When We Touch

“But it’s wrong.” I say the words quietly, evenly. “You know it’s wrong.”

“I know a poor old man who is about to retire could lose his job. He’s sorry it happened—he knows he made a mistake. Brice did what he had to do to protect him and keep the company in business.”

My throat is tight. My stomach is tight. My shoulders are tight. Everything is right here—Tiffany is the skeleton key to the whole fucking thing. Slipping my hand into the pocket of my blazer, I fumble with my phone as she goes around behind her desk.

“I’m going to give you one minute to leave before I call the cops and have you arrested.” She sits, her nose tilted in the air as if she’s won a victory.

“Tiffany…” I step to the side, leaning closer over her desk. “Tiffany Rogers.”

“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.”

“If you only knew the truth. I hated cutting that night short. I wanted the same thing as you. I can still see you in the moonlight… you have such a beautiful body.”

“What?” Her brow furrows. “I-I’m not sure you’re allowed to say that to me.”

“Why not? It’s true. When you pulled off your dress and threw it over your head? It was pure sex. Remember that?” I grin, and she blinks down.

I don’t want her to be nervous. Switching gears, I look up to the ceiling. “What song was playing? It was that A-Ha song, ‘Take On Me,’ right?”

She leans forward and lowers her voice. “No, it was the Neutron Dance.”

“Yes!” I pretend to chuckle. “I hadn’t heard that song since I was a kid.”

“I’d never heard it before at all.” Her eyes dart around the room, blinking quickly.

“You were dancing.” I exhale a groan. “I can still see your body moving. Damn, girl.” Pulling my lip between my teeth, I raise an eyebrow. “I wanted you so bad that night.”

Her eyes darken and she leans closer, pushing out her bottom lip. “You had a shitty way of showing it. I was on my knees when you called that Lyft.”

Swallowing the tense knot in my throat, I lean closer. “That was the hardest call I’ve ever made. I wish we could go back. I dream of that blowjob you almost gave me.”

“Dream on,” her voice is cocky. “I would have blown your mind.”

“Too bad it never happened.”

“Too bad for you.”

I laugh and give her a wink. “I could kick myself for wasting that opportunity.”

She smiles and stands out of her chair, leaning closer to me. “You can make up for it now… just say the word.”

“I wish I’d touched you. Do you wish it?” I lean close, turning on full seduction. “Do you wish I’d tasted you, had you screaming my name?”

“Jack… I’ve always wanted that.”

Reaching up, I touch her lip with my thumb. “Why not just ask me?”

“I’m asking now,” she gasps.

Stepping back, I exhale loudly. “Perfect. That should do it.” Reaching in my pocket, I pull out my phone and speak into the recorder. “Thank you for clarifying, Tiffany Rogers, nothing happened between us that night.”

Tiffany’s eyes go round. “What?”

“I recorded you admitting you lied—nothing happened between us that night.”

“You can’t record me without my consent!”

“The law varies from state to state.” Looking down, I slide my finger over the face and send the file to Ian for safekeeping. “It’s permissible here, and I just sent it to Detective Ian Carney.”