Simply Sinful (Simply 1)

Because in his mind, the case had been closed long before he slept with her. He knew she wasn’t a prostitute, knew she had no knowledge of any ring that might exist.

He’d wanted to find distance from his feelings for Kayla Luck and from the horrified look on her face, he’d accomplished his goal.

Chapter Four

Kayla shrugged her jacket on and stared at the money on the bed in disbelief. “Payment.” She forced the words from her dry throat.

Things had been unbelievable, or so she’d thought. Special, sensual, incredible, fun—she couldn’t come up with enough adjectives to describe how being with Kane had felt. Because he was leaving, she’d decided to slip out before he awoke. No goodbyes, nor forced smiles. No questions, like will I see you again? She’d been foolish enough to hope he’d look her up again on his own, no prompting.

She turned toward the bed. The money marred the mattress where she’d come close to falling hard. For a stranger. Her stomach cramped, and she was reminded of another morning after. It’s been real

, Kayla. Catch you around sometime. Different man, another notch in some guy’s bedpost. Kane had just been so much better at seducing her into denial before slapping her with reality. Men didn’t want anything real with Kayla Luck. They never had, never would.

She squared her shoulders and forced a brave front. She refused to let him know how deeply he’d wounded her. “You’re right, we never agreed on payment.”

Unable to look into those dark eyes, she kept her gaze trained on a point behind him. “I said we’d see how things went…and…” The green bills caught her eye, mocking the instincts she’d trusted as well as her attempt at composure.

She paused, wanting to slam him, wanting to say last night hadn’t been good enough to accept payment in return. But that wasn’t her nature; though Catherine might have had a choice word or two for a man who’d crossed her, Kayla was different. She bent and grabbed her bag. Perhaps she no longer trusted her judgment in men, but she respected herself enough to be strong until she walked out that door. No man had the right to treat her like a prostitute.

Straightening, she met Kane’s unreadable gaze. “Know what, McDermott? You and your payment can go to hell.” She didn’t know him well, but she’d learned enough last night to catch a flicker of emotion in his eyes now.

Relief mixed with regret? She shook her head, realizing she’d been searching for something to hold on to despite his blatant insult. Apparently, she harbored unhealthy illusions. For all his suave charm, Kane McDermott was no better than the rest.

Gathering her pride and her jacket, she ran for the door.

Kane didn’t try to stop her.

* * *

“No cash exchanged hands last night. Unless you can claim success, McDermott, I’d say case closed.” Reid approached Kane from behind.

Kane eased back in his chair and forced himself to turn and look his superior in the eye. “She’s clean, boss.”

“Damn.” Captain Reid crumpled a sheet of paper and slammed it into the trash. “Waste of manpower,” the older man grumbled.

“Seems like,” Kane agreed.

“Our informant could be blowing smoke, playing both sides for cash…but the teasers he gave us sounded legit. I really believed some of our politicians were frequenting that place on the down low.” The captain paced the short length of Kane’s desk and back again before coming to a halt. “Any chance things happened before Ms. Luck took over?”

Kane shook his head. “Doesn’t seem possible. Not without her knowing. She was around during the aunt and uncle’s days; she helped them out once in a while with classes and handled the books. Now she’s running the place herself. If there was anything going on then or now, she’d know.”

“Any chance she was tipped off, then turned those lovely charms your way?”

“Hell, no.”

“Yeah? Then any chance she got to you last night?” Reid pushed on.

Kane raised an eyebrow. “You mean conned me? Also no. She’s innocent. I’d bet my badge.”

“Really.” The captain smirked before settling himself on the edge of the metal desk. “Now that’s a first.”

“What is? I always trust my instincts,” Kane said.

“But you never put that faith in another human being, especially a lady.” Reid gave him a pointed look. “Until now.” Standing up, he headed for his office.

Direct hit, Kane thought. He couldn’t avoid the truth any longer. Couldn’t avoid thinking, either, though that was what he’d tried to do since Kayla’s abrupt departure this morning.

The captain was right. He had put his faith in her, and he’d let down his guard. For one ridiculous moment, he caught a glimpse of a different life than the solitary one he led. He’d been alone so long without a true connection to another person but Kayla had shown him there was more than eating, sleeping, and working. She’d made him feel alive and, foolishly, he’d wanted more. Not that he could have accepted it, considering he was incapable of offering anything substantial in return.