Seducing Texas (So not Prince Charming #2)(9)

Since the port isn’t always open, it’s not easy to detect. Now that I think about it. This may be how Uncle Manny did my dad in. “Why are you here, Timmons?” I ask.

He must be investigating the embezzlement of Shane’s last company, but I thought he was working on drugs. I spin toward Shane. Something doesn’t feel right here. “Why are you with Nikita?”

Guilt averts Timmons’ eyes to the point he stares at the ground. Why would he do that?

“You should ask Timmons,” Shane says, folding his arms over his chest.

I look from Shane to Timmons who’s staring at his shoes and recall an old conversation with Shane. I laugh. “Let me guess. You think Nikita helped steal Shane’s money. You guys are idiots.”

The fed gives me a surly look, and I laugh harder.

I push Shane. “And we’re not done talking. You are not off the hook. Tell the fed to go home.” I wave at Timmons. “I hope I don’t see you again.”

Shane wraps his arms around me. “You should listen to her.”

“We still have a lot to discuss,” Timmons says. “You need to work on Nikita if we expect to find your money.”

Shane thins his lips. He needs that money, but I can’t bear to see him with her. She also is clueless when it comes to what happened to Shane’s millions.

After Timmons walks out, I show Shane his checkbook. “Sign.”

“You’re already done?”

“I paid them for last week too.”

“That may save my ass.” He signs all the checks. “You even balanced my checkbook. Cynthia Diaz, you are more than a princess, and you can start fulltime tomorrow.”

I sit down beside him, and the worst part is he makes it hard to concentrate. “Doing your books will probably take forty to fifty hours a month. I need fulltime work.” I’ve only got three classes and then I graduate, so I have plenty of free time. I need forty hours a week, but I’d never rip anyone off, even if Shane owes me now.

He gives me a wicked grin. “You could work for me in other ways. I’d pay you handsomely for that.”

I give him a dirty look, though satisfying his needs and mine works for both of us. “What about Nikita?”

He pulls me onto his lap, and I feel too comfortable cocooned in his arms. “What about your gay friend?”

“He wanted to make his ex-boyfriend jealous. I was just helping him out. Nikita? You have some explaining to do.” My voice goes up several notches.

Squeezing me hard and sucking on my neck, Shane leans back in his chair. He exudes masculinity and smells amazing. Every time I think about him I remember the rain hitting the tent under the shroud of pines where we made love. I miss us together, but the thought of sharing him makes me nauseous.

“Like you guessed, the feds believe she helped someone or others to embezzle and steal commercial trade secrets from several companies and not just my money. They want me to ply her for information. I unfortunately need to see this through.”

“I already told you. She isn’t capable. Did you sleep with her? And don’t lie.” I poke his chest, and he sucks on my finger. He’s so dirty, and I love it. “I saw you coming out of her place this morning.”

“You’ve been stalking me. I like that.” He kisses my neck. “I didn’t f*ck Niki. I got drunk and crashed at her place. Don’t kiss anymore guys.” He winks at me.

This isn’t fair. “And how are you supposed to pry information from Nikita? Don’t you have to kiss her eventually?”

He lets out a long breath. “I’m supposed to date her. Yesterday, Timmons asked me to f*ck her.”

“Lovely. He is an *. Are you? Have you kissed her?” That would kill me.

“No. Red Sky is pulling in money, and I started making small payments on my back taxes. They should leave me alone soon, but I need to pretend for a little while longer.”

I poke his hard chest. “I better not taste her on your mouth.”

He laughs. “That would make us both sick. Does my explanation make you feel better?”

“No. You’re eventually going to have to kiss her, even I do that on the first date.”

“As of today, you’re off the market, princess, and we’ve never actually dated. All I did was allow you to sleep in my tent.”

I laugh. “You pressed Secretariat into my butt all night long. What was I supposed to do? I’m only human.”

He kisses me deeply, not letting me up for air. “I have to work late, and I’m supposed to have dinner with Niki. You don’t have to worry about me f*cking her. I have no interest. Once I drop her off, I’d like to come by. I miss sleeping next to you, Cyn.”

I don’t know how I’ll deal with him dating Nikita, and spending time with her won’t help his financial situation. Uncle Manny had guys who could hack into systems and trace bank accounts. I could try to use one of them, and maybe we could find the paper trail to his money, but I don’t have any money to hire one.

“Don’t expect me to wait up for you?” I say, placing each of the checks into a labeled envelope.

He kisses me, lifts me off his lap, and then logs into his laptop. “Please hand these out, and thank you. Doing payroll so quickly saved my ass. I’ll pay you tonight.” He squeezes my ass.