Needing a breather from the burden of the case, Jeff heads to a bar, where he meets Alex Fisher. Alex isn’t his type, but he’s young and cocky and perfect for a one-night stand. Or two. Soon Jeff starts thinking about how difficult and lonely it is being a cop, and that maybe Alex could fill a void in his life. But Alex has his own obligations: a disabled brother who is the target of threatening letters.
Jeff isn’t sure he’s ready to play house or overcome his prejudices, but he begins to think Alex might be worth it. Caught between his growing affection and his inner demons, Jeff struggles to focus on the case and protect Alex and his brother as the danger builds.
I did think that the author did a good job with the characterization of Jeff Woods when he met not only Alex (his love interest), but also Sean, Alex’s brother who is severely disabled. I though she was able to highlight the awkwardness that lots of people (I know I do for sure) feel/experience around someone who is disabled for initial time period – it seems like so often in other books, everyone just rolls with it, but that doesn’t seem all that realistic to me.
Overall, I gave the story a solid 3 stars and I will be checking out more books by the author in the future. it might have been 4 stars, but the mystery was tied up to quickly for me in the end – and I had figured out who it was fairly early on in the lead up to the various events.
Excerpt:
I parked near Snake Alley, though not near enough to rouse suspicion if anyone saw my car. I was there early, especially for a Friday night. I hadn’t been to this particular club in a while. The Lion’s Den—whoever had named the club was nuts. But that’s just my humble opinion. Maybe the name was supposed to be a very clever wordplay. Or just a nice paraphrase for ‘meat market’. Because that’s what it was. Strangely enough, a lot of the men didn’t get that it was a meat market; they believed in finding their true love here. Damn fools.
I found a good place at the bar and ordered a beer. It wasn’t crowded and from my spot I could overlook the dance floor, most of the bar, and the entrance. Once a cop, always a cop.
For a while, I sipped my beer and let my gaze wander. Around ten the club was filling and I had narrowed down my options to three guys. All of them were tall, broad-shouldered men, able to take it a bit rough.
I fended off a few other guys, though it was a nice ego-boost to be popular. None of the guys who advanced on me were my type: too small, too young, and way too cheerful. I had just finished my beer and decided to try my luck with my main prey, a dark-haired, beefy looking man, when a hand landed on my arm.
“Mind if I buy you another beer?”
I turned around with a frown in place. I was face to face—well, almost face to face, the guy was maybe two or three inches shorter than me—with a very young man. He smiled at me, showing off a line of white teeth, and I blinked. When I was done blinking, I pointedly looked at his hand on my arm, but he didn’t get the hint.
His hand stayed where it was as he ordered two beers. I found myself steered back onto the stool I had just vacated. He sat down on the stool next to me and finally withdrew his hand. Only to hold it out to me. “Hi, I’m Alex. Pleasure to meet you.”
I ignored his outstretched hand. “Thanks for the beer but I’m not interested.”
“You’re not?”
“No.” I wasn’t interested at all. This guy was way too young and absolutely not my type. Fair-haired and slender in built, almost delicate. I grimaced. He would find someone who’d appreciate his looks; there were a lot of men who’d be pleased with someone like him. It just wasn’t going to be me.
“No? Really? You don’t even know me.”
“I’m not here to get to know anyone.”
“Well, neither am I.”
I snorted. “Why did you sound so offended then?”
Alex answered with a shrug. “I’m not used to getting turned down, that’s all.”
Arrogant little prick. I patted his shoulder in a there-there gesture. “You’ll get used to it.”
“No, I won’t. I observed you for an hour and I want you. There’s no one with you, so I don’t get what the problem is.”
My eyes narrowed again. He had observed me for an hour and I hadn’t sensed it? Either I was drunk, which was very unlikely, or I needed to pay better attention to my surroundings. I took great offense at having been spied on without my knowledge. “Kid, do yourself a favor and pick up someone else. I’m not interested, but I can point out at least two men who are.”
“I can point out at least four men who are interested in me, but I don’t care about them. I already made my decision.”
The kid was incredibly arrogant. It should have been annoying but instead I was amused. He had balls and I liked that. “You did? Tell you what, I made a decision myself and it didn’t include you.”
“That’s only because you didn’t see me before.”
I laughed. “I haven’t met someone that snotty in quite a while.”
He grinned at me. “At least it got your attention.”
The bartender placed our beers in front of us and we both reached for them. We clinked the glasses together before we both turned around to stare at the dance floor. From the corner of my eyes I inspected Alex more closely. The blondness of his hair bordered on white. He had it slicked back, though it was already starting to curl up on the nape of his neck. A loose strand repeatedly fell onto his forehead. Unsuccessfully, he tried to tame it.
He caught me glancing at him when he tried to tuck the stray hair behind his ear. A light flush crept up in his cheeks while he muttered, “It never stays where I put it.”
“That’s why you put a pound of gel into it?”
The light flush turned into a deep red. “It wasn’t a pound, only half of a bottle.”
I grinned at him andstretched out my hand. He took it immediately. “Hi Alex, I’m Jeff.”
“Jeff,” he repeated.
His gaze wandered to our joined hands. His hand almost vanished in mine. There were no calluses on his and the skin was baby-soft. Usually, I would have turned and run away. Oddly enough, I found myself stroking my thumb over the knuckles of his hand.
After swallowing heavily several times, Alex looked at me. “You got big hands.”
“Yep.”
“I bet you know how to use them.”
“I do.”
“You need to show me. Really soon.”
I smirked. Even though he wasn’t my type, he was good for my ego. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at me with such open hunger. I said, “I might do that.”
“You might? Didn’t you listen when I told you that you’re it for me tonight?”
“Don’t push your luck. At the very least I’m reconsidering.”
“You like that I’m pushy.”
“No, I don’t. It’s amusing, though.”
“Oh.” He sounded vaguely embarrassed. Maybe now he’d shut up for a while.
He did, but never let go of my hand. Instead, he came to stand at my other side and looped his free arm loosely around my waist. I raised an eyebrow questioningly.
“So far you’re only reconsidering. I’m making the best of it.”
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