The Library: Where Life Checks Out

by Carmen DeSousa

  His anger brewing, he started toward the group, wondering what they were accusing him of, when the fourth person stood up.

  Gregory Burke didn’t use a gavel; instead, he hammered his fist into the book in front of him. “The Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner is a friend of my father’s. I’ll have you fired for hiding evidence in my son’s case. And I’ll make sure I get full custody of my grandson and make Ashlyn suffer.”

  “I didn’t conceal evidence,” Mark snapped. “This isn’t about Devin. A man was murdered.”

  “No one cares about a homeless man, Mark,” Jay whispered in his ear. “You are his only chance.” She moved her hands to his chest, nudging him gently. “Help me.”

  Jay’s cold lips touched his neck and Mark bolted upright.

  His calico darted off the bed in response. Mark’s heart raced in his chest. “Oh, my God, kitty, you scared the death out of me. What makes you think I want your cold, wet nose on me first thing in the morning?”

  She jumped back on the bed, obviously realizing he wasn’t going to kill her today, and rolled over on her back, purring. He gave her exactly two seconds of scratching between the ears. Any more than a couple of seconds and he’d overstimulate her, and she’d bite him. A lesson he’d learned about calicoes. Women too, he mused. It seemed there had to be a perfect balance between protecting and controlling. Having an easy-going disposition versus being a total pushover.

  Right now he felt as if everyone was pushing him in a different direction, and he didn’t care for it one bit. But the accusations in his dream were from his subconscious. No one had entered his dream and inserted those allegations.

  He’d been feeling all of them on his own, even the charges that had no foundation. He had no desire for Jay other than what information she could offer him. He’d given Davis all the information on Devin Burke and had let him decide whether to pursue the case.

  But he did feel like a lousy detective at the moment, and he really missed Ashlyn. He didn’t want her to go through with speaking to the Burkes alone, and if he allowed her, then he wouldn’t be good enough for her.

  It was Saturday, and the captain had made it clear that the city wouldn’t be paying overtime to investigate a homeless man’s death. But since Laura Allan’s name had popped up twice, he could sift through that information and see Ashlyn at the same time.

  If Laura wasn’t okay with him being there, he’d get a hotel room. Ashlyn had accepted his ring, so he felt as though he should have some input in her life. And if he were being honest with himself at least, he just wanted to see her. Ached for her. He’d been keeping himself busy at work, but no way would he be able to go all weekend without holding her.

  It was early, he knew, but she woke up at the crack of dawn most days now that she’d quit bartending. He pressed her number on his phone, knowing he should have just shown up.

  “Hey, baby,” her scratchy morning voice answered the phone, warming his insides that she wasn’t upset that he’d woken her.

  “Hi, sweetness. Do you have any plans today?”

  “Uh-uh. I’m exhausted, so I thought I’d just rest today.”

  Mark pulled the phone away from his ear and glanced at the time. If he left right now, he’d be there by ten a.m. “Okay. Sorry for waking you up. Go back to sleep. I’ll call you at ten.”

  “I don’t mind you waking me up, but yeah, that’d be better. I’m exhausted. Love you. Talk to you then.”

  He smiled. “I love you too. Get some rest.”

  That was easy. By the sound of it, even if she decided to go out, she wouldn’t get out and about before noon, so he had plenty of time. In fact, he could even bring her breakfast.

  Mark grabbed his gym bag from underneath the bed and stuffed it with two days’ worth of clothes. He took a lightning-fast shower, skipped shaving and brewing coffee again, and was on the road within ten minutes.

  After a quick stop at Mickey D’s, he headed north. The easiest route was to drive to New York and then head over to Erie via I-86. It’d be a long day, but it’d be worth it.

  At ten fifteen, he pulled through another McDonald’s drive-thru and ordered two bacon, egg, and cheese McGriddles and two large lattes. He knew Ashlyn’s OB doctor wouldn’t approve, but Ashlyn would be happy. And besides, no woman would turn away a man bearing a peace offering of a McDonald’s breakfast sandwich and coffee. Not that they needed to make peace—their problems weren’t with each other—but he figured it couldn’t hurt.

  As he turned onto her mother’s street, he made the call he’d promised Ashlyn.

  “Right on time,” she said when she answered.

  He could almost hear the smile in her voice, and he felt his mouth turn up in response to the fact that he’d be seeing that beautiful smile in a few seconds.

  “Of course. Aren’t I always?”

  “Yes. You have good timing too,” Ashlyn offered. “I just finished drying my mop of hair.”

  “Ahh…too bad. I like it when it’s damp.”

  Ashlyn didn’t respond. She was as sharp as they came. The front door swung open, and Ashlyn peeked out, looking as fresh and cute as ever in her Pink sweatpants and long sweatshirt. She refused to wear maternity clothes, which he’d been quite okay with, since most of the outfits looked downright silly. Mark couldn’t imagine Ashlyn wearing a shirt with ‘baby on board’ stitched across the front. Nope. Workout clothes were much more stylish in her opinion, and he had to agree with her assertion.

  A large smile spread across her cheeks, but she didn’t move from the stoop, which he understood. Climbing stairs, even a few, was one of her least favorite things to do nowadays.

  Mark left his overnight bag, but grabbed the food and coffee and jumped down from his truck. “I brought breakfast.”

  Ashlyn planted her hands on her hips. “Oh, a coffee offering. Smart man.”

  Mark quickly strode up the driveway and took the steps of the front porch two at a time. He set the coffee cups and bag down on the front swing and closed the distance between them. His hands went to her long hair immediately, which was still a little damp. “God, I missed you.” He sealed his lips to hers and pulled her closer.

  Ashlyn moved her hands up his chest and around his neck, retracting her lips just slightly. “I missed you too.”

  Moving his hands down her back, he pulled her close again. He nudged her lips open with his, his tongue tasting her cinnamon toothpaste. Thankfully, he’d just popped in a Tic-Tac as he pulled into her neighborhood. He explored her mouth, feeling as if he’d missed kissing her for months, not days.

  A soft sigh escaped her throat, and he reveled in it. It was clearly a sigh of contentment. She’d missed him too. Mark pulled back and looked at her. “I really, really missed you. I think I forgot how lonely I was before we met.” He smiled as he thought about his words. “Do you realize this is the first time we’ve been apart in six months? You’ve always been at my place…or I’ve been at yours.”

  Ashlyn laughed. “Yeah, kind of silly, huh? Paying for two apartments, I mean.”

  Mark’s eyes widened. “Umm… are you saying…”

  Ashlyn raised her fingers to his lips. “Let’s eat, Mark. We can talk about stuff when I’m not half-dressed standing on the front stoop.”

  He smiled. “I happen to like you half-dressed.” He reached for her other hand, happy that his ring was on her left hand. So she had to have told her mother. That was good. He bent down in front of her and touched her round belly. “Hey, baby. Have you missed me too?”

  “Ooh!” Ashlyn jumped and then laughed again. “I think he did.”

  Mark moved his hands to where she directed him, delighting at the life inside. “Wow. You think he recognized my voice?”

  Ashlyn reached for the coffee and opened the front door. “How could he not? Like you said, we’ve seen each other every day for six months, and you speak to him as if he’s here.”

  Picking up his cup and the bag, he followed Ashlyn inside. “He is
here. He can hear.” Mark looked around the living area and into the kitchen. “Where’s Laura?”

  “Oh, she’s at the gym. Had a Zoomba class, she said.”

  “Well, that’s one thing I can say about your mother; she keeps herself in tiptop shape.” He took the coffee cup from her and set it on the table along with his and then drew her toward him. “How long will she be gone?”

  One side of Ashlyn’s mouth curved up in one of his favorite smiles. “Aren’t you hungry, Mark?”

  “I’m famished.” He dropped onto the sofa and pulled her down beside him.

  “Look at me. I’m huge. I think I’ve gained ten pounds in the last few days.”

  Mark ran his hand over her stomach, pulling up her shirt and kissing her soft skin. “It’s all right here. And I love every inch of you.”

  Ashlyn giggled but pulled her sweatshirt back over her tummy.

  He frowned in response. “Okay,” he said on a sigh. “I can wait. I came here to see you, not to attack you.”

  “I really am starving, though.” Ashlyn laughed. “Of course, what else is new?”

  Mark stood up and retrieved their food and returned to the couch. He handed her the sandwich and then sat back against the arm of the couch, content just to watch her.

  “This is so good…” she moaned through the first bite.

  Mark felt a rush of desire, wishing he were causing that reaction in her. He hadn’t been thinking about making love to Ashlyn. But the moment she was in his arms, he wanted her so badly it was almost painful. It wasn’t just a physical reaction; his entire body felt on fire. His soul longed to hold her, to never let her go.

  No doubt, Ashlyn was the only woman he’d ever want again. Those stupid dreams he’d been having weren’t about wanting another woman. He had no interest in Jay; he only wanted her to confess what she knew.

  As he thought back to the dream, he realized she was trying to show him something, tell him a secret he wouldn’t believe, she’d said. Her hands had been trying to direct him. The aisle in the library. The others were trying to stop him, but she’d wanted to show him something there.

  Mark shook the thoughts from his head. Captain Davis was right. Nothing would change in the next two days. He couldn’t bring back the dead. And whatever secrets the library held, they’d be there on Monday. But would Jay? Would whomever or whatever she was scared of try to silence her?

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ashlyn changed into clothes that were more suitable than the worn-out sweatpants and sweatshirts she’d donned all week—actually, the last two months. Mark was probably tired of seeing her in them. As soon as she had her baby, she’d burn them and lay them to rest.

  He would love the babydoll tank she found in a Victoria’s Secret catalog, she was certain. It worked well over leggings as makeshift maternity wear. Yeah, she looked pregnant, but it was clear she was pregnant. She hated when people looked at her and hem hawed around about the question. Did they honestly think she’d just suddenly gained weight all in her belly? It’d take a lot of six packs to do that.

  Mark never made her feel huge, though. For some reason, he seemed just as attracted to her as he had been at the beginning of their relationship...before she’d started showing.

  “Ash,” Mark said as he knocked on the door. “Your phone is ringing. Unknown caller. Want me to answer?”

  She couldn’t help but smile. Her ex would have just answered it, or questioned why an unknown caller was calling her. “No, but you can come in now.” As jealous as Devin had always been, it made no sense that he would have broken up with her so quickly and then insisted she have an abortion. Thank goodness Mark wasn’t anything like him.

  Mark inched open the door, holding her phone out as if he felt embarrassed for touching it. “I wasn’t sure if it was important.” He stepped closer. “Mmm…I like.” He ran his fingers over the lace that edged the low-cut scooped collar, which highlighted her greatly increased bust size. “When did you get this?”

  “I ordered it and it arrived the day I left. I was saving it for you, and here you are.” She smiled. “Why exactly did you drive five hours?”

  Mark shoved her phone in the front pocket of his faded blue jeans and wrapped his arms around her. “The same reason I brought your phone upstairs. I miss you.”

  “And you wanted to see my bedroom…” Ashlyn trailed off.

  Mark glanced around the room. “We couldn’t,” he whispered. “What if your grandmother saw us?”

  “Do you really think—”

  Mark placed his fingers over her lips. “Believe what you want. I know what I saw.” He pressed his lips against hers and backed her up to the bed. Scooping her up in his arms, he placed her on the bedspread. “Maybe we can fool around for a little bit, though.” He kissed her neck and nibbled his way up to her ear as he hovered over her. “I really did miss you.”

  Ashlyn giggled as his warm breath caressed her neck. “I missed you too, Mark.” She buried her hands beneath his t-shirt, tracing every muscle in his back and then ran her fingers down his lats, delighting in the chilly bumps on his skin. Moving to his chest, she lifted the front of his shirt until, catching the hint, he pulled it over his head. Taking advantage of the situation, Ashlyn traced his chest, reveling in the sculpted lean muscle.

  He was the most remarkable specimen of a man. Tall, but graceful. Muscular, but not bulging. Before she’d gotten too large, they’d started doing CrossFit together. The combination of cardio and strength training had assisted her to get in the best shape of her life, before she started showing, that is.

  Mark looked as yummy as ever; he’d obviously continued training without her. She’d missed him too in the last few days, and her body reacted to his closeness in a way she’d never felt. She wasn’t sure if it was the hormones or the fact that she hadn’t seen him in a few days, but she was ready to rip off his clothes.

  Mark lowered himself beside her and pulled her closer. “So, where will you take me today?”

  Caught off guard, Ashlyn leaned back. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, this is your stomping grounds. I’d like you to show me where your grandparents took you as a child. Or where you snuck off to escape your mother as a teenager.”

  “Oh. I was going to go home today. I really need to see the Burkes.”

  Mark sealed his lips in a line and then seeming to relax, he curled his hand behind her neck. “We’ll do that tomorrow. I’ll drive you home so you don’t have to take the train, and then we’ll go together.”

  “But I thought you said—”

  “Forget what I said. What kind of husband would I make if I let you do one of the hardest things you’ve ever had to do on your own?”

  Ashlyn felt the tears well up in her eyes and moved against Mark’s chest so he wouldn’t see them and think she was upset. “Thank you, Mark. That means a lot to me.”

  He gathered her closer, enveloping her with his embrace, and as always, she felt safe. “I love you, Ashlyn, and as I said, I love all of you and will stand by you through everything you have to endure, good and bad.”

  Her heart thumped out a rhythm in response. She believed him and wanted him so much—forever. “So, when would you like to get married?”

  Mark pulled back unexpectedly. “Really?” His green eyes seemed to sparkle like water she’d seen in pictures of the Mediterranean. He blinked to clear them, though. As sensitive as he was, he was strong. She’d never seen him tear up even remotely, and yet, her comment had caused that momentary reaction. It touched her soul more than any words he could ever utter.

  She felt her own eyes fill again, but didn’t try to restrain them this time. “Yes, really. I told you I’d marry you. I was just worried. But I can see you really mean it when you say you want me and all my baggage too.”

  Mark frowned. “I never said you had baggage.”

  “Oh, but I’m saying it.” She snuggled against his chest and he kissed the top of her head. “Thank you for wanting all of
me.”

  He moved his hands to her face. “I’d like to get married right away, before the baby comes. Privately. And then we can have a huge wedding—whenever you want—so you can wear a designer dress and sip champagne.”

  Ashlyn smiled and felt her cheeks warm. “And wear lingerie on our honeymoon.”

  “That too,” Mark said, grinning. “But I like this too.” He traced the lace again. “I like these too.”

  “I’m sure you do. Maybe they’ll stay around a while.”

  Mark lowered his head to her décolletage—as Mémé would have called it—and pulled the stretchy material down a fraction to expose the softer skin of her chest. His lips barely made contact when she heard the front door.

  Ashlyn backed away from Mark as though she were sixteen. Mark jumped out of the bed on the opposite side, his cheeks flushing instantly.

  Smoothing her top and checking in the mirror that she was sufficiently covered, Ashlyn smiled at Mark’s embarrassment. “Damn. Mom has impeccable timing.”

  “Yeah.” He walked around to her side of the bed and scooped up her hand. “Let’s go.”

  She couldn’t help the burst of laughter. She was twenty-three and Mark was twenty-nine, and yet, they obviously both felt like high school students who’d been caught by their parents.

  They strolled down the stairs together, startling her mother.

  Laura glanced up the stairs, her eyes wide. “Mark. What a surprise. Ashlyn didn’t tell me you were coming.”

  “I just woke up this morning and decided I couldn’t go through the weekend without seeing both my babies.”

  Laura lifted her brow at his comment, but nodded as if she decided instantly that it was the correct response. “Well, I’m glad you’re here, young man. Would you be a dear and get the rest of the groceries?”

  “Gladly.” Mark kissed Ashlyn on the cheek and bounced down the rest of the steps and out the front door.

  “He’s such a nice young gentleman,” Laura said. “And so handsome. I believe he is the best-looking man you’ve ever dated, Ashlyn.”