Solid as Steele by REBECCA YORK

looked to her right, into the lobby of a multi-story upscale establishment that commanded a large plot of land near the old C&O canal and the river. Swinging her head back toward Mack, she said, “Surely you don’t expect me to stay in a hotel with you?” She could have added, “After that kiss,” but she left that part unspoken.
    â€œI’m not going to come on to you, if that’s what youmean,” he snapped, revealing that he wasn’t as relaxed as he looked. “We’ll get our own rooms.”
    â€œThat’s too expensive,” Jamie protested.
    â€œExpense account.”
    â€œAre you saying you’re charging the Light Street Detective Agency for this trip?”
    â€œI can do that, yeah.”
    â€œWho’s your client?”
    â€œThe wife of a deceased colleague.”
    She stared at him. “Wait a minute, I didn’t ask for you to go that far.”
    â€œThere’s no charge when we do jobs for each other. You included. We have special funds set aside.”
    â€œI don’t want Light Street involved.”
    He shook his head. “You called us,” he reminded her.
    â€œWhich meant that you couldn’t…didn’t want to handle it by yourself. And you could be in trouble. I’m not letting this go.”
    Of course, he was right. She had called because she’d known she had to tell someone about the nightmare, but she hadn’t let her thinking process carry her beyond that when she’d picked up the phone. She simply hadn’t wanted to be alone with her own fears in the middle of the night.
    They walked into the comfortably furnished lobby together, and Mack asked about two adjoining rooms. When he found out he could get a junior suite for less money, he took that.
    The sixth-floor suite consisted of a bedroom and a living room with a fold-out couch.
    â€œI thought it would be two bedrooms,” she said, as she checked out the arrangements.
    â€œYou can have the bedroom. I’ll take the sofa.”
    Feeling trapped, she nodded.
    â€œWe’ll relax for a while. Then we can go out to eat or order in.”
    â€œLet me think about it.” She turned and walked into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her, wishing she had her own car so she could go back home. Only maybe that wasn’t such a great idea.
    At the time she’d called the agency, she’d told herself she didn’t know for sure what had happened to Lynn Vaughn. Now she knew Lynn was dead, and she couldn’t just walk away. But why did she have to be stuck with Mack Steele?
    When she pulled back the covers and lay down on the bed, her mind flashed back to the incident in the car. She wasn’t going to kid herself about that. She was attracted to him, and she’d responded to his kiss, even when it never should have happened. Unfortunately, now they were going to be in each other’s pockets.
    At least she could stay in this room for the time being and keep away from him.
    She closed her eyes, thinking that she was much too jumpy to relax. But the tense hours last night had taken their toll, and after a few minutes, sleep claimed her.
    Â 
    I N THE SITTING ROOM of the suite, Mack walked back and forth across the carpet, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. Kissing Jamie had been a big mistake. But it had happened, and now he had to deal with it, because it confirmed what he’d known all along. They were attracted to each other. The kiss had proved beyond a doubt that the chemistry was there. He sure as hell hadn’t been the only one responding. She’d been as into it as he had. Although that didn’t mean they’d suddenly both made up new rules for the relationship.
    He clenched and unclenched his fists. He’d been fightinghis attraction to her, but what was wrong with getting involved, damn it? Her husband was dead. She wasn’t cheating on him by starting a relationship