by Katie Ruggle
He started to weave through yards and between houses, making his way closer to Main Street. The motorcycle engines were much louder here, hiding any other sounds. He slipped through the weed-strewn lot behind the print shop. There was the tree, with low, thick branches that just screamed, “Climb me!” Even better, there was only a single, dust-covered window on the back side of the store, and Hugh knew the owner was pushing ninety and never wore her hearing aid. Any accidental thumps or stomps as they climbed onto the roof should go unnoticed, especially if the printing equipment was running.
Hugh sent a quick glance in Grace’s direction, wondering what the best way would be to share his genius plan with her. “Ready?” he asked.
“For what?” Suspicion drew her eyebrows together. Even scowling, she was the most gorgeous person he’d ever seen.
Hugh gestured toward the tree. “We need to get into position.”
Looking back and forth between his face and the tree, Grace frowned harder. “Tell me that position is not in that tree.”
“It’s not,” he said honestly, then paused. “It’s on that roof.”
She stared.
“Up you go!” he said cheerily, trying to pretend that her silent, deadpan expression was not having any effect on him at all.
She didn’t even blink. “No. This is a stupid plan.”
“It’s an excellent plan, and we’re missing all the action.”
“Missing action, when we’re talking about action involving a dangerous, drug-toting motorcycle gang, is actually a good thing.”
“No, it’s not. Ignorance is never a good thing.”
“But life is a good thing. I’d like to keep mine, thank you very much.”
“It’s perfectly safe. A baby could climb that tree.”
“Then maybe you should’ve brought a baby with you.”
“Chicken.”
“You could’ve brought one of those with you, as well, although I’m thinking that even a chicken would see the flaws in your brilliant plan.”
“I dare you.”
She froze, and indecision flickered across her face. Apparently, the d-word was her weakness. Hugh filed that away in the back of his mind for possible later use. “You’re evil.”
He smirked, extending the silence and letting his words hang in the air.
“Fine!” Without hesitating, she boosted herself into the first crook of the tree.
Hugh watched as she climbed from branch to branch, her body moving in an athletic, easy way that threatened to hypnotize him.
Clearing his throat, he focused on Lexi, who’d been waiting patiently next to him. “Ready?”
She crouched, muscles bunched, just waiting for his command.
“Okay.”
Lexi jumped onto the low, wide branch closest to the ground.
“Hang on,” Grace said from her spot ten feet above his head. “Is your dog seriously climbing this tree?”
Just to rile her, Hugh gave Grace a “duh” look. When she visibly bristled, he ducked his head to hide his grin. “Of course,” he said slowly, as if explaining something to an especially thick person. “How else do you think she’ll get on the roof? She’s a dog, not a flying squirrel.” He could feel Grace’s glare as he concentrated on helping Lexi scramble onto the second-lowest branch. If he looked at Grace, if he saw the offended glower, he knew he’d lose it and start laughing. She was just so easy to tease, and he enjoyed it way too much.
With an audible huff, Grace threw her leg over the next branch up and began sliding toward the building. The tree limb extended over the flat roof, making it the perfect bridge. Hugh swung up to the first branch, using Lexi’s harness to steady her as she climbed ahead of him. A few times, he had to lift her bodily to the next branch. Between that and the pain tearing jaggedly through his injured thigh, Hugh was sweating a little by the time he reached the branch Grace had used to move above the building.
As he straddled the tree limb, Lexi in front of him, Grace swung down so she was dangling by her hands, her feet just inches from the roof. Letting go, she landed softly with bent knees. Without shifting her feet, she raised her arms above her head, as if she’d just finished a tumbling routine in front of a cheering audience. Turning, she let her arms drop as she shot Hugh a triumphant grin.
The sight brought a surge of admiration, along with a hefty dose of amusement. When her gaze turned quizzical, he realized he was staring, but he didn’t care.
Lexi gave a faint whine, jerking him back to reality.
“Walk,” he told the dog, and she navigated the branch with the ease of a mountain lion. He followed much less gracefully, scooting along the branch until his feet were dangling above the roof. Getting a firm grip on Lexi’s harness, he called quietly to Grace, “Catch.”
“Wha—?” The dog jumped, and Hugh caught her weight, lowering her into a startled Grace’s arms. Although she was on the smaller end for a Malinois, the dog was still a solid forty-five pounds, and Hugh hurried to swing down onto the roof so he could help Grace.
Instead of struggling under the dog’s weight, however, Grace had a solid grip. She was giggling, trying unsuccessfully to dodge as Lexi licked her face. Another surge of admiration hit Hugh. When he’d first met Grace, she’d struck him as a bit of a princess, but here she was, cleaning kennels, climbing trees, jumping onto roofs, holding an armful of heavy, wiggling dog—his wiggling dog—and laughing. If she was a princess, then she was a fun one, one who could take all of his teasing and give it right back to him, one who had a core of steel under that soft-looking exterior. In fact, she’d ruined him for all non-Grace princesses.
He took Lexi, lowering her to the rooftop without looking away from Grace. The memory of their earlier kiss returned for the hundredth time, and his blood ran hotter and faster through his veins. Her laughter dried up as she met his gaze, her lips parting slightly as she stared back at him. Grace looked as hungry for him as he felt for her, and he sucked in a hard breath through his nose. He’d never felt like that before, as if he had to kiss her, had to touch her, or he’d explode. Hugh leaned closer, drawn like a magnet. She gave an almost silent gasp and shifted, tipping her body forward as if she felt the same pull. They drew closer, until her breath brushed against his lips, sending a bolt of need so strong that it felt as if he’d been donkey kicked in the gut.
Just before their lips made contact, a revving motorcycle engine broke the spell, jerking them out of the world where only the two of them existed. Startled, they both pulled back. Grace looked away, visibly breathing hard, and Hugh had to give himself a firm, mental slap across the back of the head. Now was not the time for shenanigans—well, for the sexy kind of shenanigans, at least.
“C’mon.” His voice was rough, and he cleared his throat, focusing on moving around the mechanical equipment and capped flues until he was at the front edge of the roof. Another tree, this one in front of the print shop, offered some concealment from the people in the street below. Just as Hugh had thought, the other cops had made the stop just a half block down from the print shop. He and Grace would be able to get a perfect view of the bust.
Although he didn’t glance over at her, he knew exactly when she joined him. It was like she radiated heat or…something that made him ultra aware of her. They watched without speaking for a few minutes. It seemed as if everyone on the department—everyone except for Hugh, at least—had shown up for the party. He quickly found Theo and Otto in the crowd. Otto was talking to one of the R and R riders, while Theo was listening to something the lieutenant was saying. Although Hugh tried to determine if what LT and Theo were discussing was good or bad, Theo’s everyday scowl was firmly affixed, not giving anything away. Shifting his gaze away from the pair, Hugh scanned the rest of the group.
The R and R riders looked outwardly cooperative, despite a few wearing resentful expressions. There was a strange feeling,
though, a tension, that made Hugh’s muscles tighten in preparation for a fight. Next to him, on the opposite side of Grace, Lexi was alert as she eyed the crowd, her ears tipped forward.
Grace leaned closer to ask in a low voice, “Do you think they found anything?”
Hugh wasn’t sure why she was speaking so softly. The rumble of engines would’ve covered her loudest outside voice, but he wasn’t about to complain about her whispering if it made her lean so close to him. She smelled really good, like warm, sweet things. He wasn’t sure how she managed that after the messy day they’d had, but she did. He shifted closer, pretending it was so he could hear her, rather than so he could breathe her in.
She was looking at him curiously, and Hugh dragged his brain back to her question. “Doubt it. See, they’re just talking, running IDs. If they’d found something, there would be a lot more guys getting cuffed.”
“What about him?” When Hugh followed her gaze, he spotted a burly guy with ratty blond hair and beard, his hands secured behind his back, being escorted toward one of the squad cars.
“That’s Orv Beaumont.” As he watched Orv get into the backseat, his face twisted into a scowl, Hugh had to grin. Even if they didn’t find so much as a joint, this bust had been worth it just to bring in that jackass. “He’s got an active domestic violence warrant.”
Grace turned to look at Hugh and then back at Orv. “That’s good. That he’s caught now.” The squad car door closed, shutting the biker inside. A smile curved Grace’s lips, and it was so satisfied that Hugh felt another jolt.
Seriously, this woman was perfect for him.
Chapter 11
As she watched the pissed-off biker get arrested, Grace understood how being a cop could be incredibly rewarding. Opening her mouth, she turned to say something to Hugh, but the look on his face knocked all the words right out of her head. Instead, all she said was, “What?”
“What?” he threw back at her. Of course he did. Because having a conversation with Officer Hugh Murdoch was like trying to discuss things with a twelve-year-old. And, for whatever strange reason, it turned her right back into a twelve-year-old as well, fighting the urge to stick out her tongue or kick him in the knee.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like that.”
“What?”
“That… Okay, this is stupid.” She didn’t even know what her initial question had been anymore. There were more important things to discuss, anyway. “Now that you know all is well, and no drugs were found, can we go before someone catches us up here?”
“You’re with the police. What are they going to do if they do catch us? Call the… Hang on.” He grinned at her. His gaze turned to the street below, and the grin slipped away. “Uh-oh.”
“Uh-oh?” That wasn’t reassuring. “Why uh-oh? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing serious.”
Not believing that for a second, she followed his gaze to see Theo glaring directly at them. She froze, feeling like a teenager caught sneaking out by her parents. The cop that Theo had been talking to started to turn, as if to see what caught Theo’s attention, just as Hugh grabbed her by the arm and hauled her away from the edge.
“Time to move,” he said.
As Grace started to turn, she saw someone else was looking at them. “Hugh,” she said.
“What?”
“One of the bikers is staring at us.”
He stepped behind her, looking over her shoulder at the crowd beneath them. “The ugly ginger guy?”
“No.” Not wanting to point, she put her hand on his chin to direct his gaze. The light scratch of his stubbled cheek made her insides tighten in a too-pleasant way. “The ugly bald guy.”
“Huh.” Although Hugh’s voice stayed casual, she could feel tension radiating from him. “Don’t know him. That’s another good reason to leave.” Turning, he ushered her toward the back side of the building.
Grace snuck a final look at the biker, but he’d disappeared. “Where’d he go?”
Hugh turned to look, and his frown deepened. “Let’s go.” He slid feetfirst over the edge of the roof.
“What are you doing?”
“Making an ice-cream sundae.” He grunted as he dangled for a moment before letting go, falling about four feet before his feet hit the ground. “What does it…oof…look like I’m doing?” As he landed, his right leg crumpled beneath him. He stumbled, then regained his balance and stayed on his feet. Once he was steady, he looked up at her with his usual smirk in place, but a slightly green cast to his skin gave him away.
Peering over the edge of the roof, she frowned. “Faker. How badly does your leg hurt right now?”
“I’m fine. It takes more than jumping off a roof to slow me down. Lexi, here.”
With total trust, Lexi jumped off the edge of the roof, and Hugh caught her with outward ease. If she hadn’t been looking for it, Grace wouldn’t have noticed his wince, since it disappeared so quickly. He bent to place Lexi on the ground before moving closer to the wall.
“Your turn. Turn onto your stomach and slide over the edge. I’ll help you the rest of the way.”
She did, her shoes scuffing against the brick wall as she lowered her body over the edge of the roof. There was a second when she dangled from her hands, hanging in empty space, and panic roared through her. Her fingers tightened painfully, and she kicked out, her feet trying to find purchase on the wall.
“Ow!” Hugh yelped, right before he wrapped his arms around her thighs. “Not the face!”
Now that he was gripping her, holding her steady, her fear faded. Grace felt a little sheepish. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. You didn’t make actual contact.” He sounded amused, so she couldn’t have damaged him too much. “If you had, it would’ve been karma in action. I’m sure I’ve done something to deserve being kicked in the face.”
“Yeah, you have. There was that time you—”
“You can let go now,” he interrupted.
She released her grip on the roof edge, and his arms immediately tightened, lowering her to the ground.
Lexi gave a low growl. Grace looked at the dog and saw that the hair was raised over Lexi’s neck and shoulders as the dog stared at the corner of the print shop. Tugging Grace behind him, Hugh started backing toward the opposite corner.
“Should we call for help?” Grace whispered.
“They won’t hear us back here over the bikes,” he responded, his voice low. “Lex. Here.”
Lexi swiveled an ear toward them. After holding her defensive stance for another moment, the dog reluctantly turned and moved to Hugh’s side. Grace was impressed by Lexi’s bravery. She’d been willing to face off with whomever was about to come around that corner, while Grace was cowering behind Hugh, her brain screaming at her to run away. She dropped a hand to Lexi’s back, taking courage from the feel of her warm fur. Without taking her attention off the far corner, Lexi thumped her tail against Grace’s leg in response.
“Is it the bald biker, do you think?” His flat stare flashed through her mind, and she tensed even more. “He was staring at us.”
“It’s not Theo,” Hugh responded grimly. “We know that much.”
Her heart pounded, and it suddenly became hard to breathe. Not knowing who was around the corner, who Lexi saw as such a threat, was worse than facing someone straight on.
“We’ll go in the back door and cut through the shop,” Hugh said very quietly while keeping his gaze forward. “Once we get out front, there’ll be plenty of backup.”
As they rounded the corner to the back of the building, they all turned and hurried toward the door. Even with Hugh and Lexi at her back, Grace felt vulnerable. The urge to look over her shoulder, to check to see who was chasing them, was almost overwhelming. Fighting it down, Grace rushed forward an
d turned the knob. Her stomach clenched when the door refused to open. It was locked.
She turned to Hugh, whispering frantically, “Can you pick it?”
His tools were already in his hands as he crouched in front of the door. “Oh, so all of a sudden you like my lockpicking skills?”
Lexi’s growl ramped up a notch, her body stiff and pointed toward the corner they’d just rounded, and Grace gritted her teeth. “When you’re not using them to walk in on me when I’m in the bathroom, yes. Why are we even talking about this at this moment? Can’t you just do your lockpicking thing quietly without—”
“Got it.” He opened the door. Grabbing her hand, Hugh ducked through the doorway, tugging her along behind him. He had to hiss a command at Lexi before she abandoned her self-appointed post and followed them into the shop. As soon as the dog’s tail cleared the entry, Grace closed the door and turned the lock that Hugh had just opened.
It took several seconds to become accustomed to the dim shop after the bright sunshine outside. The sole window, set next to the door they’d just entered, was filthy, which didn’t help. Her eyes finally adjusted, and the shadows lightened, revealing large machines that crowded the room. Just one was running with a rumbling roar, spitting out large sheets of paper into a receiving tray every ten seconds or so. Scattered boxes filled the rest of the space, leaving only a couple of narrow pathways. One went to the front door, and the other crossed the room to what looked like an office, judging by the little Grace could see through a half-opened door.
Hugh leaned down to speak directly in her ear. “The owner spends most of her time in there.” He gestured toward the office. “She’s almost completely deaf, so we should be able to slip through here without her ever knowing we took a detour.” Despite the circumstances, she shivered when his lip grazed her ear. Stop it, she told herself firmly. There’s a time and a place to get all lusty, and this isn’t it.