Free Lost and Found by Tamara Larson

when he touched her. He liked her. Her sense of humor, and the way she got so easily embarrassed. There was something innocent about her, something hopeful, and sweet. He’d just met her but he knew these things to be true.  
    And yet he couldn’t help feeling like she’d come into his life at exactly the wrong time. He really needed to get this situation with Theresa cleared up before he’d be ready for any kind of a relationship, and that’s what he hoped to have with the sexy bookstore owner. A relationship. But until he found his missing half-sister he’d never be able to give Jessie the time and attention she deserved. Like tonight, if he hadn’t been waiting for news about the girl, he would have ignored the phone, or smashed it with his foot so he could continue pleasuring Jessie. He vowed silently to himself that until he could make Jessie his top priority, it was unfair of him to become involved with her. She wasn’t the type of woman that he could just make love to and forget. He didn’t want to hurt her like that.  
    They arrived at the bookstore in less than fifteen minutes. Usually, Duncan would open the car door for a lady, but she was already out by the time he got there. They hurried in, sending the bell over the door clanging. Duncan scanned the interior of the store, but didn’t see Theresa—just Clay, standing behind the counter, staring at the pair in puzzlement.
    “They’re gone,” he said, shrugging his shoulders, and giving Jessie a questioning eyebrow.
    “What do you mean, they’re gone? I thought you were going to try and keep her here,” Duncan said fiercely. Approaching Clay menacingly, he ran his hands through his hair and looked like he wanted to kick something, preferably Clay.
    “Well, I’m sorry, but my freeze ray is being serviced right now, Detective Rude much. How did you expect me to keep them here exactly?” Clay asked, hands on hips, he came out from behind the counter and poked Duncan in the chest.
    Duncan looked like he was going to haul off and punch the smaller blond man, but Jessie intervened. “Clay,” she said, placing a hand on Duncan ’s back. “How long have they been gone? Did you see which way they went?”
    Clay noted the placating hand with a pointed look and turned away from the irate detective with a disdainful sniff and spoke to Jessie. “You only missed them by a few minutes. You might be able to catch them. They were headed west. I watched them for as long as I could. The guy she was with was hard to miss. He was big, and had long, dark hair—your typical Caveman type.” He gave Duncan a meaningful look, but the detective was already headed for the door.  
    Jessie sank down on one of the chairs, and waited for Clay’s interrogation.
    “I can not believe you!” he exclaimed, angrily shaking his finger at her in agitation. “You were with him tonight, and didn’t even tell me about it. I should have known when I called you earlier tonight, and you weren’t home. Here I thought you were off bringing food to homeless people or reading to orphans, but instead you were off boffing the very intense detective’s brains out.” He turned his back on her and crossed his arms dramatically.
    “We were not boffing. At least I don’t think you’d call it boffing. It was kind of boffingish, I suppose.” Jessie got up and put her hand on Clay’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Clay. I didn’t tell you I was going to his place because I knew you’d make me even more nervous.”
    “Oh my God! You were at his place? What happened? Tell me everything.” Clay, his anger quickly forgotten in the face of new gossip, turned around and hugged her, picking her up and swinging her around.
    Duncan chose that moment to come back into the store, just in time to catch Clay and Jessie embracing. Duncan already thought of Jessie as his, and the impulse to state his claim was almost overwhelming. He wanted to tear the pretty blond man away from her and pummel his