Whiskey Rebellion (Romantic Mystery/Comedy) Book 1 (Addison Holmes Mysteries)

the tightened muscle. He worked at it a few more minutes until I began to whimper in relief.
    “Do you still hate me?” he whispered much too close to my ear.
    There were places on my body that were warming at an alarming rate. This man made me crazy. I wanted to strangle him every time he opened his mouth, but whenever he touched me I wanted to jump his bones.
    “I wanted to come by and apologize for scaring you last night.” His breath was hot against my skin, and I shivered in reaction. All I had to do was move my head ever so slightly and our lips would touch.
    “You —you’re apologizing?” I asked, surprised. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to apologize for anything. I was immediately suspicious, but forgot why when his lips started to feather the side of my neck.
    “See how easy it’s going to be for us to work together?” he asked, seductively. “I think it could be a pretty life-altering experience, don’t you?”
    My vision started to clear when I realized he was trying to make a point. Nick had ulterior motives. The rat bastard.
    The knock on the door saved me from telling Nick exactly what kind of experience he was about to get from my knee to his balls.
    “Ahh —saved by the proverbial bell.” Nick put space between us but kept my feet in his lap.
    “Come in,” I yelled, before Nick could get up and answer it himself. He rolled his eyes at me, and I watched closely as he placed his hand on the gun at his hip.
    “Have I interrupted something?” Kate asked, seeing Nick and I looking more comfortable than either one of us felt.
    “No— ”
    “Yes— ”
    I gave Nick a disgusted look and tried to move away from him, but my body wasn’t in any shape to move anywhere, and all I could manage was a groan.
    “Geez, you look like hell,” Kate said.
    “That seems to be the consensus,” I said, irritated.
    “I’ve stopped by to drop off a couple more cases, and I wanted to see if you had any luck with Gretchen Wilder. I have a meeting with Mr. Wilder tomorrow morning.”
    “The camera’s on the table with the file,” I said, going back to the splendor of the best foot rub I’d ever had.
    “Wow, looks like you got an education,” Kate said, scrolling through the pictures on the camera. “Mrs. Wilder’s my idol.”
    “Yeah, mine too.”
    “So how’d you get the bruises? Did you get caught?” she asked.
    “Nah, I fell out of the tree I used to look in the bedroom window. I didn’t realize how long they’d been going at it and my legs fell asleep.”
    “Ahh—to be that young again,” Kate said. “Ice it down and then go take a hot shower. I’d almost say you did it on purpose just so you could get out of your date tonight.”
    “What date?” Nick asked.
    “Oh, shit! I forgot about the date. Look at me, Kate. I can not go out like this. I can barely stand.” I put a little extra whine in my voice so she’d get the point.
    “Look on the bright side. Maybe you two will hit it off and then you can spend the evening in bed.”
    “Yeah, because I always sleep with guys on the first date.”
    “True,” Kate said, shaking her head sadly. “You’re an inspiration to nuns everywhere.”
    Kate downloaded the pictures onto her computer and gathered the files. “Make sure you’re presentable by seven, Addison. I’ll call your mother if I have to.”
    “Why does everyone hate me today? Can’t you see I’m in pain?”
    “Take some of that painkiller the dentist gave you when you had your wisdom teeth taken out. It’s not like you’ll be driving tonight.”
    “Great advice, Kate,” Nick said. “It’s always a good idea to go out with a complete stranger while you’re drugged. What if he’s a sex offender?”
    “ Fine, stay home and be pitiful all night. But I’m telling you, you can’t let these things keep you down. You could be standing up your future husband tonight.” Kate pulled open my front door with much less trouble than I always seemed to have and looked back at me.
    “Don’t forget the Officer’s Gala is tomorrow night. Mike and I can pick you up if you want .”
    How big of a loser would that make me to be Kate and Mike’s third wheel for a big party? So I did what any sensible girl would have done. I lied.
    “There’s no need to pick me up. I have a date.” I winced inside as I heard the words, but they’d just slipped out somehow.
    “Great. I can’t wait to meet him, ” she said with a wicked smile.
    I lay frozen on the couch,