Page 33 of Ultimate Justice

“You bringing anyone?”

“Doubtful.” Deck already knew Annelise had dumped him. What his friends didn’t know was he’d pretty much given up dating entirely. The job always took priority, and it wasn’t worth going through the emotional explosions that inevitably accompanied all his breakups. “Later.”

He ended the call and grabbed Blue’s leash. Leash or not, Blue would never leave his side, but an unleashed, ninety-pound German shepherd would probably freak some people out.

“Let’s go, Blue.”

He led the way across the lot, breathing in the warm October air. They headed up the stairs. At Marlie’s door, he knocked gently. A moment later, the door opened.

“Blue!’ Noah shouted, kneeling and holding up his hand for a high-five.

“Shh,” Marlie whispered, waving them in. “Noah, inside voice, please. We don’t want to wake the neighbors.”

Evan snorted. Marlie had morphed into total mom-mode, although no mom he’d known looked the way she did.

The light pink V-neck shirt she wore outlined the gentle curve of her breasts. When she leaned down to give Blue a quick scratch behind the ears, thick, loose hair spilled over her shoulder like a golden river, and the jeans she wore tightened, outlining slim legs, a trim waist, and what was, in his humble opinion, a perfectly proportioned backside.

He’d seen her wearing something other than custodian’s clothes before. For some reason, today was different and confirmed his suspicions. Beneath the green scrubs was a stunningly beautiful woman.

She straightened and gave him a brief smile, one that barely curved the corners of her mouth. Her lips were pink and glossy, her eyes outlined with something that made them bluer than he remembered, and the last time he’d seen her was only fifteen hours ago.

“Hi,” he said, then ground his teeth at how lame he sounded. Dumbstruck. Like a teenager on a first date.

“Hi.” She locked her pretty blue eyes on him, then licked those glossy lips. “Um, Noah. Get that jacket I gave you. If we’re out late, the temperature will drop the second the sun goes down.”

“Aw, c’mon, Marlie.” He went down the hall, grumbling over his shoulder, “That’s a girl’s jacket.”

She hooked her thumb at Noah. “We still haven’t had time to go shopping. I had to lend him one of my jackets.”

Evan grunted in understanding. “How’d it go last night?”

“Given the circumstances, okay, I suppose.” She picked up the pink sweater draped on the edge of the sofa. “I checked on him a couple of times. He tossed and turned a lot. I’m not sure he got much sleep.”

“Hopefully, that will get better in time. Ready to go?” he asked when Noah trudged back into the room, carrying a green jacket that had a slightly feminine look to it.

“I guess.” Rather than wear the jacket, he tied it around his waist.

Marlie tucked her hair behind her ears, revealing tiny gold hoop earrings. She began slipping on the sweater when it caught on one of the earrings. “Oh, shoot.” She grimaced, struggling to unhook it.

“Here, wait.” Two seconds after he reached out to help her, he realized his mistake. The backs of his knuckles grazed the smooth, warm, creamy skin just below her ear. She shivered, and oh Jesus… Her nipples pebbled against her shirt.

Stupidly, he leaned in closer. Her hair smelled like a rose garden. Somehow, his big, clumsy fingers managed to unhook the sweater. With anyone else, he would have held the sweater open for her to slip into, but he didn’t dare. Instead, he handed it over, then stood back, because—holy hell.

Touching her had sent his libido somewhere he couldn’t afford it going.

…

Three hours later, Marlie began to think Noah would never be able to recognize the farmers market Frank Manello had taken him to. They’d been to the Cherry Creek, City Park, and Union Station markets. Nothing had jogged his memory. The only thing it had done was put him to sleep.

The clear plastic garment bag hanging on the clothes bar swayed back and forth. Inside was a black tuxedo with satin lapels, the same style she and her ex had selected for their own wedding party. A wedding that seemed like a lifetime ago.

Evan had thoughtfully flipped down the rear seat so Noah could take a nap. Marlie glanced over her shoulder. His head rested on Blue’s furry belly. Both boy’s and dog’s eyes were closed.

From the corner of her eye, she watched Evan as he maneuvered the SUV through traffic on Colorado Boulevard. He was so tall his hair nearly brushed the ceiling. The skin above his nose creased, and for the last five minutes he hadn’t stopped tapping his finger on the wheel.

The temperature had soared to eighty degrees, and he’d long ago ditched the jacket he’d had on at her apartment. The navy blue, short-sleeve polo shirt tucked into his jeans showcased a trim waist. His jeans were so worn and faded they were almost white.

With every tap of his finger, thick forearm muscles rippled and flexed in an oddly sensual dance. Speaking of said fingers, when he’d helped unsnag her sweater, his touch had sent a wave of need washing over her, one that had, embarrassingly, gone straight to her nipples. What in the world had driven her to put those old earrings on in the first place? Or the eyeliner and lip gloss that was so old she probably should have disposed of it as toxic waste.