Darkest Desire by Tawny Taylor Page B

earlier.”
    Her eyes went squinty. “You are a dangerous, devious man.”
    He donned his best nondangerous, nondevious mien. “How could you say such a thing? All I did was accept your offer of a meal. Or maybe you hadn’t meant to extend an offer to reciprocate. Perhaps that had been one of those insane, stupid things you do when you’re not thinking straight? In which case, I have no expectations and you’re under no obligation.”
    â€œOh, shut up.” She grinned. “You’ll have your Mexican dinner tomorrow. Five o’clock.”
    â€œI’m looking forward to it.”
    â€œFine.” She pointed an index finger at him, then flicked her eyes down to his groin area. Clearly, she’d noticed his boner. “But let me make something perfectly clear. I’m returning a kindness. There is no underlying meaning to the gesture.” Her eyes went down there again. Now his cock was hard. And his balls were aching. And his face was on fire. “We’re friends. Only friends. And that’s the way it’s going to stay. Got it?”
    â€œGot it.”
    â€œGood.” She flounced toward the hallway, her step much bouncier than it had ever been.
    He hoped it was he who brought on that bounce. Or maybe what she’d glanced at a few times . . . Nah, couldn’t be.
    Â 
    Lei’s phone was ringing when she scurried into her bedroom. She shut the door, snatched up her phone, and not bothering to check the screen, hit the button, answering the call before it went to voice mail.
    Expecting Rin, she said, “It’s about time!”
    â€œYou’ve been expecting my call?” a man asked.
    She knew that voice. It filled her with a strange blend of emotions. It had been at least a couple of months since she’d talked to him last. A lot had happened since then. “No, but I’m glad you called. It’s about Eve—”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œYou do?” His quick response took her by surprise, but she quickly dismissed it. Of course he’d heard. It was all over the news. And he was a federal agent—CIA. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about the case?”
    â€œOnly what’s been on the news.”
    â€œDo you think I’m in danger?” she asked, fiddling with her comforter. “Is that why you called me?”
    â€œNot exactly.”
    â€œOh.” Confused now, she shook her head. “Do you mean I’m not in danger? I don’t understand.”
    Silence.
    â€œLei, you received the message.”
    Her blood turned to ice. What was this man up to? Was he . . . could he be . . . ? “What message?”
    â€œA message for you.”
    Her heart stopped for a split second. Then it started thumping hard and fast. Her skin instantly slicked with a cold sweat. She remembered now where she’d seen that man—the one from the funeral home. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œI’m worried, Lei,” he said. “About the other girls. That they might be found in an alley somewhere, too. You and I both know how dangerous those men are.”
    What was going on? What was he getting at? “Those men? Or someone else?”
    â€œYou owe me, Lei. It’s time to pay your debt.”
    Her debt? What the hell was he talking about? She didn’t remember him ever mentioning she’d have to pay him back for his help. She jumped to her feet and paced back and forth in front of her bed. “I don’t owe you anything.” Her insides were jumpy, skittery. And that dinner she’d just eaten felt like a huge chunk of concrete in her gut. “There was never any talk of my paying you back. We did what we did because it was the right thing. Because it was good. It was just—”
    â€œNo, we didn’t do anything. I did it all. You didn’t do a damn thing. I took all the risks. Don’t you think that’s worth