Читать книгу Bodyguard - Lori Foster - Страница 9

EMILY’S MOUTH OPENED TWICE, BUT NOTHING came out. She was too stunned to think rationally, too appalled to react with any real thought. Judd dropped his arms and stepped completely into the kitchen, watching her, and by reflex alone, she started sidling toward the hall door. She had made a terrible mistake. Her instincts had been off by a long shot.

Judd’s smile was pure wickedness. “Where ya’ goin’, Emily?”

“I, ah, I just thought of something…”

Like a loud blast, his laugh erupted, filling the silence of the kitchen.

She halted, a spark of suspicion beginning to form. “What is so funny?”

“The look on your face. Did you think I had visions of taking you instead of the money?” He shook his head, and Emily felt her cheeks flame. He was still chuckling when he said, “It only makes sense that I’d be in charge—after all, that’s what you’ll be paying me for. Like I told you, a rich little lady like yourself would only draw a lot of unnecessary attention hanging around that area. You’ll have to follow my lead, and do as I tell you if you want to stay safe. And another thing, we need to figure out some reason for you being there at all. I think we’ll have to do a little acting. Your part will be easy, since you’ll just be the rich lady. That leaves me as the kept man.” He spread his arms wide. “As far as everyone will be concerned, I’m yours. There’s no other reason why a woman like you would be around a man like me, unless she was slumming. So that’s the reason we’ll use.”

She was so mortified, she wanted to die. Stiff-backed, she turned away from him and walked over to lean against the tiled counter near the sink. She heard Judd close the door, and seconds later, his hands landed on her shoulders, holding her firm.

“Don’t get all huffy now. We have things to discuss. Serious things.”

“You mean, you don’t intend to taunt me anymore? My goodness, how gracious.”

“You’ve got a real smart mouth, don’t you? No, don’t answer that. I’m sorry I teased you, but I couldn’t resist. You’re just too damn easy to fluster.” He turned her to face him, then tipped up her chin.

“Here, now, don’t go blushing again. Not that you don’t look cute when you do, but I really think we should talk.”

Emily stepped carefully away, not wanting him to know how his nearness, his touch, affected her. Even after all his taunting, she still went breathless and too warm inside when he was close. And ridiculously, it angered her when he belittled himself, claiming she could have no interest in him other than as a sex partner. The physical appeal was there, but it was more than that. Much more. He had helped her. He’d actually taken on three inebriated men to protect her, even though he wasn’t a real cop. And he was willing to help her again. She discounted the money; what she was asking could put his life at risk. He must be motivated by more than money to get involved.

But for now, she couldn’t sort it all out. Especially not with her senses still rioting at his nearness. She drew a deep breath, then let it out again. “I thought we were going to wait until morning to make any plans. It is getting rather late.”

“No, I’ve decided it can’t wait. But I won’t keep you long. Pull up a chair and get comfortable.”

Emily didn’t particularly want to get comfortable, but she also didn’t want to risk driving Judd away. For the moment, he was the best hope she had of ever finding the man who’d sold her brother the gun. She knew her limitations, and fitting in around the lower east side of Springfield was probably the biggest of them. She needed him.

As she headed for a chair, Judd caught the back of her coat, drawing her up short. “It’s warm in here. Why don’t you take this off?”

He was watching her closely again, and she couldn’t fathom his thoughts. She shrugged, then started to slip the shabby wool coat from her shoulders. Judd’s eyes went immediately to the tiny camera she wore on a strap around her neck.

“What the hell is that?”

She jumped, then lost her temper with his barking tone. “Will you please quit cursing at me!”

He seemed stunned by her outburst, but he did nod. “Answer me.”

“It’s rather obviously a camera.”

Closing his eyes and looking as though he were involved in deep prayer, Judd said, “Please tell me you weren’t taking pictures tonight.”

“No. I didn’t take any.” She lifted her chin, knowing what his reaction would be, then added, “Tonight.”

“You just had to clarify that, didn’t you, before I could really relax.” His sigh was long and drawn out, then he led her to the polished pine table sitting in the middle of her quarry-stone kitchen floor. He pulled out a chair for her, silently insisting that she sit. “So when did you take pictures?”

“I’ve been checking that area for three nights now.” She ignored his wide-eyed amazement, and his muttered cursing. “The first night, I took some shots of things that didn’t look quite right. You know, groups of men who were huddled together talking. Cars that were parked where they probably shouldn’t be. Things like that. Not that I really suspected them of anything. But I didn’t want to come home empty-handed.

“I was hoping to find something concrete tonight, so I brought the camera again. Let’s face it. If I did find out anything, I doubt the police would simply take my word for it. I mean, if they were at all concerned with that awful man who’s selling defective guns, well…they’d be doing something right now.” Judd cringed, but Emily rushed on. “If I had something on film, I’d have solid evidence. The police would have to get involved. But there wasn’t anything incriminating.”

Judd’s mouth was tight and his eyes grew more narrow with each word she spoke. “You’ve been hanging out in the lower east side for three days…rather, nights?”

“Yes.”

His palm slapped the table and he leaned forward to loom over her again, caging her in her chair. Emily slid back in her seat, stunned by his fury. And he was furious, she had no doubt of that.

“Never again, you got that!” He was so close, his breath hit her face in hot gusts. “From this day on, you don’t even think about going anywhere, especially to the lower east side, without me. Ever. You got that?”

Emily bolted upright, forcing him to move away so they wouldn’t smack noses. “You don’t give me orders, Mr. Sanders!”

“Judd, dammit,” he said, now sounding merely disgruntled. “I told you to call me Judd.”

“I hired you, Judd, not the other way around.”

He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her into her seat. His tone was lower, but no less firm. “I’m serious, Emily. You obviously don’t have the sense God gave a goose, and if you want my help on this, I insist you stay in one piece. That won’t happen if you go wandering around in areas where you shouldn’t be. It’s too dangerous. Hell, it’s a wonder you’ve survived as long as you have.”

Emily tried to calm herself, but he was so close, she couldn’t think straight. She recognized his real concern, something money couldn’t possibly buy. Satisfied that her instincts hadn’t failed her after all, she tried to reassure him. Her voice emerged as a whisper. “I have been careful, Judd. I promise. No one saw me take the pictures. But just in case, I took shots of inconsequential things, too. Like the children who were playing in the street, and the vagrant standing on the corner. If anyone saw me, they’d just think I was doing an exposé. They’d be flattered, not concerned.”

“You can’t know that.”

He, too, was easing back, as if suddenly aware of their positions. Slipping the camera off over her head, he said, “I’ll take this, in case there is anything important on the film.”

Emily started to object, even though she truly didn’t believe she had photographed anything relevant. Then she noticed where his gaze had wandered. Very briefly, his eyes lit on her mouth, then her throat. Emily could feel her pulse racing there.

Still frowning, but also looking a little confused, Judd laid the camera on the table, then caught the lapels of her coat and eased them wide. He just stood there, holding her coat open, looking at her. He didn’t move, but his look was so hot, and he was still so near she grew breathless.

She felt choked by the neck of her dress, a high-collared affair that buttoned up the front and was long enough to hang to midcalf. It was sprinkled with small, dainty blue flowers, a little outdated maybe, but she liked it. She’d long ago accepted she had no fashion sense, so she bought what pleased her, not what the designers dictated.

Judd lifted a finger, almost reluctantly, and touched the small blue bow that tied her collar at her throat. She could hear his breathing, could see his intense concentration as he watched the movement of his hand. With a slow, gentle tug, he released the bow, and the pad of his finger touched her warm skin.

Emily parted her lips to breathe. She wasn’t thinking about what he was doing or why. She was only feeling, the sensations overwhelming, swamping her senses. She surrendered to them—to Judd—without a whimper, good sense and caution lost in the need to be wanted, to share herself with another person.

Judd lifted his gaze to her face. He searched her expression for a timeless moment, his eyes hard and bright. Then abruptly, he moved away. He stalked to the door, his head down, his hands fisted on his hips.

He inhaled deeply, and Emily watched the play of muscles across his back. “I want your promise, Emily. I don’t want you to make a single move without me.”

Gruff and low, it took a second for his words to filter into her mind. They were so different from her own thoughts, so distant from the mood he’d created. She cleared her throat and tried to clear her mind. Judd still had his back to her, his arms now crossed over his chest. He sounded almost angry, and she didn’t understand him. Could he, who barely knew her, truly be so concerned for her well-being? “You’ll help me? You’re not just putting me off?”

“I’ll help. But we move when I say, and not before.”

She wished he’d look at her so she could see his face, but he didn’t. “Since I assume you know the best time to find information, I’ll wait.”

Finally, he turned to her. “This house is secure?”

“Very.”

He picked up the camera, then opened the door. “I’ve got to go. I have a few things to do yet. But I want you to promise me you’ll stay inside—no more investigating tonight.”

Nervously, Emily fingered the loose ties to her bow. She considered retying it, but decided against drawing any further attention to the silly thing. Judd glanced down at her fingers, and his expression hardened. “Promise me you’ll stay in your castle, princess. We can talk more in the morning.”

“Yes. I won’t go anywhere else tonight.” She tried to make her tone firm, but some of her fear came through in her next question. “How will I reach you tomorrow?”

Judd stood silently watching her a minute longer. “You got a pen and paper anywhere around here?”

Emily opened a drawer and pulled out a pad and pencil. Judd quickly scrawled several lines. “This is my number at the apartment, and this is the one at the bar. And just in case, here’s my address. Now, I mean it, Emily. Don’t make a move without me.”

She tried not to look too greedy when she snatched the paper out of his hand. “I promise.”

He hesitated another moment, then stepped outside, pulling the door shut behind him. Emily watched through the window as his truck drove away, wondering where he was going, but knowing she didn’t have the right to ask. Perhaps he had a lady friend waiting on him.

Of course he does, Emily, she told herself. A man like him probably has dozens of women. But they’re not ladies. He wouldn’t want a lady.

And for some reason, that thought sent a small, forbidden thrill curling through her insides.

ANGER AND FRUSTRATION were not a good combination. Judd didn’t understand himself. Or more to the point, he didn’t understand his reaction to Emily.

He’d been a hairbreadth away from kissing her. Not a sweet little peck. No, he’d wanted his tongue in her mouth, his lips covering hers, feeling her urgency. He’d wanted, dammit, to devour her completely.

And she would have loved it, he could tell that much from her racing pulse and her soft, inviting eyes. She may play the proper little Miss Priss to perfection, but she had fire. Enough to burn him if he let her.

It wasn’t the time and she wasn’t the person for him to be getting ideas about. But he’d taunted her without mercy, wanting to conquer her, to show her he was male to her female. To prove…what? That he could and would protect her? That he’d solve her problems so she could smile more? He didn’t know.

He’d had women, of course, but none that meant anything beyond physical pleasure. None that he’d wanted to claim, to brand in the most primal, basic way. He didn’t know what it was, but Emily was simply different. And she affected him differently.

That dress of hers…so feminine, so deceiving. He’d always heard other men joke about having a lady in the parlor and a wanton in the bedroom. The dress had looked innocent enough, but her eyes…

He knew, even though he wasn’t happy knowing, that Emily fit the descriptive mix of lady and wanton to a tee. It was an explosive fantasy, the thought of having a woman who would unleash her passion for just one man, that no one would ever guess unless they were with her, covering her, inside her.

Beneath her dress, he could make out the faint, delicate curve of her breasts, her narrow rib cage. She was so slight of build, but so feminine. She had the finest skin he’d ever seen, warm and smooth and pale. And loyalty. She must be damn loyal to this kid—whoever he was—to take such risks for him.

Judd’s thighs clenched and his heart raced. He hadn’t been able to resist touching her, and she hadn’t protested when he did.

She was too trusting for her own good. And he was too intuitive to be fooled by her prissy demeanor. Emily Cooper had more than her fair share of backbone, and that was almost as sexy as her eyes.

Stopping at a corner drugstore and leaving the truck at the curb, Judd got out to use the lighted pay phone. He never used the phone in his apartment to contact headquarters, in case there were prying ears. To his disgust, his hands shook as he fished a quarter out of his jeans pocket. He made the call, and then waited.

Lieutenant Howell picked up on the first ring. “Yeah?”

“Sanders here.”

“It’s about time. Where the hell have you been?”

Judd closed his eyes, not relishing the chore ahead of him. This wasn’t going to be easy. He took a deep breath, then told his boss, “We have a little problem.”

“I’m waiting.”

“I met a lady tonight.”

“Is that supposed to surprise me, Judd? Hell, you’re working as a male stripper. I imagine you meet a lot of broads every damn night.”

“Not a broad,” Judd said, the edge in his tone evident. “A lady. And she was actively looking for Donner, though she hasn’t put a name to him yet. Seems she knows a kid who had a faulty automatic blow up in his face, and she’s pegged Donner as the seller.”

There was a low whistle, then, “No kidding?”

“The kid’s alive, but from what I understand, he’s in pretty bad shape. His parents have taken him out of the country.” Then, in a drier tone, Judd added, “They’re upper-league.”

Judd expected the cursing, then the inevitable demand for details. The telling took all of three minutes, and during that time, Howell didn’t make a single sound. Judd tried to downplay his initial meeting with Emily and the fact she’d seen him perform, but there was no way to get around it completely. When Judd finished, he heard a rough rumble from Howell that could have been either a chuckle or a curse. “She could throw a wrench into the works.”

Judd chose his words very carefully. “Maybe not. I’ve been thinking about it, and it might actually strengthen my case. Being a stripper in such a sleazy joint makes me look pretty unethical. And I’ve made it known I’d do just about anything, including stripping, to make a fast buck.”

“But Donner hasn’t taken the bait yet.”

“He will.” Judd was certain of that. Donner always used available locals. That was how he worked. “It will happen. But maybe, with a classy woman hanging around to make me look all the more unscrupulous, Donner will buy in a little quicker.”

“You think he’ll figure the little lady is keeping you?”

“What else would he think? We’re hardly the perfect couple. As long as she’s informed and close enough for me to keep an eye on her, she’ll be safe. And Donner will definitely get curious. Besides, I don’t have much choice. She made it real plain she’d investigate on her own if I didn’t see fit to help her. It’s a sure bet she’d tip Donner off and send him running.”

Howell chuckled. “Sounds like you got everything nicely under control.”

No. He didn’t have his libido under control, or his protective male instincts that had him wanting to look after her despite his obligations to the job and his loyalty to Max. “I can handle things, I think. It would have been better not to have a civilian involved, but my options are limited now.”

“I could have her picked up for some trumped-up violation. That might buy you a little time to settle things without her around.”

The thought of Emily being humiliated that way, being harassed—by anyone other than himself, was unthinkable. “No. I’ll keep an eye on her. Besides, she’s so clean, she squeaks. I doubt you’d find anything. And I already tried scaring her off, but she’s sticking to her guns.”

“Determined, huh?”

Judd snorted. “I almost think she wants Donner as bad as I do. She was taking pictures. Can you imagine? I took the film. I don’t think there’s anything important on it, but I don’t want to take any chances. Not with this case.” And not with her. “So I’ll let her hang around a while, and use the situation to our advantage. In any case, she’ll probably be with me when I perform at the bar on Tuesday.”

“Keep me posted as soon as you know about the film. And in the meantime, watch your backside. Don’t go getting romantic ideas and blow this whole thing.”

“Fat chance.” He hoped he sounded convincing. “I just wanted you to know what was going on.”

“You need any backup on hand, just in case?”

“No.” Everything had gone better than he could have hoped. His performance was convincing, even superior to the other dancers’. But he didn’t intend to share all that over the phone. It was humiliating. “I don’t want to take a chance on blowing it now. I’m accepted. No one suspects me of being anything but a stripper.”

“Yeah, you fit the bill real good.”

Judd ignored that taunting comment. They’d checked the place over in minute detail before setting up the stakeout. Donner definitely used the room above the bar to make his deals and meet contacts. So it was imperative that Judd be on hand. Unfortunately, the bar was such a damn landmark, having been there for generations, the only transient positions available were the dancers’. The bartenders had been there for years and the bar’s ownership hadn’t changed hands except within the same family. If Judd wanted Donner he was stuck stripping. And he wanted Donner real bad.

“As I said, it’s a believable cover, but I hope like hell we can wrap it up soon. I don’t want to take any unnecessary chances.”

And he didn’t want Emily to get caught in the middle of his own personal war.

“Judd? Is there something you’re not telling me? Has something happened? Is it time?”

His instincts told him things would come to a head soon, but he kept that thought to himself. “Hell, it’s past time, but who knows? Something’s bound to break soon. Either a deal or my back. Those ladies can be real demanding when you’re peeling off your clothes.”

As he’d intended, his cryptic complaints lightened the mood. “You’re the perfect guy for the job. Just don’t start enjoying yourself and decide to leave us for bigger and better things.” Howell laughed, then cleared his throat. “Stay in touch, and for God’s sake, stay alert. Get the hell out if things go sour.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open.”

Judd felt a certain finality settle over him as he replaced the receiver. His superior hadn’t nixed his plans with Emily, and it was too late to call off the cover, regardless of his personal feelings. He’d be spending a lot of time in Emily’s company. And that filled him with both dread and sizzling anticipation.

HE HADN’T SLEPT a wink. The combination of worry and excitement from his vivid dreams of Emily worked to keep him tossing all night. But the knock on the apartment door sounded insistent, so he reluctantly forced himself out from under the sheet, then wrapped it around himself to cover his nudity.

“Just a damn minute!” On his way out of the room, he picked up his watch and saw it was only eight-thirty. Just dandy.

Carrying his pistol, he looked out the peephole, then cursed. He stuck the gun in a drawer, just before jerking the door open. He managed to startle Emily, who nearly dropped a large basket she was holding in both hands. “Are you one of those perverse people who rises with the sun?”

Emily didn’t look at his face. She was too busy staring at his body. Judd sighed in disgust. “I’m showing less now than I did last night, and you didn’t faint then, so please, pull it together, will ya?”

That moony-eyed look of hers was going to be the death of him. A man could take only so much.

And she was looking especially fetching this morning in some kind of light, spring dress. It was just as concealing as the one she’d worn last night, but there was no tie at her throat, only a pearl brooch that looked as if it cost a small fortune. This dress nipped in at the waist, and showed how tiny she was. He could easily span her waist with his hands. His palms tingled at the thought.

“What the hell are you doing here, Emily? It’s still early.”

“I…actually, I thought we might have breakfast. You did say we would talk this morning.”

“Eager to get started, are you?” Turning away, Judd stared toward the kitchen, then back to Emily. “I wasn’t up yet. If you want coffee, you’ll have to make it.”

Emily seemed to shake herself. “Ah, no. Actually, I thought…you know, to thank you for everything you did for me last night…taking me home and all that, well…I cooked for you.”

She ended in a shrug, and Judd realized how embarrassed she was. Or maybe she thought he’d mock her again, ridicule her for her consideration.

He raked a hand through his hair, still holding the sheet with a fist. “What have you got in there?”

He indicated the basket with a toss of his head. Emily’s smile was fleeting, and very relieved. She glanced around the room, taking in the apartment’s minimal furnishings: a couch, a small table with two chairs, a few lamps, a stereo, but no television. His bedroom sat off to the right, where the open door allowed her to see a small night table and a rumpled bed. The kitchen was merely a room divided by a small, three-foot bar.

He liked the place, even though the neighborhood was rough and the tenants noisy. It wasn’t home, but then he’d never really had a home, at least not one of his own. He’d lived with Max Henley a while, and that had seemed as close as he’d ever get to having a family. But that was before Max died. Ever since, his life had been centered on nailing Donner. Where he lived was a trivial matter.

He waited to see Emily’s reactions to the apartment, but she didn’t so much as blink. After a brief smile, she set the basket on the wobbly table, then opened it with a flourish. “Blueberry muffins, sausage links and fresh fruit.” She flashed him a quick, sweet smile. “And coffee.”

He was touched, he couldn’t help it. “I can’t believe you made me breakfast.”

“It’s not fancy, but you didn’t strike me as a man who would want escargots so early in the morning.”

He grimaced, then ended with a smile. “And you didn’t strike me as the type who would cook for a man.”

“I like to cook. My mother thinks it’s some faulty gene inherited from my ancestors. But since I’m not married, I don’t get to indulge very often.”

“What about dates? You could do some real nice entertaining in your house.”

She busied herself with setting out the food. “I don’t go out much.”

He wasn’t immune to her vulnerability. He reached out and touched her hand. “No woman has ever cooked for me before.”

She stared at him, shocked. “You’re kidding.”

Feeling a little stupid now for mentioning it, Judd shook his head. “Nope.”

“What about your mother?”

“Left when I was real little. My father raised me.”

“Oh.” Then she tilted her head. “The two of you are close?”

He laughed. “Hardly. Dad stayed drunk most of the time, and I tried to stay out of his hair, ’cause Dad could get real mean when he drank.”

“That’s awful!” She looked so outraged on his behalf, he grinned.

“It wasn’t as bad as all that, Em.”

“Of course it was. I think it sounds horrid. Did you have any brothers or sisters?”

“Nope.”

“So you were all alone?”

That was the softest, saddest voice he’d ever heard, and for some fool reason, he liked hearing it from her. “Naw. I had Max.”

“Max?”

“Yeah. See, I wasn’t all that respectable when I was younger, and Max Henley busted me trying to steal the tip he’d left for a waitress. With Max being a cop and all, I thought I’d end up in jail. But instead, he bought me lunch, chewed me out real good, then made me listen to about two hours’ worth of lectures on right and wrong and being a good man. I was only fourteen, so I can’t say I paid that much attention. When I finally got out of that restaurant, I didn’t think I’d ever go back. But I did. See, I knew Max ate his lunch there every day, so the next day, when he saw me hanging around, he invited me to join him. It became a routine, and that summer, he gave me a job keeping up his yard. After a while, Max kind of became like family to me.”

Emily was grinning now, too. “He was a father figure?”

“Father, mother, and sometimes as grumpy as an old schoolmarm. But he took good care of me. I guess you could say he was a complete ‘family figure.’” And Donner had robbed Judd of that family.

“He sounds like a wonderful man.”

“Yeah.” Judd looked away, wishing he’d never brought up the subject. “Max was the best. He’s dead now.”

“I’m sorry.”

Judd bit his upper lip, barely controlling the urge to hug her close. She had spoken so softly, with so much sincerity, her words felt like a caress. Somehow, she managed to lessen the pain he always felt whenever he thought of Max. God, he still missed him, though it had been nearly six months since Donner had killed him.

Judd nodded, then waited through an awkward silence while Emily looked around for something to do.

She went back to unloading her basket. As she opened the dishes, Judd inhaled the aromas. “Mmm. Smells good. Why don’t you get things ready while I put on some pants. Okay?”

“I’ll have the table set in a snap.” Then she grinned again. “I hope you’re hungry. I made plenty.”

Judd shook his head. She was wooing him with breakfast, a ploy as old as mankind, and he was succumbing without a struggle. If he was ever going to keep her safe, he’d have to keep his head and maintain the control. The only way to do that was to make certain some distance existed between them. He couldn’t be moved by every small gesture she made.

When he emerged from the bedroom two minutes later, Emily had everything on plates. He noticed there were two settings, so obviously she planned to eat with him. He also saw that, other than coffee mugs, she’d found only paper plates and plastic cutlery in his kitchen. But she didn’t seem put off by that fact. A tall thermos of coffee sat in the middle of the table. It smelled strong, just the way he liked it.

“This is terrific, Emily. I appreciate it.” Normally, he didn’t eat breakfast, but his stomach growled as he approached the table, and he couldn’t deny how hungry he was.

Emily poured his coffee, still smiling. “I thought we could talk while we eat. Maybe get to know each other a little better. I mean, we will be working together, and we’re practically strangers.”

He glanced up at her. “I wouldn’t say that.”

She blinked, then looked away. “How long have you been…ah…”

“Stripping?”

“Yes.” There was another bright blush on her cheeks. Judd wondered how she kept from catching fire.

“A while,” he said, keeping his answer vague.

“You…you like it?”

Good Lord. He laid down his fork and stared at her. She was the most unpredictable woman he’d ever met. Watching her eyes, he said, “Everyone should experience stripping at least once. It’s a fantasy, but most people don’t have the guts to try it.”

She sucked in her breath. The fork she had in front of her held a piece of sausage, ready to fall off. She looked guilty.

Ah. He smiled, reading her thoughts. “Admit it, Emily. You’ve thought of it, haven’t you? Imagine the men, or even one man, getting hotter with every piece of clothing you remove. Imagine his eyes staring at you, imagine him wanting you so bad he can’t stand it. But you make him wait, until you’re ready, until you’re completely…naked.”

She trembled, then put down her fork, folding her hands in her lap. Judd didn’t feel like smiling now; he felt like laying her across the table, tossing the skirt of her dress up around her shoulders and viewing all of her, naked. For him. He wanted to drive into her slim body and hear her scream his name. It angered him, the unaccountable way she could provoke his emotions, leaving him raw.

“You want to strip for me, Emily? I’ll be a willing audience, I can promise you that.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Her tone was breathless, faint. With arousal or humiliation? He slashed his hand in the air, disgusted with himself. “Eat your breakfast.”

“Judd…”

“I’m sorry, Emily. I’m not usually such a bastard. Just forget it, all right?”

She didn’t look as though she wanted to. Instead, she looked ready to launch into another round of questions and he couldn’t take it. He began eating, ignoring her, giving all his attention to his food.

He waited until she’d taken a bite of her muffin, then said, “I’ve decided if I’m going to help you, I’ll need more information.”

Emily swallowed quickly and looked at him, her eyes wide. “I told you everything.”

“No. I need the whole truth now, Emily. How you’re involved, and why. What really happened.” He took a sip of coffee, watching her over the rim of his mug. “Who’s the kid? But most of all, what does he have to do with you?”