Free Some Like It Hot by Brenda Jackson Page A

their jog a couple of hours later.
    “Water will do fine, thanks.”
    Linc followed her into the kitchen and sat down on one of the stools at her breakfast bar. “Nice place.”
    “Thanks.” Raven went to the refrigerator to get him a thirty-two-ounce bottle that she always kept on hand full of drinking water. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she had enjoyed Linc’s company while running. He had kept up with her pace, and they’d engaged in steady conversation most of the time without losing a beat.
    He had told her that he had gotten into a fitness program right after law school and still went to the gym at least twice a week. He enjoyed keeping his body in shape by working out. She’d been tempted to tell him that in her opinion he was doing a super-nice job of it.
    She walked back over to the kitchen counter and handed him the bottled water. She watched, fascinated as well as magnetized, as he uncapped the bottle and, tilting his head back, took a huge swallow of the clear liquid.
    Raven’s gaze was drawn to the muscular expanse of his neck, and she watched as the water flowed down his throat, making his Adam’s apple move. Her body ached to go over to him and take her tongue and lap up the water that was missing his mouth and running freely down his neck. She stood there and watched as he consumed all thirty-two ounces of the water without stopping to take a breath. Amazing.
    When he finished he licked his lips and smiled at her. “I guess I was thirsty. It’s like that with me sometimes. When I get ahold of something I want bad, I almost become addicted to it.”
    She nodded as her heart thumped erratically. She thought of the many times they had made love in Daytona. Had he become addicted to her that week? If so, what had been her excuse? Had she been addicted to him as well?
    “What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Linc’s question broke into her meanderings.
    “I’m going to edit an article I’m working on about Leo’s.”
    Linc’s brow rose. “You’re doing an article on Leo’s?”
    “Yes. It’s an article about the revived popularity of supper clubs. I chose Leo’s as my subject since I know the Hardcastles personally.”
    Linc nodded. “How about dinner and a movie later?”
    Raven had known that sooner or later he would get around to asking her out. And just as she’d been prepared for the question, she should have been prepared to give him an answer of “no.” But for some reason she held back. She told herself that it would just be a movie and dinner. No big deal. She hadn’t been out to a movie in ages, and besides, she would have to eat sometime. As long as she remained in control of the situation there could be no harm in it. She had learned by Falcon’s mistakes. The harm came in falling in love, and she had no intentions of doing that.
    “Dinner and a movie sounds nice as long you understand that there’s nothing between us other than friendship, Linc.”
    He stared at her quietly. “You want us to go from being former lovers to just being friends? Is that what you really want, Raven?”
    “Yes. I won’t go out with you otherwise. It’s a friendship thing or nothing. No more sending me stuff to remind me of our time together in Daytona. What we shared then is in the past and I want to keep it that way.”
    After a brief moment he nodded slowly. “If that’s the way you want it, then that’s the way it will be. Will seven o’clock tonight be OK?” he asked as he stood to leave.
    “Yes.”
    He leaned down and instead of giving her the heated kiss she had come to expect, he tenderly brushed his lips against her cheek. “I’ll see you later, friend.”
    She nodded and drew in a deep breath, knowing she was getting just what she’d asked for, a platonic relationship with him.
    Somehow she regretted it already.

Nine
    Raven sat in her office at Augustan Publishers and pounded away at the computer keyboard. Never before in her life had she felt so