Caught in the Act

by Jill Sorenson

  There was a motley collection of other flowers, and they all appeared recently placed. The colorful bouquets weren’t quite as romantic, or as tragic, as the fragile pink rosebud. Kari paused at the headstone, reading the name.

  Patricia Rosales Cortez.

  That was Adam’s last name.

  Frowning at the odd coincidence, Kari looked closer. Her date of birth was July 17. This past Sunday.

  “Son of a bitch,” she said, straightening. Then she clapped a hand over her mouth and made the sign of the cross, apologizing to the poor woman resting here. Adam had told her he was buying a birthday gift for his mother, who was apparently dead.

  He’d lied.

  She walked away at a brisk pace, her thoughts in motion. This new development cast Adam in a different light.

  The first time he’d visited her store, he’d claimed he was looking for dia de los muertos figurines. Although the dancing skeletons symbolized that celebration, they weren’t given to the dead as gifts. Besides, the holiday was in November.

  He’d mentioned his mother’s birthday again the second time he came in, speaking of her as if she were alive.

  “Who does that?” she asked out loud.

  No one in the cemetery answered.

  Adam hadn’t come to Zócalo to buy a gift. If his goal had been to get in Kari’s pants, mission accomplished. But it was still a strange, sleazy thing to lie about. A real man didn’t invent lame excuses for stopping by.

  What else had he been dishonest about?

  Kari had looked into Adam’s eyes when he spoke of Moreno. She believed he’d rather kill Moreno than join him. Perhaps he was a conscientious officer on the job and a lying, cheating bastard at home.

  She gasped, remembering the rebozo.

  “Oh my God,” she said, starting to jog again. She didn’t slow down until she reached her front doorstep. It was still early, so she started making breakfast, beating Maria to the punch. When her roommate wandered into the kitchen a few minutes later, Kari caught her up on the Adam situation.

  “Maybe this is good thing,” Maria mused.

  “How?”

  “Well, he hates Moreno, and he is willing to lie to get what he wants. You can use it to your advantage, yes?”

  “I don’t know,” Kari said, shaking her head. It would be extremely risky to ask for Adam’s help.

  “We have a saying in Spanish: el enemigo de mi enemigo es mi amigo.”

  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

  Kari studied Maria’s deceptively sweet face. “You have a devious mind.”

  Maria smiled, sipping her coffee. “Gracías, mi amor.”

  After breakfast, Kari picked up her cell phone to call Adam. Her tank top was still damp from her run, her heart pounding anew.

  “Yeah,” he answered.

  Kari’s stomach fluttered at the sound of his voice, husky from sleep. If he was married or had a live-in girlfriend, he wouldn’t have taken a call in bed. “Can I see you?” she asked, trying not to imagine him naked.

  He shifted the phone around; it sounded like the receiver was brushing against his pillow. “I have to leave for work in an hour.”

  “Tonight, then. We need to talk.”

  “Fine. I’ll meet you at your place.”

  “No. I’ll come to you.”

  “Whatever,” he said, sighing. “It’s 732 Grant.”

  The phone clicked in her ear as he hung up. She scribbled down the address, frowning at his brusque tone. Despite their rocky start, she didn’t want Adam as a friend or an enemy. She wanted him as her lover.

  Adam shouldn’t have been looking forward to Kari’s visit.

  She was a criminal, involved in an intricate drug smuggling operation. He’d taken a sworn oath to protect the country from people like her.

  It wasn’t a date.

  But his libido wouldn’t hear that. As soon as he got home from work, he made sure the place was spotless. He also took pains with his appearance. After a shower and shave, he put on cologne and shrugged into one of his nicest shirts.

  Then he braced his hands on the sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror, wondering what the hell he was doing.

  He’d told her he didn’t want to see her again unless she told him the truth. But he was edgy with anticipation, and it had a lot more to do with getting dirty than with coming clean. The intensity of his desire for her blindsided him.

  Adam had slept with beautiful women before. He’d had hot, meaningless sex with strangers. Even with Penelope, he hadn’t always been a gentleman. Tawdry hookups and impulsive acts weren’t new to him.

  But most of the encounters weren’t memorable, either. Only the times with Penelope seemed special. None of the women since had mattered—except Kari. It wasn’t just a physical thing between them, either, although her body was incredible. The way she’d responded, tearing off her clothes and lifting her skirt for him …

  Christ.

  It was like she couldn’t wait to get fucked.

  He knew she’d used sex as a weapon, avoiding his questions by jumping on him. But he also knew she hadn’t faked anything. She’d been fantastically wet. He remembered her uninhibited cries, the hot clasp of her body as she came.

  When the doorbell rang earlier than expected, he snapped out of his lustful stupor. Buttoning his shirt hastily, he went to answer the door.

  It wasn’t Kari.

  His sister, Raquel, was standing there. Judging by her slinky dress and done-up hair, she was going somewhere fancy. Her husband, Brian, waited in the car. Little Logan and Maya stood next to her, their eyes bright.

  “Shit,” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his jaw.

  “Don’t tell me you forgot,” Raquel said.

  Adam bent down to pick up Logan, who was holding out his chubby little arms. Maya raced past him into the house. “Is it Friday already?”

  “I have reservations at Anthony’s in an hour.”

  Adam smiled at Logan. “What’s up, buddy?”

  “Down, down,” Logan said, wanting to run after his big sister. Adam let him go, aware that his radiant toddler energy couldn’t be harnessed.

  Raquel crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking him over. “Were you getting ready to go out?”

  “Not … exactly. Someone was coming here.”

  Her face lit up. “A woman?”

  Adam glanced inside, avoiding her question. Maya was dancing around the living room. Logan had crawled under the kitchen table.

  “It’s a date,” she accused, delighted. She turned to her husband. “My brother has a date tonight!”

  Brian checked his hair in the rearview mirror. “So do we, babe. Hurry up.”

  “Who is she? What does she do?”

  Adam scrubbed the back of his neck, wincing. There was no way to explain the situation to Raquel, who had been hounding him about his love life for years. When she caught hold of an idea that appealed to her, she was like a dog with a bone.

  “She’s not one of those hoochies from the club, I hope.”

  “Logan’s getting into my knife drawer,” he lied.

  “Sorry for ruining your fun,” she said, obviously not meaning it. After she said goodbye to the kids, she gave Adam a peck on the cheek and dashed off.

  A few minutes later, he had the evening under control. The kids were coloring at the kitchen table and dinner was on the way. He thought about calling Kari to cancel, but decided against it. Maybe they could have their conversation—minus the sex fantasy—while the kids were occupied.

  She showed up right on time in a summery blue dress, looking good enough to eat. He liked the way her clothes were all sexy and feminine and easy access. But he doubted that she’d worn the outfit for him. Her face was clean of makeup, her hair in a simple knot at the nape of her neck. She’d probably driven straight from work.

  “Come on in,” he said.

  Moistening her lips, she stepped inside. And stopped short when she saw Maya and Logan. “Are t
hose … yours?”

  He sighed, pressing his fingertips to the bridge of his nose. She thought he’d invited her over to hang out with his children, whom he’d never bothered to mention? Wow. He hadn’t done a very good job of charming and disarming her.

  Maya bounded toward them. “Who is it, tío?”

  “It’s my friend Kari.”

  Maya gazed up at her, curious. “Hi.”

  “Hi,” Kari murmured.

  Adam put his hand on Maya’s shoulder. “This is my niece, Maya, and that’s my nephew, Logan.”

  She gave him an apologetic look. “They’re adorable.”

  “I forgot they were coming over,” he explained.

  “Are you going to play with us?” Maya asked. “Uncle Adam always orders pizza and buys ice cream!”

  “Maybe I should go,” she said.

  Logan, who was putting the final touches on his drawing, knocked over a cup of juice at the kitchen table. “Uh-oh.”

  “Shit.” Adam hurried to grab a towel from the countertop as the liquid rushed over the table, chairs, and floor.

  “Logan ruined my picture,” Maya yelled.

  The toddler scrambled out of the chair, trying to get away from the mess, and promptly slipped on the wet floor, bumping his head. He started crying really loud, so Adam figured he was okay. Tossing the towel down, he scooped Logan up. Orange juice soaked the front of Adam’s shirt and Logan’s wails echoed in his ears.

  “He always does that,” Maya said to Kari, rolling her eyes.

  The doorbell rang again.

  “The pizza man is here!”

  Adam met Kari’s gaze while he patted Logan’s back, murmuring soft words of comfort. This wasn’t quite the impression he wanted to create. Normally things ran smoothly when his sister’s kids were over.

  Kari seemed amused rather than horrified. “Do you need some help?”

  “Yes.” Holding Logan with one arm, he reached into his pocket for a couple of twenties. “Can you pay for the pizza while I take care of him?”

  “Sure.”

  Kari went to the door and Maya started wiping up the orange juice like a good big sister. “Thanks, mamita,” he said, whisking Logan off for a quick change of clothes.

  Raquel hadn’t packed a spare play outfit, so Adam put Logan in his airplane pajamas and called it good. Then he stripped down to the waist, leaving his dress shirt to soak in the sink. When Kari poked her head in a moment later, Logan was sitting on the bed, still sniffling. She looked from the baby to Adam, her eyes lingering on his bare chest.

  He opened his top drawer, finding a T-shirt.

  “I, um, helped Maya clean up. Pizza’s on the table.”

  “Stay and eat,” he said, pulling the shirt over his head.

  “I shouldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  She sighed, leaning against the doorjamb. This wasn’t how she’d pictured the evening, either.

  “Want pizza,” Logan said, holding his arms out.

  After a brief hesitation, she stepped forward and picked him up. Logan wasn’t friendly with everyone, but Adam had noticed that he liked pretty women. The little rascal.

  “You’re a big boy, aren’t you? Can you walk?”

  “I can run!” Tears forgotten, he wriggled out of her arms. Showing her how fast he was, he tore across the carpet, heading back to the kitchen.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, she said, “I’m sorry. They look like you.”

  “It’s no big deal,” he replied. “My sister asked me to babysit last weekend and it slipped my mind.”

  “Do you watch them often?”

  “Not that often. A few times a month.”

  She seemed surprised by the arrangement. It was unusual, he supposed, but Raquel didn’t have any close female family members to rely on. Adam had been her regular babysitter for the past year, since their mother died.

  “Hang out for a while,” he said. “Maybe we can talk after dinner.”

  Kari agreed, sitting down to cut up bite-sized pieces of pizza for Logan while Adam got drinks from the fridge.

  Both children took to Kari right away. They chattered nonstop, vying for her attention. Adam played moderator, gently reminding them to concentrate on finishing their dinner. About halfway through the meal, Maya came up with a real zinger.

  “Are you a hoochie?”

  Adam almost choked on his pizza.

  “Hoochie, hoochie,” Logan repeated, like an owl.

  “My mommy says that all of Uncle Adam’s girlfriends are hoochies,” she added, blinking her big brown eyes.

  “Your mommy talks too much,” Adam said, scowling.

  Kari hid a smile and kept eating, taking no offense. They made it through dinner without any other serious gaffes. As usual, they walked down the block for ice cream afterward. Somehow Maya convinced Kari to stay for her favorite movie, Beauty and the Beast. At Maya’s request, Adam put a rug over his back and did his best Beast impression, making the kids scream with delight. Logan snuggled up in Kari’s arms and fell asleep. By the time the credits rolled, Maya was lights-out, too.

  Adam always had fun with the kids, and Kari’s presence added that extra spark. He couldn’t remember having enjoyed an evening so much in ages. After putting Maya and Logan down, side by side in his bed, they snuck back to the living room.

  He was reluctant to ask Kari why she’d come. Despite his parting words to her at the store, he didn’t want to talk about her involvement with Moreno. He’d rather go on as they had for the past few hours, pretending the conflict didn’t exist.

  “You’re good with them,” Kari said, sitting down on the couch. Although the kitchen lights were on, the living room was dim.

  Adam sat down next to her, making no attempt to brighten the space. “Thanks.”

  She dragged a hand through her hair. “Do you want kids of your own someday?”

  He stared back at her, considering. With another woman, this conversation would have sent him running for the hills. “Just between us, yes.”

  “Is it a secret?”

  “No, but my sister nags me about settling down. I don’t want to encourage her.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-nine.”

  Kari didn’t say that he was too young to start a family. “Sounds like she doesn’t approve of the women you date,” she said, smiling.

  He smiled back at her, remembering what Maya had repeated about his “hoochie girlfriends.” Raquel’s criticism wasn’t quite fair. He hadn’t had a girlfriend since Penelope. “What about you?”

  “Do I want a family?”

  He nodded, though he already knew the answer. It had been apparent the day she’d modeled the rebozo. He’d seen it tonight, in every interaction with the kids. She might not have what his bachelor friends called “baby fever,” but there was a lush readiness about her that he found appealing.

  “Yes, I do. By the time I’m thirty, definitely.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-six.”

  He’d known that, too. He had all of her personal information memorized.

  “I hadn’t thought about it much until last year,” she continued.

  “What happened?”

  Her expression was troubled. “This is also just between us?”

  “Of course.”

  “My sister had a miscarriage. She didn’t tell me until after she lost the baby. I don’t think she knew she was pregnant, and I doubt she stopped using.” Kari shook her head, saddened by the situation. “Tonight, with your sister’s kids, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to be an aunt.” She took a deep breath, as if staving off tears. “I’m sure I’d have enjoyed it.”

  He was caught off guard by the easy intimacy between them. Rather than disengaging, he wanted to get closer to her. Comfort her. “The best thing about nieces and nephews is that they go home when you get tired of them.”

  She laughed, seeming embarrassed by her sentimenta
l streak. “Your sister must be a great mom.”

  Adam agreed absently, his eyes drifting down her body. He should be directing the conversation toward her unfortunate criminal activities, not getting personal with her. Or picturing her naked.

  “How was your mom’s birthday, by the way? Did she like the gift?”

  He tensed at the question, lifting his gaze to her face. Her voice was a touch too bright, her posture a bit too stiff.

  Damn it. She’d caught him in a lie.

  14

  Having brought up the subject, Kari couldn’t back down.

  Adam was handsome and charming. He seemed like a loving brother and a fantastic uncle. He had a good job, a great body, and an irresistible smile. But he was still a liar. “I saw her grave, Adam.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You visited my mother’s grave?”

  And Penelope Mendes’s grave,” she said, nodding. “Did you put a rose there?”

  “Yes.”

  That admission shouldn’t have felt like a dagger through her heart, but it did. Especially since he was acting defensive rather than contrite. “Why did you say you were buying a gift for your mother at my store?”

  “Why did you say you were dating someone when I asked you out?”

  A flush rose to her cheeks. “It was a polite way to refuse you.”

  “Pretending to be a lesbian is polite?”

  “I never said that,” she hissed, keeping her voice low. “You jumped to the conclusion because you were titillated by the idea.”

  “Ah. I guess I imagined your roommate stroking your hair and saying she would kiss everything better.”

  She wanted to slap the smirk off his face. “I didn’t tell you Maria was my roommate.”

  “No, you insinuated that she was your girlfriend. And you’re goddamned right I was titillated by the idea! What man wouldn’t be?”

  “That wasn’t my intention—”

  “Right,” he said, making a scoffing sound. “Every move you’ve made toward me has been designed to titillate. From the flash of skin at the border to the quick fuck in the storeroom, you’ve used sex to distract me.”

  Kari didn’t know how to respond to that charge. In some respects she was guilty. On the other hand, it took two to tango, and she’d hardly twisted his arm. “I asked you a question. Why did you lie?”