He whispered, “If there’s anything suspicious going on, I’m sending you back inside and you will go. Understood?”
She was tempted to argue that he wasn’t the boss of her—but she wanted to find out what was going on at the front of the house more. “Agreed.”
He led her around to the side deck. They’d just turned the corner when they heard the murmur of voices again. Sten pulled her back against the outer wall of the house, into the shadow of the eaves, where they wouldn’t be spotted. They crept along the wall, stopping before they reached the corner that would lead them around to the front of the cottage where the light by the front door could give them away.
From the darkness under the eaves, they could see two figures down in the parking turnaround on the cliff side of the house next door. The two stood facing each other by a large, dark-colored SUV. They were somewhat illuminated in the muted glow of the lights on either side of the workshop’s roll-up door.
A man and a woman.
“I just can’t,” said the woman in a pleading tone. Her voice was familiar. She turned her head a little and Madison knew for sure. It was Karin.
The man argued, “It’s been three years. Come on, Karin. You’ve got a right to a life.”
“Don’t—” she began.
“Damn it, it’s not—”
“Liam, keep your voice down.”
Liam?The man moved just a fraction and the light found his face.
It was him, all right. Liam Bravo, the third-born brother Madison had met for the first time Thursday night.
And whatever was going on between him and Karin was obviously none of her business or Sten’s.
Sten must have come to the same conclusion. He signaled that they should go back. She nodded and led the way, keeping quiet and close to the house, out of sight from down below.
When they reached the slider, she turned back to him and whispered, “Karin and Liam?”
He shrugged. “It’s news to me. I mean, they dated for a while in high school.”
“They did?”
“Hey. It was high school. It was a long time ago.”
“Wow.”
“Karin loved Bud.” He sounded defensive. “Bud was a good guy and he was crazy about her. She was a wreck when he died.”
“Hey.” She touched his arm. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. I get that it’s none of my business. But I do think Karin’s the best. And what Liam said to her does make sense. She’s single now and she’s got a right to find a little happiness for herself.”
“True.” He lifted a hand and ghosted a slow touch down the side of her throat, leaving happy, warm shivers in his wake.
She stepped in closer, wanting somehow to ease him, though he didn’t seem troubled, exactly. “You okay?”
He shrugged again. “It’s just weird, after all these years, thinking of Karin with anyone but Bud. Plus, I kind of feel like a creeper, spying on my sister.”
She had to stifle a laugh. “Well, we had no idea we were butting in on anything. It might have turned out to be something we really needed to deal with.”
“Right.”
She reached up and put her hand against his warm, scruffy cheek. “So no harm done?”
“Maddy,” he whispered, fond and gentle and full of desire. Happiness filled her.
She pulled him down to her. They shared a slow, sweet kiss.
“Let’s go on in,” he said when he lifted his head.
