Page 156 of Back in the Saddle

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One could sayI wasnotin a better mood by the time I swung into work later that morning.

I knew I wasn’t hiding it when Harlow, behind the bar shooting Diet Coke into a glass, turned to look at me, her eyes got big, and she said, “I can tell something’s wrong, but with that look on your face, I’m scared to ask what it is.”

Raye came back with some empty mugs while I explained, “Eric was called out last night in the middle of dinner because one of the cases he was working broke. He didn’t get home until late. He was wiped, and I was out, so I only saw him this morning long enough for him to tell me he’s working the surveillance room tonight, so I won’t see him until tomorrow. Oh, and he laid a hot kiss on me, leaving me wet and frustrated, before he went to work. And just FYI, I don’t have any awesome memories of sticky, delectable sex with Eric to tide me over, because we haven’tdone ityet.”

Harlow scrunched up her face in disappointment for me.

Raye grimaced.

She then said ruefully, “Just so you know, Cap was working that case with Eric so he was out until all hours too. And it happens, Jess. A lot. Probably two, three times a week. He gets home late as well.” Her gaze on me became intense. “It’s important to understand, babe, these are not nine to five guys.”

“I can tell he loves his job,” I retorted. “That’s not the issue. The issue is, I’ve gone through the top three of my four sexiest nighties, and they sawno action. I’ve got one left, then I’m down to the dregs. Sure,”—I flipped out a hand—“those dregs are top-notch. I don’t do anything but. They just aren’t my best. Now we have this situation with these abductions, and we have questions to ask and stakeouts to do, which means I don’t have time to run to the mall to find even better ones to mark the occasion.”

At this point, I realized we had an audience, so I turned to the bar to see Byron standing there.

“Do you need another dirty chai?” Harlow asked him.

“Yes. But carry on with your conversation. I can wait until you’re finished,” Byron answered.

Byron was always hyper-caffeinated, which meant hyper about always having caffeine. It was only four women discussing sexy nighties that slowed his roll with that.

Thus, I shot him a side eye.

Raye got started on his dirty chai.

Harlow took my hand and walked me away from Byron.

She kept hold of it as she said sweetly, “I think he’ll be worth the wait. And today is nearly halfway done, so tomorrow will be here before you know it.”

“I’m falling for this guy, Lolo,” I whispered.

Her eyes lit with happiness and her hand squeezed mine tight. “He’s a good guy. And he’s really into you. I love how he looks at you.”

My breath was coming funny when I asked, “How does he look at me?”

“Like you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, and he can’t believe his luck.”

What?

Really?

Eric did that?

Super gorgeous Eric, ex-FBI guy, current generally badass PI?

Wow.

“Totally how he looks at you,” Luna confirmed as she squeezed by us to punch an order into the computer.

“See?” Harlow asked. “So it’s totally going to be worth the wait.”

No man kissed that well when he didn’t fuck just as well.

Okay. I didn’t know that for certain, because I’d never been kissed anywhere near as consummately as Eric kissed me.

I was just connecting the dots.

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