"You're right," she agreed quietly, then after another moment stiffened, her expression tightening. "I just agreed with you, didn't I?" she argued. "And you know I can stay focused. I only asked about your case so I would know what you're doing."
Huxtable's voice was suddenly louder through the phone. Jake heard his name but didn't catch what was said. Angela had her phone pressed firmly against her ear, blocking his ability to hear most of what Huxtable said.
"Nothing will distract me from this case, except maybe not knowing what you're doing." She stressed every word. "Tell me about your case."
There was another brief pause as she listened to whatever her father was saying.
"We haven't discussed much yet," she explained, speaking faster now. "I'm going to bring him up to speed."
Apparently Angela decided not to argue against Jake working with her.
"I'm fine.... Yes, it's fine. Don't worry," she urged, her voice softening as she displayed her nurturing side. There wasn't a side to her that didn't make her glow and draw her sensuality closer to the surface.
"Dad," she breathed, sighing. "You know I'm going to worry more if I know you're working a case and don't want to talk to me about it." Her smile looked strained, and although she looked in Jake's direction, Angela wasn't focusing on him. He'd lost out to her father. "Yes, this is a strenuous case. You know I wouldn't argue that. It doesn't mean I'm incapable of being there for you. Why don't you want to tell me about it?"
Jake suddenly pictured his home and no one ever being able to pull off something on someone else or hold on to a secret for too long or try doing anything behind the rest of the family's back. Sometimes living with a houseful of investigators and bounty hunters was a royal pain in the ass. Jake managed not to grin when Angela's frustration became apparent.
"I'll call you later tonight before I go to bed," she said, her tone short. "I love you, too, Dad."
Angela stared at her phone, which she flipped around in her fingers, after hanging up. "Why would he not want to discuss his case with me?" she asked, still staring at her phone.
Jake wasn't sure. "You always know the cases he's working?"
"I'm the one who accepts or declines the cases he works."
There was definitely a controlling side to Angela. Even as Jake assured himself any trait like that in a woman would make him nuts, he couldn't look away when Angela looked to him for understanding.
"I can focus on this case just fine and also know the details of his case." She stood and walked away from the table. "Unless he thinks I would worry about whoever the person is who is missing," she said, snapping her fingers and marching back to the table and reaching for her phone.
"You know quite often in missing persons cases the person isn't really missing." Jake remained seated but eased his chair back enough to comfortably stretch out and cross his arms over his chest.
"Calling him back won't do any good. He'll point out I'm already not focused on plotting out my next move."
Jake had considered pointing that out and was glad she'd figured it out herself. She picked up her phone and shoved it in her back shorts pocket. "I'm headed to my room."
Jake hurried after her when she did a quick march to his hotel room door. "I thought we were brainstorming, plotting. I need to know every development and where you plan to head with what you know so far." When he grabbed her arm he swore his world shifted. Everything inside him once again hardened, creating a steel barrier he wanted to pull her behind with him. It was a protective instinct, so strong and overbearing for a moment he couldn't move.
Angela didn't say a word but stilled. It took her a moment before she lowered her attention to where he held on to her. He swore he heard her mumble under her breath, "This isn't going to work."
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing." She pulled her arm free, then rubbed where he'd touched her. "Fine. Fine," she repeated, looking more nervous than a cat cornered and fearing capture when he remained where he was, trapping her between his body and the door. "I'm sure Dad told you everything when he hired you, but I'll go over what we know and where we are right now," she began, speaking quickly.
"Why does your father think you can't stay focused on this case if you know about his?"
"I'm focused." She pinned Jake with her captivating green eyes, as if proving her fact. "Are you?" she asked, her voice dropping a notch.
If she suddenly looked so captivating intentionally, as if determined to show him up, he couldn't be certain.
"What exactly does your father know about me?" he asked, holding his ground and her gaze.
"He knows about KFA."
"How do you know? The two of you discussed bringing me on board before your dad flew out to L.A.?" he asked.
Before he finished with his question Angela was shaking her head. "I had no idea he was pulling in new backup," she stressed.
He believed her. Angela relaxed, sensing he accepted what she said as the truth. She started around him. Jake grabbed her other arm, this time tugging enough to force her closer to him.
"What have you told him about me?" Suddenly he understood. Angela had shared what had happened, or, possibly better yet, what she wished might have happened with her father after she spent the evening with Jake in Mexico.
Angela looked surprised only for a moment before her mouth straightened into a thin line and the smoldering glow in her eyes changed when she narrowed them and glared at him. "I honestly don't remember if we discussed you at all," she said coolly. "Why does it matter?"
When she tried pulling her arm free, Jake didn't tighten his grip but instead yanked hard enough to make her stumble against him.
"Because, Angela," he said, his voice turning husky when he looked down at her and breathed in the enticing scent of her shampoo, "your father is concerned about your ability to focus. I seriously doubt a detective with his solid reputation would allow his daughter to take on a case of this magnitude if he didn't believe you were incredibly qualified to do so."
Angela didn't move, nor did she try looking up at Jake. He had an eyeful of incredibly shiny, satiny black hair traveling smoothly over her slender shoulders and draping over her back to her ass. He held her arm, feeling her solid pulse thump repeatedly against his fingers. She knew where he was going with this. Jake wished he knew how she'd react once he said it.
"That leads me to think you're usually quite focused. But for some reason, right now you aren't. Would you care garnering a wage as to why that is?" He put the question out there and waited.
Angela didn't move. "My father said if he started discussing his missing persons case with me, I would lose focus here but you have no idea how focused I am right now," she finally said, her tone sharp yet soft-spoken. The amount of control she exerted at that moment dripped in every syllable out of her mouth.
Jake shouldn't push it. Where would it lead them? He was here to work a case with her, an incredibly dangerous case where many would die if he and Angela treaded just slightly in the wrong direction.
He had to know. If he didn't push her, his concentration would be shot to hell with just the wondering of what might happen. This way at least both of them would place their limitations out on the table.
"How much did you tell your father about our might in Tijuana?" he asked. This time he adjusted her stance, taking both her arms and moving her so she faced him.
"You are so arrogant. There wasn't much to tell."
Angela fought for a second when he pressed his fingers under her chin, encouraging her to tilt her head and look at him. "I'm sure KFA's reputation wouldn't be what it is if one of you were completely incompetent," she murmured, then pursed her lips together as if she would kiss him. Her green eyes were bright. She was challenging his work and his nature.
"Did you tell him how it felt dancing with me all evening?" he asked.
His reputation was sound. Obviously Angela was a control freak and she might think she could keep him in line if she knocked him down a
few notches. Jake could take orders just fine but sparring with him would result in only one thing. He had no problem showing her how competent he was.
"You're right. It wouldn't be," he said and brushed his fingertips down her cheek. "So you told your father we had a couple dances and that was it?"
Angela jerked backward, banging her backside against the door. When she instinctively moved forward, Jake captured her in his arms, pinning her against him. He ran his hand down her hair, feeling her shoulder blades stiffen when she looked up at him of her own accord.
"Why are you doing this?" she demanded, her tone not quite shrill but, along with her expression, proof her frustration grew in leaps and bounds. "I swear, Jake. You're the one who can't focus."
Jake thought she'd push against his chest, demand her freedom. He hadn't decided whether he'd give it to her or not when instead of shoving against him, she gripped his shoulders. Suddenly Angela was stretched against him, her head tilted, her long, thick lashes fluttering over her smoldering gaze. When she licked her lips, moistened, then parted them, something clicked inside him. Angela stretched further, her lashes lowering, her lips still parted, as her fingers slid up his shoulders to the sides of his head.
She drew him to her, initiating the kiss without another word. Jake lowered his head, his attention on her mouth as he slid his hands into her hair, tangling the thick, smooth strands around his fingers.
"I told him everything," Angela whispered just as Jake's mouth captured hers.
Her lips remained parted and Jake eased inside her when he kissed her. The heat that greeted him damn near made him teeter with need. It was something he'd wished he'd done a year ago and gone back and forth on over the months after parting ways with her. If he'd known what she'd tasted like that night a year ago, he might not have let her go. Now, feeling her moist, soft lips open further for him and her nimble tongue willingly swirl in a dance of lust around his, Jake understood why the attraction between the two of them had been so noticeably intense.
He gripped her hips, pulling her closer while lowering his head and feasting on her mouth. She was soft yet firm. Her breasts pressed against his chest and he ached to cup them in his hands, feel how hard her nipples were.
God damn! Ripping her clothes off her and enjoying every inch of her hot, sultry body suddenly seemed the logical next step.
Angela's fingers moved over his arms to his chest. When he guessed she might try pushing away from him, he brought one hand to the middle of her back, pressing her even closer. She arched into him, stretching her fingers over his taut skin. Her gentle touch, exploring and inquisitive, sent fire searing through his insides. Maybe it had been a while since he'd taken time to enjoy the erotic touch of a lady, but nothing any of the women he knew came close to matching how incredibly hot Angela was. And all they were doing was kissing.
She balled her hands into fists, still pressing them against his chest. Jake decided to end the kiss, allowing him the upper hand, before she gathered enough strength to push him away and claim she didn't want him. He wasn't sure he could handle her lie and was sure they would be the first words out of her mouth.
He nipped her lower lip before straightening and enjoyed her gasps as well as her lashes' fluttering open as she took a moment to focus on his face.
"I'm not going to fuck you," she whispered, her voice scratchy.
"I know," he said, and stroked the side of her head. Her hair was as smooth and silky as he had imagined and the picture of it falling down her naked body as she rode them both into explosive orgasms wasn't a vision he wanted to let go of.
"No. I don't think you do." She blinked, making no effort to back out of his arms but staring up at him as her thick, black lashes hooded her gaze. "You think I would lie and say that, blaming you for kissing me, and storm out of here. That isn't what I meant. I'm not a liar. I know you can't wait to fuck me and I admit I've been intrigued since I met you a year ago. But we're not going to have sex, Jake."
He easily could have gotten hung up on her saying she'd been intrigued since first meeting him. It was something about her relaxed expression and the way she spoke softly, as if the guard he'd ached to force her to let down was finally gone. She sighed when he ran his hand down her hair again. There was more and he wanted to hear her mind. Resting his hands on her shoulders, he held on to her gaze when she licked her lips and studied him.
"I can't be seen with you. You're a King. Mario Mandela knows who you are."
It wouldn't be the first time he'd hunted a criminal who knew too much about Jake. It was the price of his family's success. He wasn't so cocky as to not see he hadn't earned that type of reputation on his own.
"Who I am isn't going to change." Jake let go of her and walked into the middle of his suite, then crossed his arms and stared at her. "We aren't going to solve this case arguing over issues having nothing to do with Mandela."
"Which is exactly why I worry we aren't a good match to work on a case together."
"Because we want to fuck each other?" he asked softly.
She stared at him. "You're blunt, but okay. Yes. And I can't risk anything distracting me from this case."
"Do you know what the difference between a bounty hunter and a private investigator is?"
He loved her smile. It was more than just the curve of her full, moist red lips. Her entire face transformed when she grinned. Her eyes flashed, showing her amusement, and she tilted her head just a bit to the right, flashing her white teeth.
"Now you're redirecting." Her grin didn't fade. "What's the difference?" she asked.
"When a private investigator is on your tail, you know it. You see him, or her," Jake added, and watched her tongue dart over her lips. "A good PI knows how to build the trepidation, make their target sweat. That target will know in their heart the moment they slip up, they're snagged."
"And let me guess." She laughed and walked toward Jake. She tapped her finger against her cheek, more than likely trying to be serious when she obviously found him amusing. "A good bounty hunter is never seen."
She got close enough that Jake tapped her nose with his finger. "You're right, sweetheart."
Angela nodded and turned away from him. "That isn't going to cut it, Jake."
Snaking his hands around her waist, he pulled her back against him. Her smooth, round ass snuggled against him. Blood drained from his brain, making him light-headed. Jake fought the urges inside him, using more strength to control getting hard when that hot little ass of hers continued moving against him. But he would make his point, and to do so he couldn't let her see how greatly she affected him.
"It's more than not being seen, my dear," he whispered, lowering his head and breathing in the perfumed scent in her hair. It smelled like coconut, but there was a lingering aroma as well that reminded him of roses. He imagined every inch of her smelled like that and fought an overwhelming desire to do whatever it took to find out if it did.
Jake pressed his lips against the side of her neck. Angela sucked in a sharp breath, and when he nipped at her warm flesh she gasped. He wondered how strong her reserve actually was with her insistence that nothing happen between them.
"You'll think I'm gone," he continued, straightening so he wouldn't be dragging her intoxicating scent into his lungs with every breath. "No matter how hard you search for me, you won't find me. You won't see me. But believe me, the moment you're in any kind of trouble you'll feel my arms around you like they are right now, pulling you to safety."
Chapter Four
It was almost weird how a man who stood so tall, with more brawn and sex appeal than should be legal, could appear so compassionate and concerned. It was damn unnerving. If Angela didn't know better, she'd swear Jake King was worried about her. Reminding herself of what she already knew about him, of his infamous reputation as being a player, as well as her dad's advice that a man like Jake would need a very tight leash in order to obey, Angela assured herself Jake was simply being himself, playing the field
with the lady nearest him in his arms.
But there wasn't time to worry about that when her legs were suddenly as stable as wet noodles. She needed to get the hell out of there, but her body didn't want to cooperate. The most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on had his hands on her, cradling her against him as if she meant more to him than anyone else in the world. If she couldn't think clearly when standing this close to Jake she was in serious trouble. There was no way they could work together. She'd miss every available clue.
He might be trying to convince her they'd never see each other, but she knew better. When they weren't in the field they'd be brainstorming--together. She knew as well, as any good detective would that without a solid plan, carefully thought out and every angle explored, solving a case could be damn impossible to do.
Which made all of this seriously suck. She would definitely have some words for her father once she could speak to him alone. All she wanted to do was grab Jake's massive arms and push him toward his bed. Exploring every inch of his perfect body sounded better than walking out of his room.
God! She was in serious trouble.
It was imperative she get Jake out of her system. And it was terrifying that in a matter of minutes he'd put her in this state of mind. He did the same thing to her a year ago, seducing her into lowering her guard until she was babbling out all the information she could think of to help him when he didn't even know that was what she was doing. It was disgusting.
Angela took a step backward and Jake let his hands fall to his sides. When she faced him her insides were so swollen with need she could hardly think what to say. The longer she remained here, the more the need would grow. It was a craving for something she'd never had before, yet there was knowledge inside her that without any doubt it was exactly what she needed.
"I can see your hunger."
Angela blinked, realized she'd practically been drooling while staring at the well-defined bulging muscle underneath his T-shirt. She snapped her attention to his face. "Go to hell, Jake."
Bounty Hunters: 03 Stay Hungry Page 7
