Page 61 of Dare to Love Again

“What makes you think he is?” he whispered back, turning toward her so his face was next to hers. His green eyes were up close and bright, a lighter color when outside than she’d noticed in the club.

“Esme,” he prompted.

Realizing she was staring, she cleared her throat and murmured, “Right. I found a notation of payment amounts totaling $80,000 in Mr. Reinhart’s legal pad.”

He nodded, his expression not nearly as concerned as she expected it to be. “I imagine legal fees can get pretty steep. Does that strike you as an unusually large amount?”

“It’s not how much, but where they were from.” She looked around again, saw no one around, but leaned closer and curved her hand around her mouth when she replied, “A Swiss bank.”

Finn’s head jerked back, his expression entirely changed, now deadly serious. “How do you know they’re from a bank in Switzerland?”

“I Googled it. Is it normal for a U.S. attorney to get paid from foreign accounts?”

“Mmm...” This response, which she noticed he did often, usually meant he was mulling something over. “I don’t deal with this kind of thing every day, but I can do some checking.”

“I thought about going to the police, but it could be nothing.” She bit her lip for a moment, then her eyes came to his and she said with more conviction, “It probably is nothing. See, that’s why I didn’t want to say anything. I’ve got no proof of any wrongdoing, just a boss who’s acting...off.”

“Don’t do or say anything until I get back to you.”

“What are you going to do?” He was in security, not banking or law enforcement. She told him more for an opinion and to get it off her chest.

“I’ve got friends in finance, darlin’.”

“You do?” Her voice raising an octave in surprise. She flushed, afraid she’d offended him.

Finn chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve got a diverse group of friends. But these finance guys will know the laws on international transfers.”

She breathed out and nodded. “Okay, like I said, it’s probably nothing. And I wouldn’t think anything of it, really, if Gerald wasn’t acting so strange lately.” She laid her hand on his forearm, which was nicely muscular, and squeezed. “I don’t want to ruin what little time we have talking about Gerald Reinhart.”

“Me, either,” he said with a grin, and moved her down the street to a black SUV with a prime parking spot. On Wilshire. Midday! Which was a feat in itself.

He beeped the locks and opened the door for her. “Do you like hot and spicy?”

She looked at him, her gaze automatically running over his handsome face then dipping down his very impressive form. He really was a gorgeous man.

“I meant food, lass.”

Her eyes shot up to his, seeing the green orbs dancing with delight. “I know you did,” she replied in a rush. “You don’t have to worry about me. I like everything. I’m super easy.”

He laughed, spontaneous and unreserved.

“I meant easy to please,” she explained only making things worse before she choked out, “when it comes to food.”

She slid in front of him and with one foot on the running board hauled herself in while muttering, “I’ll just shut up now.”

His grin didn’t lessen when he shut the door and was still as broad when he came around and got in on his side. After starting the engine, which came with a cool blast of air, he hooked his hand behind her neck and pulled her toward him. Her ribs dug into the console, but she didn’t care, not when his mouth covered hers in a steamy, very thorough kiss. And unlike the brief one in her office, he didn’t break away until her mind was muddled, the air had evaporated from her lungs, and her pulse pounded in her ears.

“You’re delightful,a stór. Never hold back with me.”

“What does that mean? Ah-store. You said it the other night.”

“’Tis a Gaelic endearment that suits you. It means treasure, or the way I use it, my treasure.”

A warmth, triple what she’d been feeling before, invaded her chest. She blinked as his image wavered slightly. His next kiss wasn’t much more than a light brush of his lips but was as stirring as the last, and just like that one, took her breath away.

“Buckle up,” he ordered softly, not yet releasing her. “I’ll get you fed and back to work on time so the boss man can’t complain, no matter what he claimed earlier.”

When he sat back, his hand gliding along her jaw before falling away, she nodded. Then, with trembling fingers, she fumbled with her seat belt, before it clicked into place.

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