“Then it’s settled.”
“Deal.” He holds out his hand, and we shake on it.
After dinner, I try to shoo James out of the kitchen and tell him to go relax before he has to head out to work. Of course, he refuses.
“I don’t need you to help me with the dishes. I have this nifty new invention called a dishwasher. Watch this.” I wave a dramatic arm and place two dishes on the rack. “All I have to do is press a button, and thenvoilà! It cleans them for me.”
He rolls his eyes. “Smart-ass.”
I bend over to place the pan in next, and when I turn back around, James’s eyes are zeroed in on my ass.
I plant my hand on my hip. “Can I help you, sir?”
He hikes a nonchalant shoulder. “Figured it’s only fair since you have a picture ofmyass in your phone.”
My throat goes dry, and all the bravado I just had left my body. “W-what?”
“I’m a cop. I see everything.”
Busted.
My cheeks burn, and I try to come up with any plausible excuse but my mouth just flaps open and closed.
He steps closer to me. “Tell me, Phoenix, who did you send that picture to? Or is it for your own personal use?”
I scoff. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
He lowers his voice and dips his head as he whispers in my ear. “Only if it’s the latter.”
My eyes widen, and goose bumps fly across my skin.
A smirk twists his luscious lips before James walks out and leaves me dumbfounded in the kitchen.
12
James
“So,you’re cooking for her and repairing her house, but you’re not getting laid?”
I shoot Phil a look from the driver’s seat. “It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like? Come on, man. Tell me.” He crumbles his sandwich wrapper and tosses it onto the floor of the car. “Because I can’t figure out why you’re doing all this shit for her, and she’s not giving you anything in return.”
“First of all, you don’t do things for people just to get something in return. Second, she’s helping with Leo. He’s been clean for a couple of weeks now, and I think she’s part of that reason.”
“You sure she’s not into him?”
I shake my head. “She’s not.”
“Are you sure she’s intoyou?”
“I don’t know.”
“Dude, you know when a girl is into you. It’s not that hard to read the signs.”
“I caught her checking out my ass the other day. Does that count?”
Phil laughs. “Can’t say I blame the girl. Your ass is top notch.”