Legally Hot by Leigh, Lora (smart ebook reader TXT) 📗

tough detective he sure was cute. “If I play something, will you dance for me?”

Surprised, Keri paused and stopped at the edge of the floor. “You play?”

Adam shrugged. “My mom is the pianist of the family, but she taught my brother and sister and me while we were growing up. Insisted on it.”

“What can you play?” she asked, smiling.

“One of my mom’s favorite pieces was ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,’” Adam said. “She made me learn that when I was twelve.”

“I was the Sugar Plum Fairy one season when I was sixteen.” Keri began walking toward her office. “It’s one of my favorite memories,” she said and glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll get my pointe shoes.”

Keri hurried to put on her black satin toe shoes, which matched the black leotard and simple ballet skirt she wore when teaching. When she finished she went to the center of the dance studio and smiled at Adam.

He played it well as she danced for him. She put her heart into her private performance, her love for Adam becoming a part of the dance.

When she finished, Adam stood up from the piano and applauded. She ran toward him and was met by his embrace. He kissed her, sweet and wonderful.

“So beautiful,” he murmured. “You are amazing.”

Her answer was to kiss him back and put everything she had and felt into that kiss.

“You look like you could still dance professionally, Angel.”

“My knee is fine for a little three-minute dance here and there,” she said. “But that’s about it.”

When they drew apart she said, “What are you doing here?”

“Came to walk you to your car,” Adam said. “I want to make sure you get home all right.”

“Last night you said Edward was gone.” Keri tilted her head. “That he was seen flying off in a private jet to Florida with his entourage of thugs.”

Adam nodded. “It’s probably not necessary, but I just feel safer knowing someone’s watching out for you. Feel better yet when that someone is me. It’s a good excuse to see you more.”

“Adam, you don’t need an excuse to see me more,” she said with a laugh. “Whenever you want I’ll make time for you.”

“That’s a lot of time,” Adam said and smiled against her lips. “Be prepared.”

“I’m more than ready.” Keri put her palms on Adam’s chest, through the opening in his jacket. He felt warm through the T-shirt. “Okay, I’ll grab my backpack and change my shoes,” Keri said, then made her way across the dance floor, back to her office.

She took off her pointe shoes and ballet skirt and tugged on a T-shirt and sweats over her leotard before slipping on socks and running shoes.

When they were in the parking lot, Adam gave her a kiss. “See you at the hotel.”

They had moved from the Manhattan hotel to one in Brooklyn yesterday, but she hadn’t expected to spend another night there.

“Are you sure it’s necessary?” she asked him.

“One more night, just to be certain. It’s past the cancellation period anyway, so we might as well enjoy the room one last night,” he said.

“I love the thought of that, Adam.” Keri got into her VW Bug and rolled down her window. “See you there.”

In the rearview mirror, she saw Adam watching her drive away.

“Marcy’s phone,” she said to herself when she neared the hotel. She leaned down and dug her cell phone out of an outside pocket of her backpack.

“Adam,” she said into the phone when she got his voicemail. “I promised to drop off a student’s cell phone she left at the dance studio. I’m going to swing by her apartment, then meet you at the hotel.”

She headed over to Brooklyn Heights, close to her home, and her stomach twisted. To think that she was almost killed a few streets over, and it hadn’t been that long since she had gotten the bullet wound to remind her. Thank God for Adam.

When she reached the building that housed Marcy’s condo, she got lucky enough to snag a parking spot in the small, dimly lit lot adjacent to the building. She drew her cell phone out of her pack to call Marcy’s mother and let her know she was here, then swung her pack over her shoulder. As she started to get out of her car, a van pulled in tight next to her, in the handicapped spot.

She looked at the driver, who glanced over briefly before turning away from her. He seemed totally oblivious as to how he had crowded her. He had pulled in at such an angle she could barely get out of her car and it prevented her from walking to the sidewalk in front of her car because the bumpers almost touched.

What’s this guy thinking? She thought about honking her horn and pointing at how close he had parked, but something like that often only roused someone’s anger. She would be in and out in a flash, so she would just deal with it.

She squeezed out of the car, shut the door behind her, then started to walk around the back of the van.

The side door of the van slid open.

A large man grabbed her upper arm and began to pull her in.

Fear made her heart pound and adrenaline surge through her body. With every ounce of strength she had she jerked her arm away.

“No!” Keri pulled free. She started to run in the only direction she could go—behind the car and van. “Help!” she screamed.

The thug moved too fast and he was just too strong. Her brief scream was silenced by his hand over her mouth. At the same time he grabbed her with his forearm around her throat and dragged her back into the van.

She heard the sound of her cell phone clattering across the