Officer Lou Hernandez is surprised when he's asked to help Gideon Monahan catch an art forger. He's not too happy, however, when he meets the man he'll be working with. Lou thinks Rory Kinley is a supercilious pain in the ass. Rory, on the other hand, sees no reason why Lou has been brought into this. After all, he's just a cop, albeit one who is good at going undercover.<br><br>The art forger they're after -- Nate Hanks -- cons collectors, saying he has an undiscovered painting by a famous artist. He's killed one of his marks already to keep from being caught.<br><br>Lou and Rory will have to set aside their differences as they set up a sting to stop Hanks. When they do, they discover they may not be as incompatible as they thought. The question becomes, will their growing feelings survive what's to come -- or be destroyed in the process?

It Takes a Forger

“Not bad,” Rory said after doctoring his coffee and taking a sip. He leaned back, looking at Lou.


“What?” Lou asked when Rory didn’t say anything.


Rory smiled. “I was wondering if we’re going to take things beyond friendship.”


That surprised Lou, even though he’d wondered the same thing a time or three. “Meaning into bed? It’s a definite possibility.”


“After we’ve stopped Hanks,” Rory said, sounding, in Lou’s opinion, somewhat peeved it might not happen until then.


“We don’t need to wait that long,” Lou replied. “I don’t think there’s some unwritten law saying no fun until the job is done, especially since we’re physically attracted to each other…I think.”


“You think?” Rory rolled his eyes. “I know I am, although you wouldn’t know it from how I’ve acted. I’m not very demonstrative.”


“That makes two of us, especially when there’s so much else going on.”


Rory nodded then said, shyly, “So…if I said I wanted to spend the night here, instead of going back to my apartment…”


Chapter 24