Sort of like...guilt.
Again, she glanced at Derrick, but he wasn't looking at her. And why would he be? He had a job to do.
So did she.
"Maybe I should head back to my desk," she said, backing toward the door.
"Oh jeez, I did it again, didn't I?" Zac shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry. I was just hoping we could find some time to catch up. If Derrick isn't cool with that, it's fine. Maybe all three of us could hang out. Talk about the case a little and get to know each other, you know? Just...think it over."
She nodded, then left the room as silently as she entered it, careful not to glance at Derrick's desk again on her way to her seat.
Zac had hit on her. It was everything she should have wanted. Everything she'd hoped for.
And yet, Derrick's words were the ones ringing in her head.
Hitting on another man's woman? Isn't that the sort of thing a scumbag does?
Maybe she'd been wrong and he wasn't hitting on her at all. Maybe he really just did want to catch up. She should give him the benefit of the doubt, shouldn't she?
But what did that matter? She wanted him to hit on her. Wanted him.
Right?
Chapter 5
Jade glanced at her tabby cat and tried her best to determine whether the judgment in the animal's eyes was all in her head or if she was actually scowling at her outfit. Worse, Jade wasn't sure if she could blame the cat for her attitude.
At best, she was dolled up in second-rate hooker attire, stuff she'd had from way back in college when she'd been a regular in the shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She glanced in the mirror and smoothed her hair over the more revealing cleavage from her black studded corset. On her hands, she wore black lace gloves-like a reject from a Madonna video. And on her feet were the tallest platform stilettos she'd been able to find-complete with rhinestone heels.
She looked like what she was supposed to be.
A stripper on her way to the job.
God help her.
She'd had to spend the better part of her afternoon practicing how to walk in the shoes, all while her tabby's watchful eyes judged her from the couch, but she'd finally managed it. Now, all she had to do was walk into the club tonight and act like she belonged.
"That would be a lot easier if I could breathe in this thing." She fiddled with the zipper on the front of her corset, but then left it alone. The thing was precarious enough as it was, no need to tempt fate.
So, gathering up her things, she sat in front of the bay window in her tiny living room and hoped that Derrick would show up before any of her neighbors could catch sight of her getup. God only knew what old lady Johnson would say. She'd already nearly had a fit at the idea of Jade being a police officer. If that wasn't a respectable job, then...
Derrick's rickety white SUV pulled into her driveway and she briefly considered how bad it would be to cancel, but then she kicked off her shoes, picked them up, and sprinted as fast as she could to the car. Once inside, Derrick stared at her for a long minute-a strange twisted expression on his face.
"I'm not sure about this," he said at last.
"What do you mean?" She leaned over and put her shoes back on, careful to secure the heel. "Don't I look the part?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just..." He paused, and she was all too aware of the fact that they were still sitting there, idling in her driveway for all the world to see.
She ratcheted up her corset a little higher.
"Look, you don't have to do this. We can probably find a way to get one of the girls who works there involved-"
"These guys are dangerous. I'm not putting anyone else in the line of fire. Now come on, I'm going to miss my big debut." She grinned at him, and he eyed her for another long moment before backing out of the driveway and onto the street.
The rest of the ride was quiet enough, though the tension between them was as palpable as ever. Still, she couldn't tell whether it was just the nerves that went along with a gig like this or simply the fact that she didn't agree with him that had Derrick's wide shoulders locked so firmed and his square jaw set so tight.
But then there was a third option, too. One she wasn't willing to allow herself to consider.
One that might explain why he'd kept his gaze so resolutely on the road since she'd gotten into the car.
That simply wasn't possible. Derrick was just her friend. Their kiss had proven that. Sure, it had been warm and full and made something inside her sizzle, but that was because she'd been imagining what Zac would do if he saw them together.
It was all because of Zac.
Derrick pulled over to the side of the road and unlocked the door. "Okay, you can walk the rest of the way. Don't want them seeing us in the same car."
"Right." She nodded. "So...I'll see you inside." She craned her neck to look up at him as she scooted from the seat, but his gaze stayed fixed on the road as he gave her one firm nod.
"Great." She said, "And, um, you checked your wires and mics and everything?"
Look at me.
"Yep, all set," he said.
Look at me.
"Okay, awesome. I checked mine too, so, um, good." She closed the door and watched as he sped away, moving so fast she was surprised he didn't spew exhaust in her face. The club was only just around the corner, so the walk shouldn't be so bad. It would give her one last chance to learn how to walk in her heels.
And one last chance to figure out why he wouldn't look at her...
She shook her head. Stupid. What did it matter? He was probably just being professional as always, acknowledging that she was likely uncomfortable with baring so much skin. Not looking at her was the thing a gentleman in his position would do.
And yet...
The Slippery Beaver loomed in front of her, the yellow glow of the sign illuminating the parking lot and making the building behind seem even seedier than it did by day. With a deep breath, she skirted around to the back of the building and went through the dancer's entrance, ready to put her game face on.
When she got there, a gaggle of women were running around on high, pointed heels, refreshing their makeup and changing into and out of skimpy ensembles. Compared to everyone else, she looked like a nun in her tiny shorts and full corset.
"You must be the new girl," the raspy-voiced woman said so close to Jade's ear that she nearly jumped.
"Yeah, uh, that's me." She nodded, swallowing hard as she watched the other woman's beehive hairdo sway back and forth, like a wig that hadn't been properly secured.
"Right, well, Crystal is going to help you get changed. A few of our bigger patrons are out there tonight and they always like new faces, especially ones as pretty as yours." The woman pinched Jade's cheek. "Normally we've got the new girls waiting tables a while, but Mandy is out sick and we need someone to fill her slot. You're on in ten, so make sure you're warmed up."
Jade reeled for a moment, then the words settled in. "On? But I..."
But she what? She was a cop? That wasn't exactly the deal, now was it?
"You're going to be great, darling, don't you worry." The old woman smiled not unkindly, then snapped her fingers and shouted, "Someone get Crystal over here!"
It didn't take long for Crystal to arrive, though she was clad in nothing but a very tiny thong and a smile that quickly vanished when she caught sight of Jade.
"Hey," Crystal said to her, then focused her attention on the older woman. "What's up, Ruth?"
"Um...I'm sorry sweetie, what's your name?" She touched Jade's shoulder.
"Daisy," Jade offered.
"Daisy here is filling in for Mandy in ten. Can you find her something to wear and make sure she's ready to go? You know, tell her Mandy's songs. I've got to dash." And just like that, the woman and her swaying beehive were moving through the crowd of girls, barking orders and stepping over discarded panties.
Crystal watched the other woman until she'd disappeared into the club, then turned on Jade with narrowed eyes, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just-"
"Don't you think I remember you?" she hissed, then grabbed Jade's arm and pulled her off into an uninhabited corner.
"Look, if you remember me, then you know what I'm doing here."
"You don't understand. You can't just-" Crystal tried, but Jade held up a hand.
"I'm a trained professional. I appreciate your concern, but-"
"You're going to get me killed. You're going to get yourself killed." Crystal hissed.
"Nobody will know it was you. Now come on, I've got ten minutes. Teach me everything you know about how to be a stripper."
Tonight was the first time Derrick'd ever been in a strip club, and so far he had to admit he was far from impressed.
He looked around at the rest of the tables in the VIP section, trying to spot the faces that were so familiar to him from every daily debriefing, but rather than the head honchos he could only spot the minor players-the guys lined up to take a fall when something went wrong. The guy who hadn't yet been made.