****
Ben woke to the soundof an egg cracking against the side of a bowl, and he smelled sausages frying.Sarah had apparently gotten up before him and started cooking.Ben smiled.He loved her food, and she loved cooking.They were a great match.
Bounding out of bed, he showered, shaved, dressed for work, and took a seat on a kitchen barstool.
“Morning, sleepy head,” Sarah said, flipping the biggest, fluffiest pancake he’d ever seen.His stomach rumbled.“How are you?”
“Starving,” he said.“How’d you sleep?”
Today she’d gathered her hair in a band, where it hung to her waist as thick as a horse’s tail.“After I spilled my guts to you last night, I thought I’d never get any rest, but the second my head hit the pillow I was out.”She eased two pancakes onto a platter with fat sausages and handed him the plate.A cube of softened butter and a bottle of maple syrup were already on the counter.“Eat up.”
“Aren’t you having any?”he said, lifting a fork.
“Oh, I already ate.”She waved her spatula and dumped the pan into a sink filled with soapy water.
Ben shoved a huge bite into his mouth and chewed.It was delicious.Glancing around, he didn’t see an extra plate, and on the drain board was only a water glass with a cut lemon inside.Last night she’d barely eaten any dinner, and this morning he saw no evidence that she’d had anything other than her lemon water.He wondered if she really did think she was getting fat.
He let his eyes wander down her slender back to her shapely rear end and thought that if she was fat, give him fat any day of the week.
While she worked, he finished off his plate and then got up to help.He’d much prefer to stay home with Sarah, maybe spend time convincing her his bed was the exact right place to be.
Reluctantly, he said, “We have to go.I’ve got a lot of work today.”
“Let me grab my bag,” she said, and followed him to the garage. He dried a plate and set it into the cupboard.
“One of the new guys, Stevens, is a tech expert,” Ben said, opening the passenger door.He helped her inside even though she didn’t need it.He just liked touching her.“Yesterday I gave him a job to do.It’s a little surprise for you.”
“Really?”She smiled.“Sounds like fun.If the surprise is a happy one, I’ll like it.”
Ben hesitated, enjoying her smile after her tears of the night before.Odd, but he was beginning to live for her happiness.
He shook himself.“When we get in, I’ll contact Chief King up in Mountain Wood, see if there’s been any progress in finding the guy that stabbed Annie Smith.”He started the car and headed out of the garage.“Or if they’ve found the asshole who ran you off the road.”
“I’ll call Milly, or at least email her again,” Sarah said.“It’s been two days since we’ve chatted, and I already miss her.I miss my baby chicks, my dogs, my horses, and mostly my dad.”
“Sorry about that,” he said.“But I had to get you out of there.It wasn’t safe.”He pulled onto the highway.“Chief King might have a good report.”
****
When they arrived atthe Paxton Security compound, they were greeted by an agitated Stevens.The young man vibrated with excitement.“Boss, wait’ll you see the setup.Got the equipment last night after work, been at it for hours this morning getting everything ready.”
Marge stood up from behind her desk.She set both hands on her desk.“Stevens called me at four A.M.this morning.”She glared at him.“I still have no idea how he got my number.”
Stevens didn’t look ashamed.He raised both his palms.“The Internet.”
“Anyway,” Marge said, “he wanted me to let him in here early, so he could get to work.I said not without permission, buddy.So I texted Rio, who was awake feeding one of the twins, and he said it was okay.I’ve been here since four-thirty this morning.”Sourly, she looked at Simmons again.
“All right,” Ben said, ushering Sarah into his office.“Thanks for the extra effort, Marge.Stevens, I’ll be over there in a minute.”
Sarah allowed herself to be pushed into the office, but she didn’t ask what they were talking about.He was glad because he wanted to surprise her.
“Have some coffee,” Ben suggested, “look at your email, rest up.I’ll be back in a little while, okay?”
“Wait!Where’s my surprise?”
“Just stay here.I’ll be back.”He grinned.
