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Jeremy would do everything in his power to keep me safe. Hope had promised her help, as had Eve.
But had I really considered the danger I was now in?
No.
Would I have backed out because of it?
No.
RISKS AND REWARDS
AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, AS WE WERE FINISHING DINNER, the door swung open. In strode a man--no more than thirty with blond-streaked hair, a cultivated five-o'clock shadow and a shark's grin. Two assistants flanked him, each a decade or more his senior.
"Todd Simon," he said. "I know you were probably hoping to catch a flight home tomorrow, but in light of recent developments, I see grand new possibilities for this little show of ours, and I'm personally taking the helm to guide us there."
Claudia pushed back her chair. "I presume this new direction means a renegotiated contract? With a renegotiated salary?"
Simon flashed a smile. "Absolutely. My lawyers are on their way here to handle that. This show has just climbed to the top of the network's specials list, and we have you all and your amazing talents to thank for it. I intend to make every member of this team a very happy camper."
BETWEEN THE reporters, cameras, cops and Todd Simon's crew roaming the house and garden, Jeremy and I couldn't steal a moment of privacy. So I'll admit it was with no small disappointment that I realized he had every intention of sleeping on the pullout sofa.
Old-fashioned, yes, but kind of sweet. I returned to the kitchen for an aspirin after the others had retired, giving him a chance to slip upstairs with me. But the living room remained dark and silent.
At some level, this was what I expected from Jeremy. Responsible and controlled to the core. As passionate as he'd been the night before, and despite his teasing today, he'd be wrapped up in the case and presume I'd feel the same.
Damn.
I trudged upstairs. Eve was in my room, keeping watch, slung sideways over a chair by the balcony door, reading a book. A textbook, of course. I couldn't imagine Eve picking up a novel. Reading was for learning, for research, and even then only as a last resort, when there wasn't a more active way of finding out what she wanted.
I glanced at the title. Abarazzi's Complete Genealogy of Demons, Demi-Demons and Associated Subtypes.
"A little light reading?" I said.
"Catching up on some family history. Dull enough I won't get caught up in it. Not so dull that I'll fall asleep." She looked over the edge at me. "So..." She glanced behind me. "I see you didn't find the aspirin."
"Ha-ha." I kicked off my shoes and dropped onto the bed. "It's been a long day, and definitely not the time to make any--"
A rap at the balcony door. Jeremy stood there, shielding his eyes to see past the light reflecting off the glass.
"You were saying...?" Eve began.
"Scoot."
"Leave? Weren't you just saying...?"
I mouthed an obscenity. She grinned and closed her book.
"I'll be on patrol. You need me back, just shout. But something tells me you won't."
She left. Jeremy was leaning against the railing now, confident in his welcome. He looked as sexy as he had last night--hair slightly mussed, feet bare, lips curved in a smile, long fingers tapping the railing with just a touch of impatience, eager to get inside.
A spark of heat flickered. I remembered the night before, him leaning into the gap, that hunger, that desire--and the spark exploded into a flame that licked through me, burning all the hotter as I remembered what had brought him here last night. This time, there was no adrenaline intoxication to blame. He'd made his decision. He was ready to take a chance. After four years of waiting and hoping, he was here, at my door. And just seeing him was enough to make me dizzy with lust.
As I walked to the door, I realized my nipples were already hard, pressing against my shirt. I tugged it looser to hide them. I'd waited years for this, and no matter how ready I was, I was going to make this last.
I cracked open the door. "Bastard."
His brows shot up. "What did I do now?"
