Arrested Pleasure Read Online Free Page B

arrest. If we had room in the jail, we could easily keep you here a while."

    She dipped her head, not bothering to acknowledge his words.
    Scared. Good. What he'd hoped for.
    "But we won't. You have a little girl." Gabe shuffled papers on his desk. "I'm sure child protective services might be interested to learn you left your little girl alone last night."
    Her head whipped up. "No." She shook her head. "I don't leave her alone." She hesitated and flicked a glance at Chaz, then back to Gabe. "We have a home, and the lady there takes good care of my little girl. My baby's smart. She's"—a sob muffled her words—"she's not going to end up on the streets like her mama."
    Gabe and Chaz exchanged looks.
    "Where are you staying?" Gabe only hoped the girl was with someone decent.
    "Rosa Miller's shelter. It's—"
    "I'm familiar with the place," Gabe interjected. "Rosa's a good woman. I'm glad you're staying there. Though I thought Rosa frowned on her tenants working the streets?" An elderly woman who took in homeless people and helped them out as long as they remained clean, Rosa was well known and respected by the police department.
    Olivia's eyes lowered. "She's not aware. I'm working at a sandwich shop and taking classes at PSU, but that doesn't pay all the bills. I told her last night I was going out with friends." She gazed at Chaz and Gabe, her dark eyes pleading for mercy.
    "Please. Please don't tell her I'm hooking again. She'd kick me out, and we won't have a place to go."
    "I won't tell her, but you need to stop this. Go to welfare and get some aid," Gabe told her. "What about your child's father? Can't he help?"
    Her expression darkened. "Sienna's father is nobody. He doesn't care, and that's the way I want it."

    Gabe let the issue drop. Without pressing further, he suspected Sienna's father was likely one of her many johns. He'd seen the situation too many times to realize it was better not to find the father.
    "How about I take you home?" he asked her gently. "We can take my car. It's unmarked. Rosa won't know it's a cop bringing you home. I'm sure she's worried about you."
    Olivia bit her lip, assessing their promise to not rat on her to Rosa. She must have decided they could be trusted, because she finally nodded and rose. "Can we leave soon? I miss my baby."
    "Done." He quickly signed her release papers and grabbed his jacket off the hook.
    "See you later," he told Chaz, who only grunted and returned to working reports.
    With a light touch on Olivia's back, Gabe escorted her out the door. This was one drive he planned to enjoy. Reunite a mother and child.

    * * * * *

    "You didn't say what kind of reaction Gavin had to your latest present."
    Cassie paused at Dani's question. She'd worked hard all morning trying to balance the spa's books. She didn't want to think about what had happened yesterday afternoon. Her face heated recalling her involuntary response to a stranger's erotic touch. Damn, the man knew how to pleasure a woman.
    "Well? Come on, Cassie. I'm dying to find out."
    She glanced up at Dani, who leaned casually against the doorframe. After a morning full of appointments, lunchtime was in full swing. Troy, a therapist, had already taken off. Nearby, Lola was making lunch plans with Becki, another spa employee.

    Cassie laid down the sheets of figures and rose, stretching her stiffened bones.
    She hated sitting at a desk for long stretches, which is why she preferred hands-on work rather than doing the books. But someone had to take care of the paperwork.
    "Because I didn't say. He not only wasn't home, but I found out he doesn't live there anymore. He's moved in with Sharon, and they're getting married."
    Dani's eyebrows rose. "Gavin is getting married? She must be special for him to propose."
    "Mm . . ." Cassie glanced out at the busy street. Across the way, Markham's Deli had a line out the door already. Molly from the flower shop was loading arrangements into the back of her van for delivery. One