The smell of coffee and cinnamon wafted through the hall, and her stomach growled in response. Once she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she froze, struck by the tantalizing image in front of her.
Mulroney stood in the kitchen clad in a simple navy blue, RHPD t-shirt. This was the first time she’d ever seen him in anything but a suit. The thin cotton clung to his sculpted chest and showed off his corded arms. He’d been hiding some serious guns under there. His biceps practically bulged out the sides. For a moment, she imagined what it would be like to have them wrapped around her body.
He moved to the stove and began flipping pancakes over a griddle like some kind of smoking hot master chef. He must’ve sensed her in the room because he looked up, and his gaze flew to her, taking in every inch of her from head to toe. His perusal lingered on her legs, and her breath caught in her throat. She fumbled with the tie at her waist, self-consciously pulling it closed.
“Good morning, Miss Howe. How did you sleep?” He stared at her as though trying to gauge her mood.
Her face flushed, and she prayed he hadn’t caught her checking him out. “Better than I had a right to, considering the circumstances. I think it must’ve been the scotch and the fact that your bed is extremely comfortable. Uh, what I meant was your guest room bed is comfortable. Obviously, I didn’t sleep in your bed, so I wouldn’t know.” She couldn’t seem to stop rambling.
He chuckled, something she’d never heard him do, and the sound warmed something inside her, putting her at ease. “I can see how awkward this is for you. It doesn’t have to be.”
Nope, not awkward at all. She wasn’t sure which was worse, the rambling or the blushing. She refocused her attention on what was important—Brooke. “I had a vision of Brooke outside in a garden. It could be a park, though. I’m just not sure.”
“I’ll make a note of it, but I’m afraid that doesn’t give us much to go on,” Mulroney said and turned off the griddle.
“Has there been any news about Brooke or Kurt Laurence’s whereabouts?” she asked, sounding anxious.
“If I had to go with my gut, I’d say Lawrence took her away from the city while still close enough to keep his eyes on his empire. He violates the terms of his bail, if he crosses state lines.” He lifted his mug to his lips, and tension rolled off him in waves. “There’s another matter we need to discuss.”
Anxiety clawed at her throat. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve made it clear that this isn’t about Brooke,” he said in a soft voice. “By tweeting, you’ve given Lawrence a motive to keep you quiet and get you out of the way. My captain thinks you should stay here until he’s behind bars.”
Her chest pounded hard from the determination in his voice. “Stay here, with you?” She knew they were sexually attracted to each other, even if neither of them would admit it aloud, but now, he was asking something entirely different. “I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for everything, but I’ve put you out enough.”
His gaze roamed her face. “I’m sorry, Miss Howe, but this isn’t up for discussion.”
“Even if I exposed him, what makes you think he’d send someone after me? I’d think having the cops and the MBI chasing after him for kidnapping would be enough to keep him busy. And what he did to Salem…” She looked away, her gaze catching on the orange and pink ribbons of light streaming in from the dining room windows. Her cat used to love curling up in front of her windowsill to warm her little body. She squinted and glanced back at Mulroney, hoping her expression didn’t reveal how lost she felt inside. “I assumed he did it to scare me. I get what you’re saying, but there must be another option.”
Mulroney lifted his mug to his lips and her eyes darted to his white-knuckled grip. He was nervous. The question was why. What wasn’t he telling her?
“My guess is it’s only a matter of time before he sends one of his thugs to keep you quiet. This may not be your ideal plan, but it’s the one we’re going with for now. We can use it in our favor to draw him out.”
Their eyes locked in a battle of wills. “Are you planning to use me as some kind of bait to catch this maniac?”
His eyes softened. “I can assure you you’ll be protected at all times. A uniformed officer will be keeping an eye on you this morning. My preference would be for it to me, but I have a meeting at the MBI offices right after I drop you off at work. I should know more then.” After Mulroney scooped a heaping pile of pancakes in a casserole dish, he placed them in the warming tray. “That’s right, I have no car here.” She’d left her beat-up Camry parked at the coven. Luckily, she packed clothing for work today.
“It’s safer if I take you from now on.”
“I need to check my messages.” She walked to the dining room where she left her phone charging and picked it up. Disappointment gripped her. No missed calls or texts from Brooke. She guessed it was wishful thinking on her part. She kept thinking she’d turn up and that this had all been a bad dream. There were a bunch of texts and missed calls from the other girls, but nothing jumped out of her.
“Everything okay?” he called, sounding genuinely concerned.
“No one suspects anything at this point.” She slipped her cell in the pocket of her robe and walked back to the kitchen, resting her hand on the countertop. “What’s the plan?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. I thought we could have some breakfast and discuss the matter further. I sent a friend to the market to pick up a few things that I thought you could eat. I figured you’d be hungry.”
Even with his hair sticking up in all directions and a days’ worth of delicious scruff darkening his rugged jaw, he looked sexy as sin. “Starving, actually. I could use some coffee.”
“Please help yourself.” He pointed to a white ceramic mug on the counter, a sugar bowl, and a small container of almond milk.
“Hold on, did you say you sent someone to the grocery store for me?” There were many words to describe Garrett Mulroney, unrelenting, stubborn, sexy, but now she’d have to add thoughtful to the list.
He inclined his head to the side. “Part of keeping you safe means feeding you. It comes with the territory, and since you couldn’t eat anything here, I didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
“Right, thanks.” He’s just doing his job. This isn’t personal, she reminded herself.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, eyeing her skeptically.
“No, it’s just I’m not used to anyone doing things for me.” Aside from the high priestess, Gillian was the mother hen at the coven. She enjoyed taking care of the other girls, cooking for them, and helping out where she could. It made her feel needed. Maybe it was from being an only child and taking care of her mom. “It smells delicious.”
“I’ve never made anything vegan before. I make no promises.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Maybe you should taste it first.”
“I think I’ll take my chances,” she shot back and walked to the fancy looking coffee maker and poured herself a steaming cup, enjoying their banter more than she should.
She turned back to face him, and her gaze roamed over the threadbare sweatpants he wore. They molded perfectly to his muscled thighs, and she wondered if his would be hairy or smooth. Everything about him was so big…so manly. Her gaze traveled lower still, and she could make out a sizeable bulge.
Apparently, there was absolutely nothing small about him. It was clear he was very well endowed. Now she understood why he was so damn cocky. He’d been seriously blessed in the looks department. The vamp was a cornucopia of good genes. She tried to look anywhere but at his crotch and forced her mind out of the gutter.
“Can I do anything to help?” she asked, taking a sip of coffee, holding the mug up to hide her expression. “Mmm, this is good. I’m impressed. Making good coffee takes skill.” Nothing short of a caffeine IV drip would get her going this morning.
“And you doubted my skills, Miss Howe?” His eyes p
ierced hers in silent challenge, inviting her to test those other skills. When she just stood there gaping at him, he wiped his hands on a kitchen towel, and his lips twitched. “Why don’t you grab the syrup in the fridge?”
“Will do.” Good thing too. Maybe the cold air would help her from self-combusting on the spot. She opened the door, impressed at the lengths he went to for her, even if it was his job.
He kept the subzero stacked with fresh veggies, fruit, and bottles of Moet. He’d even picked up some tofu. And then a thought occurred to her, how long did he think she’d planned to stay? She reached for the syrup off the shelf, shut the door, and set it on the island.
He motioned for her to take a seat at the island where he’d set two place settings. He pulled the casserole dish out of the oven and rested it on the counter, next to a bowl of fresh fruit. “Bon Appetit.”
“I appreciate all the trouble you went to, but it wasn’t necessary. Thank you.” She plopped down in a barstool and scooped a generous amount onto her plate. She could be one of those girls who pretended not to eat much and be dainty about it. But what was the point?
Trying to make a joke, she held up a forkful of pancake. “Tell me, Detective, are you trying to bribe your witness with food?” Despite their history, from all accounts, he was a great cop.
He arched his dark brows. “If that were the case, I’d use better ammunition like a fine port or Swiss chocolate perhaps.”
Most of the men she dated waxed poetically about drinking beer from a glass versus a bottle and liked to eat Cheese Wiz straight from the can. They weren’t cultured like Mulroney and knew nothing about port wine or Swiss chocolate for that matter. She glanced at the perfectly shaped silver dollars on her plate. It was probably safe to say he knew his way around in the kitchen, something she found incredibly sexy.
His phone buzzed on the counter. He held it up and glanced at the screen. “Sorry, it’s Alex. I need to take this.” He walked into the living room, and she tried to listen in, but he kept his voice to a whisper. After a few minutes, he came back to the breakfast bar. From his solemn expression, she sensed it wasn’t good news.
“Anything about Brooke?” she asked, gripping her fork.
“Nothing yet, but there’s a new development in the case we should discuss. Why don’t you eat first? You can consider this a peace offering, he said, placing the griddle in the sink and rinsing it off. “You’re under my protection now.” There was a note of possessiveness in his tone that made fire spark low in her belly.
What would it be like to be possessed by Garrett Mulroney—and be at the center of his world? She imagined it would be everything, consuming and erotic. The memory of him outing her snapped her from her reverie. It lingered at the back of her mind like a dark cloud. Despite their electricity, she could never trust him.
“For how long?”
Before he could respond, the doorbell rang. They both glanced at each other, then he lifted his pant leg and reached for the gun in his ankle holster. She couldn’t deny seeing him in action was hot.
“I thought bullets don’t work on vampires.”
“Normal ones don’t.” He moved to the door like smoke. “These are silver-tipped. I came prepared for the occasion. No one, and I mean no one, gets past me.”
Chapter 11
Garrett moved behind the door until he stood flush against the wall. Drawing his Glock, he tried to pick up on the scent coming from the other side, not sure if it was vampire or human.
“If a vampire was after me, would he knock on the door? I mean, c’mon.” Gillian followed him, curiosity seeming to overrule her fear.
“Our plan might be working. This would be one way to throw me off my guard,” he whispered back and held a finger to his lips.
He moved closer still, and the scent of old books and flowery perfume flared in his nostrils. With a curse, he put the safety back on his gun and holstered it in his ankle strap. “It’s my neighbor,” he announced and opened the door.
“Good morning, Garrett.” Annette Thornwood wore her dyed black hair in a sleek bob, which gave her an eccentric look. Now pushing eighty, with her bright, green eyes and porcelain complexion, she must’ve been stunning in her youth. “You left before I could give you the change for the groceries.” She reached out her small, withered hand and tried to give him some cash.
“Please, keep it, Annette. I’m a little busy right now.” He tried to block Gillian from her view, but it was too late. Her owl eyes darted to her and gave Gillian a once over.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were entertaining a lady friend. Am I interrupting?” Annette asked with a wink.
Gillian stepped forward, and from the shocked expression on her face, she wasn’t expecting to see a petite, older woman standing on the other side of the door in a silk kimono and house slippers. “No, not at all. I’m Gillian. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too, Gillian. What a gorgeous young lady you are,” Annette exclaimed. Garrett couldn’t argue with her there. “Well, I’ll leave you two young people. It’s almost time for Good Day New York.” She touched his face. “You’re such a sweet boy, just like my Henry.” His neighbor turned to Gillian and smiled. “You should stop by for a cup of tea.”
“I’d love to. I bet you’ve got some great dirt on this one.” Gillian flicked her thumb to Garrett, and he got the feeling she was enjoying the hell out of this.
“Don’t let him fool you with his tough-guy act. This is a first, me picking up groceries for him. He takes care of all the seniors on the block. He checks in on me every day in fact—”
“We should let you get back to your show,” Garrett interjected. “I’m sorry, but we’ve both got to get to work.” He tried to escort her out the door without being rude.
“Sure. See you later. Have a great day, you two.” Annette waved and walked out of his apartment.
Garrett shut the door and exhaled, not sure how Gillian would react. He did have a bad cop persona to uphold. “We should probably eat before the food gets cold.” Garrett motioned to the breakfast bar. They walked back to the island and sat down. “Look, about those things Annette said, you can’t believe everything you hear.”
“Right, of course not,” she nodded in agreement, and that damnable mouth of hers slanted into a smirk. “But I do like the nickname ‘sweet boy’. It suits you, and you shouldn’t be embarrassed about helping the people you care about.”
After that, neither of them said a word. He broke the awkward silence by heaping some food on his plate. He wouldn’t let her eat alone. “Getting back to our discussion, there’s no one else that can protect you, but me. You’ll have to make the best of a bad situation. It’s the only way to keep you safe. Sunlight negatively impacts a vampire’s speed so we should be okay during the day. I’ll give you a key as well as the password to my security system.”
“There must be some kind of mage witness protection program. If so, I’m all in as long as it doesn’t involve driving a minivan.”
He laughed. “I can assure you, that's not an option. For now, we stick to the plan. You will stay here with me.”
“I can’t keep this from my friends. Why not tell them the whole truth?”
He shook his head. “And have history repeat itself? I don’t think so. The last time the ladies from your coven got involved in a police investigation it only complicated matters. They got in the way of authority. We need to keep them out of this for everyone’s safety.”
After she wiped her mouth on a napkin, she gazed over at him with an expectant look on her face. “For how long?”
“Hard to say at this point.” Garrett wanted to be as upfront with her as he could. After he took a bite of his breakfast, he chewed and swallowed. “It could be a week, maybe more.”
The pleading look in her eyes gutted him. “A week? There has to be another way. I can’t take not knowing what’s happening to her.”
“You have to trust us. I can assure you, we’re doing everything
in our power to find her.” He only wished they had more to go on. “Getting back to you, I should be aware of your schedule,” he said, trying to redirect the conversation. “Do you have any prior engagements or appointments I should know about? If nothing’s urgent, you might want to cancel everything.”
“The shop’s participating in a festival on Halloween at the Weehawken Waterfront Park. I’m not going to cancel. It’s also a fundraiser for my charity. The proceeds go to kids with cancer. Is there any chance you can go with me?”
He nodded, taking a sip from his mug. “I’m familiar with the festival. It’s for a great cause. I’ll personally make sure we find a way to get you there.” The more he got to know her, the more it became clear how much her charity work meant to her.
Relief and gratitude flashed in her eyes in equal measure. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” She sat back in her chair, holding up her mug. “You were about to fill me in on anything that might lead you to Brooke.”
“I made some inquiries and found a link to Lawrence’s dating site. Of course, it was taken down, but from what I’ve researched, they prey on young, attractive women.”
“What can I do? I can’t just sit here and do nothing while Brooke is out there.” She pushed her plate away.
“You have to act natural and stick to your routine. I’ll drop you off at the shop and pick you up. It will help draw him out. From now on, I’ll be taking the day shift until the case is wrapped. Can you switch your schedule so you work during the day?”
“I’ll have to talk to the girls.” She tilted her head. “It’s going to be a challenge without telling them the truth.”
“We’ve already discussed this.” He met her gaze. “The last time they got in the way of authority, and it put all your lives in danger. No. It’s too risky.”
“How about a compromise?” she asked in a tentative voice.
Midnight Temptation Page 10