Page 55 of Deadly Revenge

“I heard that too, and I can see why. In the beginning, it was good for the most part, but I always felt my hands were tied, especially after Phillip ...” She ducked her head.

“Hey. That never should have happened.” He lifted her chin, and their gazes collided.

Her tears had deepened the blue in her eyes, and they shone like sapphires. His heart rate skyrocketed. There’d always been a spark between them, one he’d never fanned when he was her supervisor, but he was no longer in that position.

A strand of her silky black hair clung to her cheek, and he brushed it back, hooking the lock behind her ear. Her face was warm as he cupped his hand along her jaw. Maybe he didn’t have to be satisfied with just friendship.

His gaze dropped to her full lips. Desire to pull her into his arms squeezed his lungs, but he held back. He might not be her supervisor, but they had a job to do, and it didn’t include romance. Maybe when this was over ...

27

Jenna swallowed hard. Max had been about to kiss her. She didn’t know if the pounding in her chest was from disappointment or relief that he hadn’t. Or maybe she just imagined his intentions.

“This isn’t getting your horse caught.”

Gruff voice. Stiff shoulders. No, her first impression had been right. He’d almost kissed her. Jenna started to climb into the SUV and hesitated. “You really don’t have to go.”

He drew in a breath and released it. “I want to. At the precinct, you used to talk about getting a horse, and I’d like to see what you finally chose. But let’s take my truck. That way you can rest on the drive over.”

Jenna eyed him.

“It’s only a suggestion, and it’ll give me an opportunity to learn the county better—I don’t retain directions as well when I’m a passenger.”

True. “Sounds like a good deal for me. Let me grab my boots.”

“Good.”

She grabbed her riding boots and tossed them in the passenger side before she climbed into his pickup. Max jogged around to the other side, and once she changed into the boots and buckledup, he started the engine and pulled to the end of the drive. “Which way?”

“Left. We have to go through town.”

Other than Jenna giving Max directions, it was quiet in the pickup.Max wants to see Ace.The thought kept chasing itself and made her excited and nervous at the same time.

It was getting hard to fight the connection that had been arcing between them since yesterday morning.

Nuh-uh. Not going there. Besides, after what happened with Phillip, she’d promised herself she would never get involved with a cop again. A fireman maybe, but not a cop.

But Max was a great guy. Then again, Phillip had been a great guy too. Until he wasn’t. And she’d never picked up on the shady part of his character until it was too late.

“Which way?”

His question jerked Jenna from her thoughts. They were approaching a crossroads. “Turn right.”

Her phone rang, and she answered. It was her trainer, apologizing for having to cancel their lesson for tomorrow that Jenna had totally blanked on.

“No problem,” Jenna said. “See you next week.”

Max glanced at her as she disconnected.

“My trainer cancelling our lesson tomorrow. I forgot she was coming.”

“You’re serious about your riding.”

“I am. I found this trainer while I was still in Chattanooga. She’s a retired Olympian dressage trainer. But she’s not my first trainer—years ago when I was a teenager, Sam was my trainer.”

“Sam?”

“My uncle. You’ll probably meet him tomorrow at Granna’s.”

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