Undercover in Glimmer Creek

by Julianna Morris

  “That’s outrageous,” she exclaimed. “Didn’t Lance’s foster sister defend him?”

  “Apparently she was too scared to say anything at the time, but she got her courage up and called the police station a few days later. Lance had already been released since Stanton hadn’t come in to press charges. I don’t think the officers took the accusation seriously, anyway, since they didn’t even put him in a holding cell after he was processed.”

  Tessa lifted an eyebrow. “Surely some of that isn’t the sort of thing usually found in a police file.”

  “I told you, I have contacts. They have ways of getting information that isn’t through regular channels.”

  “Right, contacts. Like KJ Bermann. He’s interesting. I heard this morning that he’d charmed a fellow guest into spending the night with him. He works fast—he only got here yesterday afternoon.”

  “That sounds like KJ. Anyway, the police notified the girl’s social worker that something wasn’t right in the home, even before she called with her version of the story. She was moved into another foster placement right afterward and seems to be doing well there.”

  Tessa regarded Gabe for a long moment.

  It was endearing the way he’d checked on Lance’s record, determined to confirm the youngster’s innocence. Gabe probably didn’t even realize how much he’d revealed about himself. His disgust and anger when explaining about the abuse and false charges against Lance had tugged at her heartstrings more effectively than anything else he could have done. He’d even checked on how Lance’s foster sister was doing.

  Gabe McKinley wanted everyone to believe he was tough and emotionless, but he had his soft spots, just as she’d suspected.

  And she wanted him more than she’d ever wanted a man.

  Tessa fanned herself with a sheet of paper, then leaned across to push aside the curtains and crack open a window.

  “Sorry,” she murmured when her breast grazed his arm.

  * * *

  THE PRESSURE IN Gabe’s gut became excruciating.

  Tessa unbuttoned the top four buttons on her shirt. “Sorry about how hot it is in here. I don’t usually turn on the air-conditioning. Except in the bedroom. I can’t sleep when it’s too warm.”

  “The bedroom?” Gabe stroked a lock of hair away from her forehead. “Am I misinterpreting?”

  “No.” She kissed him.

  For the life of him he couldn’t think what had prompted Tessa’s mood. Not that he was complaining.

  She got up, dispatched the rest of her buttons, and dropped the shirt on his lap. Her lacy blue bra left little to the imagination.

  Tessa might not have a generous bust, but what she possessed was first-rate...round and pretty, with rosy nipples that puckered as he watched.

  “I hope you’re prepared,” she whispered. “But if you aren’t, I have supplies in my bedroom. With any luck, they aren’t out of date.”

  “I’m prepared.” He got up and pulled her close. His questions would have to wait, along with the background checks.

  Some things couldn’t be postponed.

  * * *

  MUCH LATER, TESSA yawned as she lay next to Gabe. She was pleasantly tired, but not so much that she wanted to go back to sleep.

  Making love with him had contained a fair number of fireworks, though she was sure it could get better. For a loner, he was an accomplished lover.

  She eased away a few inches and looked at Gabe as he slept. He was so tall, he took up a lot of space. If they got together, they’d have to buy a much bigger bed.

  A mental groan went through her at the thought. There wasn’t going to be a need for a bigger bed, because Gabe was leaving as soon as they caught the spy.

  She took in his long legs and trim hips, at first seeing only the physical power of his body. But slowly, awareness crept in that his skin bore a number of scars. The one on his left shoulder was still reddish and new-looking. The others... Tessa drew a quick breath. There were too many to comprehend, some small, some larger, and each a testament to his years in a very, very dangerous profession. She shivered, thinking that except for luck and skill on Gabe’s part, any one of these dangerous encounters, mapped on his skin, could have ended with his death.

  Ice seemed to hit the bottom of her stomach.

  She firmly believed men became navy SEALs out of a strong sense of duty and a desire to serve their country, but that didn’t mean Gabe wasn’t also an adrenaline junkie.

  The memory of her father’s face at the hospital filled Tessa’s head. Her mom had just died, and it was as if every bit of life had vanished from him, as well. That was when she’d understood the risks of falling in love so deeply. Still, between trying to help Pop and running Poppy Gold, she hadn’t thought a great deal about it...maybe because she hadn’t wanted to think about it.

  Tessa agreed with Jamie; love ought to be easier. She was trying not to fall for Gabe, and looking at him was a reminder that giving her heart to him could be disastrous.

  She reached out to touch one of the marks on his arm, only to let her hand drop.

  “Not pretty, huh? Some women can’t stand the sight. Others think scars are sexy.”

  Gabe’s sleepy voice made her jump.

  “You’ve gone through a lot.”

  “I survived.”

  “Tell me something,” Tessa said slowly. “Is one of the reasons you became a navy SEAL because you enjoy the adrenaline rush of risking your life?”

  “I never thought of it as risking my life, just as doing something that had to be done.”

  His reply was reassuring, and she extended her hand again to trace the parallel ridges of jagged scar tissue over his ribs. “These look like claw marks.”

  “They are. I encountered a mountain lion during survival training. She didn’t take kindly to me accidentally getting between her and her babies and refused to accept an apology.”

  “How did you resolve the disagreement?”

  “I climbed the nearest tree and swatted a branch in her face when she came after me. Fortunately her babies started squalling. She spat a last warning and departed.”

  “Lucky you.” Tessa swallowed.

  Cats could be extremely protective mothers, and cougars were notorious. She was sure the encounter had been more dramatic than he’d revealed.

  “How old were you when it happened?” she asked.

  “Old enough to know I shouldn’t get between a mama and her children.”

  “No wonder you aren’t crazy about cats.”

  “Not at all. I respect them, and I certainly respected her determination to keep her babies safe.” Gabe closed his eyes and Tessa tried to decide if he wanted to sleep or just stop talking.

  Stop talking, she decided, as his body responded to her gaze. Her abdomen tightened in anticipation.

  Tessa opened the drawer on her bedside table and removed the unopened package of condoms she’d brought from San Francisco. Luckily the expiration date hadn’t passed.

  She took a packet out and put it on the sheet before leaning over Gabe. His eyes shot open again.

  “That was nice, but I like a little more foreplay,” she told him.

  “I’m twice your size. I don’t want to lose control.”

  Deliberately, she brushed her breasts over his chest, hard and smooth except for his scars and a thin wedge of dark hair. “I may be little, but I’m tough. I won’t break.”

  “You must still be sore from your fall. Your tailbone, that is.”

  “That’s okay—I enjoy being on top. Variety is the spice of life.” Tessa straddled his hips and grinned at the glazed expression on his face. “Your mouth is saying no. Your body is less convinced.”

  Gabe cupped her breasts, kneading them, stroking his thumbs over her nipples, teasing h
er until she squirmed.

  Obviously, he’d taken her seriously about foreplay, so she began exploring his body as well, getting creative with her feet, which stopped when he pulled her upward to draw one of her breasts into his mouth.

  When he released her, they were both gasping. She’d reached behind her to stroke his arousal when he groaned. “Enough.”

  Tessa quite agreed.

  She grabbed the condom and put it on him. With extraordinary ease, Gabe lifted her over him, and she settled, taking him into her body, filled to bursting. She moaned and enjoyed the fullness for an instant before moving, rising up and down with him, her blood pumping faster and faster until the world spun away.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  GABE WOKE TO a phone ringing, and he frowned. It didn’t sound like his cell. A split second later he realized he was still in Tessa’s apartment.

  “Hey, Pop. What’s up?” said Tessa. She had rolled onto her side, away from him, to answer the phone on the table next to her bed.

  Gabe half listened to the conversation, hearing tension in her voice as she assured her father that nothing was wrong, that she hadn’t returned to her office because she was taking the rest of the day off. The conversation morphed from there into a variety of topics.

  He put his arm behind his head and gazed at the graceful sweep of Tessa’s back and the curve of her hip. Sex was the last thing he’d expected when he’d gone to find her to review the background checks.

  From the daylight coming through the windows, he put the time at around 5:00 p.m. He never slept in the middle of the day and didn’t sleep that much at night. Yet he’d fallen asleep in her bed, not once, but twice. As a rule it was something he avoided; in his experience, some women seemed to see it as grounds for a longer-term relationship.

  He released a heavy breath. The previous night had been charged with emotion, with things being said that had dug deeply into places he didn’t like exploring.

  There were vast differences between him and Tessa. At Poppy Gold, she was surrounded by family. The bed-and-breakfast complex represented happy memories with her parents, and she was unquestionably devoted to her father. In contrast, Gabe had rarely seen his parents over the past twenty years.

  Still, she’d given him something to think about. His dad must have gotten over being angry at his eldest son for going into the navy. A small percentage of TIP had been given to Gabe as a baby, but nothing compared to the share signed over once his father retired. Perhaps David McKinley’s awkward “I’m proud of you, son,” the last time they’d spoken meant more than Gabe had been willing to believe.

  “I know, Pop,” Tessa said softly, following a long period of silence. “We’ll go out of town or whatever you think might help...No, Mom wouldn’t mind. She’d hate having you hurt so much.”

  It was silent again, but Tessa wiped her cheeks.

  Gabe swore silently.

  He suspected she had been so focused on running Poppy Gold and getting Liam through the loss of his beloved wife, she hadn’t dealt with her own feelings about her mother’s death. How could she have? She had one parent left and was intent on helping him in any way possible.

  Gabe didn’t know what it would be like to lose his mother or father, but Tessa’s devotion was a reminder of what his relationship with his own parents might have been.

  After another few minutes, Tessa said goodbye and turned to look at him. “Sorry. My mom and dad’s wedding anniversary...” She drew a shaky breath. “What would have been their thirty-second wedding anniversary is coming up. Pop gets depressed thinking about it.”

  The memory of Liam’s shaking hands and inability to concentrate filled Gabe’s mind. “Are you sure it isn’t more? Could he be drinking to forget?”

  Instead of getting angry, Tessa shook her head. “I understand why you’d wonder about that, but alcohol makes Pop sick to his stomach. One drink and he gets ill.”

  “Maybe he should try talking to someone besides his daughter,” Gabe said carefully. “You’re hurting, too, and somehow you need to deal with it, the same as your father. He could get counseling, maybe from his pastor. A few of my men used to go to a priest before heading out on a mission. I didn’t see the need, but they claimed it helped get their heads straight.”

  Tessa swung her legs over the side of the bed and began getting dressed. “That wouldn’t work... Pop’s pastor is also his father-in-law. I would have introduced you at the ice-cream social, but Grandpa George left early to be with the family of a parishioner having emergency surgery.”

  “Oh.”

  It was another reminder of how tangled the relationships were in a small town. Glimmer Creek might be worse than some, but all of them seemed complicated.

  “I’m hungry,” Tessa said with false brightness. “Want a pizza?”

  “Food deliveries are allowed in Poppy Gold?”

  “The delivery person goes to Guest Registration, and they’re driven to the guest’s room in an electric cart. It’s a pain, but it’s the only way we can keep the number of motor vehicles down and make guests happy. What are your favorite toppings?”

  “Everything except anchovies. I’ll get my wallet.”

  Tessa shook her head. “No need.” She dialed a number on her smartphone. “Hey, Carlo, it’s Tessa. I need an extreme meal, half a regular combination, the other half vegetarian...Right, baked...Thirty minutes?...Great, put it on my account...No, I’m at home. I also need an order of eggplant parmigiana, salad and bread sticks to be delivered to my father...Yeah, above central maintenance. Thanks.”

  Gabe sat up. “Are you and your dad becoming vegetarians?”

  “I just like veggie pizza the best and got lasagna for Pop the last time. I’m going to look some more at those background checks while we wait.”

  She left the bedroom, and Gabe collected his clothes. The sex had been spectacular, but it presented problems, including the question of what Tessa might now expect.

  Frustrated, he zipped up his jeans and disposed of the condom wrappers. Curious, he looked at the box Tessa had left on her bedside table—the expiration date was close, but it was nearly full, missing only the ones they’d used earlier. Obviously she didn’t have sex that often.

  Pushing the thought away, he crossed the small parlor into the office. The fanciful creatures painted on the wall seemed disapproving as he reseated himself by the window. He tried not to be uncomfortable. She wasn’t a sweet-faced toddler any longer; she was a sexy armful who’d made the first move.

  Though only by minutes.

  Gabe wasn’t sure how long he could have sat next to her in that stuffy little room without a serious meltdown.

  Nonetheless, he shouldn’t have succumbed to temptation. Tessa wasn’t like the women he’d known before and it seemed a cheat to get involved with her. Perhaps she wasn’t a complete innocent, but she was still filled with ideals and optimism, and he couldn’t recall ever feeling that way himself.

  Yet her ideals were part of what drew him to her. She was sweet, stubbornly idealistic, and seemed particularly full of life. To someone who’d seen so much death, it was nearly irresistible.

  “Who are you looking at now?” he asked, trying to put the thought out of his mind.

  “Wanda Donovan.” Tessa scrunched her nose. “It isn’t right for me to know she got a speeding ticket in Nevada. That’s her business, not mine.”

  He leaned closer and looked into the computer screen. “The ticket was written in Reno, the land of casinos and slot machines. Any chance Ms. Donovan has a gambling problem?”

  “Unlikely,” Tessa said firmly. “Wanda was my Sunday school teacher when I was ten. She has a married daughter in Sparks, which is next door to Reno.”

  “That doesn’t mean Ms. Donovan isn’t gambling.”

  “It doesn’t mean she is, ei
ther. I’ll bet she got this ticket when Melissa had her baby. Wanda was probably speeding to see her at the hospital.”

  Gabe sat back. He didn’t want to get in a fight with Tessa, but he wasn’t going to ignore a lead. “Fine, but Milt should check it out. Debts can make people desperate. I still think the most likely scenario is that someone already working at Poppy Gold was recruited to steal data from TIP.”

  “Even if I agreed with you, which I don’t, it’s a gigantic step to move from information theft to attempted murder.”

  “The guilty employee could have been paid to let an unauthorized person into the El Dorado Mansion.”

  “You’re reaching.”

  Okay, he was reaching. A little. But at least he was open to other explanations.

  “Anyway,” Tessa continued, “I meant to tell you before... Remember the no-show group that was supposed to stay at the El Dorado the night before TIP was scheduled?”

  “Yeah.”

  “We were notified a few days later that the credit card they used was stolen. The name on the card doesn’t match any of our guests over the past three years, which is good news for Poppy Gold, but also a dead end as a clue.”

  Gabe swore.

  “I also compared the dates Rob thinks information was stolen from his suite, and I still can’t see a pattern.”

  The doorbell rang and Tessa got up to head downstairs. After a moment, Gabe headed for the steps himself. In the middle of the staircase he looked up and down, tempted to dare any ghosts to show themselves. It was a foolish thought, probably brought on by a haze of sexual satisfaction.

  Death was death. He didn’t have metaphysical or religious beliefs about it. Perhaps it would be marginally easier if he did have those beliefs—then he might also have faith that villains would receive their just rewards and their victims would find comfort.

  Jaw set, he continued down and saw Tessa talking to the pizza deliveryman, dressed in the vibrant colors of the Italian national flag.

  “Is that the new uniform, Wayne?” Tessa asked.