man go; he was beginning to get under his skin. After a long flight and even longer few months, being scrutinized by Dylan Dawes was the last thing he needed. Turning his attention to Jerry, he leaned back and let himself admire the focus and energy she was already devoting to this case. He could practically see her brain spinning as her long legs ate up the floor. Ethan’s mind was moving almost as fast as Jerry’s appeared to be, only his thoughts centered on her, not the case.
Damn, had he ever seen such a beautifully enigmatic creature? Everything about her spoke of quality, but he’d sensed the fire inside of her. Hell, he’d almost been burned by it.
Remembering the touch of her skin, he felt his own begin to tingle. What the hell was happening to him? No wonder Dawes and Nate were protective of her. If every man who met her had the same reaction he did, she had to be one special woman.
And what about Dawes? He’d assumed that Dylan’s attitude was due to him and Jerry being a couple, but they sure didn’t act like it. He’d never touched her, hardly ever looked at her the whole time he’d been here. Could it be that they were just friends and partners, not lovers?
“Tell me about the women in Europe.” Jerry’s demand broke through his musings, none too soon as far as he was concerned. He didn’t like the direction his thoughts were traveling.
“What would you like to know?” He focused on her eyes; they were back to a bright shade of blue with hints of green, totally clear as she stopped and looked into his.
“How did they dress, how did they wear their hair, how did they carry themselves?” Jerry began pacing again. “Were they classy, slutty or something in-between?”
“Primarily classy, but not stuffy. Their wardrobes were the edgy side of couture; I guess you’d say they dressed appropriately for their age. Each of the women had long brown hair, similar to yours.” But nowhere near as beautiful, he thought. “Each woman was strikingly beautiful, as are you.” Ethan stopped before he said too much. He wouldn’t have her thinking he was already smitten, even if he did feel like a love-struck puppy.
Jerry blushed, but turned away from him to hide it. He thinks I’m beautiful, she thought then swiftly brushed the thought away. She knew she was beautiful, hadn’t her looks been a curse for as long as she could remember? No one took her seriously growing up, she’d been fending off unwanted male attraction for as long as she could remember. Shuddering slightly, she pushed those thoughts away as well.
“What did they do all day?” She asked. “When they weren’t busy entertaining their companions?”
“They were all incredibly fit, but none belonged to the same gym or used the same personal trainer. Aside from keeping themselves beautiful, they shopped.”
“That’s it? No charity work, no hobbies, just shopping?” Jerry’s look of incredulity made him laugh.
“That’s about it. Though they surely had other interests, but none that we’ve uncovered. One woman in England liked to paint, but for the most part they pampered themselves when they weren’t trying to maintain their beauty.” Ethan stood, gathered the coffee cups and went to the kitchen. “What would you do if you were in their shoes?”
“I am in their shoes, sort of. But to answer your question, I would have to find some other way to stay busy. Maybe I’d travel.”
“Not possible. Part of her job description is 24-7 availability. When he calls, she’s there.” Ethan came back in the room and moved to stand at the window, near Jerry.
“You’re right. Okay then, I would at least find a hobby. Not painting, I can’t draw a straight line if my life depended on it. I love to read, so I could do that for part of the day. Maybe I’d take up needlepoint or beading or gardening. Who knows. I cannot imagine not being productive in some way.” Jerry glanced at Ethan and noticed that he’d stepped closer to