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Scarlet sank into a chair in front of Jewel’s glass-topped desk. She was a striking blonde with sapphire eyes and a never-ending infectious smile. That likely had something to do with her living arrangement with both Rogen and Vin.
“I’m fantastically okay,” Scarlet assured her. “As you know, stellar orgasms will do that to a girl.”
Jewel’s eyes widened. “Oooh, do tell.”
“The stepbrother is just as irresistible as the real estate tycoon.” Scarlet beamed. “And by irresistible I mean holy Mary mother of God. They are both so amazingly gorgeous, but it’s more than that.… I can’t even explain the attraction—it’s not just physical. There are so many facets to Michael and I’m dying to find out who that man really is. And with Sam … Good Lord. He’s the complete package, but so very, very damaged.”
Jewel’s brow knitted. “That could prove dangerous, emotionally. For a girl like you…”
“Yes, I know,” she admitted. “Believe me, I had time to give this its due consideration as I passed state border after state border. But the chemistry was much too overwhelming not to cave to it. Oh, and from what I’ve learned of Sam’s alibi, these men are quite familiar with pleasing one woman at the same time.” She mockingly gawked. “How enticing is that?”
Jewel’s jaw dropped. “You’ve been here for five minutes and didn’t lead with that juicy tidbit? You really are rusty at titillating your friends with sexy tales.”
“As if I’ve had any sexy tales for titillation. Please. Even the last guy I hooked up was so unmemorable, I can’t pinpoint when we’d gotten together, where, or even what the hell his name was. I mean, that’s just sad. Ridiculously so.”
“Amen, sister.”
“So as much as I’ve been lamenting the lack of action on my part when you and Bay have been having all your fun, it’s been a blessing in disguise. Who wants to settle for mediocre when there’s earth-shattering sex out there? Honest to God rock you to the core of your being sex?”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Jewel said with a smirk. “So yours has been fully worth the wait?”
“And then some. But … It’s more than that.” She sighed. “I’ve totally hit a dead end with the investigation, and I’m suffering some serious guilt from sleeping with both of my persons of interest. Very unprofessional. Yet … To have missed out on either one of these men. What a travesty that would have been.”
“Agreed. I can tell that just from the sparkle in your eyes.” Jewel drummed the end of her fountain pen on the leather blotter in front of her. “If you’re not able to make ends meet with Michael and Sam as suspects, well, then, hell, there’s no longer a conflict of interest in my mind.”
Scarlet gave her a dubious look.
“Okay, total gray area, sure. But if there’s nothing conclusive and you’re just barking up an empty tree when it comes to these two, then you’ve done your due diligence, right? Move on to the next possibility on your list.”
She cringed. “That would be Michael’s father and Sam’s mother. Like that won’t rub all parties concerned raw.”
Jewel made a face. “I guess this is why they always say don’t shit where you eat.”
“Gee, Jewel, thanks a mil for your support. Why don’t you just come right out and tell me I’m fucked?”
“Well, there’s an obvious retort for that comment, but I’ll spare you.” Her friend grinned mischievously.
“Ha-ha.”
“Sorry.” Jewel looked contrite. “So now what are you going to do?”
Scarlet pushed out of the plush white chair and started to pace. “Good question. I really have no clue. I want to see Michael and Sam again. But I’m still poking around in their private business.”
“And what if you actually do unearth something that reflects poorly on either one of them, even if it’s indirectly?”
Scarlet tapped the tip of her nose. “Bingo. I’m digging a huge hole for myself here. I know this. The sensible side of me really and truly comprehends that getting involved with Michael Vandenberg and Sam Reed is such a bad idea in the grand scheme of things. But on the flip side … Imagine having sex with Rogen once, or Vin once, and then never having it again.”
“I’d wither away and die.”
“Yeah.” Scarlet slumped into her chair and heaved a breath. “I feel the same way. Worse, I’m so intrigued by them and so desperate to know them better that I can’t just let this go. On the flip side … What am I really going to discover?”
“Well,” Jewel said in a tentative tone. “There’s the possibility that you won’t discover anything incriminating.”
“Sure, not toward Michael and Sam, but once again, indirectly there’s the chance that something could crop up related to someone else in the family. I mean, we’re talking about eighteen million dollars’ worth of artwork that just vanished!”
“Yes. And anything you might unearth that’s attached to the Vandenberg name would look bad for everyone involved.”
“Precisely. So here’s my big dilemma. I can’t give up on this investigation regardless of how prickly it could get,” Scarlet said. “I need to continue my questioning. Someone has to have seen something. Someone has to know something. Where the hell are all those goddamn paintings?”
