The Girl Next Door

“I thought you wanted us to be partners—”

Her dark eyes flashed at him. “I’m going to pay my partner for protection.”

She was really afraid. He rose to his feet, slowly uncurling his body until he towered over her. “Are you sure nothing else has happened?”

Her lips pressed together then she said, “I think he was in my apartment.”

Hell.

“My computer... At first I thought it was just some kind of glitch, but I had a tech I know take a look at it. He said my files were deliberately corrupted.”

“Maybe you got a virus—”

“I’ve got top-of-the-line virus protection software. Whatever was done to my system, it was done by a professional.”

Sydney definitely counted as a professional.

“All of the data that I’d had on that computer, all of the files on Archer and Lockwood—they were destroyed.” She lifted her chin and her gaze glinted. “It’s a good thing I had backups, because if I hadn’t, I’d be in serious trouble with my boss.”

His fingers locked around her shoulders. “You have backup files?”

For a second, she almost looked insulted. No, she did look insulted. “I’m not an amateur. This is what I do. I work these cases. I help solve the crimes that cops have to let go cold.”

Why?

“Someone was in my place,” she said again, dogged. “I know he was there.”

“How? Did your alarm go off—”

“No, but my computer...it was moved. Just a few inches, but I could tell.”

It figured she’d be that observant.

Gabrielle pulled away from him. “Look, if you won’t help me, fine. I’ll find someone else who will.” Then she marched toward the door.

He stared up at the ceiling. This was so tangled. This was so—

The door opened.

In a flash, he rushed across the room and slammed the door shut. “I’ll be your guard.”

“Partner.”

He turned her in his arms. “If that’s the way you want to play it.”

Gabrielle nodded. His body was flush against hers. Those kissable lips of hers were just inches away.

Focus.

The problem was that he was focusing, way too much on her.

“What will I owe you?”

His back teeth clenched. “My standard rate is five hundred a day.” He totally pulled that number right out of the air.

Her eyes widened.

Too high.

“But I’ll work out a deal with you,” he rushed to say, because maybe this could work. If he stayed close to her—and he was planning to stay as close as he could possibly get—then he wouldn’t have to worry about sneaking into her place again and destroying any more files. He’d be able to retrieve every bit of intel at the same time she did.

Even better, he’d be able to control the intel that she received.

“Deal?” Gabrielle whispered and she licked her lips.

His whole body stiffened. “Yeah, maybe I’ll get my name mentioned in the byline of your story.” Right. That would be the last thing he wanted.

He put his hands on either side of her head, flattening his palms against the door. He wanted her mouth beneath his. That one kiss hadn’t been nearly enough to satisfy him.

It had just made him hungry for more.

“Of course, there is one other thing you can give me,” Cooper said, aware that his voice had roughened even more than normal.

Her breath rushed out. Her hands rose to his chest even as bright flags of color stained her cheeks. “I am not—” she began angrily.

“Pie,” he cut in. “I do believe there was a promise of cherry pie on the table.” And if her cherry pie was half as good as her chocolate chip cookies had been, then he’d sure be one very lucky man.

She stopped pushing him. Her hands rested over his chest and seemed to burn right through the fabric of his T-shirt. “Oh. Right. Of course.”

He smiled at her. She was so cute.

But dangerous.

Kiss her.

Instead, he dropped his hands and stepped away from her. “When does this partnership start?”

She glanced over his shoulder at the clock on the wall. “I’m really glad you agreed to my deal.” Her head tilted. “Just how good are you at blending into the shadows?”

His lips twitched. “I get by.” If she only knew.

“Good,” Gabrielle said decisively, “because I’ve got a lead for us to follow and our partnership starts right now.”

* * *

HIS OLD FRIEND let him right inside the apartment. But then, he’d expected an easy entrance.

He’d also expected to see the haggard lines of grief on Van McAdams’s face.