important man, and this was a popular case.
There was also the small matter of if I turned this job down and Jason really was innocent, then an innocent man would be sitting in prison for the rest of his life because I was too afraid to get involved.
Could I afford to let the case that could make my company the biggest in the city slip through my fingers? The only thing I could do was put on my big-girl panties and bite the bullet, so to speak. Kelly was so going to kick me right in the rear for getting us into such a situation, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and I knew my girls would have my back no matter what decision I made.
This single case could put Jackson Investigations on the map, and I might be able to pay the light bill on time next month, which was a rare occurrence as of late. Last month I'd actually considered sending them an IOU with a pic of Kelly in a bikini as payment and hope they left the power on.
I reached into my top desk drawer, pulled out a piece of my favorite watermelon Bubblicious, and popped it into my mouth.
Some people smoked. Some drank. I chewed bubblegum.
"I'll do it," I said and nearly choked on the words as they passed my lips. "On one condition."
"You name it," he said and scooted to the edge of his seat, hope evident in his shining eyes.
"From this point on, you never lie to me. If I ask you a question for information, anything at all, you tell me the truth. No exceptions. I don't care how bad it might make you look, how scandalous it may be, or who besides you it involves—you tell me exactly what I need to know. It isn't just your butt on the line anymore, and I'll be dipped in the sewer before I let you drag me down with you."
"I swear," he answered quickly. "Thank you, Barb. You don't know how much this means to me."
"I think I might," I muttered as I stood. I already felt the weight of the world resting on my shoulders.
I circled the desk and held out my hand for a handshake before I could come to my senses and change my mind. I was more than a little surprised when Jason jumped to his feet, reached out, and pulled me into his arms in a tight embrace.
I stood still, in total shock until his scent hit me. The fragrance of his musky aftershave and the natural scent of his skin enveloped me. My inner hoochie took over, and I let myself melt into him.
I know, I know, it was a seriously bad move, but give a girl a break. My love life had been practically nonexistent for the past year, and sad to say, I'd been head over heels in love with Jason at one time…until he betrayed me.
I felt him press his lips against the top of my head.
Oh, God! Not that! Not the tender, you're so-special head kiss! Abort! Abort!
I forced myself to pull away before things got really out of hand, and I did something stupid like let my hormones take over. There was no way on Heaven or Earth I was going back down that road again. That sucker was full of potholes.
"I'll get started today and call you if I find anything."
He smiled and some of the tension visibly lifted from his body. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
"I do." I smiled and turned back to my desk, then pressed the intercom button.
"Yes?" Kelly's voice echoed in the room between us.
"Mr. King will be paying you for our services on his way out. Charge him the cheating-arrogant-fool rate."
"You got it, boss," she answered, and I could hear the grin in her voice.
Jason chuckled and shook his head as he strode to the door and grasped the knob.
"Same ol' Barb."
He grinned once more at me over his shoulder and exited my office.
I shrugged because, really, what could I say? He was right. I was the same ol' Barb, and I was happy with that.
I just hoped he wasn't the same old Jason, because if he was, he'd be sitting in big-boy jail by the end of the week, and I'd be back to not being able to pay the light bill.
CHAPTER TWO
"You agreed to do what?"
I cringed at the deadly look Kelly cast me from across
There was also the small matter of if I turned this job down and Jason really was innocent, then an innocent man would be sitting in prison for the rest of his life because I was too afraid to get involved.
Could I afford to let the case that could make my company the biggest in the city slip through my fingers? The only thing I could do was put on my big-girl panties and bite the bullet, so to speak. Kelly was so going to kick me right in the rear for getting us into such a situation, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and I knew my girls would have my back no matter what decision I made.
This single case could put Jackson Investigations on the map, and I might be able to pay the light bill on time next month, which was a rare occurrence as of late. Last month I'd actually considered sending them an IOU with a pic of Kelly in a bikini as payment and hope they left the power on.
I reached into my top desk drawer, pulled out a piece of my favorite watermelon Bubblicious, and popped it into my mouth.
Some people smoked. Some drank. I chewed bubblegum.
"I'll do it," I said and nearly choked on the words as they passed my lips. "On one condition."
"You name it," he said and scooted to the edge of his seat, hope evident in his shining eyes.
"From this point on, you never lie to me. If I ask you a question for information, anything at all, you tell me the truth. No exceptions. I don't care how bad it might make you look, how scandalous it may be, or who besides you it involves—you tell me exactly what I need to know. It isn't just your butt on the line anymore, and I'll be dipped in the sewer before I let you drag me down with you."
"I swear," he answered quickly. "Thank you, Barb. You don't know how much this means to me."
"I think I might," I muttered as I stood. I already felt the weight of the world resting on my shoulders.
I circled the desk and held out my hand for a handshake before I could come to my senses and change my mind. I was more than a little surprised when Jason jumped to his feet, reached out, and pulled me into his arms in a tight embrace.
I stood still, in total shock until his scent hit me. The fragrance of his musky aftershave and the natural scent of his skin enveloped me. My inner hoochie took over, and I let myself melt into him.
I know, I know, it was a seriously bad move, but give a girl a break. My love life had been practically nonexistent for the past year, and sad to say, I'd been head over heels in love with Jason at one time…until he betrayed me.
I felt him press his lips against the top of my head.
Oh, God! Not that! Not the tender, you're so-special head kiss! Abort! Abort!
I forced myself to pull away before things got really out of hand, and I did something stupid like let my hormones take over. There was no way on Heaven or Earth I was going back down that road again. That sucker was full of potholes.
"I'll get started today and call you if I find anything."
He smiled and some of the tension visibly lifted from his body. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
"I do." I smiled and turned back to my desk, then pressed the intercom button.
"Yes?" Kelly's voice echoed in the room between us.
"Mr. King will be paying you for our services on his way out. Charge him the cheating-arrogant-fool rate."
"You got it, boss," she answered, and I could hear the grin in her voice.
Jason chuckled and shook his head as he strode to the door and grasped the knob.
"Same ol' Barb."
He grinned once more at me over his shoulder and exited my office.
I shrugged because, really, what could I say? He was right. I was the same ol' Barb, and I was happy with that.
I just hoped he wasn't the same old Jason, because if he was, he'd be sitting in big-boy jail by the end of the week, and I'd be back to not being able to pay the light bill.
CHAPTER TWO
"You agreed to do what?"
I cringed at the deadly look Kelly cast me from across
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