Frisk Me(19)

But instead of responding, she ignored his outburst completely and turned to Sawyer as though Luc had never spoken.

“I’ll take a cab back to the precinct,” she said. “What do you say I take you to lunch, and you can tell me all about what it’s like to be the partner of this sweetheart of a superhero here.”

Lopez winked. “Love to.”

Luc growled.

Ava turned on her heel, pausing only to kiss the tip of her index finger before pressing it against the backseat window where Mr. Naked was continuing to holler.

She very deliberately did not turn around to see if Luc Moretti watched her walk away. And she definitely didn’t put a little extra wiggle in her hips just in case he was.

Okay, maybe she did that last part. Just a little.

Her eyes began scanning for a taxi as she began mentally compiling her story notes for the day:

Luc Moretti: a good cop? Probably. An ass? Definitely.

Simply following him around wasn’t going to cut it. Luc Moretti the officer was the cover of the story, but Luc Moretti the man was the heart of it.

This would only work if she could get at the man beneath the uniform. Figure out what made him tick. What he loved. Whom he dated…

Did he have a girlfriend?

She needed to know.

For research’s sake, obviously.

“Watch your back, Moretti,” she muttered to herself as she raised her hand to hail an approaching cab. “I’m about to get all up in your personal life.”

“What was that?”

Ava spun around and found herself toe to toe with one very annoyed, very attractive police officer. Over his shoulders she spotted their squad car pull into traffic.

“Did Sawyer just leave you here?”

“I told him to.”

“Ah ha, so you left him to handle naked guy on his own.”

“He can handle it.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Thought you and I need to have a little chat,” he said.

Ava glared. “Thought we just did that when you berated me back there.”

“You were interfering with police business.”

“You sure you want to power-trip me this early in the game, Moretti? We’re going to be spending lots of time together. You might want to save your lectures for the important moments.”

Luc inhaled deeply. “You’re a pain in the ass.”

“And you’re an absolute delight.”

Ava was pretty sure that neither one of them actually moved, but somehow they were closer than ever now, and she didn’t think it was her imagination that both were breathing harder than necessary.

And despite the cloudy skies, Ava was definitely feeling warmer than the weather warranted.

Confused by the unfamiliar onslaught of want, totally inappropriate given their circumstances and the fact that she didn’t even know the guy, her eyes helplessly found his.

Ava was both gratified and alarmed to see the same frustration and confusion in Luc’s expression.

Whatever was between them—this odd mix of attraction and distrust—he felt it too.

His forehead wrinkled in irritation before his head dropped toward her, bringing their mouths infinitesimally closer.

Suddenly, attraction was definitely winning out over distrust, because Ava knew if he kissed her…

She would kiss him back. Damn it. Damn it, that was so not what she needed to be feeling right now.

His eyes left hers to drop to her mouth and Ava felt her lips part, just slightly. It was an unbidden invitation, and from the flare of heat in his eyes he knew it. His mouth lowered, closer, and then—

“Excuse me, Officer?”

Ava jumped back so quickly she teetered on her high heels, and only Luc’s quick reflexes as he grabbed her elbows to steady her kept her upright. The warmth of his palms branded her arms, but he released her just as quickly to turn to the young woman who’d interrupted her.

The girl was early twenties, wearing too tight jeans and a too tight shirt that definitely worked for her toned curves.

She grinned as she caught the full impact of Luc Moretti in uniform. “It is you. Oh my gosh, can I get a picture with you? My uncle’s a cop, and he says you’ve done wonders to restore the department’s prestige.”

“Um.” Luc looked pained, and Ava was surprised to feel a surge of sympathy. She still had her suspicions that he secretly relished the attention, but it was clear he was embarrassed at the moment.

It was exactly the moment she needed to shake off the sexual tension.

Ava reached forward and plucked the cute brunette’s phone out of her hand. “Here, I’ll take it.”

“Thanks,” the girl said, her eyes never leaving Luc’s profile as he turned with a grimace toward the camera.

“Okay, I’ll count to three,” Ava said pointedly to the girl whose hand rested on Luc’s abs as she moved in close, apparently oblivious to the camera and Ava.

But the girl knew what she was doing. As Ava got to three, the girl turned her head toward the camera with a well-timed hair flip, and the result was a picture-perfect moment between a stoic cop and an adorable groupie.

Ava handed the phone back to the girl, who took it back reluctantly, likely because the motion meant letting go of Luc.

“So, Officer…” The girl’s eyelashes fluttered. As in actually fluttered.