One night of explosive passion and she’d gotten him out of her system. The added perk? She’d gotten her revenge on him too. Nothing like a good fuck—or several—to show him what he could have had in the future, but wasn’t getting.
Now, it was time to focus up and get to work. She would use him, like he was using her. He was using her for sex and she was using him to get answers to her cases. Life is about give and take. In this case, she was giving as good as she was getting.
Sex was sex. Love was love. And then there was Carrera.
Back at home, she showered. Though she didn’t want to wash off his scent, she couldn’t go to Elsa’s smelling of sex. She tugged on a shirt and shorts.
After stopping for Canadian bacon, eggs, a loaf of 12-grain bread, and a bouquet of flowers she parked in Elsa’s driveway at eight-thirty.
She keyed her way inside, called from the entryway, “Elsa, it’s Amanda May.”
Then, she heard voices coming from the kitchen. When she entered the room, Elsa was sitting at the kitchen table talking with Jazz, her granddaughter.
Jazz whipped her head in Slash’s direction and narrowed her gaze. “What’sshedoing here and how did she get in?”
“Good morning, Elsa.” Slash dropped a kiss on her cheek before offering her the flowers.
Elsa beamed at her. “This is a beautiful summer bouquet. I still have the one from last weekend. Maybe you should go back to every other week.”
“Ass kisser,” Jazz mumbled under her breath.
Elsa addressed her. “Jasmine, that’s not nice. Amanda May hasn’t done a single thing to you.”
Jazz glared at Slash. “If ruining our entire family isnothing?—”
“Enough!” Elsa barked at her. “No more, do you hear me?”
Jazz slammed her fist on the table “Why do you always take her side! She’s not even your real granddaughter!”
A stab of pain shot through Slash’s chest.
Ignoring Jazz, Slash set the groceries on the counter. “How’s French Toast with Canadian bacon?”
“That sounds delicious, dear,” Elsa replied. “Do you want my help?”
“I got this.” Slash pulled a vase from the dining room, filled it with water, and arranged the fresh flowers.
“Jasmine,” Elsa said, “I’m sorry that you lost your job, but I don’t think Carrera would fire you for no reason.”
“I swear, G-ma, it was total BS,” Jazz protested.
“Did you skip work again?” Elsa asked.
“Of course not,” Jazz replied. “I took my employees out for an appreciation lunch. I mean, what is the big deal?”
“The big deal,” Carrera said, standing in the kitchen doorway, “is that you got drunk, then you took the employees out for a spa day. That’s why you got fired.”
With a smile that made Slash’s heart sing, Carrera said, “Good morning, Slash. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
He kissed Elsa, then set a large container of strawberries on the counter next to Slash. “I worked up a hella appetite.”
After he pulled out the wooden cutting board and a sharp knife, he started cutting the ripe, red berries. Working side by side, the thunderous energy rolling off him had her heart pumping, her blood whooshing, and her insides warming.
Focus up.
She pulled out the griddle, turned on the stovetop, and cracked several eggs in a bowl.
“G-ma,” Jazz continued, “Can I borrow some money, pleeeease?”
