Murphy's Law. Lori Foster

      What was it about her?

      She tried so hard to appear disinterested in him, but when they kissed, her body language told him otherwise. And thinking that…

      Quinton narrowed his eyes. “If I kissed you right now, what would you do?”

      Expression arrested, she asked, “Scream again?”

      “You aren’t certain?” He stepped closer. She didn’t back away, but she did plant her feet as if preparing for a confrontation. He didn’t want to rush her or scare her off.

      Without touching her, he suggested, “Maybe we should find out.”

      She stared at his mouth. Her lips parted on a shaky breath, then slowly curved in a sexy female smile that reeked of confidence. “Yeah,” she whispered. Her gaze drifted to his. “I have a few minutes, so why not?”

      The novels of Lori Foster

      JUDE’S LAW

      JAMIE

      JUST A HINT—CLINT

      WHEN BRUCE MET CYN

      THE SECRET LIFE OF BRYAN

      SAY NO TO JOE?

      UNEXPECTED

      NEVER TOO MUCH

      TOO MUCH TEMPTATION

      Anthologies featuring Lori Foster

      BAD BOYS OF SUMMER

      WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS

      THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

      STAR QUALITY

      PERFECT FOR THE BEACH

      BAD BOYS IN BLACK TIE

      BAD BOYS TO GO

      JINGLE BELL ROCK

      BAD BOYS ON BOARD

      I BRAKE FOR BAD BOYS

      I LOVE BAD BOYS

      ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT

      LORI FOSTER

      Murphy’s Law

       ZEBRA BOOKS KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP. www.kensingtonbooks.com

      ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

       850 Third Avenue

       New York, NY 10022

      Copyright © 2006 by Lori Foster

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

      To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

      Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

      First Zebra Books Mass-Market Paperback Printing: September 2006

      ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-3968-6

      ISBN-10: 1-4201-3968-1

      To Beverly Moore.

       You’re smart, sweet, funny, beautiful,

       and you fit right in.

       I am so very glad that you found Jake,

       and that he found you.

       Love ya bunches!

      Contents

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 1

      Trailing close behind in the rusted, rattling junk heap of a car, he watched her, plotting, planning…growing tense and hard and excited.

      Between two jobs and school she scattered her routine, but he’d figure it out. Everyone fit a pattern eventually. People were sheep. Predictable. Easily overcome. Especially with his unique brand of tools.

      She was the one to blame, the one who’d fucked up all his plans. She was the one directly responsible for ruining his life.

      Before she caught on to him, before anyone could stop him, he’d have her. Then he’d have his much-deserved retribution.

      She turned into the parking garage at the building where she worked the night shift. Slow and watchful, he drove on past the entrance. And he saw things he hadn’t expected. He smiled with the discovery. Another way to twist the knife, to get his revenge.

      The little bitch deserved no less for putting her nose where it didn’t belong.

      With building impatience and anticipation, Quinton Murphy leaned against the cinderblock wall and checked his watch for the tenth time. How pathetic for a grown man to go to such lengths to talk with a woman.

      A woman who had refused him—after kissing him senseless.

      He didn’t leave. He wouldn’t leave. Not until she showed up and he had a chance to set things right with her.

      Loosening his tie and pulling at the collar of his dress shirt, he cursed the unseasonable warmth of the October night and the stifling stillness of the parking garage. He checked his watch yet again, and then, finally, her yellow Civic pulled through the entrance.

      Headlights flashed around the gray, yawning space, now mostly empty except for his Porsche Carrera and the vehicles of the night shift workers. Her brakes sounded a little squeaky, and she parked with a jerk of the gears that shook the aged automobile.

      Always in a hurry—that described Ashley Miles. At least from what little he’d seen of her. He had to wonder if she ever relaxed or took a day off to laze around.

      As soon as her engine died and her headlights went dark, the driver’s door swung open and she stepped out. Quinton soaked in the sight of her, letting his gaze meander along the length of her long legs, her trim midriff, and the understated curves of her small breasts before settling on her face.

      Once again, he mulled over her startling effect on him—and wondered at it. At thirty-three he was hardly a monk. He’d had infatuations, relationships of convenience, and once he’d even been in love.

      But something about Ashley, some indefinable nuance in her nature got to him in a most unusual way.

      Pieces of her were perfect: her dark eyes, her long silky hair, and her mouth…God, he loved her mouth.

      She smiled easily, had a sharp tongue, and said no far too often.

      But she kissed with an enthusiasm and hunger that made her impossible to dismiss, almost as if she’d never kissed before and the sensation of it overwhelmed her. He wanted more. He wanted everything. Until he had her, he wouldn’t be able to get her out of his thoughts.

      Put all together, Ashley made a mostly average appearance. But when she spoke, all that sassy attitude came crashing out, and it made