Free Crossing the Line (The Baltimore Banners Book 1) by Lisa B. Kamps

his jaw in frustration, Alec got out of the truck and walked into the building. It wasn't too difficult to find the correct floor, and the elevator ride up was brief enough. Not so brief that his anger didn't have time to grow, which he knew was irrational but didn't bother to stop anyway.
         The elevator doors opened with a soft hiss. Alec wasn't sure what he had been expecting, maybe a scene like something from one of the many television sitcoms. The controlled quiet that greeted him was surprising.
         He stepped off the elevator and looked around. A central reception area was just ahead of him, with cubicles laid out in a maze on either side of a main aisle. Wood-and-glass encased offices flanked the rear of the floor.
         Right now the reception area was empty. Muted voices and assorted noises drifted from the maze of cubicles, their owners hidden behind the fabric-covered portable walls. Alec looked around, searching for AJ, then started walking past cubicles, ignoring the curious glances as he peered into each one as he passed. Laughter caught his attention and he turned in time to see her stepping out of one of the offices, her profile turned to him as she continued talking with whoever was in the office.
         Alec noticed a subtle stiffening in her posture a half second before she turned toward him. A flare of impatience erupted inside him, quick and irrational, as the laughter faded from her eyes. He watched as she stood there in uncertainty, their gazes locked for the briefest moment. His eyes drifted to her mouth as she pulled on her lower lip with her teeth, and he suddenly remembered Sonny's earlier comment: Sleep with her . That was quickly followed by the memory of her body curled against his, soft and flush with sleep.
         Something must have shown on his face, because AJ's expression quickly turned to one of bewilderment. Her brow furrowed for a quick instant before she turned her attention away from him, apparently listening to whoever was in the office. She shot a quick look back at Alec, another to the invisible speaker, then back to Alec. Her body language screamed that she would rather have him leave, but she motioned him forward instead.
         Alec closed the distance to the office, only partially aware of the stares following him as he focused more on AJ's face. There was something in her expression, a look in her eye that he didn't quite understand. Was he imagining things, or was she warning him about something?
         He stopped next to her, still studying her, watching the blue of her eyes darken even as she reached for his arm and yanked him into the office. "Alec, this is Tim Norton, my editor. Tim, meet Alec Kolchak."
         Alec pulled his gaze away from AJ and turned in the direction she was motioning, only to find himself being studied by a set of narrowed eyes peering from behind thick-rimmed glasses. A rapid tat-tat-tat of a pencil tapping against the desk echoed in the otherwise quiet room as Tim continued to study him. A long minute passed before the narrow-eyed gaze shifted to AJ.
         "Close the door, AJ." The request was issued quietly, but with enough authority that AJ quickly complied. Tim stood and walked around the desk, leaning against the edge as he folded his arms across his chest and looked at both of them. "Is anything going on here that I need to know about?"
         Alec wouldn't have known right away what the comment meant if not for the flush coloring AJ's cheeks. As soon as the insinuation sunk in, he stood straighter and took a step forward. He was stopped by Tim holding a placating hand in his direction, accompanied by a raised eyebrow.
         "Easy, son. I'm not implying anything, just asking a question." The editor turned his gaze to AJ. "Gerry Brown came charging in here yesterday—"
         "Oh, great. I can just imagine what that asshole—"
         "AJ, enough. If you're serious about this, you have to stop