“Greyson, I didn't see it coming. One minute we’re sitting here drinking wine and discussing my cooking skills, and the next thing, you’re proposing. How can you expect me not to be in shock or freaked out?”
“So, the answer is obviously no. You don’t see yourself married to a man like me.”
Damn it!
He rushed her and screwed up. He should have planned better, asked at dinner the other night, or taken her somewhere romantic. This screw up was all on him.
“I didn’t say that, Grey.”
He stared into her eyes. “Then what are you saying, Emma? I’m a man. We need a yes or no. Making me think about it is torture.”
“Yes.”
“Yes?” he repeated, pulling her up from the couch. “You’ll marry me?”
“Geez, Greyson. How many times does a girl have to say it for you to get it? This is a damn good birthday present. You timed this one just right, babe.”
He laughed, his heart feeling incredibly light. “I don’t know, Sheriff, I never asked anyone to marry me before. You think you’d cut a rookie some slack.” He swept her up into his arms and headed towards the bedroom.
“What next, Agent Croft?” she whispered into his ear.
The grin on his face was contagious. “I plan on taking my fiancée to bed and thoroughly making love to her. Do you have a problem with that?”
“No, just making sure we were on the same page,” she answered, wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her off to the room. “I like the word fiancée,” she said laughing.
“Not as much as I do,” he replied, locking the bedroom door.
Wednesday Morning
The sun was just rising as Emma woke. She could hear nature outside her window and feel the gentle kiss of the sun touching her skin. Beside her slept the man she was madly in love with and would one day call husband. It was a delicious feeling to wake and have their limbs tangled together. It was the most wonderful feeling first thing in the morning.
Opening her eyes, she silently observed the handsome man sleeping beside her. The sun illuminated the few flecks of gray that were just starting to peek through the black of his hair. He looked so incredibly peaceful as he slept, that her heart skipped. Watching him was a glorious thing, and Emma allowed her eyes to track from his full lips and strong chin, all the way across his chest. The various scars made her want to leave a kiss across each one. Instead, she lightly stroked them with her finger.
“My God, woman! It can’t even be six in the morning yet.” His voice was all thick from sleep.
“It’s five thirty,” she answered, smiling.
Croft groaned. “There better be some emergency or at least a damn good reason you’re waking me up this early.”
Emma had her hand on his chest; she could feel his pulse kick hard. “We have to get up soon. You wanted to be at the station early. Remember? I’m your wake up call.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I vaguely remember saying that before I spent the entire night making love to my fiancée. You think she would have some mercy on me.” He pulled a pillow over his face and groaned.
“Mercy, huh?”
Croft mumbled something, but Emma couldn’t understand what he said. She suddenly thought of a very good way to wake him up. Slowly sliding beneath the sheets, Emma ran her hands down his thighs. He was hard and ready for her when her mouth found him.
Croft made another undeterminable sound, but his hands went right to her hair and he buried his hands in its silkiness. Emma kept up her pace, driving Croft closer to his edge of control.
“My God, Emma!” he hissed.
She only increased the pace, sliding him in and out of her mouth until he couldn’t take anymore.
His control teetered as he dragged her up his tight body. He roughly pulled her mouth down to his and kissed her like a starving man.
When he broke the kiss to catch his breath, she giggled. “Good to see you’re awake, finally.” When he was momentarily distracted, she tried to slide away from him
He wasn’t having it. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, holding her tightly against his torso.
“We have to get ready,” Emma replied, smiling sweetly. “That was your wake up call.” The look on his face was priceless. “Problem?” she added, grinning wickedly.
“Yeah, I seem to have a big one, or should I say you do.” He rolled her beneath him, catching her off guard. Before she knew what was happening, he had her legs apart and was sliding into her warmth.
“Greyson!”
His masculine laughter filled the room as a wicked glint filled his eyes.
It was difficult for Emma to remain shocked. Before long, her whole body was tingling, and her hands were sliding off his slick shoulders.
“I want to hear my name, Emma,” he said, the he picked up the rhythm, demanding so much more from her body.
She gave him what he wanted, needed, and demanded. It was indeed his name, which was torn from her lips.
He gave back as much as he claimed, as he shouted into her name into that glorious mop of copper curls.
As he drifted in the bliss, only one thought coursed through his mind.
God, it felt good to be home.
It was six thirty when the two emerged from the shower before getting dressed for the day. Neither doubted that it was going to be a long one.
Sliding on her ankle holster, Emma checked her nine millimeter to make sure it was loaded. Sitting on the corner of the bed, she watched Croft do the same. She could definitely do this every day for the rest of her life, but where?
Would it be Philadelphia or here in Celestia? If they stayed here, what would Greyson do for a career? The idea of him being away on assignments for weeks at a time disturbed her.
“What’s going on in your mind right now?” he inquired, reading the look on her face. He may not have known her long, but he still knew her well enough.
“Hmmmm?”
“Don’t ‘hmmm’ me, Emma. What were you thinking? Your expression is serious. Are you regretting your decision to marry me?”
“Don’t be silly. I was thinking how I could do this every day for the rest of my life. Getting dressed and strapping into guns with you seems oddly normal.”
He grinned. “Then why the sadness?”
“Because Celestia no longer feels like home,” Emma answered, as she turned away from him to get her shoulder holster and slip into it.
“Because of what happened here?”
“Yeah,” she answered, also knowing he’d be unhappy here without a career. Emma was willing to take one for the team. She reached into her dresser and got out the gun Croft had given her a few nights before at ‘The Crossing’. “Here’s your spare gun.”
“Hold onto it. We might need it.”
“All right,” Emma replied, tucking it into the back of her jeans with the intention of getting another holster once she got to work.
“What if we picked someplace else?” he offered.
Emma was willing to compromise. “Where?”
“Vegas.”
She stared at him as if he was crazy. Emma didn't expect him to pick a place across the country. “What will we be doing in Vegas? Are we going to try and be professional gamblers?” she teased.
Croft kissed her. “I applied for a job as head of a field office there.” God, he hoped she’d at least think about it.
“And what will I be doing? I’m not really the ‘sit at home and be a housewife’ kind of woman,” she answered, honestly. “I’ll go crazy.”
“I know someone who works for the LVPD. You could go back to being a detective.”
There was silence in the room.
Croft really believed he crossed a line. Here he was pressuring her to wade back into the blood.
“Can I think about it?” she asked, not sure what to say. Could she go back to dealing with death all day long again? It twisted her stomach in doubt, but then again, maybe she could.
“Sure thing, honey.” He began to worry. “Come on, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee from the best café this side of Celestia.”
She held out her hand, staring up into his eyes. “I love you, Grey, don’t ever doubt it.”
“I love you too. Emma, despite what you decide. I’ll live here or on the moon. I’m leaving it up to you.”
Emma appreciated that he was letting her set the pace. Croft handed her the mug of coffee. “Come on, Grey. We have a long day ahead of us,” she added, heading for the door. “You can drive.”
“You’re being really amicable this morning, Emma. I get a wakeup call, coffee, and to drive.” He winked. “I’m a lucky man.”
“Remember that, Greyson Croft. Keep saying it over and over again until you memorize it.”
A whistle drew their attention.
“Look who saved us a trip,” she stated, pointing at the other FBI agent walking up her driveway.
“Yeah, only because you two are way behind schedule. It’s so unlike you to be late,” grinned Briggs. “She’s a bad influence on you.”
Greyson laughed as he started up the Jeep. “I was detained by a wakeup call this morning,” he stated, laughing and wiggling his eyebrows at his partner.
Emma handed her travel mug to Briggs and stole Croft’s just to make a point.
He shook his head feigning mock horror. “You’re one mean woman. I can’t believe you stole my coffee and gave it to another man. I guess I need special wedding vows.”
Briggs started coughing at the word ‘wedding’.
“Are you saying that you’re only marrying me for my coffee?” she retorted, laughing.
There was another sputtering and choking noise from the back seat. “Marrying?” Briggs tried to keep from choking on more coffee. “Shit, you move fast partner.”
“Well, Agent Briggs, when you get to be my age and you see something that you want you just go for it. I found myself a soul mate and wife.”
“I love a shotgun wedding,” she answered, grinning.
“You two are out of control,” Briggs added, shaking his head.
“Yeah, we are,” they said at the same time.
* * *
They arrived at the station feeling a little lighter than the previous days, and Croft pulled into her spot, coming to a stop. “Out you go,” he ordered, leaning over to kiss Emma on the lips.
“You going out into the field?” asked Briggs, rolling his eyes as they started kissing.
When Emma pulled away, he answered. “Yeah, I’m doing a walk-through of Billy’s place. I want to make sure that we caught everything. If he wasn’t the killer, possibly I’ll see something from a new perspective.”
Emma wasn’t happy at all. “Are you going alone?” The look on her face must have said it all.
Croft laughed, realizing the roles of terror were generally reversed. “Emma, it is my job. Stop worrying for no reason. Now go do your job. I’ll check in a little later.”
Despite the fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach, she decided to trust him. He was, after all, an ex-soldier and trained FBI agent. Of all people, he could take care of himself. “Okay, watch your back, Agent Croft, and call me in an hour to check in,” she winked.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “Can I talk to you a minute?” he asked, pointing at Briggs.
“Sure,” he answered, as they waited for Emma to walk away.
“Curtis, you keep her in your sight and you watch your back and hers. Got it?” he ordered. “If you let her get hurt, I’m coming looking for you. That’s my bride-to-be.”
Briggs smirked. “Yes, sir,” he saluted, turning and heading after Emma.
He watched them leave and pulled out of the parking lot, focusing on the job at hand. His gut was nagging him and alerting him that they had to have missed something at Billy’s. All he wanted to do was find it, solve this, and marry his girl as soon as possible.
Today, was going to be a good day.
* * *
Billy Barnes’s house was silent, except for the creaking of the floorboards beneath Croft’s boots. He walked the living room, searching for anything they had missed in the sweep. Nothing looked out of place as he continued through the house and into the bathroom. He did a second check of the cabinets and the medicine chest.
The agent in him was working the case through his mind, visualizing all the details and trying to find the aberration they didn't see. Croft thought about Billy’s body and where it was buried. He was a big guy. Croft tried to picture himself carrying the dead weight into ‘The Crossing’. It didn’t seem right to him. He was physically fit and trained, and he’d have struggled to schlep a body all the way to the grave alone.
Then, he saw it.
It was something that wasn’t there the last time they did the walk through. It was a lone pink toothbrush. Staring at it, it all began falling into place in his mind.
The shower curtain moved behind him, drawing his attention too late. Glancing up, he took the blow to the front of his skull.
The last thing he had time to think before the world went black was the killer was right under their noses watching them the entire time.
* * *
Back at her desk, Emma was trying not to get too worried. It was well past an hour and still Greyson didn't check in with her. She watched the giant hands of the clock on the wall and began to get that sick feeling in her stomach. She dialed Croft’s cell number again.
No answer. This wasn’t a good thing. She could feel it all through her body.
“Anything yet?” asked Briggs, standing in her doorway.
Emma shook her head as the fear continued to multiply. “No,” she answered, softly. “His phone is off and everything’s going directly to voicemail.”
Briggs didn’t like this at all. “He never shuts off his phone.”
“I know.” Emma’s stomach was a giant knot. Something was horribly wrong.
“What do you want to do, Sheriff?”
Emma had no choice, she needed to go looking for him, despite the chance he’d be pissed. “We’re taking a little road trip to Billy’s. I have a bad feeling, Curtis--a really bad feeling.”
“I’ll get Reese, and I’ll meet you at the car.”
Emma hurriedly dug through her supply closet, pulling a spare belt holster out. In her hand, she held Greyson’s gun, and her heart was sinking fast. Over and over again, Emma repeated the same thing.
“Please don’t leave me.”
“Please don’t leave me.”
Finally, she pushed past the fear. “I’m going to find you, Grey or die trying. I promise, babe.”
* * *
There was an intense pain in the side of his head. It was so bad, that he didn't want to open his eyes. He wished he had the option of remaining in the dark, but that wasn’t the case.
He needed to face the cold, hard reality.
So, using his military training, Greyson cautiously checked out his body, trying to measure and weigh out all his possible options. At that point, he needed to figure out a way to regain the upper hand in the situation. They’d miscalculated, and it was potentially going to cost him and Emma their lives.
There was motion directly in front of him as he slowly began opening his eyes. It was probably the worst decision because the blow to his face made him see stars. The second strike was far more vicious as it plunged him back into the darkness. The last thing to fill his senses was the scent of his own spilled blood as pain seared across his cheek.
* * *
Emma was just sliding into her jacket when Reese and Briggs barreled through her door.
“My God, what is it?” she asked, jumping and spinning toward them. “Did you hear from Grey?”
“No, but you have to hear this! Deputy Reese just found our killer.”
“What? Who?”
Reese walked over to Emma. “I finished the searches on the deputies and all the staff, and then went on to do searches on everyone who was in the station
the day Lila disappeared--including one on the mayor and Will Taylor.”
“Okay, I’m with you so far.”
“Em, Will Taylor lived in Philadelphia while Lila was in college at St. Joseph’s University. He worked for the Department of Transportation as a clerk in their office.”
“Shit.”
“He had access to both the women’s addresses because they both had bus passes.”
“Please tell me we can connect him to Lila Tate.”
“Yes! He had a Biology lab with her at Saint Joe’s, and we pulled his file in the mayor’s office. Lila recommended him to the job right before you came here to be sheriff.”
“That SOB! He’s been hiding right under our noses,” Emma was going to kick his ass as she threw him in jail.
Briggs nodded. “He’s been getting all his information from Lila. She’s not his victim, she’s his partner.”
“Lila typed up all my reports, and even her father admitted she was feeding him details. She knew Billy was who we were looking at. They used our inside information to keep us chasing our tails.”
“Shit,” muttered Reese.
Briggs shook his head. “I know how they found out about your past, Emma,” he admitted. “The day I brought her to the cabin, I went to take a shower and get changed. Your file was in my bag. She had to have opened it and read the details.”
Emma was pissed. “I swear if they hurt him, I’m going to kill them both,” she hissed, worried about the man she loved.
“She would definitely know who her daddy was banging,” tossed in Reese.
“We have to find Croft!” Briggs stated, dialing his phone again.
Emma was sick to her stomach. “They used Billy Barnes as their cover for killing all the women. Lila dated him in order to draw him in to confuse us. He did have issues with Carly Wilson, and they used that to their advantage.” Emma strode to the door, “We have to find Grey, and fast. We’ve been conned from day one,” she stated, storming out of the office.
Celestia is Falling (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 1) Page 48