Page 65 of Live a Little!

“All right. I’m so sorry I ruined yourevening.”

“Not at all,” he said politely, as he called for thebill.

During the limo ride back to her house, she apologized again. “You didn’t even get anydinner.”

“That’s all right. I’ll stop off on my way home for a little nibble. I’ll have to take you there sometime. I think a girl of your appetites, might find itinvigorating.”

Appetites? What did he mean?Drugs?If she could find out more about his illicit drug hangouts, that could be a big help in cracking thiscase.

“What sort of appetites?” she asked softly, trying to look eager, even though Neville was sitting so close to her she feltclaustrophobic.

“Shall I tell you?” The pale blue eyes held a peculiar light. “Sometimes people go there when they’ve been very, very naughty.” He traced a finger along her shoulder. “Are you ever naughty, Cynthia? So naughty you have to bespanked?”

“Is that what they do at this club? Spank people?” she asked faintly. There’d been something along those lines in “Erotically Advanced, and all those books with the word Shades in the title,” but those red cheeks in the pictures had looked uncomfortable rather thanerotic.

“That’s for beginners.”Beginners?She crossed her legs and edged closer to the door. “For the more sophisticated, there are certain refinements. There are special rooms where we play games. Intimate games. I’d love to take you there.” His voice was gettinghusky.

IF SHE’DHAD ANY DOUBTS about whether Jake really would break into her house, they were put to rest as the limo turned onto her street. The blaring noise of the alarm put her teeth on edge. As the limo drove along, all the curtains on her block looked as if they had Tourette’ssyndrome.

A squad car sat outside her house, its lights flashing. Jake, naturally, had his head stuck in the window, talking to thedriver.

“Well, here I am. Home,” she said brightly, reaching for the doorhandle.

Neville grabbed her and plastered his wet, fishy lips to hers. She opened her mouth to cry out with shock and disgust, and he stuffed his tongue in her mouth. She grabbed his shoulders to shove him off her, wedged her knee between his to try and flatten his familyjewels.

The door swung open and she stared up into Jake’s rigidface.

With a mighty shove against Neville’s shoulders, she managed to break the suction cup hold he had on her as she dragged herself out of thelimo.

Completely disgusted with every human being ever born with a penis, she stalked past the squad car, unlocked her door and disabled the alarm. In the sudden silence, she heard the echo of the shrill siren. Her neighbors would be complaining for weeks—just another grudge she could hold against her newest, and most loathsome,neighbor.

A uniformed officer appeared at her side. “I did a walk around the outside, ma’am, and it looks like you left an upstairs window open. A breeze probably set off asensor.”

She knew perfectly well there hadn’t been an open window upstairs when she left the house, but she thanked himanyway.

“Don’t thank me. You’ll be getting a bill. We had to start charging for falsealarms.”

Behind the young officer’s shoulder, she saw Jake shrug his shoulders infinitesimally. She hoped he’d be as blasé when she presented him with the bill. Still, she was relieved he’d made it look like her carelessness had set off the alarm, rather than letting her geriatric neighbors worry about a B and E in their safeneighborhood.

“I’ll walk through the interior of the house with you, ma’am, just to make sure everything’s allright.”

“Thank you, Officer.” She turned to Neville, who had joined the throng on her doorstep. “I’m so sorry, Neville.” She extended her hand and he had no choice but to shake it. “I’ll see you at the officeMonday.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to come in with you? You can’t be toocareful.”

“Perfectly sure. Thank you again. I’m sorry our evening was spoiled.” She refused to look in Jake’sdirection.

And surprise, surprise. No burglars lay in wait in her home. Nothing had been stolen, broken or otherwise disturbed except her upstairs window and her temper. The latter wasshredded.

She wasn’t a bit surprised that Jake tagged along on the house tour, or that the young officer accepted him as though he had every right to bethere.

Jake seemed to be in as towering a temper as she was herself. Which just made hermadder.

They waited until the nice young officer left, apologizing that he’d have to send a bill, then she slammed thedoor.

Her finger was raised and her mouth was open to start shouting when she turned and found Jake in the identicalposture.

“You’re off thecase.”

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