by Autumn Dawn
“Who?”
“Azor,” Xera clarified. “I hope it won’t take you long to change into new clothes, either. He’s making the customers nervous.”
Chapter Nineteen
Azor glanced up from his ice water as Blue slid onto the chair next to him. “For a man who spent yesterday the way you did, you look happy,” the Kiuyian policeman remarked.
“I made an effort to enjoy the day,” Blue replied, taking a sip of a beer. “I hope you’re not bearing bad news, because I’d planned to enjoy the night, too.”
“No bad news.” Azor looked at him thoughtfully. “There’s a rumor going around that you plan to resign your post.”
“It’s more than a rumor. I’ve given enough years to the job. It’s time for something different.”
Azor seemed skeptical. “You plan to become a farmer?” He glanced around the bar. “Or an innkeeper?”
“Careful.” Blue wasn’t going to take any guff.
Shrugging, Azor inclined his head. “It’d be a nice family, if they could just stay out of trouble.”
Blue laughed. “I like trouble. It keeps me young.” He leaned back in his seat and added, “What’s eating you, man? You look beat.”
Azor leaned back himself. A little of his weariness showed through. “It’s been a long month. If ever I were tempted to resign, myself, it would be now.”
Blue shook his head. “That’s not you. Not from anything I’ve ever seen, at any rate. Maybe…How long has it been since you took a vacation? Even a man who loves his job can get burnt out.”
Azor was silent a moment. “I can’t remember.”
“Put in for one, then. Find a likely lady and spend some play time with her.”
The remark won Blue a slight smile. Then Azor admitted, “As if I know any I haven’t arrested at one time or another. And I can’t date another cop—those relationships always end badly.”
“It’s true you’re not going to find a girl hanging out in dark alleys or at your desk. You need to socialize more. Even this bar has the occasional possibility.”
Azor glanced around. His eyes fell on Brandy, however, who’d wheeled through the door and was speaking to Jaq, the barkeep. The old man seemed to have weathered the recent troubles with his usual calm. A thoughtful light appeared in his eyes.
Blue glanced over but didn’t say anything. It was impossible to judge what his companion was thinking. A word of caution seemed in order, though. “She seems to have an interest in her Kiuyian neighbor, Match. Remember the kid who set fire to the place? His big brother is back in town.”
Azor glanced at him.
Blue shrugged his good shoulder. “Doesn’t hurt to know the lay of the land,” he explained.
“She’s in the middle of a sticky situation,” Azor reminded him. “And I’m a professional.”
Reminded of his relationship with his own woman, Blue’s lip curled. “Aren’t we all?”
Gem’s entrance was well timed. Blue snaked an arm around her waist as she neared their table, and he sat her on his lap, careful not to disturb her bad arm. He kissed her hello. “You look hot, baby doll.”
“Blue!” She blushed and wriggled off his lap onto the chair beside him. Her sling made it awkward. “Behave.”
Blue waggled his eyebrows to make her laugh. “Not too long, though,” he promised.
Gem glanced at his companion. “Captain Azor.”
“Ma’am.”
“And you wonder why you have no dates,” Blue chided. “I’m trying to convince him that he needs some downtime.”
Gem eyed the dour detective. “You have a point.”
Azor returned her comment with a droll stare.
“Anyway, I thought we could go out to eat, maybe take in a show,” Blue suggested to his new girl. “They have a display of prototype spacecraft set up at the spaceport, and—”
Gem laughed. “That’s your idea of a show?”
“You don’t like ships?” he asked.
She shook her head. “They’re fine. You just surprised me.” She looked thoughtful. “Come to think of it, I’ve never gone to that sort of exhibit.”
“Just one of the many firsts to come,” Blue promised lazily, his smile telling her exactly what areas he planned to explore first.
Azor shook his head. “I think I’ve had enough entertainment for the night. I’ll see you around,” he said.
“Don’t go,” Blue teased. “We haven’t even begun to be entertaining.”
“Lovers,” Azor muttered. He stood, then wound his way through bodies toward the door.
“Has he always been that cheerful?” Gem asked.
Blue shrugged. “Since the police academy, at least. He was the first Kiuyian I ever met. I thought they were all like him until I’d seen a few more. Speaking of that, there’s your neighbor.”
Gem glanced over and saw Match at the bar, talking to Brandy. It didn’t take long for the two to head off toward the kitchen hallway, but instead of going right, they both turned left toward the brewery…or the family apartments.
“I’m not sure about this,” Gem remarked uneasily.
Blue considered. “You don’t like him?”
Gem chewed her lip. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him. I don’t know if he’s the same. It’d be a rough family to marry into.”
“You think it’ll go that far?” Blue asked.
“I don’t know. Depends, I guess. Brandy’s clearly still hooked on him.” She rose from her seat. “I think I’ll see what they’re up to.”
Blue rose with her. “Are you sure they want a chaperone? I know I’m not fond of them.” He sent her a playful, flirtatious glance.
“It’s different with us.”
“Uh-huh.”
Blue placed a hand at the small of her back. She was wearing a black satin wrap shirt with long sleeves, and the thin material felt delicious pressed against her warm skin. He’d have to buy her a satin nightie sometime. Maybe they’d get one tonight. Visions of her modeling garments for him came to mind. It was a provocative and not immediately gratifying experience.
Brandy and Match were just about to slip down into the brewery when Gem caught up to them. “Hey, sis. Whatcha doing?” she asked casually. “Showing off the new additions?”
“Trying to,” Brandy said with a trace of irritation. “I thought you were going out.”
“Pretty soon,” Gem agreed. “You’ve reminded me that I never gave Blue a proper tour, either.”
Match opened the door for all of them.
If Brandy was hesitant to enter, no one blamed her. The last time she’d passed through those doors, she’d been carried out. Finally, she smiled grimly and wheeled herself in.
The overhead lights came on automatically as the foursome entered. Huge copper vats lined the walkway, gleaming as if recently polished. Stone tiles lined the floor underfoot, but shadows hid in the space between kettles.
The place had been cleaned up, but Blue noticed Brandy looked away as they passed the pipes where she’d been tied. His own gut tightened as he remembered how she’d looked. He’d seldom seen anyone so brutally hurt. The last time had likely been in that prisoner of war camp. He shook his head to dislodge the memory. Why had Gem thought this was a good idea?
Brandy took a deep breath as they neared a workbench. “This is the heart of it. I’ve spent many hours in here tinkering with brews.”
“But no soda? Tell me you haven’t given up on my favorites,” Match teased. “I can’t tell you how much I was looking forward to a fruit cream.”
Brandy smiled slightly. “I haven’t made one of those in years.”
“Is it hard? You could teach me to make my own,” Match persisted.
Brandy laughed. “Now? Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“Can’t think of a better way to spend my evening,” he replied with a smile.
Brandy shrugged. “Why not?”
Blue sent Gem a questioning look. She must have interprete
d it correctly, for she said, “Sounds like you two are going to have fun. Blue and I had better be going or we’ll be late.”
“’Bye,” Match said absently. Brandy just nodded as she went in search of her recipe book.
Blue snorted as soon as they were out of earshot. “Going to be a wild and crazy night for those two,” he predicted sarcastically. “I don’t know, maybe they can get creative with her in a wheelchair, but I have my doubts.”
She glowered at him. “Hey, it’s a big sister’s job to be protective.”
He slung an arm around Gem’s waist and bumped their hips. “Aren’t I glad you don’t have a big sister.”
Gem sighed in contentment and leaned back against Blue’s chest, which filled him with pleasure of his own. They’d dined at an elegant restaurant, then rented a private pavilion overlooking the lake. Stars twinkled overhead and reflected back in the cool waters. They’d doused the torches and reclined on velvet pillows, the better to see the fireflies. He knew she’d seldom felt so peaceful.
Blue toyed with her hair. “What are your dreams? If you could do anything at all, what would it be?”
She stretched lazily as she thought. “Hm. Right after make love with you, you mean?”
He choked. “I thought we were trying to behave!” It was unusual for her to bring up something like that, which could only mean she was thinking of him in terms of her future husband. His heart warmed just thinking of it.
“And you’re doing admirably, but don’t think I haven’t noticed that thing poking my back.”
A man could only take so much provocation. He growled and started to drag her down.
She laughed and held up a hand. “No, no! I’ll be good. Let’s see, if I could do anything…”
He waited, torn between kissing her into silence and hearing her answer. If she stalled much longer he’d settle for silence.
“I think I’d like to spend more time with you. Just like this, just…playing.”
“That’s it? You’ve never had a yen to skydive or explore the galaxy?”
She snorted. “I have action and adventure every day of my life. Believe me, there’s never a dull moment around The Spark. What I’d like is more time to myself, just resting. I’m not complaining, but I never got a chance to just be a kid, you know? After my father died, I tried to fill his shoes. The business needed a leader and my sisters needed someone to watch over them. I couldn’t be Mom or Dad, but I could be dependable, a confidant…there. It’s what my father would have wanted, and I was glad to do it. It just came at a cost.”
He nuzzled her hair. “You lost your chance to run wild yourself.”
“I don’t know if I would have been wild, but I did grow up fast. I just want some fun now.”
He tickled her ribs. “And you want it with me.” Satisfaction filled him, bone deep. He’d never been someone’s idea of rest before. He found he liked it, liked the way she defined their relationship. He’d had his share of adventure, too. He wouldn’t mind a chance to hang around with her, just being himself.
A shadow dimmed his mood as he considered what she knew about him. Maybe it was time he gave her more details so that she knew exactly who he was. He wouldn’t want her to claim he’d omitted facts later on.
He began slowly. “I grew up in a house a lot like Match’s.” She turned her head slightly, listening. He forced himself to go on. “It wasn’t the best way to learn how to be a man, and I was always in trouble. I wasn’t that much different from the young punk next door.”
“You ever set fire to someone’s home?” Gem asked. It sounded like she doubted it.
He snorted. “No, but I swiped stuff from stores, got in fights, that sort of thing. It was probably a good thing I ended up in the military—I think they saved me.”
“So you were in prison?”
“Juvie. I got sent to a military academy once I hit sixteen. There wasn’t a regular school in the province that would take me by then. I’d been kicked out of most of them.”
“No prison. Juvie,” she said to herself, as if memorizing the new truth. “And you went from that academy to special ops?”
“And from there to war and prison camp. After that, I joined the police.”
“And finally ended up at The Spark,” she finished. She was quiet for a little while. “In all that time, was there ever someone else? A romance?”
He shifted uncomfortably. Telling her the truth and telling her the whole truth were two different things; she really didn’t need to know about his playboy past.
“There were a few ladies, but never anyone who lasted, you know? Work got in the way. To be honest, I don’t think I was ready to get serious about anyone until I met you. There are a lot of shallow women out there. You were different.”
That he’d been drawn to shallow women didn’t say much about him, either. She’d changed him. Gem might be unhappy at being forced to mature quickly, but it was one of the things that had drawn him to her. She was exactly what she appeared to be: steady, practical, loving. She was strong enough to carry her sisters and the inn, and tender enough to share the load with someone like him. Her responsibilities hadn’t made her cold or totally self-reliant. It made a man proud to be associated with a lady like her. Being a part of her team made him feel like something special.
Gem sighed, paused, and clearly wanted to make a confession. She finally said, “There are rough times ahead. Business has fallen off because of the trial and the recent difficulties. Jean Luc’s beer is no longer here to sell, though maybe we can make something roughly similar—but legal. I’m sure Brandy’s brews will be good.”
She shook her head, thinking. “It’s going to be hard to overcome the bad press, even though I know we’ll be okay in the end. Brandy is going to have it rough for a couple of years, no matter how talented she is. Xera kept talking about leaving for the academy, and now she has to. Her reputation’s ruined, as we both know.” She paused. “Things like that, Blue…Well, I just want you to be sure of what you’re getting into.”
Blue pulled her close, then down to the ground and leaned over her so that she could see his face clearly. “Woman, this is the only time you’re allowed to bring this up. The answer is yes, yes and yes. Enough said.” He kissed her firmly to show that he meant business, then kissed her just because he liked doing so.
She melted like honey on his tongue, burned a trail straight down to his groin. He shifted his thigh over hers and deepened the kiss. The woman could spark a fire in him that obliterated all thought of caution. His lips wandered a path down her face, lower to her ear. She snuggled into his caress—
The overhead lights came on suddenly, ruining the moment. They blinked, momentarily blinded.
Gem groaned. “The automated chaperone kicked in.”
Blue exhaled in disbelief. “Automated cha—What kind of a barbaric planet is this?”
She heaved a sigh and sat up. “I guess we should head home.”
Blue rose and helped her to her feet, grumbling. His pants were achingly tight. No amount of adjusting helped to make them comfortable. “You’re giving me blue balls, woman,” he complained, but it was good-naturedly.
She gaped at him, then laughed in embarrassment.
He gave her a rueful smile. “I never said I was a gentleman,” he muttered. Then he wrapped his arm around her and led her from the pavilion. Automated chaperones? He said a few choice curses in his head. What were the odds they could at least find a quiet corner at home?
Not good, as it turned out. They were walking up the drive when Blue’s communicator buzzed. Of course, it was a call he was glad to take. “Zsak! How are you, buddy? I was going to come see you in a little bit. You were sleeping hard when we came by this afternoon.”
Zsak’s face on the view screen was tired and pale, but he smiled. “I knew you were there, but these meds have me in and out. Thanks for the flowers…I think. Is that the sort of thing you’re supposed to bring a guy?”
Blue flashed the
screen at Gem. “It was her idea. Use them to bribe the nurses to get something good to eat.”
“Haven’t seen anything here that wouldn’t eat me first,” Zsak slurred ruefully. “I could use something decent, though. They won’t let me order out.”
“It’s on the way. You want me to raid the kitchen here, or was there something special you wanted from somewhere else?”
Zsak laughed. “If it irritates that little cook of hers, I’m in. Whatever he least wants to give up. You know I like The Spark’s food.”
“We’ll be up with it shortly,” Gem promised. “See you soon.” She glanced at Blue and gestured that she was going to head to the kitchens.
Blue nodded, waited until she was out of earshot and told Zsak, “You can congratulate me on my new girlfriend, by the way.”
His partner grinned. “About time! Good work, buddy.”
“Thanks. I’m a lucky man.”
Zsak hesitated. “How are her sisters doing? Has the press backed off? How’s everything?”
Blue’s smile faded. “Everything’s mostly okay. Her sisters came out of it a little banged up, but they’re fine. I was more worried about y—”
“I bet they are okay,” Zsak interrupted. “They’re a tough bunch. They’ll get through anything.” He winced as he shifted, trying to get comfortable. “Blasted shoulder feels as if somebody ripped it off.”
Blue grimaced at the black joke. “The doctors said it should be as good as new after it heals.”
Zsak grunted. “I hate physical therapy.”
“We’ll find you a pretty coach. Either way, I’ll be there for you.”
“Thanks, but you don’t need to do that.”
“I owe you,” Blue said. “And I’m sure the ladies feel the same. You’re a hero. Live with it.”
“I will if you will. Now, listen, I’m going to nap until you get here. See you soon.” Zsak hung up.
Blue looked at his communicator for a moment and then smiled. Zsak was going to be all right.
Chapter Twenty
They met Azor leaving Zsak’s floor in the hospital as they were coming up in the elevator. He looked uncomfortable as he spotted them, then resigned.