Page 39 of The Desperate Warrior

Please don’t.“Sure,” Jules replied, just wanting him gone. He could call all he wanted, but that didn’t mean she had to answer.

“Okay. Take care.” Finally, he left.

Luke padded over and plopped down in the seat where Brock had been.

“Hallelujah,” Nikki exclaimed, throwing up her arms. “I thought he was never going to leave.”

“You and me both,” Brock muttered. He removed his arm from the back of the couch and angled to face her. “I don’t like him.”

A chortle clipped her throat. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“I don’t like him either,” Nikki launched in. “He’s a creeper.” She looked at Jules. “You know I’m right. The guy refuses to take a hint.”

Brock frowned. “And he ventured out in a storm to bring you roses, even though you’ve repeatedly told him that he doesn’t stand a chance.”

Jules raised an eyebrow. “You certainly didn’t cut him any slack.”

A faint amusement twinkled in the depths of his dark eyes. “Should I have?” He pursed his lips. “I suppose I could’ve rolled out the red carpet for Deano, but then he’d be trying to move in.” He gave her a shrewd look. “I did you a favor, and you know it.”

“You did me a favor,” she acknowledged.

He broke into a grin. “What? Are my ears deceiving me? Did Jules Sterling just give me a compliment?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

He laughed. “No chance of that happening.” A second later, he turned serious as he spoke to Luke. “We need to add Dean Powell to the list of people the PI needs to investigate.”

Jules’s eyes widened. “You’re hiring a PI?”

“Technically, Sutton hired him. He’s searching for Steve Randall. We’ll also need for him to investigate every person who could pose a possible threat. And that includes Dean Powell.”

“Really?” Jules scrunched her nose. “Dean’s annoying, but I wouldn’t peg him as dangerous.”

“People can fool you,” Luke said in the voice of one speaking from experience.

Jules shrugged. “Okay, check Dean out. I guess it can’t hurt.” Her stomach growled noisily. She touched it, embarrassed.

“We’d better get this woman some food,” Brock joked. “I’ll go and order the pizza. One supreme and one ham and pineapple.” He winked at Jules.

“Ah, I see how you are. You were acting so benevolent while Dean was here, but now the truth is revealed. You’re getting your favorite and then humoring me by also getting mine.”

“Everyone’s happy that way. See, I know how to compromise.” He threw her a boyish grin that ribboned heat through her. Why did he have to be so dang attractive on so many levels?

“We’re getting pizza?” Luke’s voice was laced with disapproval.

Nikki turned to him. “You got something against pizza, Stalker Boy?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

“Luke’s a bit of a health nut,” Brock explained.

“That’s so sad,” Nikki murmured.

Luke immediately rose to the bait. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She shook her head back and forth. “Even when you’re eating healthy, you still couldn’t keep up with me. I can run circles around you.”

He scoffed. “Oh, really? That’s not how I remember it.”

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