Free Steal Me by Lauren Layne

trying to physically prevent herself from shivering.
    Anthony swore softly and shrugged off his jacket, draping it around her shoulders, being careful not to touch her.
    She glanced up at him, her eyes big and shocked. Jesus, what did she think of him? He wasn’t a total animal.
    “You’ll ruin your uniform,” she said, glancing down at his shirt, which was already getting damp.
    “It’ll dry,” he said roughly. “It’s not like it’s Armani.”
    Damn it , he thought, watching as she seemed to cuddle into his jacket. Damn it to hell, because Anthony wanted nothing more than to tug her to him.
    To drop his mouth to hers and taste her.
    Damn this woman.

Chapter Eight
    C uddling in Anthony Moretti’s coat was the best thing that had happened to her all week.
    It didn’t matter what brand it was, or whether it was designer, because it smelled…amazing.
    It was a cliché, and she knew it, but she couldn’t help turning her head just the slightest bit to inhale the scent of man . It had been so long— too long.
    And even before things had turned really awful between her and Eddie, he’d mostly smelled like beer and Doritos.
    Captain Moretti’s coat smelled like rain and soap.
    But the stab of longing dissipated the second her eyes returned to his and saw the harsh edge of irritation as well as the fact that he was staring at her mouth. Hard.
    He shook his head, and she wondered if she imagined the flare of heat in his eyes. Especially since his next words emerged as an all-out bark.
    “You’re sure it was Eddie Hansen you saw yesterday?”
    Maggie lifted her chin. “I’m sure it’s all in the report. I told Luc what happened, and then when he called detectives Browning and Poyner, I told them as well.”
    Anthony swore and ran a hand through his hair, the gesture having virtually no effect because it was cut so short. Probably to avoid such nuisances as styling it.
    If she knew anything about this man it was that he didn’t like nuisances and that he definitely had put her into that category. It was written all over the hard line of his jaw, the flat, unsmiling mouth and unreadable eyes.
    “I read the damn report,” he said. “What I don’t understand is why you called my brother instead of me.”
    “You’re sounding like a broken record, Captain Moretti.”
    “And you’re dodging the question, Ms. Walker.”
    Maggie licked her lips nervously and flicked a glance at the back door of the diner, wondering where the heck Carlos was. She could use a distraction right about now before she started sniffing this man’s jacket again.
    “Ms. Walker—” he prompted.
    Okay. Enough was enough.
    “You want to know why I didn’t call you?” She took a step forward and jabbed a finger at his chest.
    He didn’t take a step back, but his eyes did widen slightly in surprise, and she felt a little thrill at having an advantage with this man—for once.
    “I didn’t call you because you’re an unfeeling jerk ,” she said, jabbing a finger at his chest again.
    The diva gesture was oddly satisfying.
    And yet, the man didn’t show any reaction—not so much as a blink.
    “A jerk,” he said finally, after they both let the silence stretch on.
    Maggie licked her lips, already regretting her choice of words. “I called Luc, because he’s… nice .”
    “And I’m not?”
    “I don’t know you well,” she said, choosing her words carefully, “but that day at the station when you asked me to come down to answer questions…you weren’t even there.”
    “I was there.” His voice was gruff.
    “I don’t mean watching me through a one-way mirror, Captain.”
    He glanced down at his feet, his chin dipping down to his chest, and the gesture was so boyishly appealing that she started to soften.
    Then he looked up. “I’m just doing my job, Ms. Walker. I don’t have time to hold the hand of every potential informant or witness.”
    All encroaching warm thoughts she’d had evaporated.
    She shrugged out of