One to Keep (One to Hold 2)

“A couple months,” she said in that voice.

“Like it here?”

“It has its moments.” Her tongue touched her bottom lip as she smiled, and her eyes moved from my face, down my chest to my waist, and then slowly up again.

Her full lips were light pink with a darker line around the edges, and I imagined them curving into the shape of an O. Her head was just a dip away from my crotch, and my pants grew tight across the fly at the thought of that warm mouth covering me… I was pretty sure we were both thinking the same thing when Derek’s voice broke through the tension.

“Nikki, I need to see you in my office.”

She blinked and stood, shaking her head as she exhaled, “What now,” but she paused at the door. The shiny gold heels she wore flexed her toned calves, and her toenails were painted the same color as her lips. “You’re online now. Let me know if you need anything else.”

I liked how she said anything. I looked forward to working late, needing her assistance, peeling that dress away… Today, however, I was only staying a few hours. I had to finish unpacking my apartment—more specifically, get the bedroom set up—if I planned on having overnight guests.

* * *

The next morning, I carried one box of supplies into my new office. It was early, and Nikki was the only one there, which suited me fine. I wanted to get to know her better.

I left the box on my desk and my blazer on the back of my chair, before going out front again. She was typing up something I couldn’t see, and she was as turned out today as she had been yesterday. Today the wrap-dress was pink, and it hugged that amazing rack perfectly. Large gold hoops dangled from her ears, and her thin brows were pulled together over baby blues.

“Mr. Alexander likes to use police codes when he enters the cases into the system,” she said as she typed. “But he never worked as a cop.”

“I’ve never worked as a cop either.”

I gave her The Smile I used to send panties flying. Her face softened with a laugh, and she held my glance a moment before returning to the computer screen.

“So you’re saying I’ll have to correct your entries, too?”

“Sounds like you think you know more than me.”

When her eyes met mine again, they held a superior look that turned me on even more. “Maybe I do.”

I was ready to test that theory in every way. Last night, I’d finished the lair, complete with 800 thread-count sheets and a brand new box of Ultra Thins. “How did you get this knowledge, Ms. Harland?”

“I worked as a dispatcher after high school and all through community college.”

That was when I caught the accent. “And where exactly did you do this dispatching?”

“Don’t pull that private dick routine on me, Mr. Knight.” Her brow arched. “I’m from Corbin, Kentucky.”

God, I loved cocky southern women. I could tell she’d be a lot of fun in the sack, and an image of me bending her over that desk, fondling those perfect tits and pounding her as she moaned for more flickered across my mind, causing a stir below my waist. “You might enjoy a little private dick routine from me.”

She laughed, not backing down. “What makes you think I don’t already have a private dick of my own?”

I was ready to find out when Derek pushed through the glass front doors, ending our banter. Again, he wore a dark suit and tie, and he only briefly assessed my casual appearance. He didn’t fool me. The collar-length hair and close beard said a military dress code wasn’t his deal. His Gucci look was clearly a personal quirk—one I had no intention of acquiring.

“Good morning, Mr. Alexander,” Nikki said, turning back to her computer. She was all business again, but Derek didn’t even respond.

He continued past us, only pausing briefly to speak to me. “Would you be able to start on the Alliance Bank case today?”

I gave Nikki a smile and a wink before following the big guy back to his office. “The hacker job?”

“They need a report by Friday if possible. Williams wants to go after the whole ring.”

I’d looked at it yesterday afternoon before I left. It was in the top banker’s box. A ring of five hackers were pulling the half-cent-add to every transaction con. It didn’t sound like much, but with the big banks, it added up fast. And took a while to detect.

“It seems pretty open and shut to me,” I said. “Friday shouldn’t be a problem.”

Derek placed the slim case he carried on his large, mahogany desk and nodded. “Good.” He opened his computer and made a few clicks. I started to go, but he stopped me. “Any interest in going to Scottsdale in a few weeks?”