Harlequin Romantic Suspense January 2021

by Marie Ferrarella, Regan Black, Karen Whiddon

  In her shoes, he supposed he would be offended if a civilian thought they could do better. He would have to keep that in mind when they talked at dinner.

  He had to find a way to illustrate that the hotel was safer due to the additional personnel. Her department couldn’t devote as many people to her security because they had a broader mission of maintaining the peace. Antonio struggled to believe that would be sufficient against Orr’s threats.

  Control issues were the root of his worry for her, but understanding that was only half the battle. Maybe less. He’d been unable to help his wife and baby. He couldn’t see a way to steer Orr off this violent course. And, apparently, he had no influence over Melissa, either. It was humbling and awful and completely unacceptable.

  And yet he eagerly anticipated their next meeting.

  She was making him dinner. With a different woman, he might consider it an overture. With Melissa, he felt she was merely trying to prove a point. There had been interest in her voice, almost a teasing tone when she refused his offer to cook in the hotel. It had sparked a warmth under his skin he should resist. With so much chaos and danger swirling around them, this was the worst time to be thinking of Melissa in a personal way. Her focus should be on the needs of the community, not him. And yet, he didn’t just want her attention; he also wanted to help, to be her safe haven when things were difficult. Dangerous territory.

  As the patrol car she’d sent out cruised by again, he wondered what had drawn her away from the station in such a hurry. He called her, but the call went to voice mail. Picking up the house phone, he called his security office.

  “Hotel security, Charles speaking.”

  Charles had been with him for several years. “It’s Antonio. Have you heard about any sort of crisis or emergency in the area?”

  “Not near the hotel, sir. But several units were dispatched to a neighborhood in regards to a disturbance.”

  “The address?” Charles rattled it off and Antonio’s breath backed up in his lungs. That was Melissa’s home. “Thank you,” he said before he hung up the phone.

  Antonio paced his office and then went upstairs to the suite. He should let her handle it. She’d call if she needed him. Then again, she would likely downplay any crisis to prevent worry or protect him.

  No. That wouldn’t fly. He was going over to see what had happened for himself. If the incident wasn’t related to Orr, he’d back off. If it was… Well, she couldn’t expect him to sit back and let his former associate run roughshod over everyone in his quest for revenge. Though caring for her had blindsided him, he was invested in her safety and would do anything possible to protect her.

  CHAPTER 10

  “Chief, you need to think about moving out.” Sergeant Joseph drummed his fingers on the clear plastic evidence envelope he held. Inside was an eight-by-ten collage of candid photos of Melissa. All taken within the past forty-eight hours.

  Melissa stared across her kitchen at the sergeant, momentarily speechless. She’d trusted him for the entirety of her career and now he was suggesting she hide?

  Joseph seemed to take her silence as consent to press his case. “Just until we find this bastard. Those boys out there feel terrible.”

  “They didn’t do anything wrong,” she said, finding her voice. “Whoever put that on my door was careful about it.” Whoever. As if it this wasn’t Drew Orr’s handiwork.

  The man was sneaky. The door on the side of her house was hard to see from the street, which was why the team on guard walked the perimeter at regular intervals. Orr had taped the collage to the glass, timing it perfectly so he wouldn’t be caught.

  When word got out about the images in the collage, nearly everyone on duty had come to help look for clues. Most of them had already left, or were widening the search through her neighborhood, but she didn’t expect any helpful results. She braced against a telltale shiver as she looked at the collection of images.

  The photographer had snapped a picture of her with Antonio on his deck the day after the fire. There was an image of her at her office window, another in her car. And whoever it was worked quickly, since there was also a picture of her out on her walk with Troy this morning.

  “He didn’t get inside,” Melissa stated.

  “Not yet,” Joseph said. “Come on, Chief. It’s the smart thing to do.”

  Joseph was right. Adding patrols only put more people in the way if—when—Orr escalated. But where could she go that wouldn’t create the same trouble for civilians or cost the taxpayer a fortune? Antonio’s suite was not a good option, especially when he needed it himself.

  Her best bet was to reach out to her youngest brother, Stanton. He owned Colton Protection, a small protective-detail agency that catered to high-end clients. While she didn’t expect him to part with one of his bodyguards, he surely had a safe house she could use for a few days.

  Resigned, she picked up her phone to make the call when a scuffle broke out on the front porch. Melissa turned toward the raised voices, peering through the front window.

  “What now?” she muttered. Striding toward the door, the sergeant cut her off, blocking her path. “This is my home,” she reminded him. It took a few seconds longer than it should have, but he finally stepped back. The chime sounded as she opened the door to see Antonio arguing with the two officers standing guard. Warmth spread through her system, a burst of summer sunshine in the heart of winter. She worked to suppress a smile and maintain her professional demeanor.

  “Mr. Ruiz? Is everything okay?” Why was Antonio here? Granted, she’d been interrupted before she’d given him a time for dinner and she’d ignored his calls, but she hadn’t expected him to just show up. Twice in two days, she realized.

  “I could ask you the same question.” His gaze was sharp, impatient, his mouth tight with worry as he studied her. “I didn’t realize dinner was a group event.”

  She appreciated the attempt at levity. “Come in.” She turned to the sergeant. “Thanks for handling this mess, but I’ve got it from here.”

  “You’ll call Stanton for extra security?” Joseph asked.

  Melissa gritted her teeth. “Yes. Please keep one unit on the street. I’ll let them know when I’m leaving.”

  Joseph faced Antonio. “She isn’t to be left alone, Mr. Ruiz.”

  “I understand,” he promised.

  “That’s enough,” Melissa guided Joseph to the front door. “We all have things to do, right?” She aimed a meaningful look at the evidence envelope. “I’m counting on you.”

  With a nod, Joseph walked out and she locked up behind him. A few words were exchanged and then the officers vacated her porch. She’d just taken a breath when Antonio began demanding answers.

  “What happened?”

  “You get your wish,” she said, walking around him to secure the side door as well. “I’m being forced out of my home for the sake of security.”

  “Why do you think that’s my wish?” he queried.

  Again, she was speechless. “You’ve been pushing me to hide out in your hotel. What would the city have to pay for that?”

  “Melissa, charging you would be absurd. I’ve been pushing you to protect yourself,” he corrected.

  Exasperated, she picked up her phone to call Stanton, but suddenly she was wrapped in Antonio’s arms. “What are you doing?” No one was shooting at them; there was no reason for him to shelter her here in her kitchen.

  “Making myself feel better.”

  “Oh.” She wasn’t sure what to do with this abrupt show of caring. But it felt so good to be held, as if she was a treasure, that she gave herself up to the gesture. She wound her arms around his lean waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

  He sighed, as if something settled perfectly into place. Her pulse quickened imagining the pleasure of tipping her head up for his kiss. She wouldn’t linger, but she wasn’t a
bout to reject the moment, either.

  “Tell me what happened,” he said into her hair.

  “I don’t want to.” Under her cheek, she felt his body stiffen. She sighed. “You’ll only get mad and spoil this.” And she needed this respite, needed him, more than she wanted to admit. She wanted a sexy, fascinating and interested man in her life. Not just any man. This man. Her persistent attraction to Antonio was growing into something deeper with this constant exposure. She had to pull herself together.

  She released him on that disquieting revelation and stepped back so she could watch his expression as she explained. “Yes, Orr was probably behind this stunt. No one was hurt, unless you count the pride of my officers. He, or someone, got close enough to put a collage photo on the side door.”

  His hands dipped into his coat pockets, but she could tell his fingers had balled into fists. “Where is this collage?” The soft menace in his tone was worse than shouting.

  “Sergeant Joseph took it into evidence.” Seeing his jaw tighten, she relented. “I took a picture of it.”

  He swore as he enlarged the image on her phone, studying each candid picture in the collage. “We’ll move you into the suite tonight. Let’s get you packed.”

  “Not so fast.” He was acting as if they were a couple and he had a vote in her decision. “I was about to call my brother.”

  “The private investigator?” His eyebrows flexed into a frown.

  “Don’t be obtuse. I’m well aware that Colton Protection has done business with your hotel guests through the years. Stanton can get me into whatever safe house he has in town.”

  “So you’ll go between this safe house and the station just as you’ve done from here?” Antonio rubbed his temples, as if she was the simpleminded one. “How is that better? At the hotel, the suite is one-hundred-percent secure and if you won’t let me set up a new command center for you, I have the cars and staff to escort you between the residence and the station.”

  “I can’t just move in with you!” She threw up her hands. “The optics would undermine my position.” She’d never dated anyone as recognizable as the wealthy hotelier. Well, she wasn’t actually dating Antonio. In one night he’d become a hero to her family and saved her life, but they weren’t a real couple.

  They’d had exactly one hug. About one minute ago.

  She couldn’t deny wanting more. Her lips felt feverish whenever she thought of the times they’d been close enough to kiss. The hug was a perfect example of another missed opportunity, but the way they’d been thrown together in the midst of the cases she was juggling wasn’t a healthy start for any potential relationship. Definitely not a good start for two prominent figures in the city.

  If she moved into his hotel, word was bound to get out, assumptions would be made and her reputation would take a worse beating when the relationship fizzled.

  Except Antonio wasn’t a relationship man. Recalling that detail cooled her down in an instant.

  “Melissa.”

  She glared at him, willing herself not to melt into a puddle at his feet at that sultry tone. “No.”

  He spread his hands. “Explain a better option.”

  She didn’t have one. “Your way could cost me my job.”

  “Orr has shown he’s willing to take your life,” Antonio said. “Don’t put your family through that worry. Don’t force me to bear that guilt. I’m the one who brought the bastard into our city.”

  His gaze was haunted. She’d seen that look time and again. Through interviews and town gossip, she’d heard his wife had died when they were barely more than kids themselves, but she didn’t know the details. He was a man who’d taken on significant responsibility in his career choices. Did he carry survivor’s guilt or feel responsible for losing his wife, too?

  The notion turned her soft and, sensing it somehow, he pounced. “A move to the hotel limits Orr’s options. Plus, my security team and your officers are close. It’s a sensible decision.”

  Sensible, sure. Right up to the moment when she was surrounded by everything Antonio. That was the more personal, imminent danger. Unfortunately, it was logical. Combining forces, along with the potential of bringing down Orr with less risk to the community, held tremendous appeal.

  “Fine.” She scooted around him and down the hall to her bedroom. She wrestled a suitcase from the back of her closet and unzipped it. She reached for extra uniforms first, then paused, wondering what else to take. Did she pack the oversized T-shirt she slept in most nights or something more feminine? Ruthlessly, she popped the bubble of hopeful lust and threw the T-shirt into the suitcase.

  All she knew was there was one secure suite at the Grave Gulch Hotel. With a kitchen. She could assume it was luxurious, but that was about it. Was there one bedroom or two? Did they have a rollaway option or a sleeper sofa?

  She closed her eyes. She should not move in with Antonio.

  “We have an excellent laundry service.” Antonio displayed an appealing confidence as he leaned a shoulder on the door frame. “Along with every other amenity or item you might need. And we can come back anytime.”

  “We again,” she murmured.

  “Yes.” His voice took on an edge she could relate to. “Would you advise anyone else in your shoes to handle this situation alone?”

  “No.” More logic. She opened the dresser drawer where she kept her workout gear. “Would you be standing here if I were a man?”

  “But you’re not,” he said.

  She tossed the leggings and layers for winter running into the suitcase. “That’s a cop-out.”

  “I disagree.”

  Her entire body went on alert as he entered her room. This bedroom would surely fit in the suite with room to spare. Possibly the entirety of her house. They were so different and she was getting tangled up in thoughts and feelings that could never come to pass. Stress, adrenaline, whatever it was, she needed some space, but he kept closing the distance. One deliberate step at a time.

  The sensual heat in his eyes sent her heart rate into overdrive. Like a cornered rabbit, she looked around for an escape even as her traitorous body quivered, eager for contact.

  “Melissa.”

  Her knees went weak and her gaze locked with his.

  “You are the chief of police, and man or woman, I would offer my assistance either way. Especially since a former associate of mine is the one causing trouble.” His hands skimmed up from her fingertips to rest at her elbows. “However, if you were a man, I would not be here.” He gave her arms a light squeeze, then stroked higher to her shoulders. His thumbs brushed the sensitive skin of her throat. “I fear, even if you were any other woman, I would not do this.”

  Slowly, he leaned in, giving her plenty of time to say no. She shifted into him, touching her lips to his, her hands resting at his hips as if they did this every day. Sensation rocketed through her, taking something simple into uncharted territory from one heartbeat to the next. His hands moved into her hair, then he changed the angle and deepened the kiss.

  He tasted of heat and dark, enticing promises, and her mind blanked. They were the only two people in the world in this moment. She moaned, her fingers clutching the fine fabric of his shirt as she hung on for dear life. His mouth moved along her jaw, his breath at her lips casting a spell. Her head fell back, caught safely in his hand, as he trailed kisses along her throat.

  When he eased back, she rested a hand on his chest, delighted to find his breathing was as rapid as hers. She didn’t know what to say, only what she wanted to do next, starting with more kisses.

  But his gaze dropped to her suitcase and he frowned. “There’s a full gym at the hotel. You don’t need outdoor layers.”

  The momentary intimacy broken, she had to agree. As much as she loved running outside, it wasn’t smart while Orr was tracking her. She reluctantly moved away from Antonio’s touch, removin
g the outer gear and choosing other pieces instead.

  “I promise you I won’t be in the suite for long,” she said, striving for her professional voice of calm command. “The GGPD will capture Orr and make sure he’s sent away for a long time for the crimes he’s committed in this city.”

  “I appreciate that,” Antonio said. “And I believe you.”

  Why did those words strike her as far more important than a hot kiss or the size of his suite? She should keep packing, should definitely not be hanging on his every word like an awestruck teenager face-to-face with her crush.

  “I’d like to be clear,” he said. “You’re very good at your job and passionate about safeguarding this community. I apologize for ever questioning your commitment.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Heat flared in his eyes as his gaze dropped to her mouth, fanning the flames deep inside her that lingered from that kiss. She ducked into the bathroom to pack her toiletries or they’d never get out of here.

  The moment she added the small tote to the suitcase, he caught her hands with his. “I want you to be comfortable at the hotel. Safe and comfortable. But, also, I want you. Those two facts stand independent of each other.”

  That was definitely crystal clear.

  She laced her fingers through his, tipping up her face. She thought she was ready for the next kiss, but when their mouths met, something exploded. Need. Longing. A promise of satisfaction right here, literally within her grasp.

  Pressing her body to his, she gave in to the roar of desire. Shoving his coat off his shoulders, she protested when he released her to shake it off, sighing as his arms came around her again.

  But the embrace lasted only for a moment. He untucked her uniform shirt with an urgency that matched the pounding in her bloodstream. His hands trailed up and over her ribs, higher, to her breasts, and she arched into the touch, wanting more. Craving everything he was willing to give.