Chapter 35
35
A surprising rush of tenderness for the woman in front of him had Justin wrapping his arms around her and pulling her down on his lap. Hell, they were in his office, after their shifts had ended. Weren’t they allowed to have a personal life, too? Justin just kissed her. As gently as he could.
When he pulled back, she was just looking at him. A soft expression in her eyes he had never seen before. “I’ll take you to dinner tonight, if you’re free. At the Barratt. Wear that sexy little red thing you had on the other night. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”
“But you followed her home.”
“I was drunk and angry that she’d ignored me when I asked her to dance.”
“You left me to chase her. And you were drunk. You know how I feel about drunks.” Mandy despised alcohol and all it represented. That had been one reason she’d been angry with him the last time they’d been at the Barratt. Hell, he’d just drank that night at first to piss her off.
They’d just taken it too far. He hadn’t understood why the drinking had bothered her so much until the next day when she’d thrown it out at him that her father used to drink before he’d hit her.
Justin made her a silent promise—he wasn’t going to drink around her ever again.
“I know. And…I lost my head. I don’t hold liquor well, apparently. Someone needs to keep an eye on me when I’m drinking. Maybe that should be one of your jobs?” Justin just held her on his lap.
“What are you going to do about Howard and Dr. Precious?” she finally asked, her head resting on his shoulder. And her fingers toying with the hair on his chest. Mandy liked to touch.
He just hadn’t realized she liked to cuddle, too. But he’d remember that.
This woman did something to his fucking head. No denying that now.
“I suspect she’s targeting me. Because of what happened between us before. And I haven’t seen her interrogating Hiller. His department uses just as much opioids and benzos as mine.” The words just slipped out. But it was true. Hiller had a pass, apparently. Probably because he was screwing her. Enjoying every minute of it, too.
Bastard.
“Of course she’s not. She has him wrapped around her finger. Think they’ll make it official, or are they just screwing? I’ve always wondered if he was as good in the bed as his older brother. I miss the way that guy used his hands. Other men just don’t compare.”
“Don’t piss me off, Amanda Jane. You won’t like the results.” He didn’t want to hear about that damned Gene Hiller she’d screwed for a while. He just didn’t. “As far as other men are concerned, I never want to hear about them again. Not while I’m the one you’re screwing, understand? Defy me on this and you won’t like the consequences.”
Justin stood quickly, pulling her up into his arms for a moment. He arranged her away from him, over his desk. “You will play the game the way I want. Or you’ll be punished, remember that. Meet me downstairs, baby. You won’t regret it.”
He said the words, played the game the way they had so many times before. But this time… it felt deeper than it ever had before.