Good Girls Don't (Donovan Brothers Brewery 1)

“Hell, man. I don’t know. They’re just robberies. I can’t imagine anyone would put effort into a department-wide cover-up. Think about how many people it would’ve taken.”

“Could it have been the detective on his own? Maybe a nephew or cousin was involved.”

“I could try to track down his partner, if you want.” But Ben sounded more than a little reluctant. “He’s not the one who signed the reports, though.”

Luke shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing. And thanks.”

“All right. Call me if you think of anything else.”

When he circled the bleachers, he almost ran straight into Tessa as she stepped around. “Oh, hey!” she said. “Important phone call? Big murder investigation?”

“You’re not supposed to look so hopeful.”

“Oh, sorry. Right.” But she still looked up at him with bright eyes.

“No, it’s not a big murder investigation.” He let his eyes dip. “By the way, you look…”

She flexed her biceps and posed. “Sporty?”

“No, that wasn’t what I was going to say.”

She tried on a tough look. “Kick-ass?”

Luke slowly leaned close and set his lips against her earlobe. “Please tell me you’re wearing plain white panties, because that would really complete this fantasy for me.”

Tessa yelped with laughter, then pressed a hand to her mouth. “What?”

“You look like every cute girl I ever fantasized about in my ninth-grade gym class.”

“Ooooh…” She pulled back to raise an eyebrow at him. “Well, well, well, Detective. You do have a filthy side, after all. What is it you imagined these girls doing?”

“Aw, hell, Tessa. I was in ninth grade. By the time I got to the part where I imagined a girl without panties on, it was all over.”

Grinning, she took a step closer and put her own mouth to his ear. “So you just need me to lie there and let you slide my panties down? That’s all?”

“Honestly? I’m ashamed to say that just might do it.”

“Really?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Let’s find out, then.”

Luke was wearing a Cheshire grin when he looked up. Unfortunately, his self-satisfied smile was aimed right in Jamie’s direction before Luke could wipe it from his face. He stiffened.

“Oh, God,” Tessa breathed. “Is one of my brothers standing behind me?”

“Yeah.”

“Balls,” she muttered.

Luke jumped back and pointed at her. “You did say ‘balls’ that day!”

“What?”

“Never mind,” he said before spinning her around to face Jamie. “Great game, man,” he offered feebly.

Jamie glared at him before looking at Tessa. “I’m off tomorrow. Chester’s coming in to cover me. Call me if there’s any problem with that. Or anything else.”

“Sure,” Tessa said. “I will.”

He frowned at her as if he was waiting for something else. “Or come by my place and talk if you want.”