Page 101 of Deadly Revenge

“You have to ask?” Maybe he wasn’t regretting it ...

He grinned and took her in his arms. “This changes things, as I’m pretty sure you already know.”

“It does seem a little awkward.”

“Maybe this will help.” Max drew her close and gently pressedhis lips against hers. When he pulled back, he said, “That was a goodnight kiss.”

“I liked the other one better.”

“Me too, but if we’d repeated it, it would be hard to leave you.”

“You’re right. See you in the morning.”

“Sure I can’t stay?”

“Definitely not.”

With a laugh, he kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll wait until I hear the deadbolt engage,” he said.

She followed him to the back door and locked it after him.

“See you in the morning,” he called through the closed door.

Jenna leaned her head against the wood. She never thought she’d feel this way about a man again ... especially a cop.

51

After Max left, Jenna laid her keys on the island and checked all the doors and windows to make sure they were locked. Then she cleaned up the dishes, her face heating up when she thought of being in Max’s arms.

She crawled into bed, making sure her phone was on the nightstand and her service pistol beside her in bed. That should make Max happy. Her thoughts turned to him again, reliving the kiss. Heat spread through her chest at how she welcomed it.

Don’t go there.Was she even ready for this? Even if Max wasn’t like Phillip, she was pretty sure he wasn’t in the market for a wife.Wife? Where did that come from?She wasn’t in the market for a husband. She turned over to her side. Max’s kiss was her last thought before drifting off.

Jenna woke with a start. But why? She flipped over on her back and lay still, her eyelids barely cracked, listening. Light filtered in through her bedroom window from the outside flood lamp. She picked up an unfamiliar smell, then something moved. No, someone.

“I know you’re awake.”

The raspy whisper sent chills through her.Pretend to sleep and catch him off guard?She cracked her eyes open enough to see aman standing at the foot of her bed, clothed in black, his face hidden by a dark hoodie.

She shifted her gaze to the gun in his hand.

In one movement, she rolled out of bed with her gun and fired.

He jumped sideways and yelled. She’d been going for his chest, but she’d missed. He backed away from her, his gun pointed at her. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, keeping his voice at a raspy whisper.

Jenna crouched on the floor, still holding her pistol on him. They were at a stalemate. “What do you want?”

He laughed. “Just wanted to show you I can get to you anytime I want.”

Earsplitting pounding came from the front door. She jerked her head toward the door. As soon as she did, he backed out of her room and ran down the hall.

She scrambled up, but by the time she reached her door, the hallway was empty.

The back door slammed. She ran to the kitchen, and pain shot through her foot when she sprawled over the ottoman that hadn’t been there when she went to bed.

“Jenna! Let me in!”

Max. She glanced at the closed back door. There was no way she could catch her attacker now. “I’m coming!” she yelled and picked herself up and grabbed her keys before she limped to the front door.

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