Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“Tracy,” Breckin said as I followed the officer toward the door. “Maybe you should stay away from the glass door, huh?”
If the intruder had wanted me dead, I would already be dead. I dismissed his concern. “I’m fine.”
I got a pained look from him before I went outside, walking to the edge of the deck and looking out at the dark grounds beyond the glow of the lights. There was nothing, no movement other than the officers. Turning back, I saw that his parents and Celia had come into the kitchen, and now everyone was clustered around Breckin, who was hugging Celia close. His parents rubbed his back, offered to get him something, anything. He stroked Celia’s hair, shushed her gently, told her he was okay. The way Michelle looked at the two of them together was really sweet. They all made a lovely picture there together and—
“Tracy!”
Everybody started, Michelle even gasped, and I smiled without meaning to because, really, who came into a house and bellowed like that?
Cord charged into the room, his Glock drawn, scanning the space until his gaze met mine. He was holstering the gun as he reached me out on the deck.
“You all right?” he barked, sounding scared. I opened my arms for him, and he grabbed and crushed me against him. And I wasn’t so much smaller than him—he only had five inches on me—but still, when he hugged me, I felt the strength and power in his hard, muscular frame and loved how I was being held. “Trace?” he whispered hoarsely, close to my ear.
“I’m fine,” I assured him, clutching at his coat.
“What were you doing down here?” he asked, leaning back far enough to see my face without letting me go.
“I was hungry.”
“But you ate dinner, didn’t you?” he asked as though that were logical, leading me inside and then into the living room.
“I was peckish.”
“What?”
“It’s only, like, five our time now. I normally eat dinner around nine.”
“You’re not supposed to eat after seven.”
“In what world?”
He grunted.
“I eat late,” I said.
“You do?”
I nodded.
“You usually eat out? Or do you grab something and go home?”
“Either. It depends.”
“Where do you go?”
And that fast we were having a conversation.
“Sometimes Rosamunde,” I told him, only peripherally aware that people and cops were moving around us. “I like the andouille or the chicken habanero sausage.”
“Oh yeah?” The smile he gave me was gorgeous and made his eyes glitter as he gently slid a hand around the side of my neck.
“I like Kvetch in Crocker-Amazon too. I always get the lobster mac ’n’ cheese or shrimp and grits.”
“I’ll take you over to the Swan Oyster Depot when we get home.”
“It’s a date,” I said, grinning, hands on his hips.
“So you were hungry is what you’re telling me.”
“Yeah.”
He sighed suddenly, both hands on my face. “There are footprints out there in the mud.”
“Big ones, little ones, what?”
“Big.”
“Okay, so, a man.”
“Yeah,” he said, and I heard him purposely trying to infuse his tone with normalcy.
“I saw someone at the window. It freaked me out.”
“I bet. I’m sorry I wasn’t here with you. It won’t happen again.”
“You were doing your job.”
“My job is you,” he said, drawing me back close. I curled my arms up under his and put my hands on his shoulders as I rested my head on his collarbone. “I’ve been waiting so long to get you. I don’t wanna lose you now.”
I put my nose up to his throat and inhaled his warm male scent, and he chuckled, which I felt more than heard. I almost purred.
People got closer, Breckin and his family crowding toward us, probably wanting to talk. Cord didn’t want that, as evidenced by him pulling away from me only to tug me after him.
“Come over here and siddown,” he grumbled, but I heard the smile in his voice as he led me to the great room and took a seat beside me on the couch. “So what were you eating down here?” he asked casually.
“I was having a PB and J with homemade chips, and Bethany was supposed to be making all of us chai tea,” I said as seriously as possible.
“All of us?”
“Yeah. Me, Brian, Breckin, and her.”
“Breckin was with you?”
“Just for a minute until his brother and sister joined us.”
He nodded. “Did he talk to you before they got there?”
I grinned at him. “Why?”
“These questions are important to the investigation. I would appreciate your cooperation and truthfulness.”
“Yes, soon-to-be ex-Inspector.”
He growled at me.
I cleared my throat. “He wanted to tell me he was sorry for earlier.”
“And?”
“And that I’m making a huge mistake with you.”
“I see.”
“I explained that he didn’t have to worry about me anymore.”
“How did he take that?”
“Does it matter?” I reached up to trace my fingers over his stubble-covered jaw.
He was quiet a moment. “No, it doesn’t.” He smiled shyly, looking pleased. “Not at all.”