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Ebi was leaning against her chest like she was sitting on a chaise lounge next to a pool. The look on her furry little face was a big, self-satisfied grin.

“Damn it, Menace.”

Mari looked up at Heath and saw a combination of exasperation and grudging admiration on his face. “What did you call her?”

Heath’s smile brightened and his eyes narrowed a little as it became an ear-to-ear grin. “I called her ‘Menace.’”

Mari saw a moment of hesitation that crossed his face.

“I like that,” she nodded. “It’s like… It’s like truth in advertisement. A big neon light of truth over her head.”

Heath gave her another kiss. This one, a quick peck, before he sat back down beside her as another news story came on the channel.

THIRTEEN

MARI

Mari woke up with a weight on her chest, surprised that it wasn’t Ebi.

Menace.

She smiled at the thought.

She might just have to rename her mom’s cat.

Menace fit the tabby’s personality. Ebi fit the look of the cat.

The weight on her chest was Heath’s arm.

A warm weight that she could easily learn to love.

Turning toward him, she watched him as he slept beside her.

He slept like a furnace most nights. She never really needed a blanket living in Hawaii. There were maybe two or three nights a year when she felt the need to pull one up to her chin.

She put a palm against his chest and wondered if his heat had come in handy when he was living in Wisconsin.

“How are you feeling?”

BUCK

He scrubbed a hand over his face and gave her a look. “I’m not sure I should tell you.”

The moment the words were out of his mouth, he realized how wrong they were.

He leaned closer and kissed her lips. “Sorry, babe.”

She lifted a brow and fought back a yawn. “Sorry for…”

“You should know what I’m thinking. Keeping it from you…” He shook his head. “I feel like there’s something wrong. Something dangerous.”

A crack of thunder shook the house, rattling the windows.

From somewhere in the house, Ebi yowled and Buck swore he could hear claws on the hard floor.

Mari sat up and he was right there beside her.

“I… I need to go.”