“Sure, I’ve been having one my whole life,” Lillie said, steering down another dirt road.
“I mean, like getting married and having babies and all that.” Megan never saw herself doing either, but wondered what Lillie’s take on it was.
“I don’t see why not.” Lillie gave her a curious look then turned back to the road.
“I don’t know if any man would understand, let alone live with the fact, that if he’s anywhere near me, he can’t hide anything, or want to have a baby considering it could be passed down.” Megan didn’t think she could live with herself if she passed down seeing through walls to an innocent child. She wouldn’t put her child through feeling like a circus freak most of its life like she had.
“If he loves you then he loves all of you.” Lillie lowered her head toward her. “And we’re not circus freaks.”
Megan wasn’t so sure she believed that any person who didn’t have abilities would want to be with someone who did, but in theory, it sounded lovely. “Have you ever been in love?”
“Of course.” Lillie looked away and Megan noticed her hands gripping the steering wheel and hoped she didn’t accidentally break it. “I’ve only found one thing you can depend on a man for, but sex only lasts so long. In my experiences, most men are scum and deserve to be strung up by their toes and whipped with a wet towel. Not all, but most.”
Megan laughed at the imagery of Lillie doing just that if someone ticked her off enough. Her mind unceremoniously drifted to Drew and she dared to wonder what it would be like to have him in her life permanently. She could see him being a great dad; he was a big kid himself. He would be the type of man who would teach his son how to play football and his little girl how to ride a bike.
“You know he’s a good guy, right?” Lillie asked, yanking Megan from her daydreams.
She nodded because she did know he was a good guy and that was half the battle. How would she ever be able to have a permanent life with him if she had to lie to him day in and day out? Then it hit her. “Have you been listening in on him?” Megan asked, already knowing full well that she would have.
“Of course, and let me tell you…” Lillie slapped the wheel playfully.
“No, stop!” Megan put a hand up and cut her off. “I do not want to know what he’s thinking.”
“Oh, don’t you even think about telling me you’re not interested in what he’s thinking about you,” she huffed, her shoulders slumped and her bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
“Yes, I am, but… I don’t want to know, do I?”
Lillie gave Megan a sly grin as she pulled into the alley behind Dazzled. “If it were me, I would want to know.”
“No, no, I can’t.” Megan wrung her hands and studied Lillie through squinted eyes. Lillie could have the answers to so many of her questions. “Just tell me, is it good or bad?”
Lillie shot her a devilish grin because she knew she had her. It was too easy to play with Megan. “It’s real good.”
“Okay, okay. That’s all I want to know. Thanks.” To prevent the need to ask more questions, Megan jumped out of the car and hurried inside with Lillie following close behind.
Finding Brandy behind the counter checking out customers, Megan waited until they were alone before saying, “You can go to lunch now.”
“Thank God, I’m starving.” Brandy looked Lillie up and down with her hand on her hip. “Who’s this?”
Megan was surprised to hear a touch of jealousy in her voice. “This is Lillie. She’s a friend of mine and she’s going to be helping out at the shop some and she’s staying at my place for a while.”
Lillie held out a hand for her and Brandy reluctantly took it but her face was stone cold. “Nice to meet you, Brandy. Megan has told me a lot about you.”
“That’s funny since Megan has never mentioned you.” Brandy pulled her purse from under the counter and started toward the door. “I’ll be back.”
“She’s just a little ball of sunshine, isn’t she?” Lillie smiled.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s not usually like that.” That part was kind of a lie, but she had never seen Brandy be flat-out rude to someone for no reason.
“Don’t worry about it,” Lillie said, waving her off and taking a seat on the stool. “She’s just used to being the Alpha female in your life and I’m trespassing on her territory.”
“Well, I’m still sorry she acted that way.” Megan decided she was going to have to talk to Brandy later and ask her why she behaved so distastefully. She didn’t want Brandy to feel left out because she had a new friend. Megan had been in that situation before and it sucked.
The bells over the front door jingled and Megan didn’t have to look up to know it was Drew. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise and chills cover her body. She waited until his footsteps were close before she looked up. Drew was holding two bags and two drinks again. “I’m sorry, Lillie. I didn’t know you would be here.”
“It’s fine. I have to run to the police station and see about my van. I’ll pick something up while I’m out.” She hurried out the store before Megan could stop her. After yesterday’s lunch, she needed someone around so she wouldn’t be alone with him again. Lillie knew exactly what she was doing.
Damn her.
“I brought sub sandwiches from the deli and sodas,” Drew said, taking a seat on the stool next to Megan’s and sucking the soda out of the straw. Watching his lips puckered around the straw made her whole body turn into a molten pool of lava. For the first time, maybe ever, she wondered what it would feel like to have his lips sucking on her nipples like that. She couldn’t help but bite her bottom lip. “Everything okay?”
Jerking her eyes away from him, she dug through the brown bag and cleared her throat. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Drew tugged on her hand until she turned to him again, only he was up from the stool and staring down at her with such intensity she tried to take a step back, but he put a hand around her waist and tugged her to him. Swallowing, she kept her eyes trained on his throat, watching his pulse pump wildly. Knowing full well what he was going to do, her thoughts went back and forth on rather she wanted him to or not. It wasn’t a good idea since it wasn’t going anywhere and she would end up getting hurt in the end, at the same time, she licked her lips in anticipation of feeling his body and lips pressed against hers.
Screw the consequences, I want what I want.
Right then, she wanted him.
Raising a shaking hand, Megan wrapped it around the back of Drew’s neck and pulled him down until their lips met. His body stiffened in shock at her gumption, but it didn’t take long before he relaxed and took over the kiss. Someone moaned and she sank deeper into him until they were pressed so tightly it would take a crowbar to get them apart. Before she knew it, his hands were in her hair and he pulled her head back, trailing kisses down her neck. Her hands moved all over him. She had never had such a heated want for anything like she did right then. Her own audacity shocked her, but she was too lost in the moment to care.
Drew pressed Megan against the wall behind the counter and lord only knew what would have happened if the bells over the door hadn’t sounded. They both stilled and let their arms fall. She readjusted her twisted blouse and nervously eyed him. Of course, he was looking down at her with a wicked grin. She mouthed for him to stop and tried to step away, but he held her in place and took a small step back. Her eyes followed his downward gaze and found his big dilemma. Her eyes widened and she tucked her lips in to keep from laughing. With what he was carrying around in his jeans at the moment, it would be impossible for him to turn around.
Glancing over his shoulder, a middle-aged couple stood at the other side of the counter watching them. The man clearly thought finding two adults in this situation was humorous and beamed, but the woman had her hands crossed over her chest and a sour expression on her face.
“Drew Levi Calloway, you are in public.”
&nbs
p; Megan’s eyes moved back to Drew to find his eyes closed and he dropped his chin. “Hello, Mom.”
“I’m here, too, son,” the man said with a hint of laughter in his voice.
“Wonderful,” Drew and Megan murmured in unison.
Chapter Ten
This could not be happening to me, Megan thought as Drew pulled her to him and turned around where she was in front of him, staring at his parents. There was no denying, this was indeed happening. His father smiled down at her and since she knew who he was, the family resemblance was clearly there in his chocolate brown eyes and dimples. His mother was not smiling. She didn’t look at Megan, only keeping her glacier glare on her son.
That’s where he got his glare.
Megan couldn’t even begin to imagine what his parents thought of her. Though, this was Drew and this probably wasn’t their first time finding him in a compromising position. Heck, he has probably been in situations like this since he hit puberty.
“Mom. Dad. This is Megan McAlister.” He rested both hands on her shoulders, giving her much needed support. “Megan, these are my parents, Dorian and Leonard.”
Weakly lifting her hand for a small finger wave, Megan dug deep for a smile but couldn’t conjure up one. Drew’s dad continued to grin at her, but his mom gave a dismissive glance and pinned him with her eyes. “Your sister is missing and this is how I find you? Necking with a woman in public?” She turned her glare to Megan and shook her finger. “And you, young lady, should be fired for your inappropriate behavior.”
His mother was right. If she could have been fired, she should have been.
“Now, Dorian, leave these kids alone,” Leonard said with a wink and a sigh.
“That’s just it. They’re not kids and my little girl has been kidnapped. Drew should be looking for her, not in here necking with some girl.” In Dorian’s rant, she slung her bag around and it collided with the counter.
“Mom, it’s not like that. Everyone is looking for her. I was on my lunch break and—” He was stopped by a finger pointed at him.
“I wonder if Laura is getting to eat,” Dorian choked out as she began to cry. Leonard put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed while he whispered in her ear.
Drew leaned into Megan. “I’m going to go outside with them. I’m sorry about all this. She’s just upset right now.”
Megan’s eyebrows pulled together. She couldn’t believe he was apologizing to her and concerned with her feelings. She would dwell on that later. “It’s okay. Go,” she said, shooting him away to tend to his crying mother.
Leonard gave her an apologetic smile before following Drew and Dorian out of the shop and out of view. Exhaling a breath she felt like she had been holding since the beginning of time, Megan rushed to the bathroom. When her reflection stared back at her, she could have died right then and there. Her hair was ratted and sticking out from Drew’s hands going crazy and the top button of her shirt was undone, showing half of her pink lace bra.
How the hell did he manage that?
His parents saw her like that! She could’ve died from humiliation. From talk in town, his parents had moved to Tulsa two years earlier, but she had been told they were wonderful and traditional people. She doubted she would ever see them again. She would be forever remembered by them as the bimbo with whom they caught their horn dog son. It ate away at her insides. She hoped Drew never told them she actually owned the place.
They were in town for the sole purpose of their daughter and depended on their detective son to be hard at work, instead they found him hard and on her. Definitely not how she would have liked to have met them.
Grunting, Megan forced a brush through her hair and reapplied lipstick. What was she thinking attacking him like that? They acted like two teenagers with out of control hormones. That person wasn’t her. She didn’t know who that girl was out there. Hell, before she wasn’t even sure if she had hormones. Now, those previously undiscovered beasts were running wild and free and making her throw herself out there like a minx in heat.
Heading back behind the counter, Megan took a seat and nibbled on her sandwich in silence. A group of four women entered and looked through the racks. Drew came in moments later. He didn’t even make it to the counter before Lillie waltzed in with Brandy following behind. Well, she no longer had to worry about being alone with Drew.
Drew walked around the counter, noticed Lillie and Brandy on the other side, and sighed. He moved in closer. “I have to go for now, but we’ll talk tonight.”
Megan nodded. Before she knew it was coming, he bent down and kissed her. It was a fast, barely there peck, but he did it in front of everyone. Her eyes darted to the customers who were watching with interest. People would talk. Lillie was smiling like a loon and Brandy was open-mouth gaping at Drew as he walked past her.
“What in the hell was that all about? When did you start seeing him?” Brandy asked, pointing a fisted thumb toward him as he walked out the door.
“I’m not seeing him.” Megan shook her head and ignored the roll of Lillie’s eyes and the whatever look Brandy shot at her. “Really, I’m not.”
“Oh, yeah, Drew Calloway kisses everyone goodbye before he leaves,” Brandy said sarcastically.
“I’ll explain everything later,” Megan promised her as she stood and slung her bag on her shoulder. “If Drew stops by, tell him I’m in the stockroom or something and call me ASAP.”
“Sure thing, boss,” Brandy said with a mouthful of Megan’s forgotten sandwich.
Megan felt like an ass for leaving Brandy out of the loop, but how could she tell her what was going on when she didn’t know herself? She followed Lillie through the back door and to the car. Her heart ached for the way she was putting Brandy on the back burner. She had been a great friend and could see in her eyes that she felt like an outsider. Having been an outsider her entire life, Megan understood her pain but could do nothing about it.
“When this is all over, she’ll understand,” Lillie said with a pat on her arm.
Megan stared out the side window, praying this would all be over soon and she could get back to her everyday mundane life. The life which had no men in it.
After showing Lillie how to get back to the area they had left off before lunch, they resumed their search for Laura. Megan scanned houses, barns, and sheds, but they were still coming up short. Her original enthusiasm was dwindling and from the way Lillie was rubbing her temples, hers was, too. “If we can’t find her this way, do you have any suggestions on what to do next?”
Lillie chewed her on her bottom lip. “I don’t think the guy from the pharmacy will try to come out again since he knows you can ID him.”
“I agree. One or both of them smoke, though, so they’ll come back to town for that. From my experiences with smokers, they risk going to jail for a cigarette.” Megan laughed without humor. A few of her foster parents were smokers and even if they got low on a pack they would start panicking. “Hard thing is to figure out where they’d go to get them since there are so many different places. I mean, I could possibly see a couple of places at one time, but that’s still shooting a dart in the dark.”
“I could help narrow it down if I listen for keywords, but you’re right. There are a ton of possibilities.”
Megan ran her hands over her face. “This is so frustrating!”
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Megan tried to clear her head. “Okay. Maybe we can talk Drew into leaving us alone tonight or tomorrow night and we can see if anything comes of staking a place out.”
“Sounds good. Got any groovy stakeout clothes?” Lillie sat up in her seat, looking like a kid who was just told they’re to the zoo.
“I bet we can come up with something.” Megan started to feel better. “Think we can figure out how to keep Drew away?”
Lillie tilted her head toward Megan. “Megan, he’s a man. How hard can it be?”
****
Drew proved to be more of a man than both of them had predicted
. Every attempt they made to get him out of the house was blocked. He wouldn’t even leave to get them ice cream. Lillie was ready to use the one thing they knew he would run away from and never get himself—tampons—but Megan had a better idea. Guilt. Guilt made people do things all the time and she was going to use it on him. He already felt bad for the way his mother had talked to her earlier and apologized for her behavior multiple times. Megan would have liked to pretend it never happened at all.
Waiting until after they finished eating their Chinese take-out, she began the assault. “How did it go with your parents?”
He shrugged. “Okay, I guess. They’re staying at my place until we get Laura.”
“That’s good.” Megan nodded.
Lillie pinched her leg under the table and looked at her with wide eyes, tilting her head toward him. Megan cleared her throat. “You should go visit with them for a while. They miss you and they’re probably worried sick about Laura.”
“They’ll be fine. They know I’m doing all I can right now,” he said, stabbing the last fried dumpling with his chopsticks.
“I’m sure they do, but you should still go see them. After what happened today…” Megan felt the flush on her cheeks, but she pushed on. “They’re at your house and it’d be rude not to check on them. Everything is fine here. Lillie’s here and you can even have an officer or someone keep an eye on the place while you’re gone.” Megan kept her eyes away from Lillie so he wouldn’t pick up on their plans.
Drew leaned back in his chair. “I don’t think it would be a good idea to leave you alone right now. They could come back at any time.”
Megan smiled and batted her eyes. “I seriously doubt they’re going to come out on a Tuesday night and anyway, like I said, you can have someone come out and babysit me. As long as they stay in their car,” she added.
Drew moved to the kitchen and looked out the window over the sink. Megan watched as he put his arms over his head and stretched. His arms bulged and his shoulders rippled with lean muscles visible through his shirt. To keep her concentration, she tore her eyes from his body.
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