Page 23 of The Geek and the Sheikh

Jameel slid out and offered his hand to assist Junebug. She grasped his hand, dragging her backpack with her. The three of them stood still, listening.

“I would like to explore the outside before I examine the interior if that would be permissible, sire,” James politely inquired.

“Yes, that’s fine,” Jameel replied.

It was hard to concentrate on James and the questions about his surprising skills. Jameel's full focus was on the breathtakingly beautiful woman moving up the back steps of the house like a woodland sprite, her rainbow skirt making the light around her dance, her golden hair glowing in the moonlight. Amusement hit him at his flowery thoughts.

Who knew I was a poet?

“This is Idella’s place,” she said, walking up to the keypad lock. “Do you have the code to get in or do you need me to find it?”

“I have it,” he replied, taking the brick steps two at a time. “How did you know this place belongs to Idella?”

“Mm,” she replied with a shrug, not answering him. “How do you know Allison?”

Jameel punched in the code to the lock. “We were in college together.”

“Oh.”

He frowned at her short response. How could a single word seem to hold so much meaning? He flushed when he realized what she probably thought—and winced at the truth behind it.

He started forward when she disappeared inside. Instead of staying in the service delivery foyer, she had continued down the short hallway and into the kitchen. He shut the door and hurried after her.

“It was a long time ago,” he defended.

She walked around the island, sliding her hand along the polished marble countertop before opening the commercial size refrigerator. A disappointed sigh slipped from her before she closed the door and opened the freezer side. She pulled out several packages, read the labels, and replaced them.

“This has possibilities,” she said.

Frustration built inside Jameel as he followed her while she continued to explore the kitchen. A surprised curse burst from his lips when she ran her fingers along the edge of a pullout pantry and it opened wider to reveal a display of weapons in a hidden compartment.

“What the hell? This looks like something Tarek would have,” Jameel exclaimed.

He touched the mechanism that she had, and the cache hid itself again, the pantry appearing completely normal.

“That’s why they fit so well together. I bet Idella has stashes all over the house. It will be fun to see how many we can find.”

Jameel stared at Junebug’s back when she ducked under his arm and continued her explorations. He shook his head. He knew his new sister-in-law was more than she appeared, but this was the first time he really understood that she was waydeadlier.

“I wonder if Tarek knows about this place,” he mused.

Curious as to what the rest of the historic brownstone was like, he trailed after Junebug. After six long years of wondering and waiting, he finally had met her and he felt as tongue-tied as a pre-teen boy on his first date. He didn’t catch up to her until the third room.

“Do you do dangerous stuff like your sister?” he asked conversationally.

Junebug paused, her fingers no longer running along the desk in the library. The rich mahogany piece looked like it had never been used. Nothing marred or covered the desktop.

Jameel casually walked forward when she didn't reply. "Is this what Idella meant when she said you should check out her ruby slippers? Do the three of you do dangerous things together?"

Bugs tilted her head.

"Ruby slippers...."

Her eyes lit up.

"I haven't needed them so far. So what else do you have for me?" she murmured to herself. She continued around the desk, her expression almost predatory, and Jameel was mesmerized by the way her fingers caressed the polished surface.

He shook himself out of it. "Bugs, how deep in this are you?" he softly asked.

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