Diffused - A Shear Disaster Mystery (Book 4) by Terri Reid

Author:Terri Reid [Reid, Terri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2021-09-27T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-one

Why in the world was I feeling guilty?

I did absolutely nothing wrong.

So why was I blushing and feeling like a kid who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar?

I reached up and pushed against Franklin’s shoulders, trying to move him away from me. But I was about as successful as a leaf in the wind. Franklin took his time releasing my lips and when he lifted his head, I could see a gleam of pure masculine triumph in his eyes.

And that’s when embarrassment turned into anger. So, just as Franklin was turning his triumphant smile towards Van, in that unguarded moment of victory, I closed my hand into a tight fist and punched him for all I was worth, right into his solar plexus.

“Ooooph!” Franklin wheezed, a look of total shock replacing his smile.

I stood up quickly, my chair falling back behind me. “How about taking that for an answer?” I spat.

Franklin wheezed and stumbled back a few steps.

Van stepped up and steadied him. “Okay, buddy, just bend over and take a few deep breaths,” he instructed, not trying very hard to hide the amusement on his face.

“How’s your fist feel, champ?” he asked me.

I shrugged. “Fine,” I said, flexing all of my fingers to make sure. “No damage at all.”

Franklin wheezed again.

“Yeah, you just keep working on those deep breaths,” Van said. “And you’ll feel better in no time.”

Van looked back at me. “Solar plexus, huh?” he asked.

I nodded, standing tall with my hands on my hips. “Self-defense class, Greenwich YWCA,” I replied.

“You know you just assaulted an officer of the law,” Van added casually.

Franklin inhaled sharply.

“Are you going to press charges?” I asked Franklin.

He shook his head and inhaled slowly again. Then he slowly straightened himself up and met my eyes. “I deserved that,” he breathed. “I acted like an ass.”

I nodded. “Yes, you did,” I agreed.

“Truce?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said with a curt nod. “But if you try that again…”

He put his hands up in the air. “I won’t try that again,” he assured me. Then he smiled. “But it was worth it, Louella Jo. It was surely worth it.”

He turned, then straightened up a little more, and slowly, painfully walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.

“You still mad?” Van asked, walking over to the door and locking it.

I exhaled slowly and nodded. “Yeah, just a little,” I admitted. “I thought he was actually trying to be friends. I thought he was trying to build up a little trust here.”

Van stepped closer and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Maybe he was,” he suggested. “Maybe he started out with good intentions.”

“Well, starting out isn’t good enough,” I fumed. “He needs to follow through.”

Van grinned. “Seems to me he was following through,” he said, gently massaging my shoulders. “In some ways, I feel sorry for the guy.”

“Sorry?” I asked incredulously. “Sorry?”

Van leaned forward and gently kissed me.

“That’s not going to…” I murmured against his lips.

Then he pulled me against him and deepened the kiss, sliding his hands up to cradle my head as he plundered my mouth.

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