Free Good Girl Gone Bad by Karin Tabke

This isn’t a damn desk job!”
    She yanked out of his grasp. “If you keep manhandling me like you do, I’m going to have bruises up and down my arms, and the customers will complain.”
    Shaking his head, Ty strode into her bedroom, looked in the closet, behind the door; he did the same in the other two bedrooms, then in her kitchen and living room.
    She followed him from room to room, knowing that arguing would get her nowhere. With this man, she needed to choose her battles carefully.
    “Why are you here, Lieutenant?”
    Ty turned angry eyes on her. She’d wake up and take notice when he showed her the napkin. “Didn’t your father ever tell you, always be on the lookout?”
    Her skin chilled at the mention of her father. “I told you, don’t ever bring up my father again.”
    “Why not? Can’t you face what he did?”
    Phil strode to the front door and yanked it open. The sultry night air wafted in around her ankles. “Get out.”
    Ty leaned against the doorjamb to the living room, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ll go, but first I need to make a few things clear.” His tall sleek muscles bunched beneath his tan skin. His green eyes sparkled in the low light. He reminded her of a jungle cat, predatory, and ready to pounce.
    Phil’s stomach churned and she knew she could call 911. She also knew Ty would stand in her hallway until he had his say. She slammed the door shut and strode past him into the living room.
    She flung herself onto the sofa and crossed her arms. Ty slowly followed.
    “Make it quick, Lieutenant. I’m tired and my feet are killing me.”
    Ty sat down on the ottoman facing her.
    “What?” she demanded.
    He grinned, the gesture wicked. Her blood thawed. She wanted to groan and run away. Her traitorous body was going to be her undoing. She closed her eyes and saw her mother with her hands on her hips scowling down at her:
    “Philamina Marie, you were warned what would happen to you.”
    Phil felt all of sixteen again and remembered as if it were yesterday the repercussions of her aftergame tryst with Kyle Thompson under the bleachers. God made sure her parents knew what she had done.
    “Hey?” Ty softly said, touching her foot. Phil flinched and opened her eyes.
    “I don’t bite, Phil.”
    Shaking off the nasty memories, Phil steeled herself. She could refuse her desires. She was her father’s daughter, after all.
    “What do you want, Lieutenant?”
    Ty scooted closer till they faced each other. She curled up in a near fetal position on the sofa and Ty sat open-legged on the ottoman. If she extended her legs to the floor, their knees would touch. She backed farther into the cushions. She was tired and she didn’t trust herself around him in her fatigued state.
    “I want for us to be on the same page.”
    “We are.”
    He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’m concerned about your lack of street smarts. It could get you in trouble.”
    Phil stiffened. “I spent six months on the street before going into IA!”
    Ty nodded. “Exactly, and I bet you figured you learned it all. I would have thought you’d have taken some tips from your old man.”
    Phil gritted her teeth. “I told you—”
    “Right, don’t mention Dad. Listen, Zorn. If your feelings regarding your father’s case are affecting your ability to work this case, you need to fess up right now. I need to know what’s bugging you.”
    She untangled her limbs and leaned toward him. “You of all people don’t need to know about how I feel regarding my father.”
    “I do when it affects your ability to do your job well. Admit it, you can’t forgive him.”
    Phil shot up and slammed her hands into Ty’s chest, pushing him backward. He nearly tipped, but he grabbed her arm, using it for leverage.
    Phil shook him off. “Forgive him ? Forgive him for what? He was railroaded, set up by rogue cops like you!”
    She jerked the loosened ties of her robe tighter. Ty shook his head and looked up at her. “He