Pulse Points

Tanner, as a good-looking, available man, was off-limits.

“What about your opponent? I suspect as an incumbent, he’s formidable.”

“You got it,” Tanner countered, his jaws set.

For a few minutes Kasey listened and took notes on Tanner’s assessment of Butler, from his successes to his shortfalls.

“When do you think you’ll have some layouts ready?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Give me a few days. The staff will have returned, and maybe Detective Gallain will have come and gone.”

The mention of the detective’s name drew a frown from Tanner. “You won’t get rid of him that easy. Count on him being a pain in the ass. But that’s not a bad thing until Shirley’s murderer is in custody.”

Kasey rubbed her temple, then crossed her arms over her chest as if for protection. “I still can’t believe Shirley’s dead. It’s still like a bad dream.”

“I’m sure,” Tanner responded with grim under-tones. “Promise you won’t let it get you down.”

“I can’t. I have Brock and this agency to think about. They both need me.”

“And so do I. Don’t forget that.”

Kasey didn’t dare look at him for fear of what she’d see in his eyes. Even so, she was aware of him with every nerve—his big powerful body, how sharp he looked in his sports coat and slacks, the fresh smell of his cologne, the leashed passion in his every move.

“How ’bout I take you to dinner?”

Kasey jerked her head up, then licked her lips. “Uh, no, thanks. I need to get home.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but didn’t. “No problem. Maybe another time.”

“Maybe,” she said in a hesitant voice.

His eyes swept over her once again before he turned and headed to the door. “I’ll be in touch,” he tossed over his shoulder.

Sweat saturated her body and her breathing was labored.

Kasey felt her heartbeat with every bounce of her running shoes as they slammed against the rubber on the treadmill. Once she and Tanner had concluded their business, she’d been a ball of nerves and her head ached.

Consequently she’d come straight home, changed into her workout clothes and climbed on the machine. She had considered running outside, but the churning clouds had looked so dark and stormy she opted to remain inside.

This grueling exercise session was a good thing. Both her mind and body needed relief. And exercising hard was soul-cleansing.

Even so, Kasey hadn’t completely rid herself of the demons raging inside her, most of which centered around Tanner Hart. She wasn’t sorry she’d taken him on as a client. She had come to terms with that. But she was nervous from both a professional and emotional standpoint.

She dreaded working in such close quarters with him. But in order to do the job and please him, she had no choice. However, she mustn’t treat him any different than she had countless others in his stead.

Only Tanner was different. He wasn’t just any client, and she’d best remember that. She couldn’t ever let her guard down around him. Cool and clearheaded were the operative words.

He would be in constant contact. She knew he would want input on every project she worked on. Her discussion with him had proved that.

After he had left, Kasey had sagged against the desk exhausted, feeling as though she’d been caught in a whirlwind. She hadn’t remembered him being so full of energy, on such high alert. But then, she hadn’t known him all that well despite…

Kasey had tromped down on that thought and gathered her belongings. The office had lost its appeal for more reasons than one. Shirley’s absence was a dismal reminder of what had happened. And without Tanner, all the vitality seemed to have deserted the room. She no longer wanted to be there.

Without a backward glance, she had walked out and closed the door behind her.

Now, as she pulled her mind off Tanner and back on her love-hate affair with the treadmill, Kasey blinked against the sweat burning her eyes. Deciding she’d had enough, she steadily lowered the speed button and was soon walking at a slower, but still brisk pace. Sweat continued to cleanse her pores. She reached for the towel draped over the bar and mopped her face and neck.

After a hot bath Kasey lay on the chaise lounge in her bedroom, a cup of chocolate on the table beside her and a legal pad braced on her legs. She had every intention of toying with ideas for Tanner. Whatever she and the staff put together had to be their best efforts. Pleasing him on her best days would be difficult. But challenging. That was the fun part. And the scariest.

Kasey lowered her head and stared. Not only was the yellow page blank but so was her mind. Except for Tanner’s face. She blinked, but his image wouldn’t disappear nor would details of the fateful night that changed her life.

“You’re tipsy, aren’t you?”

She giggled and pulled his head down close to hers. “So are you.”

“Whoa,” he said with a chuckle against her lips, “not so tipsy that I don’t know what’s happening here. You’re about to get me in a heap of trouble with my friend and your fiancé.”

“It’s his own fault. He deserted me for an old baseball game.” She licked her lips and grinned. “And he’s the one who asked you to take me, even though I barely knew you.”

“Still—”

“You don’t find me attractive?” she asked in a petulant, but cajoling tone, running her finger back and forth across his lower lip.

He groaned, then trapped that finger and sucked on it.

“Kiss me,” she whispered, grinding her hips into his hardness.

His moist lips adhered to hers in a long, hot kiss.

“Do you know what you’re doing to me?” he gasped, pulling back and staring down at her.

“The same thing you’re doing to me, making me hot.”

Without taking his eyes off her, he yanked open her blouse and sucked on her nipples until they were wet and torrid.

“I want to touch you,” she whispered.

Without taking his glazed eyes off her, he unzipped his jeans, reached for her hand and placed it on him.

She gasped, then with wonderment began to caress the rock hard but soft skin.

“Sweet Kasey,” he rasped, jerking down her panties, then leading her to the nearest sofa in the deserted parlor where he spread her legs and entered her.

A moan from deep within her stopped him midway. He stared at her wild-eyed. “Shit, I can’t, not when you haven’t—”

“Please, don’t stop now,” she pleaded, lifting her hips.

“But I’ll hurt you.”