Charmed and Dangerous Read Free Page A

out?”
    “For crying out loud, woman.” He snatched his badge from her hand. “I am who I say I am.”
    “Don’t get testy, bub. You were the one who attacked me.”
    “Excuse me?” he raised his voice and glared. “Who pulled out the pepper spray and who tried to kick me in the family jewels?”
    “You chased me down,” she protested.
    “After I asked you nicely to stop and you ignored me.”
    “Because you were a weird guy alone in the park.”
    “Weird? You’re calling me weird?” He jerked a thumb at himself.
    “Ya-huh.”
    He was studying her as intently as she was studying him, his gaze practically burning a hole through her bottom lip. What did he think of her mouth? Did he find it as interesting as she found his? Her heart was tripping a gazillion beats a minute and a bizarre sensation twisted her stomach.
    Good grief! What had come over her?
    He moistened his lips and swallowed. “You’re nuttier than your sister, you know that?”
    “My sister is not nutty,” Maddie declared defensively. Impulsive, yes. Irresponsible, well at times. Impractical, that was a given. But he had no right to call Cassie nutty.
    “She’s a frickin’ sack of cashews and tardy to boot. She was supposed to meet me here at eight o’clock and it is now . . .” He paused to glance at his watch. “Eight-twenty-five.”
    “Why were you meeting her?”
    He hesitated.
    She could see that he didn’t want to tell her any more than he had to. “Well?” she demanded.
    “Your twin was working for me. We were attempting to get the goods on an international art thief named Peyton Shriver.”
    “Get outta here.”
    “I am deadly serious.”
    “Cassie? Working for the FBI?”
    An uneasy expression that she could not decipher crossed his face. “In an unofficial capacity.”
    “What exactly does that mean?” Maddie narrowed her eyes. She didn’t like the sound of this. Not one bit.
    “Look,” he said, changing the subject and confirming her suspicion that something wasn’t on the up and up. “Have you heard from your sister this morning? I’ve tried repeatedly to call her. Do you have any idea where she’s at?”
    “How was Cassie helping you catch this art thief?” Maddie asked, switching the subject right back again. He’d have to be slicker than that if he wanted to pull the wool over her eyes.
    “Shriver had pegged Cassie as his next mark and he was courting her hot and heavy.”
    Maddie shook her head. “I’m not totally following you. If you know who and where the guy is, why don’t you just arrest him?”
    “Lack of concrete evidence. We need to catch him in the act. Plus, we suspect an influential art broker is backing his little forays and we want to nail that guy too. Your sister is helping me tighten the noose. Now where is she?”
    “Exactly how is she doing this?”
    He sighed. “You’re not going to tell me where Cassie might be until I disclose everything, are you?”
    “You got that right.”
    He growled softly and the sound was so electric it seemed to push right under her skin. Maddie forced herself not to shudder with perverse delight. What was it about this guy that simultaneously repelled yet attracted her?
    “Okay, here’s the deal.”
    Maddie could tell he begrudged having to fill her in. Well, too bad. If he wanted information from her, he’d have to pony up with some of his own.
    The wind gusted cold and she felt her nipples bead beneath her sweat top. David was staring at her chest but trying to pretend he wasn’t.
    “You wanna go sit in my car?” He gestured up the hill toward the parking lot. The breeze tousled his already spiky hair, giving him a roguish look.
    She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.
    “I promise I won’t bite.”
    Her natural cautiousness outweighed her desire for warmth. “I’m fine. Your story?”
    “I’ve been tracking Shriver for years, but he’s pretty damned slick.”
    “Slicker than you obviously.” Maddie knew she was