“How about you cum—” I cut myself off before I finished what could have been the worst joke of the year.
I really needed to stop hanging out with Vi. She was a menace to everyone around her, especially my blank sense of humor that I filled with jokes I picked up from others.
When the detective cocked his head, his eyes widened ever so slightly, my face warmed with embarrassment.
“Yeah. Sure. I’ll meet you at the precinct.” I hurried to agree with his request, so we could fast-forward past this awkward moment.
Head down, I rushed past the detective, so I could retreat back to the park’s parking lot where my old sedan waited. The sound of rushed footsteps chased after me. My heart leapt into my throat. My feet tangled beneath me. The world tilted, and I cursed my clumsy panic.
“Whoa there,” said a soft masculine voice.
When the detective pulled me back onto my feet, I was surprised to find that voice had come from him. He gave me a gentle inspection all while holding my hand. I knew that I should pull back and put distance between us, but a magnetic force kept me in his orbit.
He smelled of sandalwood, a subtle scent that I would remember for the rest of my life.
I shook myself and yanked my hand back. What was wrong with me? This guy had accused me of murder. I shouldn’t have these kinds of thoughts about someone ready to slap handcuffs on me.
Unless…There were other uses for handcuffs.
Oh. Oh no.
What was my mind doingthere? I didn’t even like that kind of play in the bedroom! My mind was out of control around this man.
He grumbled something under his breath and rolled his shoulders back. I could have sworn he’d done the same thing I’d had to do. What was going in his mind that he had to shake loose his thoughts, too?
Looking away from me, he said, “Let me walk you back to your car. I can’t have you killing people on the way.”
“You can’t talk to suspects like that.” I put my hands on my hips.
His gaze fell back on me. He lifted a brow in challenge.
This man has some big dick energy.
My cheeks warmed. What was I thinking? I needed to stop, but I wasn’t going to catch a break until I was back on the highway, speeding away from this guy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t escape. I had to meet back up with him later.
Together, we hiked back to the parking lot. It wasn’t that far away, but the walk was long enough that the silence between us became awkward. I mean, it was bound to when one of us had accused the other of murder.
I couldn’t handle it anymore. I shoved my way in front of him and forced us both to stop. Feeling daring, I looked him in the eye and asked:
“Do you really think I’m capable of killing someone?”
The detective was silent for several breaths. There was a mathematical calculation going on inside his dome. He was a shrewd man who saw everything. If that was the case, then what did he see in me that made him think I could kill a person?
He gestured to me. “You’re an avid hiker. That alone gives you the kind of muscle strength that would allow you to overpower someone. Because you hike a lot, you know of plenty of places that no one would ever find—great places for hiding bodies.”
“Okay?” He wasn’t wrong, but I wouldn’t do such a thing! “What’s my motive? Even if I’m capable, why would I want to do something like that?”
“For fun.”
My stomach hit my feet. My jaw dropped along with it as tears gathered in my eyes. “Who would do something like that?” My voice wavered.
The detective seemed taken aback. Suspicion crossed over his face, like he wanted to believe my tears were an act.
I quickly brushed them away. There was no point in showing this man anything genuine. The pain I felt over this woman’s death meant little to him. Even though I wanted to fall to my knees and properly mourn her, it would only be a spectacle in this man’s eyes.”
“You have to be one of the most frustrating people I’ve ever met,” I mumbled.
“And you’re a shit actress.”