Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 Karen Whiddon (best fiction books to read TXT) 📖

him and the room felt incredibly small. Especially since there were no windows, and mere inches between her and Stanton.

“Since when did you decide I’m on the winning side?”

Stanton’s brow rose. “I never said you weren’t. My request is that you ask yourself if this story is worth your life. Because that’s what’s at stake, Dominique. Your life. You’re uncovering insects with each rock you turn over and they’re getting uglier as you get closer to the truth.”

“You’re here to make sure I keep my life. Unless my dad told you to try to talk me out of following this lead?”

Stanton’s mouth lifted in a one-sided grin. “No, he didn’t suggest that.”

Heat made its way from her center to her cheeks, then rushed back to her sensitive parts. “Do not tell me that he said you should try to distract me in other ways.”

“It’s no secret that he was upset at our breakup.”

“How do you know that?” She’d never discussed the end of their relationship in detail with anyone but Soledad, and even her twin didn’t know the depths of her sorrow and grief over the end of her time with Stanton.

“He called me right after you told your sister we’d split.”

“Did he?” She tried to feel angry, betrayed, but it was impossible with her father. Rigo de la Vega loved his family and was incredibly protective. For all the right reasons. “Of course he did. He never questioned me on it, and this explains why. What on earth did he say to you?”

Stanton’s expression shut down. “That’s between Rigo and me.”

“You never mentioned it.”

“When could I have? You shut me out of your life the minute you walked out my apartment door.”

“I did, didn’t I?” What had she been thinking? Her mind raced for one solid reason she should have left him, his heart in his hands, that spring day. Remorse swirled in her gut, self-recrimination close on its heels. “I was rash in the moment. I thought about coming back to talk things over, but we’d said so much.” Too much.

“We’d only cracked the tip of the iceberg, Dom.” At the pet name her gaze collided with his and the latent heat between them flared. Her nipples tightened under the cashmere turtleneck and she grasped the edge of Troy’s desk. It was wrong to indulge in her attraction to Stanton in the very police department she’d complained about. Yet she couldn’t look away, nor turn away from the pull of his nearness. When his lids flickered, and she knew he saw her arousal, she did some exploration of her own and saw that he was rock-hard under his dress trousers.

“Stanton.” Funny how a name, whispered in the right octave, could betray her deepest longings.

Stanton’s reply wasn’t verbal. He reached for her and hauled her up against him, and she met him halfway. She was beyond ready for his kiss and didn’t hold back. They both knew this was a stolen moment, that Troy could walk back through that door at any moment.

It only made the kiss all the more delicious.

* * *

Stanton let his mouth plunder hers, and thrilled as she explored his. He felt every stroke of her tongue, wished to Hades and back that they were anywhere but here in his cousin’s office.

Troy’s office.

He pulled back, his lips throbbing from the sudden lack of contact with hers. As if they were one whenever they were together, kissing or not.

She stared at her hands as they rested on his chest, both of them breathing audibly. “Wow.”

“Yeah. ‘Wow.’” He placed his forehead on hers. “It’s not wrong, but it’s not right in this place.” He lifted her chin with his finger and waited for her to look at him. A man could live forever in her gaze.

“This has got to stop. We’re adults.” She offered a small smile.

“I can agree to waiting until we’re alone and in a safer space to take this any further.”

She pushed against him, took a step back. Ran her fingers through her hair. His own itched to follow suit. “You’re right. No, we can’t do this, not here.” And if she were smart, not anywhere. “Let’s get to the operations center and give them a copy of my interview.” Along with taking notes, she’d recorded it, with signed permission from Mrs. Lubinski.

“Right.” He opened the office door and checked the corridor before he stepped out. GGPD or no, he couldn’t trust anyone else to have her safety as a priority. He felt like he was coming out of his skin at the thought of a cop-gone-bad on the force. The forensics expert was one thing, and more than enough to put him on edge. “Okay, let’s go.”

They walked next to one another down the corridor. Voices reached them from a room to the left, and Dominique put her arm in front of him, forcing both of them to stop. Her eyes widened as she comprehended what he was hearing, too.

“What’s so important that you’re this upset, Chief?” Troy’s whisper carried into the hallway.

“Desiree called me and she’s positive she just saw Randall Bowe lurking in Grave Gulch Park.” Melissa wasn’t whispering but Stanton had to strain to hear her lowered voice.

“In broad daylight?” Troy’s disbelief was evident. “No way.”

“Yes, ‘way.’ He was in a blue ski cap, tight to his head, which hid his hair, and he had a fake mustache on. She said it was definitely Randall. She’s a sketch artist. If anyone can ID someone in disguise, it’s Desiree.” Melissa was convinced.

“I’ll get someone out to the park ASAP.”

Dominique looked at Stanton, her eyes wide. They had to get out of here before Melissa or Troy knew they’d overheard their exchange.

“What are you two doing out here?” Too late. Troy stared at them.

“We overheard everything, Troy. I’m going to Grave Gulch Park with you.” Dominique spoke with her usual gutsy determination.

“You had no business snooping on police business, either of you.” Troy’s voice shook. Stanton hadn’t seen him this angry since