“Hi, Mom.” Claire bit her kiss-swollen bottom lip. “You made great time from Texas.”

Embarrassed heat burned from her toes to her ears as she looked at Glenda Layton. Of all the people to walk in on her and Jake, only the killer would have been worse.

“Mmm-hmm. Don’t you try to give me the business. I know all about what’s going on. Is this fella here to help protect your body or just molest it?”

“Mother!” 

Jake’s hand rubbed the small of her back. The caress comforted her, lessening the mortification swamping her.

“Now, if I was your age and hadn’t met your dear father yet, I might agree to that second part myself.” Glenda gave Jake the once over. “He is cute, isn’t he?”

“This…” She waved her hands in the air. “This is just a fluke. It won’t be happening again.” 

Jake stopped his hand’s calming circle, and slid it south. He squeezed her butt. Desire swept through her like a brushfire. She planted one of her heels onto Jake’s toes and ignored his strangled grunt. 

Glenda had a small canary-yellow duffel bag on the floor next to her Keds. Claire lowered herself into her chair, her head aching.

“Mom, why do you have your overnight bag?” Unease crept up her spine. Please say it’s presents from Texas.

“I’m coming to stay with you, of course. I’ll be right next to you every moment of the day and night until Hank catches that murderer. Don’t you worry. Nobody messes with the Laytons. We conquer, we don’t cower.”

Claire loved her mother, but there was no way she could move in. The last time her mother spent the weekend, she came home to find her kitchen rearranged, her voicemails deleted and her calendar filled with blind dates. That could not happen again.

“No need for you to do that, Mrs. Layton. I’m watching out for Claire until all of this blows over.”

Claire flashed Jake a grateful smile. He winked in return.

“You that man from the security company who has Hank fit to be tied?” Glenda squared her jaw.

“Yes, ma’am, I guess so.” He walked around the desk and offered his hand.

She shook it and held on. “Are you married?”

“No, ma’am.” Jake shook his head.

“Girlfriend?”

“Not a one.”

Glenda leaned forward. “Gay?”

As usual, her mom had her contemplating moving to Siberia. She couldn’t be more humiliated if she had to run naked down Main Street during the annual Oh, Pioneer Parade.

“Nope.” He grinned down at Glenda. It looked as if he had this conversation with every mother he met. 

“Do you want to be married?” 

She grimaced at the hopeful look on her mom’s face.

“Not really.”

“Why not?” Glenda dropped his hand and crossed her arms in front of her.

Jake shrugged. “Well, ma’am, I’m just not the marrying kind.” 

“We’ll see about that.” Excited speculation lit up Glenda’s face. She dug into her makeup counter giveaway purse and brought out a polka-dotted notepad and pen set. She scribbled something and handed it to Jake.

“You call me if you need my help. I belong to the NRA.” She turned her attention to Claire. “He goes, I stay. Got it?”

She mentally conceded the battle. With her mother, it always ended the same. “Yes, Mom.”

“Good. Toodles.”

She watched in silence as her mother stalked from the room. Groaning, she cradled her head in her hands. 

“Wow.” Jake’s voice was tinged with awe.

“Yeah. My mother is…something else.”

Claire glanced at Jake. He looked dazed, the normal reaction after meeting her mother, which was why she’d had only first dates in high school.

“Thanks for helping me. Telling her you were staying with me was brilliant. I appreciate it.”

He leveled the full force of his slate-blue eyes at her. “I am staying with you.” 

“Oh no.” Claire slapped her palms down on her desk. “That was just to get Mom out of here. There’s no way you’re staying with me.” 

She couldn’t play house with him. Going to sleep listening to him breathe. Having coffee together in the morning. Brushing their teeth together in the bathroom. No way could she keep her heart in check in that situation.

In two long steps, he was beside her. He tugged at her elbow and spun her around to face him. “I won’t let anything happen to you. You’re safe with me.” 

He promised protection, but that wasn’t what she wanted most from him. Maybe having her life turned upside down by a crazy man had bent her thinking. Perhaps she would have reacted this strongly to Jake under any circumstances. No matter the reason, she wanted this man, and wanted him badly. 

“Am I?” Her gaze aimed for the erection visible through his jeans.

“Yes. I’m here for a job. That’s all.” A vein throbbed at his temple. “I don’t want to want you, but I can’t seem to help it.”

What did she gain from denying herself the pleasure of him in bed as long as he didn’t stay the night? Nothing. Her decision made, Claire embraced the sexual fever burning through her body, grabbed his waistband and pulled him close. “Is wanting me so bad?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” She rubbed the bulge in his jeans and squeezed him lightly.

He grabbed her wrist, stopping her caress. “When this is over, I’m gone. My life is in Denver. Yours is here.”

“True. But this is just lust, nothing more. Maybe once is all we need.” She popped open the buttons on his jeans.

He sucked in a breath. “One time, no strings?” 

Claire slid his zipper down. “Not unless you’re interested in being tied up.”

Did you miss part of Dangerous Kiss? Catch up here. xoxo, Avery