Читать книгу Truly, Madly, Deeply - Vicki Lewis Thompson - Страница 8

PEERING AT THE COMPUTER screen, P.I. Jennifer Madison muttered a few swear words in her native Spanish. The investigative software she’d installed was malfunctioning yet again. Finding Erica Deutchmann should have been a snap, but computer glitches were turning it into a two-day nightmare.

Then, miraculously, the program coughed up the information she’d been struggling to find.

“Ayiyi! There she is, living in Dallas!” The minute the triumphant words left her mouth, she cringed. Sure enough, the baby in the crib next to her desk woke and started to cry.

“Ah, baby Annie, your mama didn’t mean to shout.” Quickly activating the print icon on her computer screen, Jennifer rolled her chair to the crib and reached for the wailing baby as the printer began to hum.

“What happened?” Still holding a whirling automatic toothbrush, her husband Ryan charged into the home office. “Is Annie okay?”

“She’s fine.” Jennifer held Annie against her shoulder and rolled the desk chair back and forth. “But you’re getting toothpaste all over.”

Ryan glanced down at the toothbrush and shut it off. “Whoops.” He swiped at the droplets on the door. “But I heard you shout and then Annie started to cry….”

“That’s my fault.” Jennifer stood and carried the baby over to Ryan. “I got excited when I finally found Erica Deutchmann, and I scared Annie. She’s okay, now, see?” She turned so that Ryan had a view of the baby as she settled back to sleep on Jennifer’s shoulder.

And the agency was all hers now that Morales and Budnicki had both retired. She loved being in charge. She’d closed the downtown office and moved home temporarily, but now that Annie was two months old, Jennifer was looking for a new office close to home, a place where she could meet with clients a couple of days a week. With her recent software problems and the time spent office-hunting, she was way behind. No, she really couldn’t have Ryan staying at home. He needed to be out inspecting his drilling sites so she could do her job.

“I see.” Ryan’s voice softened with love. “She’s so sweet, Jen. I hate going to work. I’d rather stay home with you guys.”

“I wish you could, too.” Although to be truthful, she wondered if she’d get any work done if Ryan stayed home. They’d both waited impatiently for the doctor’s permission to have sex again, and abstinence had made them ravenous for each other. It seemed as if whenever Annie slept, they got it on.

Ryan placed a soft kiss on the baby’s head. “At least one of us can stay with Annie.”

Jennifer laughed softly. “Too bad it’s the one with the big mouth. I get involved in what I’m doing and forget she’s right there next to me. Well, I guess I’d better put her down and let you scrub the toothpaste off your shirt so you can get on with your day.” She walked slowly to the crib and eased Annie back into it.

“I could call in and say I’ll be a little later than I thought.”

Jennifer turned to discover that tenderness for the baby had been replaced by good old-fashioned lust directed at her. If she looked into his eyes for very long she’d give in to that sexual pull. Making love to Ryan Madison was one of the best things life had to offer.

Slowly she shook her head. “Now that I’ve found Erica, I need to call Dustin Ramsey right away.”

Disappointment clouded his expression. “He couldn’t wait a few hours?”

“I projected I’d have this information two days ago. Considering how influential the Ramseys are in Midland, I want to make the best impression I can.”

Ryan sighed dramatically. “Everyone told me it would happen sooner or later.”

“What?”

“My wife would get bored with the same old routine. Maybe it’s time for me to buy some sex manuals and—” The rest of his sentence was obliterated as Jennifer threw herself into his arms.

“Take me, you wild man. Take me, now.”

He grinned down at her. “What about Dustin Ramsey?”

“He can wait a few more hours.” She grabbed a fistful of Ryan’s shirt. “Did I ever tell you that the smell of toothpaste gets me hot?”