“Sure. Maybe I’ll join you for a quick one.”
CHARLEY: You’re very expressive. You enjoy it when someone tells you what they want in bed, where to touch them, how to kiss you….
EJB: I do like that—how did you know?
CHARLEY: Your cards show your strong need for communication and sensuality in a relationship. You need to be with someone who can excite your mind as well as your body—with what they say, how they eat or cook, the music they appreciate.
EJB: Would you tell me where to touch you? How to kiss you?
CHARLEY: I’m a very verbal person, yes.
EJB: I get turned on by a woman telling me what she wants to do, and what she wants me to do to her.
CHARLEY: I know….
“Sheesh, EJ—pouring it on a little thick, weren’t you?”
EJ slid his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, tired from being up too late and getting in just under the wire to pour over the transcripts of his last dialogue with the suspect he was currently investigating. Not that his quickie in the shower with Jo hadn’t been worth it, but he wasn’t in the habit of being late to work because of sex. Work was first on his list, and he took it seriously.
Sarah Jessup, one of his partners on the team, was skimming over the transcript as well, looking at him in mock disgust.
“I mean, really. Do women fall for this schlock?”
He grinned, loving the Yiddish words Sarah always threw into the conversation that he’d never be able to pull off with his southern drawl. But Sarah was born and raised near New York City, and she’d spent almost a decade in Brooklyn before moving to Norfolk, Virginia, to be one of the team, so she could definitely talk the talk. Her three years living below the Mason-Dixon Line hadn’t changed her hard-edged New York attitude one bit. EJ loved it.
“They fall right into bed, darlin’. All except for you, of course.”
“Yeah, I’m immune to your flirting, thank God.”
“I didn’t really try all that hard, us working together and all.”
“Yuh-huh. You keep telling yourself that.”
“Ah, now. No need to be bitter. All this reading here is all playacting. Couldn’t blame you one bit if it makes you wonder what you missed out on.”
He grinned, watching her gorgeous blue eyes narrow—there was nothing romantic between them and never had been, but he loved teasing her about her “missed opportunity.” He’d made a pass at Sarah once, years ago, before she’d met the man she was currently engaged to, Logan Sullivan. Logan was a former cop who was currently starting his own kayak sales and service business.
EJ knew he’d been out of line propositioning Sarah in the first place, but they’d been alone, out having a few drinks after finishing a case, and they were both single and lonely. At the time, he’d just broken his engagement and wasn’t sure what was in store for him. And Sarah had been available, and he liked her. He’d figured, why not?
Sarah had put EJ in his place. She wasn’t interested in falling into bed with anyone, period, but especially not with someone at the office. Of course, six months ago Logan had come along and changed all that, seducing Sarah when they met on a vacation fling, and then becoming her ad hoc partner while solving a missing person case that had cracked open one of the largest Internet pornography operations on the east coast. Sarah was all work, all the time, even when she’d been on vacation. Logan had mellowed her a bit, but not much.
The bust had been a huge feather in Sarah’s cap professionally, but meeting Logan and putting some of her own ghosts to rest while doing so had made Sarah a happier person, in general. She was still intense, but she just was more peaceful overall, more settled. Well, settled might be overstating it.
EJ was always grateful that she hadn’t taken him up on his offer that night, though he sure enjoyed teasing her about it. They had a solid friendship and a perfect working relationship, and that was all. That was enough. In many ways, he was closer to Sarah than he was with any of the women he slept with.
Sarah quirked an eyebrow. “You’re looking a little tired this morning, EJ. Worn out. Was last night’s birthday conquest a little too athletic for you, old man?” She grinned. “Many happy returns, but the way.”
He winced, hating that she’d hit on the source of his tiredness spot-on, but aimed a no-nonsense look in her direction instead. “Thanks. When do you leave again?”
Sarah didn’t miss his sarcasm, but broke into a huge grin. The change in topic was obviously a happy one for her.
“Two weeks.”
“Damn. I thought it was sooner.”
EJ watched her shape her fingers into a gun and shoot him point-blank. He loved messing with Sarah, and he loved it that she gave as good as she got. She was a breath of fresh air, a whole different species than the well-heeled, upper-class Southern women he’d grown up with.
He glanced at his e-mail, skimming the subject lines of incoming mail that already had piled up in his inbox, realizing the room had become very quiet. He looked over and smiled more sincerely, finding her lost in thought as she gazed at the huge diamond on her left hand.
“It’s a helluva rock. Logan really wants you to have the best.”
She blushed furiously and then glared at him—if Sarah hated anything, it was being caught acting girly. She was tough as nails, a great cop, and a brilliant computer hacker. But Logan had also brought out her softer side in a big way. The glare morphed into a cheeky smile as she flitted her fingers in the air.
“It is amazing, but it’s just a ring. Having Logan is what counts. And in two weeks, I will be on an amazing honeymoon with an amazing man having amazing sex all day on our own amazing private beach.”
EJ sighed exaggeratedly. “Another one gone to the other side.”
“Yeah, just wait. Your turn is coming.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m happy just the way I am.”
She just gave him a look of doubt—or maybe it was something else. Concern? It was often annoying now that he’d discovered the wilder side of life, that all of his friends were settling down with spouses and babies. And the more that happened, the more they believed it should happen to him, too.
Maybe someday he would find someone special. Fill his empty family home and grow old with grandchildren on his knee. There would be a time when the singles life wouldn’t appeal quite as much, and he didn’t want to get old alone. But that time wasn’t now.
Shaking his head, he silently thanked the heavens when their boss—and his old friend—Ian Chandler walked into the office, putting an end to the discussion and turning matters to business. Ian was a few minutes late, and looking even more exhausted than EJ, but that was bound to happen when his wife was expecting twins at any moment.
Ian had met his wife, Sage, at the same time the HotWires team had been forming. It had been a bumpy courtship to say the least, but all was well that ended well. EJ thought the world of them both, and was happy to be included in their little family by being asked to be future godfather to the babies. For EJ, it was the best of all possible worlds—he got to enjoy things like babies and friends, weddings and family, but he also had his independence.
“Morning, folks.”
“Hey, Daddy. How’re my goddaughters?”
EJ watched pride replace the exhaustion as Ian sat down to start their meeting.
“Ready to come out and driving their mama crazy already, kicking and keeping her up at night. Sage is big as a house, and still trying