Free Melt Into You by Roni Loren Page B

easy business—the guys just coming in to grab a porno or some skin mags. He didn’t sell either. Well, unless you counted some of the how-to videos they had in stock. So he had to count on the customers who weren’t afraid to spend decent money on quality products. And with the economy the way it was, those customers were getting fewer and farther between.
    The money he hoped to get through the deal with Dr. Dan would allow him to beef up his stock and Internet presence and offer more variety in price point. But if Diana kept milking him for alimony, he was going to run out of capital before the Dr. Dan thing even bore fruit.
    He flipped the blinds closed just as his office door opened. Andre stepped in and leaned against the doorjamb, looking every bit the pissed-off cop. “She’s a leech. Have I mentioned that?”
    Jace snorted. “Guess you saw Reid.”
    “What’s her deal? She’s had years to get on her feet. Feet that I’m sure get a weekly pedicure and massage using your money.”
    Jace sank into his desk chair and rubbed a hand over his face. “This is the last thing I need. I’ve been crunching numbers all night. If it weren’t for my contract with The Ranch, I’d be in some serious shit right now. I was counting on freeing up the money I was paying her each month to put toward the website and building stock. Now I’ve gotta go play nice and hope she grants me mercy when all I really want to do is ring her neck. And Greg’s. What kind of asshole stands by and lets some other dude support the mother of his kid?”
    Andre’s shoulder radio squawked, and he pressed the button to respond. He looked up when he was done. “Don’t go see her or Greg yet. You need to take a break and get away from that desk and those P&L statements. You go see them while you’re like this, and I’ll be arresting you for bodily assault.”
    Jace grunted. He’d never lay a hand on a woman without her consent, but Greg was a whole different story. Bodily assault was starting to sound real tempting. Or maybe just massive intimidation and threats to relocate the guy’s nuts. Could he get arrested for that?
    Andre’s frown deepened. “See, I can already see you contemplating maiming and dismembering.”
    “Killjoy.”
    Andre pushed off the doorframe. “Look, we both need to blow off steam. I’ve been busting my ass to get that promotion. They have me shadowing the detectives on this huge case
and
still covering my regular beat. I’ve switched from days to nights so many times these last two weeks, I don’t even know what time it is. Plus, you’ve been a miserable fuck since we got back from South Padre.”
    “You know your lease is up this month, so you’re more than welcome to move somewhere else.”
    Andre flipped him off. “All I’m saying is that we should go have some fun this weekend. Recharge.”
    Jace perked up. A fun weekend?
    Andre was right—that was exactly what he needed. Since they’d returned to Dallas, Jace had felt off, like he couldn’t quite get back into the groove. And it had nothing to do with Wicked’s bank account. The moment that had passed between him and Evan had replayed in his mind one too many times. And getting hard night after night thinking about a girl who was off limits was getting him nowhere. He knew just the kind of weekend he needed.
    “Andre, I think that’s a genius plan.”
    He grinned. “Of course it is. That’s the only kind of plan I come up with.”
    Jace smirked. “I’ll deal with Diana next week. There’s no way I’m letting her earn any more money off my back. And I’ll figure out this mess with Wicked. I have some new radio and print ads going live this weekend, so maybe that will drum up some new business.”
    “You could always ask your parents to release the rest of your trust fund. The money’s supposed to be yours.”
    “I’d rather live in a box than give in and ask them for a penny of that damn money. That shit is so laced with strings, I