Take a Breath (Take #1) - Jaimie Roberts Page 0,88

sex. But even then, he still felt it was all wrong.” I took a much-needed breath after my long monologue before continuing. “Well, long story short, your plan worked, and the next minute we were on the table in the kitchen, in his bed, in the shower, in the bed again, in the jacuzzi … I think you get my drift.”

Jessie gapes at me, stunned. “Wow, you little slut, you! You never told me anything. I noticed you were very quiet most of the time, and I thought you were just very introverted. But now, here you are walking into the office, looking well and truly fucked, and you’re telling me how many times Mr. Boss-Man shagged you over the weekend.” We both erupt in a flurry of giggles. “Seriously though, you look even more fantastic than normal. Jake is obviously good for you. I think the men here will be all over you even more now than they were before … until they know, that is. Are you going to tell everyone?”

I’m suddenly confused by what she’s said. “What do you mean ‘all over me even more now’?”

“Well, you’ll be oozing sex from every pore. Men can sense that, you see. Notice when you’re single and nothing happens, and as soon as you find a man they’re all sniffing round you? Well, that will be you.”

I take a sip of my coffee, thinking on what Jessie said. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re wiser than your years—or that you also have a serious potty-mouth disorder?”

She smiles cheekily at me. “It’s a gift, I think, but you can kiss my ass with the potty mouth. Anyway, why are you keeping this all a secret anyway? It’s not really your dad you’re banging, is it? You do know that’s against the law, right?”

I screw up my face in disgust. “Jessie, that’s just … ugh! Shut up. That’s just sick.”

She laughs hard, squeezing my arm. “I’m only kidding.” She pauses for a moment. “So tell me what else has been happening. Why did Tom know before I did?” I sigh, telling her about what happened after the barbecue. “The Blonde Killer is obsessed with you? Who could it be? Do you suspect anyone?”

I cringe at the thought of Alan, but I can’t tell Jessie this, not if I’m hiding it from Jake. It wouldn’t be fair. I’m not sure whether she would be able to keep that sort of thing secret anyway. I have Agent Marcos on it, so if that’s a lead, I’m fairly certain I will know soon enough.

“No, I have no idea. I can’t understand why he needs to create such a fuss over me. I’m nothing special, after all.”

Jessie shakes her head at me, clearly unhappy with my remarks, but doesn’t say anything further.

As we both take an appreciative sip of our coffee, Tom walks in. “Wow, I walk into a room and see two beautiful women standing before me. It must be all my Christmases and birthdays rolled into one.”

I roll my eyes at the same time Jessie shakes her head. “Tom, you really are a slime ball, you know that?”

He looks offended. “I just paid you a compliment. Can’t a guy pay you both compliments?”

“Not when the person complimenting just wants to get with everyone who has a skirt and panties, it’s not,” Jessie snorts. “You’re a male version of a whore, Mr. Pendleton.” I start laughing, and Tom just shrugs his shoulders with a smile. He clearly thought that was a compliment.

Jessie smirks. “How is Debra by the way? Are you still sleeping with that poor girl? I don’t know what she sees in you, to be honest, but I suppose some girls have to get it somewhere. I just thought she’d have better taste.”

Debra’s a policewoman, and I knew nothing about this. “What else am I not being told around here? Tom, you’re holding out on me.”

He smiles and winks at me. “Only because the girl I really want doesn’t seem to want me.”

Jessie places two fingers down her throat and pretends to gag. “See, I told you the flies would come.” She looks at me, and Tom just stares in bewilderment. “Anyway, Tom, it would seem Ana has found herself someone who can keep her warm at night a lot better than you can.” I blush a scarlet red.

“Yes, so I’ve gathered.” He picks up his coffee and walks out the door. “By the way, Ana, that color suits you.” I realize