Free Against the Law by Kat Martin

L.A.”
    Dev closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Madman. How’d you know where to find me?”
    â€œTalked to Town. He said you flew in. I guess you’re with Lark.”
    He thought of what had almost happened in her bedroom and thanked the cell phone gods for the timing of Madman’s call.
    â€œWe’re following a lead. We found the people who arranged the adoption of her sister’s baby. We’re talking to them tomorrow. All we have to do is get them to give us the couple’s name.”
    â€œMight not be that easy. Those folks can be sticklers.”
    He thought of the babies they’d sold and his tone hardened. “We’ve got enough on them to make them talk whether they want to or not.”
    Madman chuckled. “Sounds like fun. Need any help? Be just like old times.”
    â€œYeah, well, thank God those times are over.”
    Clive’s deep voice roughened. “Listen, Dev. Lark’s a nice girl. I know she’s hot, but believe me, she’s not your type. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
    â€œI don’t mix business with pleasure. You know that.”
    â€œYou’re right, I do. That’s the reason I’m not worried. She needs your help, Dev. Finding that baby is really important to her.”
    â€œI know. We’ll find her.”
    â€œI knew I could count on you. Listen, Molly and I were wondering if you two might want to meet someplace for dinner. It’s been a while and you haven’t met my wife.” There was something there when Clive said wife, something intimate and possessive Dev had never heard before.
    â€œTo tell you the truth, I didn’t know you were married until Lark told me. What’s up with that?”
    â€œDamn, I thought you knew. Sorry, buddy. I guess I was afraid of the competition.”
    Dev chuckled. “Dinner sounds good. We’re at Lark’s place downtown.”
    â€œI know where she lives. Molly used to live next door. There’s a restaurant, the Strip House. It’s walking distance from the condo. Great steak and seafood. How about we meet there at seven? Give us time for a drink.”
    â€œSounds good.” Dev turned to Lark. “Dinner with Clive and Molly?”
    She smiled and nodded.
    â€œAll right,” he said to Clive, “we’ll see you there.” Dev ended the call and looked up to see Lark eyeing him with interest.
    â€œYou don’t mix business with pleasure?”
    He shook his head. “Never. It’s a rule I don’t break.”
    â€œThen what just happened in there?” She tipped her head toward the bedroom. What had happened? He’d damn near gotten exactly what he had been wanting. “Moment of weakness. It won’t happen again.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    He thought of the consequences of sleeping with a client and how screwed up things could get, thought of Madman and the debt he had not yet repaid. “Damned sure.”
    â€œI see.”
    But of course she didn’t see at all. She thought he didn’t really want her, that resisting her would be easy. He wished he could tell her the lust he felt for her was way out of all proportion. That wanting her the way he did was driving him crazy.
    â€œAre we going to the Strip House? That’s one of Clive’s favorite places.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œThen I guess I’d better go shower and change.”
    His mouth went dry. He imagined Lark naked in the shower, water cascading over her upturned breasts…
    She sauntered toward him, lightly brushed against him as she passed. “Too bad you don’t mix business with pleasure.” Without looking back, she turned and sashayed back down the hall.
    Dev watched the sway of that great ass and silently cursed Madman Monroe.
    Â 
    Lark wondered if it could really be that simple. She was his client. Dev didn’t get involved with his clients. It made sense, she supposed.