she might float away. “So, no more pretending we have to work on the weekends just so we can see each other?”

He laughed. “No more. Now we just go out together and do non-work things.”

“No more making up work to do in the evenings so we can spend time together?”

“We’ll spend the evenings here at your place.” She arched an eyebrow. “If you want to spend time with Kenzie, we can go to my condo.”

“That’s okay. We’ll stay here.” Jade pulled him closer. “And when you have an event to go to and you need to bring a date?”

“I’ll take Kenzie,” Bryce joked.

Jade elbowed him in the ribs.

“Ow. I meant, I’ll bring you.”

She grinned. “And how do you think we should act at work?”

“Professional, as always.”

Jade laughed. “So, do we let everyone know up front, or do we shock them at the next company event?”

“Let’s give it some time, and if things work out between us, then we’ll shock them.” Bryce planted a kiss on her forehead.

The idea of things working out between them, of having a long-term relationship with him, was more than she’d ever hoped for.

“Got any plans on Saturday?” he asked.

“Other than work? No.”

“Then come to my rugby game and cheer me on. Besides, the guys are dying to meet you.” He planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“Really? You told your friends about me?”

“Oh, yeah. They’ve been pestering me about missing the games. So naturally, I blamed it on you.”

“Hey.” Jade elbowed him again.

“Okay, okay. They know you get under my skin.”

She rose on her toes, inviting him to plant a kiss on her lips.

He slid one hand around her neck and lowered his mouth to hers. The soft caress of his tongue caused a slow ache in the pit of her stomach. When he balled her nightshirt into his fist, goose bumps rose on her arms and legs.

She shivered, not from a chill, but from a searing heat that coursed through her veins. She’d dreamt about this moment for so long. And now here he was, with his warm hand gripping her lower back and pulling her hips into his. A low moan came from deep within him as his tongue demanded more.

She slipped her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer, tasting him, wanting him, never wanting to let him go. She was so in love with this man, this man who could infuriate and excite her all at the same time.

His lips trailed down her neck to the V of her shirt.

She let her head fall back, wanting him to take what had always been his.

He pulled away, his eyes gazing into hers. “I don’t want to rush this between us.” He breathed heavily and leaned his forehead on hers. “I’ll see you at the game tomorrow.”

“You don’t want me to make you lasagna?”

“If I stay here another minute, this very thin nightshirt will be on the floor. What you and I have… it runs deep. I don’t want to screw it up. Rain check?”

Jade stifled a heavy sigh. “Absolutely.” She’d waited a long time for Bryce to want her this way, and what she wouldn’t give to have him strip her bare that minute. But he was right, and she wasn’t going to be the one to ruin it.

HARTWICK HAD BEEN OPENLY HOSTILE
about Jade during his first police interview, and Neal looked forward to interrogating him further. Driving over the Aurora Bridge, he smiled when he pictured the eighteen-foot concrete troll that loomed below. As he entered Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, a sign welcomed him to the “Center of the Universe.” He followed his GPS to Timothy’s street, where contemporary stucco homes with sharp modern lines stood.

Timothy Hartwick had won the house in his third divorce settlement and was still paying off his half of the loan.

Neal pulled into the driveway of the gray stucco. The garage door stood wide open, providing him a view of a shiny black Porsche 911 Carrera. Beside it sat two ATVs and a Ski-Doo.

Explains why the man is up to his eyeballs in debt.

Neal walked to the front porch and knocked on the door. A woman half Hartwick’s age answered. Since he had no children, she might be a girlfriend.

“Detective Neal Hawkins, ma’am.” He flashed his badge. “May I speak to Timothy Hartwick?”

“What can I do for you, Detective?” Hartwick walked up behind her and placed a hand on her hip.

“I have a few questions for you about Jade Buchanan. Mind if I come in?”

Hartwick’s eyes widened ever so slightly before he regained control. “Sure, come on in. Mandy, honey, why don’t you go upstairs for a few minutes.” He lightly slapped her butt.

Neal walked into the house. It was deeper than it was wide. He passed a kitchen with white quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Bare white walls gave way to windows lining the back of the house. “Great view.” The sunset over Lake Union with the Olympic Mountains in the background was spectacular.

“So what’s this about Jade? I already told you I worked late, and then I went out to a movie with Mandy the night Jade was attacked. ”

“The movie started at nine-fifteen, and no one could corroborate what time you left work, and that includes the recordings from the garage’s security cameras.” Neal focused on Hartwick, who sat on a white leather couch facing a white marble gas fireplace. There was no color in the house, with the exception of the black carpet under the glass coffee table. “I spoke to a few employees, and they all seem to think you don’t like Jade.”

“I don’t know where they got that idea.” Hartwick blinked twice.

Neal pulled out a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket and read the printed email. “This is my department and you have no business micromanaging me.”

Hartwick cleared his throat.

“What about… ‘I’ll handle the repairs myself. Butt out.’”

Hartwick leaned forward, his hands clasped together. “Okay, look, it’s not that I don’t like her per se, it’s just that the girl is making rash decisions and getting in everyone’s business.”

“She’s not keeping her nose where it belongs.” Neal quoted the first anonymous note that Jade had received.

“Exactly.” Hartwick nodded, with no sign that he understood the reference.

“You like sailing?” Neal glanced at a photograph on the fireplace mantel.

Hartwick’s smile was that of a proud father. “She’s a thirty-eight foot Catalina.”

“Ever take Arnie Thompson out on her?”

“Arnie? Haven’t heard that name in a while. I usually take the ladies out for a spin.”

I bet you do.
“So you never took Arnie?”

“Sure I took Arnie out with a few others at work. Why, what’s this about? Hey—are you thinking he was on my boat when he drowned?”

“Where were you on the day he died?” Neal rattled off a date.

Hartwick stood, and his right eye twitched. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I don’t know where I was over two years ago.”

“Do you have a social calendar? Perhaps your work calendar?”

“I don’t know.” Hartwick ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe. I’ll check it and call you tomorrow.”

“That would be fine. Do you know where your boat was moored two years ago?”

“Yeah, sure, I’ve never moved it. It’s at Elliot Bay Marina. You can check that.” Timothy pointed at his notepad.

“I intend to. That’s all I need at this time, Mr. Hartwick. Oh, one more thing…”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t leave town without letting me know.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Hartwick’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed hard.

“I’ll be in touch.” Neal let himself out. The boat was his first viable clue. Between that, and Hartwick’s obvious dislike for Jade, the guy just jumped to the top of Neal’s suspect list.

JADE COULDN’T WAIT
to see Bryce at the game. She found a spot in the empty parking lot of a nearby company that was closed during the weekend. The business park was impressive, with its walking trails and ball fields mixed between one-story business complexes. The fields were full of soccer players, kids playing with Frisbees, and families walking their dogs. She eventually found the right field by spotting Kenzie’s bright red hair from a distance.

Jade rarely made it to the east side of Lake Washington, where the suburbs were. There were a lot more cedars out here, most well over a hundred feet tall. Houses with large grassy yards nestled between the trees.

Jade waved to Kenzie when she got closer.

“I didn’t think you were going to make it in time.” Kenzie handed her a water bottle.

“Thanks. I’ve been driving around here for a while.” Jade motioned around the business park. “I couldn’t figure out which field you were on.” She didn’t mention her method of finding it. “Where’s Bryce?”

“Over there.” Kenzie pointed to Bryce, surrounded by four other women.

Jade put a hand on her hip and sipped from the water bottle. She watched the women crowd around Bryce and his friends. “Bryce wasn’t kidding, was he?”

“About what?”

“About needing you to keep the women away.”

Kenzie laughed. “No, he wasn’t kidding. He calls it his curse. He practically begs me to go places with him. He can’t stand all the attention, and the guys razz him for it.”

“Did he beg you to come today?” Jade asked.

“Nah, I’ve been coming to these games for years. I hope you don’t mind. I’m sorry about the misunderstanding at the office—as soon as you left I realized what it must have looked like, and Bryce had no clue.” Kenzie gave her a bright smile.

“I don’t mind at all,” Jade said truthfully. She waved to Bryce when he finally saw her.

A fantastic smile spread across his face as he waved and jogged over to her. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.” He draped an arm casually over her shoulder.

“Wouldn’t miss it. I don’t exactly know the rules of the game.”

“Mackenzie will teach you. Won’t you, Kenzie?”

“It’s not hard really. You cheer when they clobber the other team. When they run the ball to the end of the field, you jump up and down and start screaming.”

“Hey.” Bryce tousled Kenzie’s hair. “There’s more to the game than that.”

“Well, I think that will be enough to get me started.” Jade laughed.

“Gotta warm up. I’ll see you at half time.” He squeezed Jade’s arm and was about to leave when she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Bryce pulled away as if he were embarrassed.

What was that about?

BRYCE JOGGED BACK
to the team, grateful Jade hadn’t seemed to notice his hesitation. He’d never been comfortable with public displays of affection. Whenever he’d caught his dad kissing his mother, Dad had usually been drinking, and the kissing almost always led to a backhand across his mother’s face or worse. It was stupid to still feel this way as an adult. He really needed to get over his eleven-year-old boy insecurities.