Daylight Robbery (An Aspen Falls Novel)

by Melissa Pearl

  She’d always looked out for him. And she always would.

  Running his fingers down the back of Melina’s head, he played with the ends of her long hair as he toyed with the idea of telling his parents about the attack on the AFPD, but he pressed his lips together and decided against it. His mother was half a world away and there was nothing she could do to help. It would only worry them both, knowing he’d be dealing with the cleanup and aftermath. Thoughts began to crowd him, pressing down on his shoulders and reminding him that it wasn’t even close to being over.

  He swallowed and forced a happy tone, focusing instead on the feel of Melina waking up against him. “I’m doing good, Mom. Really good.”

  That was partially true. This new development with the gorgeous social worker was a big plus that he never saw coming. He’d gone from distant infatuation to spilling his guts—something he never did. But that girl at the station had triggered something, and Melina had been there at just the right moment to see him through it. And then the night before, as she gently rubbed stress lines from his forehead, her tender touch had unearthed his old enemies: doubt and fear. They’d gnawed at him, reminding him that the blackness wasn’t far away. A dark cloud could roll over him at any moment and he wouldn’t be able to see through the fog.

  But she’d been there.

  His lighthouse.

  His rising sun.

  Nestling his cheek against the top of her head, he relived their make-out session—her body pressed against him, her hot tongue doing crazy things to his insides. He’d had to pull away in the end and she’d let him, giving him a soft smile before snuggling against his side and talking until they drifted off to sleep.

  A giddy joy bubbled in his stomach. It made him feel ridiculous, but he couldn’t keep his lips from curling at the edges.

  “I’m so glad you’re having a good week, honey.”

  “How’s your week going?”

  His mother chuckled and then launched into their adventures. He could picture Dad sitting quietly beside her, gazing at her affectionately as she animatedly shared about their travels. Pearce Marks had always adored his wife, in a unique, reserved way that only the family really understood. Their father was the solid rock, firm and unmovable, while his wife was the dancer on top, waving her bright banner in the sky.

  As he listened to his mother’s rundown, Melina stretched and slowly moved away from him. He felt the loss immediately and even ran his hand down her arm as she rose from the couch, gently rubbing her wrist before she slipped her fingers out of his grasp.

  She mouthed and mimed the word “Coffee.”

  Kellan gave her a thumbs-up and watched her walk away, studying the sway of her hips and enjoying every inch of her.

  Oh yeah, he really had to get over his fear of the dry spell. He was pretty sure if any woman could help him out with that, Melina was the one. Just watching her sleepy smile was enough to excite him.

  Rising from the couch, he took the call into the kitchen, not wanting to miss a moment of Melina time. Her long hair was mussed, her pajamas wrinkled. She rubbed her neck and he worried it was sore from the way they’d slept. He certainly felt a little stiff, but every ache was worth it.

  Wrapping up the call, he placed his phone on the table and then stepped up behind Melina. Resting his hand on her shoulders, he gave them a light rub.

  She moaned and let her head tip back, so he kept going, kneading the muscles in her shoulders and up to her neck.

  “How are your parents?” she whispered as she dipped her head forward to give him better access to her neck.

  He gathered her hair and brushed it over her shoulder so he could admire her long neck, the milky white skin and the little mole near her hairline.

  “They’re having a blast,” he murmured, unable to resist stepping forward and pressing his lips against the soft skin beneath her ear.

  “I’m glad.” Her voice was breathy as she shifted back against him, gluing their bodies together.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and breathed her in. “I don’t know if I asked to stay the night or if we both just drifted off to sleep, but I kind of liked waking up with you in my arms.”

  He felt her smile and it warmed his heart.

  “I kind of liked it too.” She spun and grinned at him, gently tugging his collar so their lips were only inches apart. “I should invite you over more often.”

  A wave of giddiness washed through him. The beeper on the coffee machine alerted them to the fact that it was ready to pour, but neither moved to get their caffeine fix. They were working on a much stronger fix.

  Kellan pressed his lips against Melina’s soft mouth, reminding himself why it’d been so damn hard to pull away the night before. She responded to his touch, and in spite of morning breath, they dove into another hot kiss.

  She felt so damn good against him.

  This sweet, beautiful woman who he’d been pining after for years.

  Their relationship had gone from working colleagues to make-out buddies overnight, but did it have the potential to last? Kellan’s heart screamed an instant yes, begging him to not let logic get in the way of something that felt so right.

  But his brain had always been stronger than his body, so he inched away from her.

  He wasn’t about to run out the door, but his brain was telling him to use a little caution.

  The last woman he’d loved had nearly destroyed him, and although he was confident that Melina would never do it intentionally, love inevitably led to hurt.

  He gazed into Melina’s smiling eyes, his heart acting more like putty than an actual organ.

  “Would you like to stay for breakfast?”

  There was no way in hell he’d be able to decline the invitation.

  So much for being headstrong.

  With a smile that only touched his eyes, he bobbed his head once, then humbly offered to show her why his mother called him the king of scrambled eggs.

  29

  Thursday, September 27th

  7:15am

  The eggs were good. Damn, they were good.

  But not even half as good as making out with Kellan Marks.

  Melina smiled around her mouthful as she relived the heat of him. It seemed to radiate out of him. In that way, he was a contradiction. Everything about his behavior was cool, calm and collected. But on the inside, underneath that mountain of snow, was a burning fire, and she felt every spark of it whenever his lips touched her skin.

  Her insides curled with desire as she imagined doing more than just kissing him. She’d felt the muscle beneath his shirt as she’d run her hands across his chest and over his shoulders. She’d used his left pec as a pillow and felt the strength of him as he’d wrapped his arm around her and held her close.

  She could imagine exactly what it’d feel like to press her naked skin against his, to get lost in the magic of fusing their bodies together. A hot blush scorched her cheeks and she crossed her legs beneath the table, dipping her head so he hopefully wouldn’t notice.

  Kellan’s fork scraped against his plate as he scooped up the last of his eggs.

  She wanted to tell him they were great, but her throat was too thick to form any words.

  After months…years…of dreaming about Kellan being part of more than just her work life, it was finally happening. And so unexpectedly too. In spite of the harrowing events of yesterday, she was sitting at her kitchen table giddy with joy. Whatever was happening between them was like a ray of sunshine bursting through a storm cloud. A moment in time that she wanted to cradle in her heart.

  Kellan at her breakfast table was a good thing…something she could easily get used to.

  She glanced up and noticed his gaze on her. It was soft and warm, his lips curving into a real smile. She grinned back, not sure what to say. It seemed kind of goofy just sitting across from each other, smiling like besotted teenagers, but they couldn’t seem to help it.

  Two grown adults experiencing puppy love. It
was so ridiculous she wanted to giggle.

  Swallowing down the sound, she was grateful for an indignant meow in the doorway.

  “Hey, Mr. Pickles.” She grinned, standing from the table and walking across to her ragamuffin cat. He was a stray that she’d picked up from the animal shelter when no one would adopt him. He was grumpy and standoffish, but Melina had slowly won him over. “I was wondering where you’d ended up.” The cat meowed, staring at Kellan with a cautious scowl.

  Melina laughed and bent down to scoop him up. “Oh, get that frown off your face. I’m allowed to have company.” She buried her nose in his soft fur, and he started to purr in spite of himself. “You’re just a big old softy on the inside, aren’t you?”

  She walked over to his food bowl and placed him down, quickly opening a tin of cat food and feeding him.

  “How long have you had him for?” Kellan’s voice was deep, the morning huskiness making it sexier than usual.

  Melina stroked Mr. Pickles from between his ears right down to the end of his tail before returning to the table. “About eight months or so. He was a bit of a grumpy butt when I first got him. I think he may have been abused as a kitten, but he’s slowly warming up to me. He used to let Tasha pet him too, but she’s gone now and I think he’s missing her. Not that he’ll ever admit it.” Melina winked and scored another small smile from Kellan.

  Two in less than fifteen minutes. She was doing well.

  “Who’s Tasha?” He picked up the last piece of his toast and popped it in his mouth.

  “She was my roommate, but she left me to move in with her husband.”

  “Wow, how inconsiderate of her.”

  Melina laughed. “I thought so.” Her smile faltered as she looked around the kitchen, remembering the fun she and Tash would have cooking up meals and baking things together. They both loved food and healthy living. They had so much in common, and she missed such easy access to her friend.

  “The house must seem kind of quiet now, huh?” Kellan’s voice was rich with empathy.

  She looked back at him and saw the emotion mirrored on his face. He understood.

  “Houses can seem awfully big when you live alone.”

  “Most definitely,” he croaked, jerking for his coffee and taking a long swallow, like he regretted even starting the conversation.

  She dropped it, standing up and clearing the plates. “Thanks for a delicious breakfast.” She didn’t want to go into how much she’d loved preparing it with him. He’d put her in charge of toast and directing him to where ingredients were kept in the kitchen. She’d loved being under his quiet command and could understand why everyone at the AFPD respected him so much.

  Turning on the faucet, she started rinsing the plates and glanced over her shoulder as she did so. Kellan was coming toward her with the two empty coffee mugs, and her heart kicked up in anticipation. Would he stand behind her again? Gently slide his lips across her neck? Tingles rocketed through her entire body, but they quickly fizzled out when he placed the mugs on the counter and moved to wipe down the table.

  Melina put on a bright tone in an attempt to hide her disappointment. “Your mom’s right, by the way.”

  “Oh yeah?” He brought the dishrag back to the sink.

  “You are the king of scrambled eggs.”

  His eyes danced with pleasure as he dropped the cloth into the sink and leaned in close. His breath tickled her skin as his eyes searched her face. Her body zinged with anticipation. What was he waiting for? Her lips yearned for that kiss, and she wanted to close the gap between them, but it was like something was holding him back, making him hesitate.

  She tried to read his expression, gaze into the depths of his eyes and find the truth.

  But a ringing phone interrupted her.

  It was Kellan’s, and he spun for the sound immediately.

  Melina pressed her lips together and focused on rinsing the dishes before stacking them in the dishwasher.

  “What? Where?” Kellan’s voice was terse.

  Melina spun to see what the problem was, instantly aware that the ray of sunshine she’d been basking in that morning was once again covered over with a cloud. Their breakfast bubble had popped, and reality was storming in once more.

  Kellan still had a police station to set right and criminals that needed to be found before they hurt anyone else. He still had men in the hospital who needed support. His team needed him more than she did, and it was selfish to want him to stay.

  “Okay. I’ll meet you there… No, I want to be there. Text me the address.” He nodded a couple more times, then ended the call. Without even looking at her, he shrugged into his jacket and punched out an update. “Dispatch got a call from a house close to my parents’ place. They’ve just noticed that some of the woman’s jewelry has been stolen.”

  Melina’s eyes rounded. “So, it’s connected to Leah, then?”

  “It’s a good bet.” Kellan looked energized by the idea of getting another thread to follow. Pulling his jacket straight, he quickly buttoned the front, then raced into the living room to find his keys. Melina followed, drying her hands on a dishtowel. Kellan snatched his keys off the coffee table and was rushing for the door when he suddenly stopped and spun to face her.

  She stayed still, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

  His lips parted as if to say something, then pressed into a firm line. He glanced at the door, then marched back toward her. Taking her face in his hands, he brushed his lips against hers in a delicate kiss that belied his disposition. He pulled back and, with his eyes, gave her the most affectionate smile she’d ever seen.

  “I’ll catch you later,” he whispered.

  The giddy bubbles in her chest made it impossible to speak. All she could do was blink and smile as he let her go and then rushed out the door.

  Crossing her arms with a giggle, she leaned back against the wall. Her legs suddenly felt like rubber, but in a good way. Kellan Marks, whether he meant to or not, was stealing her heart.

  Brushing a finger across her lower lip, she tried to caution herself. The man still had a lot of mystery about him, a buried hurt that would hold him back from her, but damn if in that moment she didn’t give a rat’s ass.

  Kissing Kellan Marks was the best thing that had happened to her in years, and she couldn’t wait to do it again.

  30

  Thursday, September 27th

  7:45am

  Kellan pulled up behind Nate’s unmarked car and glanced across the street. Nate was standing on the porch of a large brick house. The garden was well maintained, with seasonal flowers blooming in the beds and a lawn that had a precise, straight edge to it. The size and grandeur of the house gave away how wealthy the couple must be, not to mention the Mercedes and Lexus parked next to each other in the driveway.

  Exiting his vehicle, Kellan forced his head into the game as he locked up and crossed to the house.

  Melina’s sweet smile after he surprised her with that parting kiss was burrowing its way into his heart. He shouldn’t have done it, but he couldn’t help himself. She was standing there looking so damn beautiful, not making any demands, and he just had to touch her one last time before leaving.

  What if he never had breakfast with her again?

  It could have been his last chance to have that moment.

  He shouldn’t have breakfast with her again. He frowned. He was single for a reason.

  So why did he despise that idea so much? Why were his insides revolting against what his head knew was best?

  Clearing his throat, he walked up the stairs and acknowledged Nate with a nod.

  “Chief Marks, this is Mr. and Mrs. Bergman. They just returned home from a three-week cruise in the Caribbean.”

  “Hi there.” Kellan shook both their hands and could instantly see how relieved they were to have the police chief turn up to their door. He could easily deduce that these people were used to getting the best of everything. Their philosophy probably was: why ta
lk to a store clerk when you can go directly to the manager?

  He didn’t particularly like that kind of attitude, but he had a vested interest in this case, so instead he forced a smile and suggested they move inside.

  The couple ushered them into a living room and offered them two plush armchairs while taking the couch opposite.

  “So, can you tell us what happened?” Nate shuffled in his chair, obviously struggling to make his hand comfortable. The sling was cutting into the side of his neck, and Kellan knew the fact that Nate couldn’t easily take notes was going to bug the hell out of him.

  In normal circumstances, Nate should have been off duty for a couple of days. He needed time to recover.

  But Cam was still up in Red Lake, and when she called in after getting wind of the attack, Nate refused to let her come back. They argued for a good twenty minutes apparently, but Nate finally convinced her to finish out her vacation. She needed time with Alex. She’d be back in a few days and could get fully immersed in the case then. Nate was confident he could cover it in spite of his injury, which he, of course, failed to mention to Cam.

  After he found out about the call, Kellan nearly argued that he also had Ollie, Mick and Higgs out of action, which meant he was understaffed and could use all the help he could get, but he wasn’t too keen on cutting Cam’s break short either. The fact that she was taking a break at all was a miracle in itself. She deserved the time off.

  Kellan drew out his phone and murmured that he’d take some notes.

  Nate’s brows dipped together. “Here.” He awkwardly held out his notepad and Kellan took it, flipping over to a fresh page.

  With a short, barely veiled huff, Nate began interviewing the couple, who directed their answers to Kellan.

  “Well, we got home last night and everything seemed absolutely normal.” The woman’s voice trembled as she played with her large solitaire diamond ring, spinning it around her ring finger. “It was like the house hadn’t been touched. We’ve looked at every window and door, checked with the alarm company, but can’t find a single clue to the invasion. But I know someone was in my house. That may sound crazy, but there is jewelry missing from my box. I know what I took with me. I know what I left behind.” Her voice rose with her anxiety. “They were precious pieces that I wasn’t willing to travel with. I thought they’d be safer at home. We have an alarm. Our house is supposed to be secure.”