Free Choosing Rena by dakota trace

have trounced through here,
disturbing the fragments.”
    Measuring the size of the glass doors,
she jotted them down. No one mentioned in the report of any of the
witnesses or neighbors hearing the glass break, but it was worth a
shot. Before she left, she’d have to stop and make their
acquaintance. Moving around to the doorframe, she looked at the
jamb, tracks and finally the motion sensor. There was something off
here, but she just couldn’t figure it out, and the plywood the
security company had put up wasn’t helping matters.
    According to Jude’s statement to the
police, he’d moved the sensor higher, thinking birds had set it off
originally. But after studying it, she wasn’t sure if the breaking
of the glass was what had disturbed the sensor. The slider was
spider-webbed up from the middle of the pane in such a way it
didn’t seem consistent with that theory. “I’d be surprised if there
was enough force to make the sensor go off, like the police notes
suggest.” She scribbled another note down on her pad.
    She was just about to measure the hole
in the center of the pane when she heard a familiar masculine voice
behind her. “Hello?”
    Freezing, she wanted to find Jude’s
ass and kick it so far up between his shoulder blades he’d be
spitting out shoe leather for the next week. “Unbelievable. Just
un-fucking-believable.” Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she
prepared herself to come face to face with Jackson.
    His scent reached her
first. The moment he appeared in the doorway, his cologne wafted
over to her, then his sheer presence engulfed her with the need to
submit. It was the same desire she’d been battling every time
they’d been in the same room since she’d met him. She was a big
girl, she could do this. Act like the
professional you are, Rena. He can’t force your
submission.
    “Rena?” He seemed just as shocked as
she did. As she took in his work clothes, rumpled hair and
blackened eye, she wondered what the hell had happened but forced
herself to concentrate on the issue at hand. If she gave him an
inch, he’d surely take a mile – and she knew it.
    “Well get your skinny white ass over
here. I need to bounce something off you.” She moved back to the
sliding door. Resuming the measuring of the hole, she felt him join
her.
    “So that’s how you’re going
to play it, ma peekôn?”
    “Play
what? I’m here to do a job. To help Jude figure out who’s targeting
Olivia.”
    “You’re
assuming Olivia’s the target. It could be Jude or Micah. All three
of them live together – love together.” The heat from his body
radiated towards her as he stepped closer. There was only an inch
separating their bodies. “Damn you smell good. Good enough to
eat.”
    It took all her willpower
to not melt at his feet when he nudged aside one of her braids with
his nose to access the side of her neck. It was one of the things
she’d loved about being near him. Their height was close enough he
didn’t have to bend to kiss her. “Hmmmm.” The brush of his lips
against the back of her ear coaxed a betraying shiver out of
her.
    “White
boy…” What she meant to come out as a rebuke ended up sounding more
like a plea as he wrapped his arms around her, trapping her against
his hard body.
    “I’ve missed you, Rena.” He nipped at
her earlobe. “You left me while I was ill. Did you honestly think I
wouldn’t know you were the one at the hospital who harassed the
nursing staff or you were the one who brought the Christmas Cactus
in because you knew flowers stirred up my allergies? Or your scent
was the one I woke up with each morning and went to bed with each
night I was in that miserable place.”
    “You had plenty of care, Jackson, and
more than enough friends around. You didn’t need me at your bedside
once I made sure you were getting the proper care.”
    She pulled away, surprised when he
released her. He was quiet for so long she wondered if he’d left.
Finally she gave in to