Temperature's Rising (8 page)

“Of course. I just need to get the mayor off my back.” There was a sudden, sour taste in her mouth. Her father and the mayor went back a long way—as far as grade school, in fact—and they never had liked each other.

“I don’t trust him,” she said. “I think he’s on the take.

The only reason he’s worried about the burglaries is because he’s up for reelection.”

Her father grunted. “You and me both. It seems like an awful lot of his cronies are getting some juicy city contracts, too. Problem is, he has a squeaky-clean record. If he is crooked, he’ll slip up sooner or later. They always do.” She hoped it would be sooner rather than later. At least she could help her father in the meantime. But this would be the absolute last time she worked as a cop.

“Okay, then as long as we understand each other, I’ll show the house. Do I need to say anything to my boss? It isn’t as if the police department will actually be buying the place, right?” she asked as she stood.

“The department will be leasing the house. That way the
newlyweds
will be able to move in immediately. I’ve TEMPERATURE’S RISING

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already called your boss and explained the situation. I’ll just let him know you’ll be the one showing the place.” He came to his feet. The smile on his face wavered. “Oh, there’s just one other thing.” His gaze fixed on the keys she lightly swung back and forth.

She was afraid he was about to tell her something she didn’t really want to hear.

“About your car . . .”

Jessica gripped the steering wheel. Her initial excitement had waned. She should’ve just told her father no, that she didn’t want to get involved. She’d only kept her reserve status in case there was a national disaster or something.

The light changed. She let off the brake and stepped on the gas, passing by one of the city’s three parks and a high school. At least the house was in a decent part of town. She’d make a quick run-through of the property and be done.

Her father wanted everything carried out in the most normal way possible. At least she knew Marty and Angie.

She assumed they would be the surveillance team posing as a married couple. Her father hadn’t really said, but they were usually his first choice.

And her father was right about her being the one to show the property. Since he was setting up the surveillance, he might as well have someone on both sides. Her father was certainly thorough.

Jessica slowed as she pulled into the driveway. Her gaze flittered to the house next door, then quickly back.

She shouldn’t be obvious. She’d act casual. Like a realtor.

Duh!

She turned the ignition off and climbed out of her car.

Her gaze strayed to the medium-size dent in the fender.

She bit her bottom lip. Her pride and joy . . . injured.

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Karen Kelley

Something about her car was bad luck for her father.

Some lady had pulled out in front of him and dinged the fender. The Mustang was going in the shop tomorrow.

As she hurried to the front door, her gaze was once more drawn toward the suspects’ house. It looked peaceful enough. A well-manicured front lawn. An almost-new red Lincoln in the driveway. Obviously, they weren’t hurting financially, but nowadays if you had a few credit cards, anyone could be upper-middle class. Or, in their case, if you were stealing from other people.

A boy of about twelve rode by on his bike, and she noticed a little girl sat on the porch down the street playing with a doll. Just a typical residential neighborhood.

Except for the criminals, of course.

She fumbled in her purse for the key. After casting one more look over her shoulder, she let herself inside. Marty and Angie should arrive at any time. Leaving the door open, she entered the foyer.

The house was nice, although the smallest one on the block. It wasn’t as spectacular as some of her company’s listings, but she liked the bold, straight lines. The two-bedroom was just right for a newlywed couple.

A short staircase led to the second floor. The mahogany banister gleamed. She knew from the specs there’d be a large master suite, a smaller bedroom, a bathroom upstairs, a half bath downstairs, and a small balcony on the upper floor.

She strolled to the empty living room, stopping in front of the fireplace. As she ran her fingers across the smooth surface of the mantel, she heard someone bound up the front steps and into the hall. Jessica turned, surprise stopping her smile from completely forming.

“Conor?”

“Jessica?”

She closed her eyes. Yom-da-da-da-da. When she opened her eyes, Conor was still there.

“I’m supposed to be meeting Marty and Angie. What TEMPERATURE’S RISING

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are you doing here?” She willed her heart to slow its frantic beat as she drank in the sight of him. What was it about this man that tugged at her senses and irritated the hell out of her, all at the same time?

“Your father gave me the case. I’ll be posing as Angie’s husband. And you?”

She drew in a deep breath to steady her warring emotions and concentrated on getting this mess straight. “Dad thought it’d be more realistic if I showed the house.” Damn, her father scammed her again. He hadn’t told her that Conor was on the case. She’d assumed Marty and Angie would be posing as the married couple.

His game wouldn’t work. She’d show the house and be out in the blink of an eye. She wouldn’t let Conor rattle her this time. Yeah, right. The man had already rattled her just by walking in the front door.

Conor Richmond was the best thing she’d ever seen . . .

and she wanted him. Even though her brain was telling her to run away as fast as she could, her body responded like a sexually starved female on Viagra for women. But then, her gut instinct told her that he’d be a fantastic lover.

Would one night spent lying in his arms be so bad?

She certainly didn’t want to have any kind of relationship or anything remotely long-term.

No, she wouldn’t break her own vow not to get involved with a cop. Besides, he probably wasn’t interested in having sex with her. Hell, he’d practically run away after only one kiss.

Odd how that bothered her. Right now, his expression showed more irritation than anything else. She wondered why he was so disinterested.

Conor grimaced as he tried to rein in his emotions.

Jessica had taken him by surprise. His glance swept over her. Damn, she looked sexy as hell and, from the looks of it, fidgety. She was furiously twisting the top button of her peach-colored blouse.

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Karen Kelley

Think innocence! He’d spoken with Mike one more time, just to make sure he’d understood her cousin. Mike had confirmed that Jessica was practically nun material.

Damn it, her kiss hadn’t felt innocent, but her cousin had no reason to lie. He definitely had no room in his life for someone who was inexperienced.

The way she twisted her button, he didn’t think she’d hang around long. Apparently, she had no taste for burglars. What the hell was she doing here anyway?

“You’re posing as a pawnshop owner?” she asked.

“How’d you know my cover?” He held up a hand, guessing the answer. “Never mind. Your father, right?”

“Dad thought I should know a little about the prospective buyers.”

“Surely the chief could’ve sent someone else. You shouldn’t be here. What was your father thinking?” How could he put his daughter in danger like this? Mike had spilled the beans about how shy and timid Jessica was.

She should never have joined the police force.

“I beg your pardon,” she said, her hands braced on her hips as she glared at him. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. For your information, I’m still a licensed police officer. I’m also in real estate. If anyone checks, it’ll be legit. And I’m pretty damn good at doing both.” She scanned the living room before turning her gaze back to him. “I could have you salivating to buy this house.

I’m very good.”

He just bet she was—nun material or not. She looked ready to take on half the police force, and any bad guy that got in her way. How the hell could he concentrate on the suspects with her around? Jessica tempted him to do more than just look, even if she didn’t realize it.

He wanted her gone.

“This isn’t a game,” he warned. “Those are real criminals next door and they’re very dangerous, so I suggest TEMPERATURE’S RISING

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you get that cute little fanny of yours back in your car.

Angie and I can look at the place by ourselves.”

“Oh, is that right? I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you don’t have any say in the matter.” Conor admired her spunk, but he still wanted her somewhere far away from him. In two steps he closed the distance between them. “Don’t try to play with the big boys, Jessica. You’re out of your league.” Anger flared in her eyes, but just as suddenly it disappeared. Her gaze softened as she looked at him through partially lowered lids.

“So tell me, who’s more dangerous, you or the people next door?” Her tongue darted out to lick her lips.

His gaze slid over her. From the top of her golden halo of hair, down past the open neck of her shirt and to those incredibly long legs. Her words were a challenge if ever he’d heard one.

What the hell was he thinking about?
Back off, Conor!

Casual affairs were his M.O. Skimming the surface—no pain, no regrets, no woman telling him he needed a safe desk job.

Jessica would be more than a casual fling. She had that look about her. The one that said she wanted a real good time, but he was certain it meant,
as long as a ring followed.
He wasn’t about to let her experiment with him.

No, she could test her sexual wings on some other poor sucker.

Still, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from cupping her chin, drawing her even closer, until he tasted the cinnamon of her breath as it fanned across his face. He didn’t mind so much giving her a lesson in kissing. It might even scare her off.

“Maybe you’re the most dangerous.” He trailed his fingers down the side of her jaw, feeling the smoothness before lowering his mouth. He inhaled the sigh that escaped 70

Karen Kelley

her lips as his lips brushed across hers before fully tasting the sweetness she had to offer.

For someone supposedly so innocent, she kissed damn good. God, she was hot. She pressed her body closer, her soft curves melding with his hardness. Just how well did Mike know his cousin?

Her body language told him an entirely different story, the kind that said she was an open book and wanted to be read. Blood began to pound through his veins and his belly knotted with the effort it took to keep his emotions in check as her tongue stroked against his. God, she tasted good. He wanted to strip her clothes from her body and caress every inch of her naked skin.

Conor was so lost in the kiss he didn’t realize anyone had entered the room until he heard a throat clear. It vaguely registered inside his brain that Angie had finally arrived. As much as he wanted to continue, Conor pulled away.

“You don’t have the best timing in the world . . .” he began, turning around. His words faltered when he realized it wasn’t Angie at all, but the next-door neighbor.

George.

The wiry man stood in the doorway that led to the living room. He’d seen everything. Damn! How could he be so stupid? Not in the house five minutes, and he’d blown his cover. The chief had trusted him with this assignment. He could visualize his job slowly being sucked down the drain.

Or maybe not. His brain kicked into overdrive.

“I thought you were the woman who’s going to show us the house,” he told George, and squeezed Jessica’s arm, hoping she’d go along with him.

“Excus-a. I am-a sorry to startle you.” He clicked his heels and bowed. “I am-a Georgio, the neighbor from-a next door.”

George spoke with the worst imitation of an Italian ac-TEMPERATURE’S RISING

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cent Conor had ever heard. It went well with his maroon, polished cotton suit and black patent-leather shoes. And the guy had so many gold chains draped around his neck it would be fatal if he fell into the deep end of a swim-ming pool.

When the other man’s gaze slithered over Jessica, though, he realized what it was about George that made his skin crawl. He didn’t like the way George looked at her, like he was starving and she was his next meal.

“When I see the lady, well, I just-a thought I would check and make-a sure everything was okay.” When George smoothed the side of his slicked-back hair, his gold-nugget ring caught on his hoop earring. He sucked in half the air in the room and carefully tugged his ring free, then smiled as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Gritting his teeth, Conor smiled back. “That’s nice of you to watch out for other people’s property.” He turned and faced Jessica. “See, honey? I told you this looked like a great neighborhood.”

Her expression said she thought he’d lost his mind.

Great, she wasn’t going along with the change in plans.

He waited for her to stalk out of the house and run to her father. As it was, the chief would probably kill him for involving his daughter this much. Then he’d fire his butt.

Suddenly, she smiled smugly, as though she was telling him if not for her, he’d have blown the whole assignment. He wanted to strangle her, right after he kissed her one more time. Damn, she’d been sweet snuggled against him, all feminine and soft. She’d fit perfectly in his arms.

She sashayed around him. “You’re right. I love the house,” she said. “The bookcases are just what I’ve always wanted. It will be a great place to lease.” Conor breathed a sigh of relief. He’d figure some way to get her out of the picture as soon as possible.

“Let me be the first-a to welcome you to the neighbor-72

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hood.” George’s smile broadened as his gaze leisurely raked over Jessica. “My door will-a always be open for you.” He brought his fingers to his lips and kissed the tips. “
Bella, bella
.”

Yeah, his bedroom door! Okay, he’d had enough.

Conor stepped forward. Job or no job, he wasn’t about to let this creep . . .