Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“We’re taught a lot about body language. How to know when someone is lying.” I sit up straighter. “Breathe, Georgia.”
I hadn’t realized I’d stopped, so I take a breath. Maybe if I don’t move, he won’t see my lies. Neil comes over to my desk and picks up the file. He opens it, and I watch his eyes do a quick scan before they come to me.
“I can explain,” I blurt out. “Just stop grilling me!” I jump up from my desk so quickly my chair goes flying back. “And stop reading my body.”
He doesn’t bother hiding his smirk as he looks me up and down. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”
Chapter Six
NEIL
I pull out the single sheet of paper inside the folder and hold it up. “Your entire report is Shit got real.”
“I didn’t exaggerate.” She crosses her arms over her chest, and my eyes go straight to her cleavage.
Goddamn it, I know she unbuttoned her uniform on purpose to distract me. The problem is it’s working a little too well. All I can think about is running my tongue between them and then my dick. I have to distract myself with the square root of pi to stay on task.
“Look, this might work for your everyday crimes in Cottonwood, but this is a serious case.” I sigh and shove the pink paper back inside the folder and toss it on her desk. “You can scribble down whatever you want onto colorful scented paper on your own time, but I have to answer to some very powerful people. If I go back with shit got real, what do you think is going to happen?”
Her arms fall to her sides, and her shoulders slump. I hate that I’ve taken some of the spark out of her, but this could get a whole lot worse.
“It was my second day on the job,” she sniffles, and her head falls forward.
“Georgia,” I say softly. I don’t know if it’s seeing her so sad and broken or knowing that she’s out of her depth, but I pull her against my chest and wrap my arms around her gently. “It’s okay, I’ll help you.”
“You will?” She sniffs again as she looks up at me. “I thought you were here to get me in trouble.”
“No.” I shake my head and wipe a tear off her cheek. “I’m here to make a report on what happened, nothing more.”
I don’t add exactly what else I’d like to happen between us because it’s not a good idea. Getting involved with her could cause so many problems for her and this investigation. If someone found out, they could have me pulled and send in someone who is looking to make a name for themselves. They could change Simon Gregory’s death to a murder and have someone completely innocent splashed all over the news. I was sent here to perform a quiet investigation while finding out the facts. Yes, there’s pressure from his family to find fault with someone in particular, but I can drag this out and stall for more time.
As much as I hate it, I release Georgia and take a step back. Then another. She seems better after the hug and wipes away the last of the tears.
“All right, so now what?” She looks ready to do something, and I know the feeling. When my emotions get too heavy, I like to throw them into work.
“You’re going to let me interview you and take the report. We can go step by step and then I’ll help you fill out all the correct paperwork.” I take out my phone so I can record the conversation, and she looks at it skeptically. “Don’t worry, this is just so I can transcribe it later. I like to do my interviews like a conversation.”
“Okay.” She takes a deep breath, then sits down, and she’s starting to look more like herself. “But I’m going to need fuel for this.”
She reaches into her desk and pulls out the biggest bag of Hershey Kisses I’ve ever seen. “My god, where did you find a bag that size?”
“I’ve got my sources.” She opens the bag and takes one out, holding it up. “I might be willing to share if you can keep a secret.”
“Your secrets are safe with me,” I say, and as much as I shouldn’t be saying it, I mean it. I don’t know why I feel such a strong connection to this woman, but the longer I’m with her, the more I feel certain I can trust her. Hell, she might end up telling me she killed Simon Gregory and I’m not sure I’d tell anyone.
She tosses me the Kiss, and I unwrap it before popping it in my mouth. “It would save time if they didn’t wrap each individual one in a bag that size.”