Thirty-One and a Half Regrets (Rose Gardner Mystery #4)

by Grover Swank, Denise

  The thought of going upstairs and sleeping alone freaked me out, but I wasn’t going to tell Mason that. “Maybe in a bit. I want to wait for Muffy. I had a vision of her with Deputy Miller today. She was lost and he found her in the woods.”

  Mason’s mouth twisted with worry. “Then we shouldn’t let her out without a leash.”

  “The deputy who brought her didn’t bring one.”

  “Tomorrow I’ll find some rope in the barn you can use. We’ll figure something out, okay?”

  “Thank you for being so concerned.”

  “Of course I’m concerned. She’s important to you and she’s growing on me. I don’t want her running off.”

  “Thanks.” I picked up our empty wine glasses and the bottle and started for the kitchen. “I found some tea bags with the supplies, and I think I’m going to make some tea. Do you want some?”

  He smiled softly and gave me a gentle kiss. “Yeah, sounds good.”

  I was pouring hot water into our mugs when Deputy Miller walked through the back kitchen door with Muffy.

  I looked up and smiled. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

  “No thanks, ma’am. I’m going home to get a good night’s sleep before I come back in the morning. I wanted to let you know that Muffy did both kinds of business—” his voice lowered “—if you know what I mean.”

  I grinned. “Thanks, and I’m glad to hear you’ll be back.” And I was. Muffy trusted him so I did too.

  “You have a good night, Rose.” He started for the door and stopped. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I noticed Muffy didn’t have any dog food here, so I’ll bring her some tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.”

  “No problem.”

  I finished making the tea and carried both cups into the living room. The front porch light was on and through the windows I could see Mason talking to two men on the porch. I set his mug down on his desk and headed upstairs.

  I hadn’t taken a shower for two days, so I took a quick one in the bathroom off the master bedroom. Muffy stayed close, as though she could sense I was nervous.

  While Mason had grabbed my toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, he hadn’t included any makeup, not that I expected him to know what to pack. It wasn’t like I needed it for the morning anyway. I didn’t usually wear any when I was working on job sites, but now that Mason and I were beginning something, I wanted to look my best.

  I had to wonder if he hadn’t packed makeup or sexy lingerie on purpose. I had a drawer full of sexy things I’d accumulated over the last several months. I still couldn’t help thinking it was odd that Mason choose the underwear I’d worn pre-Joe that looked like something Miss Mildred would wear. Was it insurance so he wouldn’t be tempted to sleep with me?

  But I reminded myself that I was here because my life was in danger, not to impress my potential boyfriend.

  Potential boyfriend. Was that what he was? I was amazed that kissing him felt so natural since Joe was the only other man I had ever kissed. Daniel Crocker didn’t count.

  But the thought of Crocker reminded me of his phone call. He had been in Violet’s house and he’d specifically threatened Mason. What if he hurt someone I cared about because of me? As far as I could tell, the law enforcement agencies were no closer to finding him. Would it be selfish of me not to turn myself over to him? I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure I could do it.

  I pulled back the covers on the bed, but I knew I wasn’t tired enough to sleep. I decided to go down and get my discarded book. Besides, I wanted to tell Mason goodnight.

  When I went downstairs, all the lights inside were turned off except for the one in the office. Mason was pacing behind the desk, his hands in white-knuckled fists by his sides.

  Not wanting to disturb him, I hung back in the shadows. But when he glanced up and saw me, his look of irritation transformed into one of affection.

  “Did you have a nice shower?” he asked. The look of surprise on my face made him flush. “I came up to check on you and heard the water.”

  I grinned. “I did. But I can’t sleep so I thought I’d trying reading in bed. Are you going to keep working for a while?”

  He inhaled sharply. “I don’t know. I’ve looked at the evidence again and again, but I still can’t find a commonality.”

  I put a hand on his arm. “You’ll find it.”

  “I wish I was so sure.”

  “My grandma always used to say that sometimes you can’t see the yarn fibers for the skeins.”

  Mason’s brow lifted with an amused grin. “Excuse me?”

  “It was Grandma’s way of saying sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, well…I’ve examined the trees too.”

  “Maybe it’s something so minuscule you’d never notice. It’s like when I used to grow prize-winning roses.”

  He sat in his chair and looked up at me, his eyes shining. “You grew prize-winning roses?”

  “That’s not the point.” I rested my hip against the desk. “Out of nowhere they developed a virus. I did everything I could to stop the infection from spreading, but most of my roses died. The next spring I planted new bushes and they came down with it too. It wasn’t until I took a couple of steps back that I figured out the cause.”

  “And what was it?”

  “It was a spade in my shed. I didn’t even use it on the bushes, but it was in contact with the pruners I used. The virus had spread from the spade to the pruners. I had to disinfect everything and then I was finally able to grow healthy roses again.”

  Mason’s mouth dropped open in shock, then he jumped up and pulled me into a hug. “Rose, you are a genius.”

  “What?”

  “You may be on to something.”

  “You have an infected spade?” I teased.

  “I’m positive I do. I just need to find it.”

  I grinned up at him. His excitement was contagious. “You will. Like I said, take a step back.” I placed a hand on his chest and stood on my tiptoes, my mouth an inch from his. “I take it that you’re going to stay up for a while?”

  “Yes, I’m eager to look at all of this from a new perspective.”

  I kissed him softly then backed away. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Good night.”

  His eyes turned serious. “If you need me, come find me.”

  “Okay.”

  “Sleep well, Rose.”

  I headed upstairs and climbed into bed with my book, leaving the door cracked open and the lamp on the nightstand on. I propped up the pillows behind me and tried to read with Muffy curled up beside me, but my mind kept drifting to Daniel Crocker.

  I jumped out of bed and went into the nursery, taking a seat in the rocking chair. I looked out the back window toward the barn and tried to get my mind to shift to something—anything—else. As I looked around the room, I tried to imagine what it would be like if I moved into this house.

  The house was huge, so much so that I could fit Momma’s house in the first floor. Would it be wasteful if I lived out here by myself? But then I thought about how much Muffy had loved running around the fields earlier. She could do that every day if we lived here. And I could get cats to live in the barn, maybe a horse.

  But the house needed work and I was cash-poor. Did I really want to move out to an old house that was out in the middle of nowhere? I wasn’t saying yes yet, but I wasn’t saying no, either.

  The rocking made me sleepy, so I got up after a while and switched on the bathroom light before climbing into bed, thinking about what color I’d paint this bedroom.

  My sleep was restless, and I dreamed of Daniel Crocker finding me in the barn. I awoke with a start, bolting upright in bed. My breath came in heavy pants as I tried to settle down.

  “Rose?” Mason stood in the doorway, wearing pajama pants and a T-shirt. “Are you okay?”

  “I had a bad dream.”

  He came into the room and sat on my bed, pul
ling me into his arms. “You’re shaking.”

  “I’m okay.”

  “Do you want me to stay with you for a bit?”

  “Would you mind?”

  “No, of course not.” He scooted back so he was sitting upright against the pillows. He tugged me back with him so I lay in the crook of his arm, my cheek on his chest. His hand lightly stroked my arm in a soothing motion.

  “Did you find anything?” I asked, yawning.

  “Not yet, but I’m seeing new correlations. Now if I can just tie them all together…” His arm squeezed around me. “Jeff’s coming out tomorrow and I plan to fill him in. Maybe he’ll see something.”

  “Good.”

  I closed my eyes as I felt a vision coming, but I relaxed into it. I was with Mason and I was safe.

  I was lying in bed, in this room. Golden sunlight made the room glow. I turned to my side and saw me. I was curled on my side, the sheet exposing my naked chest. Mason’s hand brushed some loose hairs that lay over my shoulder. I stirred and my eyelashes fluttered against my cheeks.

  “Good morning,” the me in my vision murmured lazily.

  Mason rolled me onto my back and leaned down to kiss me. “Yes, it is,” he said in a husky voice.

  The vision faded and I was back in the dark, Mason’s arm around me. “We’re gonna wake up together.”

  He tensed slightly and looked down into my face. “Do you want me to stay?”

  I knew I should tell him about my vision, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. And even if my vision didn’t come true, I still wanted him with me. “Yes,” I whispered. “I’m scared to be alone.”

  “I’m glad you said yes,” he murmured. “I didn’t want to leave.” He reached for my face, trailing his fingertips down to my chin and then lifting my face so I could look into his warm eyes. He stared at me for several seconds, as though taking in the sight of me. Slowly, he lowered his face, his lips skimming across mine, his tongue darting into my mouth.

  My mouth parted in surprise as desire rushed through my body like wildfire. I put a hand behind his head, holding his mouth against mine in case he changed his mind.

  But he showed no intention of changing his mind, and as he continued to kiss me, he rolled me onto my back and pressed his chest against mine.

  Need pulsed through my body and I could no longer wait to feel his naked body next to mine.

  My fingers found the hem of his shirt and tugged it upward. He broke our kiss as I pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it aside. He loomed over me, his chest naked, and all I could think about was that I wanted to see more.

  When I pushed him onto his back and straddled his waist, his eyes flew open in surprise. I ran my hands over his bare skin, marveling that I was finally touching him.

  “This hardly seems fair,” he said, his voice rough. “I’m naked from the waist up and you’re not.”

  “That can easily be fixed.” I lifted my long-sleeved knit pajama shirt over my head. “Better?”

  “Much.”

  My hair hung over my right shoulder and Mason slowly reached up to brush it aside, then his hand lowered to my breast. His other hand lifted to my other breast and I leaned my head back and moaned as an ache shot to my core.

  Mason sat up, shifting my legs so that they were wrapped around his waist. His right hand continued to fondle my breast while his other arm snaked around my back and held me in place so his mouth could devour mine, driving me crazy with want.

  His hand slid up into my hair at the nape of my neck, pulling my body back as his mouth lowered to my breast.

  “Oh God, Mason,” I moaned, squirming on his lap. “Please don’t change your mind.”

  He pushed me onto the bed and grabbed the waistband of my pajama pants, tugging them over my hips and down. I reached past him and pulled them over my feet. When I leaned back, I looped my thumbs in the waistband of his pajama pants, slowly sliding them down. He placed his hands over mine and helped me push them down to his hips, then he lay on his side and kicked them off as he leaned over me, his mouth finding my breast again as his hand slipped between my legs.

  I gasped, arching my back. My hand threaded in his hair, holding on as he licked and kissed his way to my other breast. His hand continued to drive me closer to the edge.

  His mouth found the spot on my neck that drove me crazy, his teeth nipping, his tongue licking.

  I reached for him, but he stopped me, grabbing my hand and pinning it to the bed over my head, which turned me on even more.

  “I don’t know how much longer I can wait, Mason.”

  His tipped his face up. “Birth control?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I gasped, trying to catch my breath. He was asking me to think, which was almost more than I could handle at the moment. “The pill.”

  “I have a condom in the other room.”

  “No.” I reached for his waist with my free hand and pulled him toward me.

  He released my hand and climbed to his knees between my legs. The hungry look on his face made me groan with want and I lifted my hips toward him.

  He lowered himself over me, pulling my leg around his waist as he slowly entered me.

  I leaned my head back with a moan as he filled me.

  Releasing my leg, he pinned both my hands over my head and I gasped at the shiver that ran through my body.

  “God, Rose. You are so perfect.” He plunged in slow strokes, as I wrapped my other leg around his waist.

  He buried his face in the nape of my neck as his pace quickened, releasing one of my arms so he could cup my butt. When he tilted my pelvis, I squeezed my eyes shut, my world imploding as I called out his name.

  Mason groaned and collapsed on top of me, then rolled to the side, pulling me with him as he kissed me senseless. “I could get used to spending every night this way,” he smiled against my lips.

  I sighed with contentment. “You’ll get no complaints from me.” I laughed when I realized our heads were at the foot of the bed. “We’re upside down.”

  He sucked my lower lip between his teeth then released it. “I’m used to it. You turned my life upside down months ago.”

  Before I could answer, he kissed me, our passion climbing again. And I wondered how my life had become so wonderful in the midst of such chaos.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I woke up to Mason’s lips trailing down my stomach.

  “Mason Deveraux,” I sighed. “You are insatiable.”

  He lifted his head and looked up at me with a wicked grin. “I didn’t hear any complaints last night or very early this morning.”

  “It’s not a complaint. It’s an observation.” I giggled, then gasped as his mouth made my back arch. “Isn’t there something you should be doing?”

  “Yes, and I’m doing it.”

  Half an hour later, I was still nuzzled in his arms. My head was tucked under his chin and his fingers were stroking my side.

  “I never want to leave this bed,” I murmured.

  “There’s no place I’d rather be, but I need to find out what’s going on downstairs.”

  I lifted up on my elbow. “You’d leave me all alone in this bed? Naked?”

  “Now who’s insatiable?” he asked, pushing my head back onto the pillow and thoroughly kissing me before lifting himself up with a wicked grin. “I thought sleeping with you would make me less obsessed with thinking about you naked, but I think it’s actually worse now that I have the real image in my head. It’s a good thing I’m not in court or I might be too distracted by the memories of my tongue on your—”

  “Mason!” I giggled. “You would not. You’d be Mr. No-Nonsense, only happier than usual.”

  “Not just happier, more content,” he whispered. “Hopeful.”

  “Me too.”

  “Rose, I know we should take things slow, but I’ve waited for this for months, and I’m struggling to put on the brakes after last night. If you need me to slow down, please tell me.”

  I shook my
head. “No. I don’t want to slow down. I want to feel all of this with you without worrying that something’s too much, too soon. Let’s not set any rules except to be honest with each other.” A lump lodged in my throat. “And no secrets. I’ve had enough secrets to last a lifetime.”

  “No secrets.” He kissed me softly.

  My stomach growled and I laughed. “I think I’ve worked up an appetite.”

  “Let’s get dressed and eat. I’m not sure when Jeff’s coming.”

  He got up and found his pajamas on the floor.

  I slid out of the bed and walked toward the bathroom, looking over my shoulder to see Mason watching my naked backside. “I’m going to take a shower. If you want to join me.”

  He took a deep breath then stepped into his pants. “You have no idea how much I want to—”

  I turned around to face him, leaning against the doorframe.

  His gaze traveled from my face to my toes. “—but I need to…um…”

  I laughed. “Get ready for when Jeff comes?”

  “Yeah, that.” He crossed the room within seconds and pulled my body against his, his arms wrapping around my back.

  He kissed me possessively, making me dizzy with desire and ready to climb back into bed. Obviously he felt the same way since he started to drag me in that direction.

  Muffy scampered to the bedroom doorway and started barking.

  Lifting his head, Mason asked, “Does she bark for no reason?”

  “No,” I forced out. “Not usually.”

  “Don’t leave this room,” he said. Then he rushed out of the room, still shirtless, shutting the door behind him.

  I didn’t know how he expected me to sit here and do nothing, but I also realized that I’d only get in his way if there was real danger. Still, I was sitting naked on my bed. If Daniel Crocker had found us, no need to make it so easy for him.

  I was rummaging around the rumpled bed for my pajamas when the door opened.

  “It’s Jeff.” Mason stepped into the room.

  I released a breath. “Oh, good.”

  He bent down and retrieved his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. “If you still want to shower, feel free. We’ll be in the office going over my files.”