Page 79 of Live a Little!

“I’m sure. Thanks for bringing mehome.”

He was gone in an instant and Cyn was alone. She still felt shaky and hollow, but part of that had to behunger.

She warmed a can of soup and forced herself to eat it, knowing she’d feel better. Then she brewed a pot of chamomile tea and poured a cup, pale as weaksunshine.

After the day she’dhad?

Crossing to the liquor cabinet she dug through dusty bottles until she found brandy that was probably older than she was. A liberal dose gave a certain body to her herbal tea and started a slow warmth spreading throughher.

Next, she dragged herself to the bathroom, noting how each and every muscle in her body ached, and drew herself a hot bath, letting the faucets run until the tub threatened to overflow. Lavender bath crystals perfumed the steam coming off the top, and with a sigh, she lowered her body into the lusciously hotwater.

Her mind drifted to Neville Percivald and she gulped her brandy-laced tea, shuddering. Hot water outside, hot liquid inside, and still she shivered. Forcing her mind away, she focused on the moment when Jake had believed she was dead. Right then, she’d been as certain he loved her as she was certain she loved him rightback.

Once this business was behind them, maybe they could start over. Have a real date or two and conduct a romance like normal people. She sighed with pleasure at the thought. She’d like to date Jake. He owed her some majorwooing.

The steaming water was beginning to relax her and she sighed deeply, inhaling the scent of lavender. Some wooing would definitely be on the menu. Mmm. Menu. Jake loved cooking. She let herself drift for a moment, fantasizing about the two of them in his kitchen, wearing nothing butaprons.

The sooner they could wrap up the Oceanic case, the quicker they could get to the wooing part. Now that they had Harrison’s secret file, it should be easy to close down the drug ring and convict Neville and his buddies. Bits of Harrison’s file swam in front of her eyes like dreamimages.

She sat up, sloshing water over the side of the tub. Jake didn’t know what she’d found. She hadn’t had a chance to tellhim.

She got out of the tub and dragged her robe over her still-wet body. After a quick, frantic search, she found her purse and dumped everything out. Yep, whoever had repacked it for her had included one of the CDs with the pensionfiles.

She had an idea. It was crazy, but it just mightwork.

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