Sandra Hill - [Jinx 03] Read Free Page B

to do something to himself that was anatomically impossible.
    “Nah, I’d rather do you, sweetheart.”
    She turned and stared him straight in the face. “Get lost, LeDeux.”
    “Now, now. Is that any way to treat the man who’s gonna show you a good time?” He picked up the menu of services that was sitting on the table, opened it and pointed to one particular line. “I’m really good at
that
.”
    Her face flushed. “You are such a pig.”
    “Compliments will get you everywhere, sugar.”
    “What are you doing here?”
    “The better question is, what’re you doin’ here? Oooh, is that a camera in here?” He flicked the rose brooch on her chest, and felt an odd zing where the back of his fingers touched her warm skin.
    He could tell by the look of horror on her face that she’d felt the zing, too. Or maybe it was because she realized that her hidden techie camera hadn’t been as hidden as she’d hoped.
    “Go away,” she said with a groan. “I’ve got a job here.”
    “So do I, and it’s not to dole out sexual favors. This operation is about to be busted, and we are not gonna let you jam up the works.”
    “We? Who is we? Fontaine police? State police? Feds?”
    “All of the above. You’re not gonna screw up this operation, babe.”
    “Oh, yeah, how you gonna stop me,
babe?
”
    “Just watch me.” He picked up the phone. “The lady, she wants numbers five, six, and seven. She’s too shy to tell y’all herself. Two hours. Upstairs. A rodeo, a dirty bath, and a missionary. You got her credit card number on file? Okay.”
    Celine was too busy gawking at the description of five, six, and seven to notice him standing and pulling her up with him. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, tucking her tightly to his side, he prevented her from bolting, trying his best to ignore her light floral perfume and the softness of her skin. “Let’s get outta here,” he said. “Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll show you how well I can perform.”
    She squirmed out of his hold and glared at him. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” She looked as if she might be about to belt him a good one.
    But then all hell broke loose.
    Police in SWAT uniforms rushing in all the entries and blocking all the exits. Bullhorns blaring out, “Stay where you are, people. This is a raid.” Women were screaming. Men were cursing. The band stopped dead in the middle of “Love Shack.” It was a full-blown police operation. At least fifty armed local, state, and federal law enforcement officers in the three rooms on this floor, he would estimate.
    A pigload of people were going to be arrested, including himself, since his identity had to be protected. Ms. Hot Shot Reporter was not going to be able to fast talk herself out of this mess ’til later.
    She was flashing her chest all over the place, taking pictures, he presumed, not showing off her assets. Maybe she wouldn’t be so mad at him now.
    No, that was not to be the case.
    Turning swiftly, she windmilled her arm back, then clipped him on the chin with her fist.
    “What was that for?”
    “Everything.”
    A cop he didn’t recognize was approaching, already reading them their rights, flex-cuffs dangling from his fingertips. But first John had to do something. He grabbed Celine, tugged her flush against his body, and kissed her, long and hard. He might have even used his tongue, but who knew! He was as dazed as she was when he broke off the kiss. “Which one of you is the hooker?” the amused cop asked.
    “Him,” she said.
    “Her,” he said at the same time.
    Smoke practically blew from her ears as she glowered at him. Wait ’til she found out that the mind- blowing kiss had been a ruse to allow himself the opportunity to slip off her brooch and the tiny mike inside her bra. They were now in his suit pocket.
    “
Laissez les bons temps rouler,”
he murmured as they walked off together, in custody. “Let the good times roll.”
    She gave him the finger.

Chapter