“Why not?”
“Fishtown has a somewhat mixed reputation, especially for tourists. To us, it’s just home, you know? But it’s kind of run-down in places, there’s some crime and it’s off the beaten track. But overall, it’s a wonderful spot. Real Philly. Tourists wouldn’t find the restaurant listed in most tourist guides, but it’s a local favorite.”
Tiffany grinned. “When you talk about your city, your accent gets stronger.”
“What accent? I don’t have an accent,” he said in a more heavily accented tone, laughing.
Philadelphians had accents that reflected a mélange of ethnic influences, and he knew his strengthened when he was at ease, with friends, or when he was intense about something. He was glad Tiffany liked it.
“It’s sexy,” she said, and Garrett felt his heart catch. She had a way of knocking him off guard with comments like that. He wasn’t used to it—Lainey had always been more reserved—but he liked it.
“Tiffany, how nice to see you,” a voice interrupted them, and Garrett looked up to see a balding, older man approach the table with a smile aimed at Tiffany. “Are your parents back yet?”
“Hello, Arthur, no, not yet. Wednesday,” she said with a smile as he took both of her hands in his for a friendly greeting. “Arthur Hayden, this is Garrett Berringer, a friend from out of town. Garrett, Arthur is our main appraiser. He’s worked with us and most stores around town forever.”
“Ha, I’m not that old,” the man said, shaking Garrett’s hand as well. “Welcome to our city. And Tiffany, please tell your parents to call me when they’re in. I was so sorry to hear about what happened at the store,” he said in a soft, covert tone.
“How did you know?” Tiffany asked, knowing he was talking about the robbery.
“The police called to confirm the appraisal of the diamonds. How infuriating, to think of such beautiful gems in the hands of such barbarians,” he said, his cheeks darkening with anger.
“I know, Arthur. Hopefully they will catch them.”
“Indeed. The police warned me to observe utmost confidentiality, as if I need to be told that in my business, but I had to say how sorry I was to hear it when I saw you here.”
“I understand. I appreciate you saying so. I know Mom and Dad will, too.”
“Well, you have a wonderful night, and don’t forget to tell your parents to call,” Arthur said to the both of them.
“He was upset,” Garrett noted.
“He’s been part of the scene around here for at least twenty years. You need something reliably and fairly appraised, he’s the man you see. He takes his work very seriously,” she said.
Gio returned to the table with the wine and waited until they both tasted and praised it. He took their orders, promising to add some of the specials he knew they’d want to try—on the house—and left them alone again.
“So what’s it like being a bodyguard? And you said you run the agency with your brothers?”
Garrett nodded. “I started it up after Lainey died. My brother Jonas was a Philadelphia cop then, but he left the force and joined up with me. Ely was in the Marines at the time, but when he got home he wanted in, and Chance, the youngest, followed suit. Before we knew it, we were all in it together.”
“You must all get along very well. Not many families could work together like that.”
“We do, most of the time. When I started it up, I actually didn’t imagine it being a family business. It was a lark. I figured I’d contract guys to work for me, and I would just manage the business, but it went this other way and I love it. My brothers were made for this work. They excel at it.”
“You’re proud of them,” she said with a smile, sipping her wine.
“I am. They’re good men. Jonas just got married. He met his wife on an assignment, actually.”
“Very romantic,” Tiffany commented. “Falling in love with your bodyguard.”
Garrett laughed. “Ha, it wasn’t like the movie, I’ll tell you that. It was kind of a mess. Jonas lost his eyesight—”
“No! He’s blind? How?”
“Protecting Tessa. It was a temporary loss, but it brought them back together. And while their relationship wasn’t easy, they are happy now. Hard times for a while, though.”
“The path of true love never runs easy?”
“Sometimes it does, I think, but Jonas isn’t an easy guy.”
“And the others? Ely and Chance?”
“Ely is kind of a mess at the moment. I guess we didn’t recognize how hard it was for him to adjust coming back from Afghanistan. Then he got duped by a woman he really cared for—found out she was engaged after he was already building the picket fences in his head.”
“That’s awful.”
“Yeah. He’s been unpredictable ever since. Great on the job, always a professional, but his personal life…well, I’d probably rather not know. And Chance. As long as he’s jumping off of something high or dodging bullets, he’s happy. I can’t see him ever settling down. There’s probably not a woman who’d be able to put up with his antics, but he’s never short of companionship, and seems happy enough.”
“And you? What makes you happy?”
The deep scarlet of the wine in his glass drew his attention as he paused, staring into it before he took a slow sip, contemplating the question.
“That should be an easy question, shouldn’t it?” he finally said, though he didn’t really have any clue for how to answer it.
“Maybe not. Sometimes the things I think will make me happy don’t…and then something I didn’t count on, like this weekend with you, makes me very happy,” she said simply.
Garrett smiled, relieved that she understood. “Exactly. I was going to say that I’m happy when things are going smoothly in life, no bumps, but that wasn’t quite right. I like excitement, too, and the unexpected. More so now than I used to, even. And this weekend was definitely unexpected, in the best possible way,” he said, holding her gaze and lifting his glass to meet hers.
“I like to shake things up a little, too. I need variety, to be up and moving, not just caught in one place all the time.”
“Like in your family’s store?”
“Exactly. I’ve been trying to find my calling, my niche, and so far, no luck. I have a feeling though…about this....” she drifted off, and he watched as she visibly held herself back from talking about her new venture.
“About being a P.I.? A good feeling?”
“The best,” she said, her eyes shining. “I haven’t had much experience, and I’m still figuring things out, but even these low-level jobs are more fun than any other job I could imagine. I want to learn more, be better at it. Become a real investigator.”
“You will. It just takes time. Experience.”
“I have been trying to get that. I took an online course to get my license, and I have been taking self-defense and shooting lessons. I talk with whoever will talk to me, in the business, I mean, though they can be very cagey. It’s a competitive business. But you taught me a great lesson today.”
“What was that, exactly?”
“When you took that picture of Marcus, you just walked up to the window and took it—you didn’t wait for the shot. You got out of the car and went after it. I should have done that, so, really, I think I was angry with myself more than with you,” she said. “But now I know. I have to go after what I want, to show people I’m serious about this.” Her words came out in a rush.
Garrett listened closely. “Who do you have to show that you’re serious?”
Their food arrived, and after several minutes of complimenting the variety of goodies and filling their plates, Tiffany responded.
“My family, mostly. I can’t blame them for having their doubts. I’ve had kind of a bad string of employment ventures, and now this happening at the store…”
“The robbery is hardly your fault,” Garrett interjected.
“I know, but it just sort of adds to my pile of work-related disa
sters. Not to mention the personal ones,” she mumbled before taking a forkful of some delectable-looking roast. Garrett did the same, and they ate, doing nothing more than complimenting the food for the next few minutes.
“It’s why they can’t know about this. Not yet. My parents would have a fit. They’ve been so happy with me at the store, doing something ‘normal,’” she said, using air quotes around the last word. “I don’t think they’d be very happy about me learning to be an investigator.”
“They don’t know?” Garrett asked, surprised.
“No, and they can’t. Unless I manage to do something that could show them I can really do this, like solving this case, or at least finding something instrumental in solving it. I just can’t bear to worry them any more than I have already, or to feel their disappointment,” she confessed, putting her fork down.
“They probably have more faith in you than you imagine,” Garrett said, hoping that was the case. He couldn’t keep that kind of secret from his own family; they were all so close. Sure, they had their moments, their disagreements, but his parents had always been supportive of anything their sons wanted to pursue, succeed or fail.
“Maybe, but they certainly don’t need any more worries, considering recent events,” she said.
“You mentioned sisters? And a brother?” Garrett asked, curious about her family now.
“Yes. Ruby is the oldest, married, two kids. She’s very much an earth child. She lives on a farm with her husband and they grow a lot of their own food, grapes for wine, that kind of thing. Jewel is the youngest next to Nick, and she’s more of a hell-raiser, but smart as a whip. She and her partner just started a practice in the city.”
“Practice?”
“Architects. Both of them.”
“Husband and wife architects. Ambitious,” Garrett commented.
“Close. Jewel’s partner is Gracie.”
“Oh, my mistake,” said Garrett, surprised but not at all put off.
“My real question is, if you wanted to distract me from thinking about the case, you couldn’t do any better than asking about my sisters?” she asked mischievously, and Garrett had to stop from jumping out of his chair when her foot suddenly slid along the inside of his thigh.
“Uh, um, well,” he said, clearing his throat as he reached down to stop the upward progress of her foot.
She laughed, withdrawing her toes.
“Sorry, couldn’t resist.”
He looked into her eyes, and wished the restaurant weren’t such a crowded place. “Don’t resist too much,” he said and meant it.
Desire blazed in her eyes, but then she took a breath and shook her head.
“Actually, would you mind if we talked about the case? About my discussions with people at the stores today? I wouldn’t mind bouncing some ideas off of someone, and since you’re the only person who knows what I’m up to…”
Garrett was happy to have any reason to spend more time with Tiffany; in fact, he was going to try to convince her to let him help her with this investigation. It was too dangerous for a novice to be poking her nose into something like this on her own. How he would convince her, well…he had several notions about that, but first things first.
“I’d like that. But why don’t we just enjoy tonight, and we can talk about the case tomorrow?” he said, signaling for the check.
“Tomorrow?” she echoed as they left, emerging out into the cool night air.
Garrett paused to take in Tiffany as her hair blew softly around her face, her scent surrounding him. He was tired of resisting and pulled her over to the side of the walk and into his arms for the kiss he had been thinking about for hours.
She didn’t resist, either, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him closer. Of all the things he enjoyed about Tiffany, it was how she let herself go, especially in this way.
She tasted spicy, like the wine and the food. And suddenly, he was a lot less interested in talking about anything, only deepening the kiss and tightening his arms as she melted into him.
“Garrett, why are you doing this?” she asked breathlessly as she broke the kiss, placing her hands on his chest between them.
“Because I like being with you. I want you. I think you want me, too. Isn’t that reason enough?”
She looked past him toward the bay, as if fighting with herself, not knowing the answer.
“Nothing can come of this,” she said, and he knew she was losing that fight.
“Let’s not worry about what’s coming. Let’s just enjoy tonight,” he said coaxingly, tipping her chin up so that their eyes met.
“Okay,” she said with a slight shake of her head, though she was smiling.
“Okay,” he said back, taking her hand as they strolled down the romantically lit streets back to his hotel.
* * *
TIFFANY HAD ARGUED with herself all the way back to the hotel, listing all of the reasons why this was a bad idea.
One fact trumped all of the common sense in the world: she wanted Garrett. Wanted more time with him, wanted to be with him, wanted to know as much as she could about him. She’d made plenty of bad decisions in her life, but she couldn’t for the life of her convince herself that he was one of them. Even if what they had was temporary, it was good.
When they were in the room, she stood by the window taking in the night views of the city. Her life felt like a fantasy. For the moment, everything else fell away.
She didn’t hear him come up behind her, his arms coming around her waist to splay over her middle. The heat from his touch burned through the light material of her blouse, and she was glad she’d put on some of her sexier lingerie that morning.
“You’re like a cat,” she said breathlessly. “I didn’t even hear you move.”
“You seemed deep in thought,” he whispered in her ear, pressing against her but leaving his hands where they were. Her breasts already felt sensitive and heavy, wanting his touch.
All she had to do was ask, or take his hands in hers and show him what she wanted. But the anticipation, drawing out this indulgence was sweet, too.
Dropping her head back to his chest, she angled to look up toward him, but before she said a word, his mouth captured hers in a long, soft kiss. Linking her arm up around his neck, she deepened it, whispering against his mouth that she wanted more. Much more.
He pulled the material of her blouse from the waist of her skirt, undoing the buttons so slowly that she almost couldn’t stand it. When his palms finally covered her aching flesh and encountered the lacy material she wore, he stopped.
“What’s this?” he whispered against her lips.
“Want me to show you?”
He nodded, and she looked out at the darkening skyline. “Shut the lights, or dim them, would you?” she asked. She wanted her show to be for Garrett, not for the entire city.
“Sure,” he agreed, and dimmed them low enough that she felt more secure letting the blouse slip from her shoulders. She still didn’t face him, but watched him in the reflection of the darkened window.
“Turn around,” he said softly.
She did, and saw him unbuttoning his own shirt, exposing an expanse of taut, muscular torso that made her mouth dry.
She met his gaze as she released the clasp at the front of the bra. It fell from her shoulders and to the floor in a silky puddle. He took off his belt.
She took her time sliding the zipper on the side of her skirt down, in concert with him unzipping his slacks. She shimmied out of hers as he kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his.
He was already hard, visible through the close fit of the black boxer briefs he wore.
Feeling even more daring, she turned back to face the window. They were high up, facing away from the main street, with the lights dimmed. She supposed someone could see, if they were looking, but she was willing to risk it for the thrill that raced through her at the possible exposure.
Sliding her thumbs under the lacy edge of her panties, she eased
them down, making sure Garrett received a nice show as she bent and pulled them away from her ankle, tossing them back toward him. She was rewarded with an audible groan.
Planting her hands on the window, she stared down at the busy street and bent slightly, looking back at him over her shoulder.
“I think I’ll leave the heels on,” she said with a naughty wink.
His boxers were removed quickly as he joined her, hot and hard behind her, his hands sliding up over her thighs, covering her butt and then drifting up her spine before he reached around to cover her breasts. As he played and tweaked her already hard nipples, she groaned, too.
“Now, Garrett. Right here,” she said, her voice quavering. She kept looking down, letting the height and the sparkling lights of the city swim before her eyes as he nudged her thighs farther apart with his own. He thrust forward, hard and deep, making her gasp at the sudden sensation of being so quickly and completely filled.
Leaning in, he planted his hands over hers flat on the glass of the window, winding their fingers together as he kissed her shoulder, nuzzled her neck. She turned her face to reach his kiss as he started to move. Bracing herself against his thrusts, she broke the kiss as her head fell forward, her breath bursting in short, hot bursts.
“Yes, more,” she commanded, hardly recognizing the throaty, sexual tone of her own voice as she widened her stance for him.
His fingers tightened on hers as he pumped harder into her, their bodies finding a furious rhythm together as her fingers grasped his. Everything inside of her tightened, the pressure unbearable until it all spilled over, her release flooding her body on waves of orgasm that left her shaking. Garrett picked up the pace, his arm looping around her waist to hold her there as he rode her even harder.
“Again, sweetheart, go over with me,” he panted against her ear before nipping at the base of her neck and planting hot kisses along the tender skin beneath her ear.
She wouldn’t have thought she was able, but his words and the delicious friction of his cock, which became harder and fuller as he approached his own breaking point, pushed her over again, even more intensely than the first time. The soaking pleasure of it nearly doubled her over his arm as he groaned through his own climax. She was limp from the waves of pleasure that weakened her until he brought her back up against him, into his arms.
Yours for the Night Page 9