Page 24 of Loving a Billionaire

The clock on her car’s radio read 11:30 pm. He cursed under his breath. She’d been with the perp for four and a half hours?

“Let’s get one thing clear,” she said with an edge to her voice. “When you’re in my ear, you need to stop trying to carry on a conversation with me.” She finally turned her head to look at him. Her gaze pierced right through him. “Your main purpose is to take notes. I’m assuming you were recording it, right?”

“Yes. I was recording it.”

She released a heavy breath and her shoulders relaxed. “Kurt, do you realize how hard it is to carry on a conversation with someone when someone else is in your ear trying to talk, as well?” She shook her head. “It’s hard to focus. It’s hard to think, and I really needed to think of what to say to Austin without blowing my cover. We still don’t know if he has an alibi for Sunday morning.”

He toyed with the gearshift on the console between the bucket seats. His head swam from the alcohol he’d consumed tonight. How many bottles of beer had it been? Two? Four? In four and a half hours, it could have been much more than that. The sports station on the TV inside the bar, and the popcorn, just hadn’t satisfied him.

“So what happened after the arm wrestle?” He raised his gaze to her. “Your voices were muffled, and I couldn’t hear what you were saying. The only thing I heard,” his voice turned harsh, “was when you two laughed.”

He studied her face, and when crimson spread across her face, he fisted his hands. They had kissed! She didn’t have to tell him. Her expression said it all.

“I’m sorry for losing my earpiece. While we were arm wrestling, Austin started tickling me, and well, I fell to the floor. That’s when my earpiece fell out. I quickly grabbed it before he noticed. I didn’t dare place it back in my ear and risk him seeing, so I stuffed it in my pants pocket.”

He nodded. “I figured as much.” Leaning closer to her, he took her hand. “But now you have to understand something. We are partners. We are in this together. We are supposed to watch each other’s backs, so if you don’t let me in your ear, what good am I going to be?”

She sighed. “Kurt, all I’m asking is that you not try to carry on a conversation with me while I’m trying to talk to someone else. I get distracted so easily, and I can’t think of what I’m going to say.”

He glanced down at her hand, so very delicate and soft. He stroked his thumb across her knuckles. Would the rest of her arm feel this soft? When she slowly pulled away from him, his chest clenched. It was because of Reeder, he just knew it.

“I better go,” he said, turning toward the door.

She grabbed his arm. “You’re not going anywhere, Hamill.”

Hope sprang inside of him, and he swung his head toward her. But her expression wasn’t exactly a pleasant one. She appeared stern. Even her grasp was a little tight. “I’m not?”

“No. You’re drunk, so I’m taking you home.” Her face relaxed slightly. “After all, I got your back, remember?”

Chuckling, he rested against the seat and nodded. “Then take me home, partner.”

They didn’t talk much on the way to his apartment. Her radio was playing classic rock, but for some reason, it calmed him. He preferred country music, but it was enjoyable watching Talia drive and sing along with the artists. A few times, she tried to be funny on purpose, and he laughed.

Seeing her this way made him realize she was different on the job. She was more serious and focused. Off duty, she was laid back and easy going. And yes, even silly. His heart couldn’t help but squeeze tighter with longing. Why was he allowing his emotions to come forth now when he’d kept them in check for a year? Was it because of his jealousy for Reeder?

No matter what, he needed to find evidence that proved Reeder was the murderer. That was the only way to bring Talia back to him where she belonged.

Finally, she pulled in front of his apartment building and put the car in park. She smiled at him – a smile that had always softened his heart.

“Do I need to walk you to your apartment? Or can you do that yourself?”

“I think I can handle it.” He took her hand again. “Thanks for caring enough to want to see me home safe.”

“Kurt, I just can’t believe you were drinking while on the job. That’s not like you at all.”

“Yah, I know.”

“So why were you? You’ve hung out in bars before working undercover, and you’ve never drank. So why now?”

He shrugged. “Maybe it was because I was bored with watching the sports station that was on the TV. Or maybe it was because I was tired of hearing the waitress flirt with the bartender. Then again, I think it was because,” he sat up and leaned toward her, “I was tired of hearing my partner play kissy-face with the perp.”

She scolded. “Kurt Hamill! I did not play kissy-face with Austin. I’ll admit, he did try to kiss me after dinner, but once I started arm wrestling with him, that moment passed.”

“Don’t tell me he didn’t try to kiss you goodnight before you left.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Even if he did, it’s none of your business.”

“I think differently, Russell.” He leaned a little closer. “I’m your partner, and you’re a police detective. Kissing a perp is wrong on so many different levels, and you know it.”