But that would be giving in to her more basic needs, exposing a weakness that could be taken advantage of. She’d learned over the years that the only way to resist lust was to avoid it all together.
Knowing that, she stepped from his embrace and away from temptation.
“Good job,” she said as she reached for her evening bag. Pasting on a smile, she turned and gave his cheek a proud pat. “If you can keep up that act, no one at the country club will ever suspect that we’re there to spy on them.”
From the porte cochere where costumed valets waited to park the guests’ cars, to the country club’s main dining room where champagne flowed from a multispouted fountain into giant silver bowls placed around its base, it was obvious that whoever was in charge of organizing the party had spared no expense.
Arabian Nights was the theme for the evening, and the huge sheets of boldly striped fabric draped from the ceiling to the corners of the room created the illusion of the interior of a sheik’s tent. Waitresses dressed as Arabian princesses and waiters decked out as sultans moved through the crowd, offering guests drinks and hors d’oeuvres from ornate silver trays. The French doors that separated the dining room from the patio were thrown open, allowing peeks of a star-studded sky and giving the guests the freedom to move from one area to the other.
All things considered, Gabe figured this had to rank as the cushiest assignment of his entire career as a policeman. All the food and drink he could consume, and a gorgeous woman at his side? What else could a man ask for?
Frowning, he stole a glance at Andi. A woman without ice in her veins.
What was with her, anyway? he asked himself in frustration. Back at her house, he’d actually thought that he’d finally made some progress with her. When he’d held her in his arms, he would’ve sworn he’d sensed a response in her, a softening. Then…boom! She’d shut him down.
An act, she’d called it, his frown deepening as he recalled her congratulating him on a job well done. Hell, that was no act! At least, it hadn’t been for him.
But maybe it had been for her, he realized slowly. He’d worked undercover enough to know it was easy enough for a person to successfully adopt a different persona. He’d once assumed the role of a biker in order to infiltrate a motorcycle gang thought to be running drugs. He’d played the part so well that when the bust had taken place, one of the guys on the force had slapped cuffs on him before Gabe could convince him he was one of the good guys.
But if that was the case, the question now was, which one was the act? Which of the personas he’d interacted with that evening was the real Andrea Matthews, and which was a role she was playing? The hot little vixen who’d shivered in his arms? Or the cool by-the-book detective who had commended him on a job well done?
To hell with it, he thought irritably. He wasn’t in the mood for games. Either the woman was interested or she wasn’t. It was no skin off his back either way.
Wishing the evening would hurry up and end, he took Andi by the elbow. “I need some air.”
“Did you see Ryan Fortune?” she whispered to him as he ushered her out the French doors. “He was over by the chocolate fountain talking to Melissa Wilkes. They seemed awfully friendly. Do you think something could be going on between them?”
Gabe braced his hips against the limestone balustrade surrounding the patio. “I don’t know,” he replied sourly, then tipped his head in the direction of the dining room. “But it appears his wife shares your concern. She’s had her eye on him all evening and looks none too happy that Melissa’s with him.”
She shifted to stand beside him, in order to get a better view of the dining room’s interior. “I see what you mean,” she said, then looked up at him with a frown. “Do you remember the day we took Lily and Ryan to the M.E.’s office to identify the floater? She had that same look on her face then. Tight-lipped. Wary. As if she didn’t quite trust him.”
“Yeah, I remember.” He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe he’s having a midlife crisis. An affair is one of the symptoms. Has he purchased a Harley recently?”
She choked a laugh. “Ryan on a Harley?” She shook her head. “He’s not the type. I can’t imagine him cheating on his wife.”
He looked at her in disbelief. “What is it with you? Ever since we were assigned this case, you’ve wanted to pin the murder on Ryan. Why the sudden change of heart?”
She lifted her chin defensively. “Murder and adultery are two entirely different matters. Just because a person is capable of one doesn’t mean he could commit the other.” She flapped a hand. “Besides, Ryan adores Lily. Everybody knows that. He’d never cheat on her.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. When a man starts questioning his virility, he’ll do almost anything to prove he’s still macho. And age isn’t always the catalyst,” he added. “Men in their thirties and forties can suffer the same doubts. A tumble in bed with a hot, young babe is like a shot of adrenaline for their egos. A way for them to prove that they’ve still got it.”
He watched the blood slowly drain from her face.
“What?” he asked, in confusion.
She twisted around to face the gardens and shook her head. “Nothing.”
Frowning, he studied her profile, wondering what he’d said that would warrant that kind of reaction. Hell, a person would think he’d slapped her! But since they’d been discussing the possibility of Ryan Fortune having an affair, he had to believe that was what had stripped the color from face and put that stricken look in her eyes. If so…why?
Though the urge to push for answers was strong, he suppressed it, knowing this wasn’t the time or place. They were here to do a job. Reminded of that, he glanced around the patio and was surprised to see that a few couples appeared to have noticed Andi’s reaction and were eyeing her strangely. Knowing the less attention they drew to themselves, the better, he took her hand. “Let’s take a walk.”
When she resisted, he tightened his grip and said in a low voice, “Come on. People are watching.”
She glanced up, saw that what he’d claimed was true, then ducked her head in embarrassment and allowed him to guide her to the steps that led down to a garden.
Luminaries lined the flagstone path that wound through the garden, offering a quiet and shadowed refuge for guests anxious to escape the noise and press of the party. Gabe kept his pace slow, relaxed, giving Andi time to regain her composure before he broached the subject of Ryan Fortune again.
“You know,” he said thoughtfully, “Lily’s distrust might have nothing to do with another woman and everything to do with the murder.”
“We interviewed Lily,” she reminded him. “The same as we did every other Fortune. She claimed she didn’t know the identity of our floater.”
“Maybe she was telling the truth. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know something…like who committed the murder.”
She jerked to a stop, drawing Gabe to a stop, as well, her eyes wide in disbelief. “And you accused me of having a change of heart? You’ve done nothing but defend Ryan since day one, and now you think he’s the murderer?”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m just considering all the possibilities. It’s obvious that Ryan’s wife is worried about something. If not another woman, then it’s possible she’s concerned about her husband going to prison.”
She frowned a moment, considering. “Ryan’s a pillar of the community. Wealthy beyond imagination. The one thing that keeps me from believing he is our murderer, is why? What reason would he have to kill anyone?”
“You know as well as I do that murderers come in all flavors. As to his reason, who knows? Maybe he was having a bad hair day.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’d laugh if I didn’t know people were killed for lesser reasons.”
“Yeah, it’s—” Gabe tensed, cocking his head to listen, sure that he’d heard a noise. He quickly grabbed Andi’s hand and tugged her from the path and into the darker shadows beneath the trees.
She tried to pull aw
ay. “Get your hands off—”
He clamped a hand over her mouth. “Someone’s coming,” he whispered.
She immediately stilled.
The sound of footsteps on the stone path grew nearer. Gabe closed his eyes, mentally separating the click-slap of a woman’s high heels, and the heavier tread of a man’s shoes.
“Are you jealous?”
The question was posed by a female, and delivered in a low, sultry purr.
“Of that old man?” a male voice replied, then snorted a breath. “He probably couldn’t even get it up.”
The footsteps stopped almost opposite the shadows that concealed Gabe and Andi, and Gabe narrowed his eyes against the darkness, trying to identify the two. The man and woman were facing each other now, their arms looped around each other’s waist in a loose embrace. The woman he recognized immediately as Melissa Wilkes, who had been flirting with Ryan Fortune only moments before. The man had his back to him, and Gabe could only guess that he was Jason Wilkes, Melissa’s husband.
“Sex isn’t everything,” Melissa said. “It’s the size of a man’s bank account that counts, and Ryan Fortune’s is plenty big enough for me.”
“Liar. You love sex.” Chuckling, he moved closer and nuzzled her neck. “Good thing I can satisfy both your sexual needs and your greed. Otherwise you might leave me for Ryan.”
She gave him a coy look from beneath thick eyelashes. “Honey, no offense. You may be good in bed, but I’ve seen your checkbook balance and that’s chump change compared to Ryan Fortune’s wealth.”
He hooked a finger beneath her chin and tipped her face up to his. “Stick with me, baby. Before long, I’ll have control of Fortune TX, Ltd., and all that money will be ours.”
She rubbed against him like a cat. “Mmm. I just love it when you talk dirty.” With her gaze on his, she brought his finger to her lips, sucked it in, then slowly pulled it out, flicking her tongue over its tip.
With a groan, Jason crushed his mouth to hers. A lot of moaning and heavy breathing followed, and when Jason finally withdrew, it was with obvious reluctance.
“Later,” he promised, his voice husky. “Right now we need to get back to the party. I want to be standing at Ryan’s side when he presents our hosts the check from Fortune TX, Ltd.”
The couple’s footsteps had barely faded when Andi whirled to face Gabe.
“That slut!” she whispered angrily. “Did you hear what she said about Ryan? And to her own husband, no less! She’s nothing but a money-hungry bitch.”
Gabe dragged a shaky hand down his face, still feeling the effects of having watched Melissa’s mouth on her husband’s finger. “She definitely knows how to work a man.”
Andi stared at him in amazement. “Please tell me you didn’t actually fall for that little sex-kitten act?”
“You’ve got to admit, the woman’s got some moves and the body to back them up.”
“She’s a tease! You heard her. The only thing she’s interested in is the size of a man’s checkbook. It’s obvious she’s using Ryan to make Jason jealous. She’s using Ryan’s wealth to taunt him into climbing the corporate ladder faster.”
“Now wait a minute,” Gabe said. “You’re making it sound like Jason is the injured party here. Melissa may have her faults, but Wilkes is no saint.”
“I can’t believe you’d defend her!”
“I’m not defending anybody. I’m merely pointing out the facts. You heard Jason claim that he was going to control Fortune TX, Ltd. Anyone who thinks he can take over the Fortune empire either has an overinflated ego or he’s a damn fool. The Fortunes built that company, and you can bet your next paycheck Ryan’s not going to stand by and let some junior executive waltz in and take all that away from them.”
She folded her arms across her chest and huffed a breath. “If the Fortunes lose control of their empire, the decision won’t be made in a boardroom. It’ll be in a bedroom.”
“I take it you’re referring to Melissa and Ryan.”
She opened her hands. “Who else? You fell for her sex-kitten act. What’s going to stop Ryan from doing the same?”
The words were barely out of her mouth before she was clamping her lips together and whirling away.
Gabe started after her. “Where are you going?” he asked in frustration.
“To warn Ryan.”
He grabbed her arm and jerked her around. “You can’t go barreling in there and warn him about Melissa. That’s the same as accusing him of having an affair.”
Furious, she tugged at her arm. “I’m not accusing him of anything. I only want to warn him.”
“Of what? That one of his employees’ wives is envious of all his money? Hell, probably half the women in this town would like to get their hands on Ryan Fortune and his bank accounts.”
He gave her a shake. “Think about it, Andi. What we overheard could have been nothing more than a woman’s wet dream. A carrot she dangles in front of her husband to keep him in line, to give him the kick in the butt she thinks he needs to make him work a little harder for those promotions.”
She glared at him a moment longer, then sagged her shoulders in defeat. “Okay,” she said grudgingly. “I won’t say anything.” She set her jaw. “But I’m keeping an eye on her. And if I catch her cuddling up to Ryan again, I’m telling him she’s after his money.”
Gabe held up his hands. “Fine. Do whatever you feel you have to do. I have only one request. Make damn sure I’m nowhere in the vicinity when you choose to have your heart-to-heart with Ryan.”
“Coward,” she grumbled. “You’d think you’d—”
While Andi continued to berate him, Gabe tuned her out and peered beyond her, sure that he heard another sound. Through the shrubs and trees that lined the curving pathway, he caught a flash of movement and knew that someone was headed their way. With no time for explanations, he grabbed Andi and slammed his mouth against hers.
She fought him like a cat, pushing at his chest and squirming within his arms. To keep her from breaking free, he cupped a hand behind her head to hold her mouth to his and vised his arm tighter around her back.
From the corner of his eye, he saw a couple pass by and could tell by their amused expressions that he had succeeded in fooling them into believing that he and Andi had slipped out into the garden for a lover’s tryst. He listened to the sound of their footsteps until they grew too faint to hear and knew it was safe to release Andi.
But he didn’t let her go.
At some point during the nerve-burning moments while he’d waited for the couple to pass, she’d quit fighting him. Her back was now arched beneath the weight of his arm, a soft bow of need that thrust her breasts against his chest. And her mouth was no longer hard beneath his, but soft and pliant, even hot, as she moved her lips in rhythm with his.
The gentlemanly thing to do would be to end the kiss, explain why he’d chosen to silence her in that manner and pretend he hadn’t noticed her response. But he’d be a fool to release her now. He’d suspected that she’d responded to him earlier that evening while still at her house. Now was as good a time as any to find out if her response was nothing but an act.
Tightening his arm around her, he drew her up higher on his chest and parted her lips. The moment their tongues tangled, an electric shock ripped through his system, turning him rock hard. Groaning, he shifted, braced his legs wide, and pressed his erection against her abdomen.
Her response was a low moan of need that vibrated against his mouth and carried to every extremity. Aroused by the sound, he needed a moment to realize that she was no longer clinging to him but was pushing him away.
He dropped his arms and opened his eyes to find her standing opposite him, her eyes glazed with passion, her chest heaving. A tendril had escaped her upswept hairstyle and draped one flushed cheek. He reached to brush it aside.
“Andi, I—”
She slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
Shocked by her anger, for a moment he
could only stare. By the time he found his voice, she was twenty feet down the path and all but running.
Gabe pulled up in front of Andi’s house and parked. She hadn’t said a word throughout the drive home, but that was fine with him. He wasn’t really interested in listening to anything she had to say…but he had plenty he intended to say to her.
“I’ve about had all your—”
Before he could say more, she was out of the truck and slamming the door behind her.
He watched her stalk past the front of his truck’s hood, then swore and jumped down. “Andi, wait!” he shouted, as he followed her.
She walked faster.
“Andi!” he said furiously, catching her by the arm and spinning her around. “What the hell’s wrong with you?”
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong,” she replied, her anger spiking to match his. “I don’t appreciate being attacked by my partner.”
He caught both her arms and gave her a shake. “Don’t you try pulling that sexual harassment line with me. The only thing I’m guilty of is doing my job. While you were busy ranting and raving about Melissa’s plot to steal Ryan’s money, I saw a couple coming down the path.”
“So you kissed me?” she asked incredulously.
“It was the fastest way I could think to shut you up.”
She snatched her arms from his grasp and wrapped them around her middle. “A simple hush would’ve sufficed.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding! You were so riled up over the idea that Melissa was using Ryan, I would’ve had to coldcock you to get your attention.”
“Well, the next time you want my attention,” she returned tersely, “you have my permission to hit me. I’d rather suffer a bruise than another one of your kisses.”
“Liar.”
Her eyes shot wide. “What?”
“You’re a liar. You were enjoying that kiss as much as I was.”
“I was not!”
He could almost see the smoke coming from her ears. But that didn’t stop him. She’d wounded his male pride by insisting that she hadn’t enjoyed the kiss, and he intended to get in a few hits of his own to even the score.
In the Arms of the Law Page 6
