Free Undercover Passion by Raye Morgan Page A

out she had one after all. If it had finally happened to her, she was glad it was with Daniel. He was strong and compelling and hunky as all get out. And he could kiss like nothing she’d ever dreamed of. Sighing happily, she went back to meet him.
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    Daniel followed Abby into her apartment, his best investigative antennae on the alert. It was a nice place, very much as he would have expected.The furniture was casually modern. Books filled the shelves. A Lichtenstein reproduction decorated one wall, an original picture of two small children eating ice cream cones was placed on another. A large Armani porcelain figure of a 1920s flapper filled one corner of the room.
    â€œNice,” he said, gesturing toward the fashionably dressed statue.
    Abby smiled. “A gift from my parents when I finished my master’s thesis.”
    He turned to look at her. He’d assumed she was well educated but he didn’t know much more about it. “What was your subject?” he asked.
    â€œThe applications of transcendental meditation on modern psychological modes of auditory perception.”
    He grimaced. “No wonder they gave you an award. It was enough just to memorize a mouthful of a title like that.”
    â€œMy parents always gave me awards for goals challenged and met. It was their way of motivating me.”
    He cast a cynical look her way. “Was all that really necessary? You seem pretty self-motivated to me.”
    She stopped what she was doing and looked back at him. “Thanks for noticing,” she said quietly, smiled and went back to filling a kettle with water.
    â€œAre you hungry?” she asked him. “I can whip up an omelet in no time.”
    He hesitated, tempted. He really was hungry. But he’d probably better not eat anything here. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally take the mystery substance, whatever it was.
    â€œNo, thanks,” he said, wandering through her kitchen, trying to seem merely restless as he took in everything he could manage, trying to find something that could be the catalyst of the odd behavior she was exhibiting. “But you go ahead.”
    â€œOh, no,” she said with obvious regret. “I can’t eat anything.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI’m on a diet.” Pulling off the jacket of her suit, she made a slow pirouette before him. “Tell me the truth. Do you think I’m fat?”
    The thin lacy shell didn’t hide much and the shape of her full breasts just happened to be the sort of shape he liked the best. He winced, forcing back the natural reaction that tried to start uphis libido again. There was to be no more lusting in this relationship. He had to remain completely detached and totally professional.
    Still, he had to admit she had certain attributes that were bound to linger in his memory for quite some time.
    â€œFat? Oh, no.” There could be no mistaking the honesty in his tone. “You’re just right.”
    She pouted provocatively, looking up at him. “I’m fat,” she insisted.
    Either he was going crazy or she wanted more than reassurance. She was yearning toward him, aching for him, and it was all there in her eyes. Wasn’t it?
    His mouth was going dry. “You’re crazy.” He turned away, hands shoved into his pockets to keep from reaching for her. “You should eat something.”
    She sighed, and he wasn’t sure if it was with disappointment that he obviously wasn’t going to take her nonverbal invitations for some light intimacy, or if it was just with hunger.
    â€œI might as well see if I can get this stain out,” she said. “Keep an eye on the teakettle, okay? I’ll just go down to the laundry room at the end of the hall. I’ll be right back.”
    He waited until she was out of sight, then went into action. Working quickly, he opened cabinets one after another, then the refrigerator, looking for anything that