“HOW LONG DIDMOM CODDLEyou last night?” Milo asked after I arrived at work the next morning.
“Longer than I thought.” I figured she was going to hang around for an hour tops, but she stuck around for four hours. “We watched a few chick flicks to soothe her nerves.” Which meant that she was still there when Elijah’s truck rumbled into his driveway. Did he wonder who was visiting? Did he care?Stop it, Maegan.
“You could’ve called me. I had nothing better to do on a Friday night,” Milo whined.
“And whose fault is that, Milo?”
“Memphis had plans.”
“I wasn’t talking about Memphis and you know it.” I pinned him with a dark look. “Andy had to cancel the week before, but I seem to remember him calling to tell you that he was available last night to look at the upstairs space.”
“Well, it wasn’t convenient for me. I had made a commitment to you—”
“Save your breath, Milo. It’s okay to admit that you’re afraid to be alone with Andy. You don’t trust yourself around all that hunky flesh.”
“The fuck you say. I’m not remotely interested in him, so Andy’s ‘hunky flesh’ is completely safe from me,” he rebutted, but I noticed that he avoided my penetrating gaze when he told that big fat lie. Instead, he placed pastries and donuts in the cases.
“Anyway, had I known she was going to stick around for four hours then I would’ve called you. I had hoped for a quiet night with a bubble bath and a good book after the night we had.”
“Who’s the liar now?” Milo demanded. His roundabout confession made me smile. Then my brother stood up straight and faced me. “Detective Markham was really worried about you last night. I think that’s why he seemed so angry with you.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Because he told you so?” Milo asked with a raised brow.
I swallowed hard and hoped my face wasn’t too red when I pictured Elijah’s dark head between my thighs. “In his own way.”
“At least one of us is getting some,” Milo said.
“I never—”
“You didn’t have to, sister dear, nor did I need to rely on my twink link. Your emotions are broadcasted all over your face.” Milo looked over my shoulder toward the front door. “You might want to get them under control too.”
“Why?”
Someone rapped their knuckles confidently against the door even though we weren’t due to open for another hour. It could’ve been one of our baristas who’d forgotten their key or an overeager, desperate customer, but I could tell by Milo’s wry grin who stood on the other side of the glass.
I stuck my tongue out at Milo before I turned and locked eyes with Elijah. The sun had just started to rise and the peachy-pink sky was a beautiful backdrop to his rugged beauty. He stole my breath and I stood frozen in place for several heartbeats as I catalogued the scruff that covered his chin and his dark, penetrative stare. Those full lips tilted in a crooked smile as he pointed to the lock. Yeah, he knew the effect he had on me.
“Invite him in,” Milo whispered behind me.
“You’ve been watching reruns ofTrue Bloodagain, haven’t you?”
“Maybe, but let the good detective in before his manly parts shrivel in the cold,” Milo said. “It’s rude to keep a man waiting.” The last part was a perfect imitation of our mother.
I crossed the coffee shop and opened the door. “We’re not open for an hour, Detective Markham.”
“I’m not here for the pastries and coffee.” He sniffed the air appreciatively. “Although, I wouldn’t turn down an early morning treat.”
“I remember how you like those.”
Lust smoldered in Elijah’s eyes until Milo cleared his throat, reminding us both that we weren’t alone. Elijah blinked and broke the special connection we shared. The desire I saw in his eyes was replaced with a different kind of determination, which told me that his early morning visit was a professional one. “Good morning, Milo,” Elijah said to my brother without taking his eyes off me.
“Would you like a pastry or a cup of coffee, Detective?”
“No, thanks,” he replied, still not looking away from me. “I have a few follow-up questions for you.”
“Okay. Would you like to talk in my office or—”
