Page 32 of Above ’N’ Beyond

After they’d set the trays in the refrigerator, Jamie turned at the sounds of shuffling feet. A young woman and two small children stood in the doorway. One of the kids squealed, running to Jax and Gnocchi.

“Jeremy, no!” the woman cried, racing after the child, her eyes wide with fear.

“Jax, down,” Jamie commanded, and Jax lowered to the floor. “He won’t hurt your son,” he reassured the woman.

The boy knelt to stroke Jax’s ears. The boy’s sister, who looked to be a year or two younger, hung back, clutching her mother’s hand.

“This is Gnocchi.” Bella led the puppy over to the little girl, rightly surmising her mother would be less intimidated by a five-pound puppy than a ninety-pound German shepherd.

Gnocchi whined until the girl squatted and pet him.

“Did you know he can do tricks?” Jamie asked, and the boy shook his head. “Jax, roll over.” He made a spinning gesture with his index finger, and Jax made a complete revolution on the floor, making the boy laugh. “Do you want to tell him to do something fun?” The boy nodded eagerly. “Tap the side of your face like this.” Jamie tapped his cheek. “And say, ‘Jax, do you love me?’”

The boy did as Jamie instructed, and Jax delicately pressed his nose to the boy’s cheek. The child’s high-pitched laughter could wake the dead.

“I want to make him do a trick,” the little girl said, stepping closer now.

“Hold up your hand like this.” Jamie held out his hand, palm facing out. “And say ‘high five.’”

When the girl raised her hand, Jax did the same with his paw, gently tapping it against her outstretched palm. The girl giggled, then jumped up and down. “What else can he do?”

A gentle smile curved Bella’s lips, softening her expression. It was the kind of smile that could stop a man in his tracks and make him do whatever she asked.

Reluctantly, he dragged his gaze away. “Sorry, guys. It’s late, and we need to go to bed.” Bella raised her brows. Okay, bad choice of words. “I mean, it’s late, and we need to go.”

Bella rolled her lips inward, trying not to laugh. “See you next month, Doug.”

“Thanks, Bella.”

Outside in the parking lot, he opened the rear door for Jax and Gnocchi, then the passenger door for Bella, but she didn’t get in right away.

“You are so not what I thought you’d be,” she said, then heaved herself onto the seat.

Jamie’s hand froze on the passenger door handle. A big fat lump of guilt threatened to choke the air from his lungs.

You don’t know the half of it.

Deception while undercover was part of the job. Normally, it didn’t bother him. So why was it bothering him now?

As he got in and turned the key, he didn’t have the answer.

Chapter Eleven

Early morning sunlight reflected off the ripples on the surface of Rockland Lake, shimmering like diamond tennis bracelets. Bella stifled another yawn. The Mini Cooper’s dashboard clock said it was only six thirty, but she’d wanted to get in a run before the heat and humidity kicked in.

She turned off the engine but remained in the car, staring through the windshield at the lake. Given how late she’d gotten into bed, sleeping in had been the initial plan, but Gnocchi’s whining had put an abrupt end to that dream. As they’d walked around her tiny yard, she tried not to look at the apartment windows. The blinds were down, and Jimmy’s Tahoe sat in the driveway.

Last night, she’d told him the truth of what was on her mind. He wasn’t at all what she’d expected, not even close. In addition to all the things he’d done for Gnocchi and at the Bistro, the kicker was escorting her to the food pantry late at night when he could have been out carousing with Tony and the rest of the guys.

Bella grabbed the door handle.

Oh, hell. She was attracted to Jimmy and didn’t want to be. What was wrong with her? Not even Marco, who’d made it plain for years that he was interested, did anything to amp up her heart rate. Watching Jimmy and Jax entertain those poor children had made her heart flutter, and she’d never been the fluttering kind.

With a forceful push of the door, she got out of the Mini Cooper, locked it, then shoved the key in her shorts pocket. There was only one other car in the lot a few spaces from hers. The driver pressed a phone to his ear.

After a quick stretch, she jogged to the trail that ran around the edge of the lake. Less than a minute later, perspiration dripped down her temples and was already soaking her tank top. Unlike Jimmy, however, she doubted she’d ever look half as good as him when he perspired.

Last night, after he’d dropped her off at her car, he’d waited until she’d gotten in and driven away. But when she’d turned toward home, he’d gone in the opposite direction. Maybe he went out trolling one of the late-night bars. A guy like him could probably pick up any woman he wanted just by looking at them. It wouldn’t have surprised her if he hadn’t come home until the sun had risen high over the river.