Page 69 of The Wrong Side of the Law

Emily shakes her head,tut-tuting.

“Why not make something fresh? You’re going to be home at a decent hour, for once.”

“I haven’t done grocery shopping in a while, and… I… meh. Icancook, I just never have time to.”

“You’re working yourself to deathandyou don’t eat properly,” Emily says, ticking off both points on her fingers. “It’s a wonder you’ve survived this long without someone taking care of you.”

I laugh, standing and picking up my briefcase.

“Yeah, well, I’m going to have to figure out a way to keep doing it,” I say. “I mean, unless you’re offering or something?”

Emily’s eyes go suddenly wide in shock and pink spots appear on her cheeks, and I mentally review what I just said.

“Oh, shit,” I say. “I’m sorry, that didn’t come out quite the way I’d intended.”

“No, that’s okay,” Emily says, tilting her head to the side and fixing me with a frankly appraising stare. “I think…” she begins but hesitates. She nods once her decision is made.

“Okay, fine,” she says. “I’ll do it. I’ll sign up for the evening shift of taking care of you, this time. Feed you properly, at least. What’s your address? I’ll go pick up a few things at the supermarket and then meet you there.”

“Wait, wait,” I say. “I wasn’t- I mean, I didn’t expect-”

“I know,” she answers. “Don’t worry about it. I need to get out of here too, and I don’t want to go home yet.” Emily shrugs, then grins impishly at me. “And besides, there’s a selfish motive here too. I want you at your best for going after Ferry.”

I’m pretty sure that inviting any employee into my house is a bad idea, and this one in particular.

When Emily bends at the hips to pick up something off the floor and her skirt flattens over the round curves of her ass, I’m one hundred percent sure that it’s a stupid idea.

But no matter how hard I think about it, I can’t see a way to back out of this gracefully.

Oh, hell. Just go with it.

I can’t be smart all the time, I guess.

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