He started the engine and indicated Carson with his chin. “You know, you do need rescuin’ whether you want to believe it or not.”
She made a face at him. “I’m not a wimp, Remy, no matter what you believe.”
“I believe half of New Orleans is tryin’ to kill you and the other half wants to go to bed with you.”
Her mouth twitched and she covered her lips with her palm, coughing delicately and then clearing her throat several times.
Remy glared at her. “Woman, you’d better not be laughin’ at me.”
“Just a little. I think you take your job far too seriously. Bein’ a homicide detective has made you a little bit paranoid, Remy. Yes, this situation with these murders is bizarre, but you said yourself if he wanted me dead, he would have already gone after me.”
A growl rumbled through his chest. Usually that was more than sufficient to stop any arguing from his siblings or fellow detectives. She simply raised an eyebrow, not looking very intimidated.
“The serial killer is probably the only one not out to get you,” he groused.
“Don’ sound so happy about it,” Bijou said.
He reached out and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. It seemed a small victory when she didn’t pull away from the contact. He took the gesture a step further and locked her hand against his heart. “Is that what you think, Blue? I’m in it just for the sex?”
She turned her head then and looked at him, hunching a little, as if he’d struck a body blow. Her amazing blue eyes always sent an electrical charge sizzling through his body. She blinked, drawing his attention to her impossibly long lashes. Before he drove straight into the bayou, he forced his gaze back onto the road.
“You jump around in the conversation, Remy. I’m havin’ trouble keepin’ up.”
“No, you aren’t. Now you’re just stallin’. I told you a long time ago, chere, you’re no coward, and it’s time you just told me what was upsetting you. I’m gettin’ the feelin’ you think our relationship is about sex and nothing else.”
He glanced at her again and just before her long lashes veiled her expression, he caught a flash of pain in her eyes. Instantly he felt as if a giant hand squeezed his heart hard. Upsetting her was one thing, but genuine pain was another. He didn’t like ever being the cause of that. She’d had enough pain in her life and he would bet his last dollar she was facing more.
He was positive her agent and his murky friend were up to no good. And he knew Bob Carson was. The man followed her everywhere taking photographs and selling out her privacy. He couldn’t yet prove that Carson was stalking her and destroying her property, even frightening her, but he would find the proof. She knew all three men, had known two of them for years, and it would hurt to find out that they really cared nothing for her . . .
The moment the thought entered his mind, he cursed himself. Of course. What an idiot. His brothers were right. Bijou had never been important to her father or her nannies. She’d never been loved by anyone. She probably had no idea what it felt like to have someone caring for her. He’d talked about the sex and little else.
“I think our relationship is about your leopard bein’ crazy about mine, as well as the great sex,” Bijou stated. “I think that because you said it. More than once.”
Remy tightened his fingers around her hand, keeping her palm pressed tightly against his heart. “Then I’m a moron if I made you believe that.” Looking back, he realized he had said just that. He shook his head.
Bijou shrugged. Her lower lip trembled and she bit down with her small teeth. “It’s all right, Remy. I’m not askin’ anythin’ from you. I’m a grown-up. I was there, just like you were. I wanted to have sex with you. It’s not like you forced me. I’m well aware people have casual sex all the time.”
“What we had was not casual sex. Had you ever had sex before, believe me, chere, you would never even consider attaching the word casual to what we have together.”
“Remy, I’m well aware we barely know one another. I’m not one to jump into bed with just anyone . . .”
“I know that. I was there, remember? I should have been much more careful with