Page 20 of Wine and Research
“You have to admit, it was out of character for you to remove yourself from the action and encourage me to do my job without you around to observe.”
Now she was the one clenching her teeth, and she had to force herself to calm down. That was when she realized he was speaking the truth.
“You’re right. It was out of character.” She exhaled. “I just didn’t want to see you suppressing the cop in you to keep me out of harm’s way anymore. I felt bad. I wanted you to do what you wanted to do. Next time, my butt will remain in the seat, and you can decide your own fate.”
As soon as the words left her lips, Elle sucked in a breath then released it, along with all the fight in her. “Look, I don’t think I need to apologize but I will if it means we can drop this conversation and I can go home.”
Home…
Since when was the cabin her home?
She stared into an amazing set of impassive blue eyes and her heart squeezed.
Why? She had no freaking idea.
The irony of her situation kind of hit her funny bone.
When she’d first stumbled upon this beautiful town, Elle’s heart told her this was the right setting for her series. Then she’d met the officer she was supposed to shadow, and Elle knew without a doubt that fate had sent her here, because the name of the officer who’d died trying to save her brother’s life, twenty-five years ago, was also Officer Mercer.
Well, actually, it had been Officer Martin, but his partner, Officer Mercer had also died. And since there were only about thirty-four thousand people with that surname, she took it as a sign that she was meant to write her series with his help.
Now, she was beginning to doubt it. Big time.
“No, you don’t need to apologize, Ms. Hudson. I do,” he proclaimed, stunning her silent. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I just needed clarification of your actions.”
She cleared her unreasonably dry throat. “I get it. And I can assure you that my actions toward you have always been honorable.”
Her thoughts? Not so much.
Especially when he showed up naked in her dreams.
“Is that right?” His lips twitched and gaze heated, and that was when Elle realized she’d just spoken all of it out loud.
Freakin’ seriously?
When dealing with Jeremy, she needed to be firing on all cylinders, and that wasn’t the case at the moment. Dammit. It took all of Elle’s concentration to keep her body’s reaction to him under control.
It was ridiculous, really.
He was analytical. Rigid. Saw things in black and white, while she was a dreamer who saw many colors. They didn’t mesh.
He raised a brow and continued to stare at her with heated interest. “Afraid to admit it?”
No. Yes.
She shrugged. “You live in a world of facts and evidence, while I live in a world of emotions and dreaming. We clash.”
Elle’s body didn’t care about logic, though. Her pulse was erratic, and her nipples were beading behind the lace of her bra. It was stupid and interesting and exhilarating. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, but then, she’d never met anyone like Jeremy before, either. He was the most manly, vigorous, alpha male she’d ever met. Sex together would be spectacular, and combustible. High-octane.
But that wasn’t why she was in the Poconos.
“You still didn’t answer my question.”
“What’s the point? It’s not like you’d do anything about it, anyway,” she stated with a lift of her chin.
The heat in his gaze intensified, and he moved closer.
She really needed to stop poking the bear.
