When Morning Comes

by Harmony Evans

Autumn had never been married and the dates were few and far between. For years, plunging headfirst into case after case had always kept her from feeling she was missing out. Until last night, when Isaac showed her so lovingly what she had been missing. She could only imagine what it would be like for him to completely own her—body and soul.

  Her mind knew what she had to do, but her heart wanted something different. It felt like lead in her chest, and at that moment she didn’t even want to get out of bed.

  Autumn recalled her surprise at learning he was a father and she wondered why he’d decided to adopt instead of marrying and having some children of his own. Adolescents and teens were difficult to place with adoptive families. The majority of them wanted newborn babies, so abandoned teens often went through their entire lives in foster homes.

  Yet, Isaac had welcomed them into his home. He was a good person and she respected that he was obviously trying to be a good father to his children. If Isaac was engaged in fraud, they had nothing to do with it. They’d only be victims of the fallout.

  Isaac’s secret was safe with her, but she felt a pang of guilt knowing that keeping his secrets would help her continue to gain his trust. That’s what a good undercover investigator was supposed to do. Work to gain the alleged perpetrator’s trust over time, and when enough evidence was gathered, move in for the kill.

  For this case, time was working against her, but her growing feelings for Isaac were, too. She was really starting to care about him. How was she going to put all that aside?

  The only way to avoid both of them getting hurt was to wrap up the case as quickly as possible. Starting today, she was devoting herself again to her own personal work ethic: no more fun and no more pleasure. By this time next week, she’d be on a plane on her way to her next client. Why start something that only had to end?

  Autumn slipped out of bed and padded into the bathroom, intent on a hot shower and a strong cup of tea afterward. Both should make trying to find something to ruin Isaac’s life go down a little bit easier.

  * * *

  Two floors up, Isaac slept soundly, oblivious to everything but his dreams where his mouth was sealed on Autumn’s wet flesh, his tongue probing and searching, as she bucked in his arms. Her screams broke through the fog and he awoke with a start.

  He propped himself up on his elbows and cursed. He was hard as a rock and the woman who’d made him that way wasn’t there.

  Reality sucks, he thought, just as the door suddenly opened. His head snapped up to see Devon barreling through his bedroom at high speed. Just before he pounced on the bed, Isaac had the foresight and the quick reflexes to bring his knees to his chest. Otherwise, his ability to have children of his own would have been seriously compromised.

  “Hey, Dad!” he shouted.

  He grabbed at his son and put him into a loose headlock. “What up, D?” Isaac responded with a smile. “Are you practicing to be a linebacker?”

  “No, just trying to wake you up.” He laughed as the two play wrestled for a few minutes.

  Isaac bopped Devon on the head with a pillow. “You’re just about the most dangerous alarm clock on earth. I’m not even about to hit the snooze button!” he joked.

  Devon grabbed the pillow from Isaac’s hand and bopped him back. “What are we going to do today?”

  Isaac held in a smile. That was his children’s second favorite question. The first was, What are we having for dinner?

  “You promised we’d do something fun today, remember?”

  All Isaac remembered was that his laptop bag, still where he left it in the foyer, contained a ton of work that had to be completed sometime over the weekend. Not to mention the work he had to do on the Witterman pitch. He couldn’t let Autumn do everything, plus it would give him an excuse to see her again.

  “I don’t know about today, Devon. I’ve got a ton of work I need to catch up on.”

  “But, Dad, you promised.”

  Isaac started to shake his head no but stopped when he saw the look of disappointment on Devon’s face. He was still getting used to the fact that he wanted the memories of his children to be so much better than his own.

  “What’s the weather like?”

  Like his kids, Isaac wasn’t going down without a fight. Devon jumped out of the bed, parted the curtains and peered out the window. “It looks cold, but at least it’s not snowing.”

  He stifled a groan.

  Kid 1—Parent 0.

  The temperature he could deal with, but he hated the snow. Trudging around the city battling millions of white flakes, as beautiful as they were, was not his idea of fun. Although he would love to have a snowball fight with his kids one day.

  As a foster kid himself, he’d missed out on all kinds of silly but memorable things. But more importantly, he missed out on the unconditional love of a parent. He’d always wanted two, would have settled for one, but ended up getting none.

  Thankfully, something within him, some kind of inner strength helped him hold on. He’d made it through his lonely and often chaotic childhood, graduated at the top of his class at Harvard and was now considered a “success.”

  Not bad for someone most thought would never even graduate from high school.

  Being a foster kid with no one to love and no one to truly love him had affected him. It had made him tough in the wrong place, his heart.

  Although Isaac was a single parent, the one thing besides money that his kids would never have to worry about was love.

  He couldn’t say the same for himself.

  Last night, he realized how much he needed a woman in his life and how much he wanted that woman to be Autumn.

  Suddenly, he had an idea.

  “Devon, go grab my wallet off the dresser.”

  The boy retrieved the wallet and brought it back to Isaac. He fished out a one hundred dollar bill and gave it to Devon, who stared at it, his eyes like saucers.

  “Go down to the flower shop on the corner and get me the biggest bouquet they’ve got. You can keep the change.”

  Devon nodded and was out of the room almost as fast as he’d come into it.

  “And put your coat on before you leave,” Isaac yelled. “We’re about to go on an adventure.”

  Isaac only hoped that the trip would pay off.

  * * *

  Autumn had just poured her second cup of tea when she heard a sharp knock at the door. She ignored it because, in her heart, she knew it was Isaac.

  She’d hoped that she would have some time to craft a plausible excuse of why they had to back off from each other. But she knew the reason was right in front of her.

  Her heart raced as her eyes skittered to the kitchen table where Isaac’s old files were spread out in plain sight. To have to collect and hide them would put her behind on the audit again. But she couldn’t let him see them, either.

  There was no way she was letting Isaac into her apartment.

  The knocking was louder now, though, and more urgent. Isaac or whoever was out there was not going to go away.

  She slowly moved to the door and looked through the peephole, breathing a sigh of relief that no one was there.

  Just as she turned and was about to walk away, another knock sounded. She opened the door and, instead of Isaac, there was Devon with a bashful grin on his face and a big bouquet of flowers in his hand.

  “Wow!” she exclaimed, when he didn’t say anything. “Are those for me?”

  “Yeah,” Devon responded, shoving them forward so hard he almost punched her in the stomach by accident.

  Autumn sidestepped Devon’s fist and took the collection of roses, daisies and snapdragons decorated with ferns and baby’s breath. A few of the ribbons that held the bunch together were so long they almost trailed to the floor and she realized they must have come loose som
ehow.

  She buried her face in the bouquet and inhaled the incredible scents. “They’re beautiful, thank you!”

  Devon bowed awkwardly. “My father requests the pleasure of your company at our afternoon adventure.”

  Autumn raised an eyebrow. “Adventure? Where are we going?”

  He straightened and shrugged. “I don’t know. But my dad is rich, so it could be anywhere.” Autumn heard the excitement in his voice, and she wondered if he knew how fortunate he was to have a father like Isaac.

  She leaned against the doorway, knowing that she didn’t have it in her to refuse. Flowers were her weakness.

  “He’s also very sweet. Please tell him that I accept his invitation,” Autumn replied, her nose still in the flowers.

  “Okay. Meet us in the lobby at 1:00 p.m. sharp. Later, yo!”

  “Later!” she called after Devon, who was already down the hall and getting into the elevator.

  Autumn closed the door and walked into the kitchen, where Isaac’s files were practically calling her name. She didn’t want to know what was in there even though she’d been hired to find out.

  But wherever they were going this afternoon, maybe Isaac would reveal something that could help her investigation so that she could say goodbye before either of them got hurt.

  Or maybe spending a Saturday afternoon with Isaac would make her fall in love with him. She plunged her nose into the bouquet again, inhaling the scent not of flowers, but of fear.

  Chapter 9

  Autumn spent another hour poring over files, trying her best to concentrate and failing miserably. Every few minutes she would glance over at the flowers, now sitting in a vase on her kitchen counter, wondering what was behind Isaac’s kind gesture other than the fact that he’d sent his son to deliver them.

  She hated that she was being so suspicious, but it came with the territory. Her undercover work investigating corporate criminals so they could be brought to justice didn’t exactly inspire instant trust.

  And while she wanted to believe that the same man who denied his own needs to pleasure her all night and then had flowers delivered in the morning was innocent of any wrongdoing, all of it could be a ruse.

  Until her investigation was complete, she resolved again to be on her guard for any sign of an ulterior motive.

  With his searing touch and mind-blowing kisses she swore she could still feel, Isaac had already proved how easily he could melt her ironclad will.

  I’ll just have to be stronger, she vowed as she cleared the kitchen table. The files had revealed nothing, but she was convinced she was missing something or maybe she just didn’t want to see it. Even more reason to let things cool with Isaac.

  After changing into her favorite skinny jeans and dressy top, she pulled on her black leather boots. The heels weren’t too high, so she wouldn’t almost fall on her face on the ice like she had so embarrassingly the other night when Isaac had kissed her for the first time.

  Autumn donned her pale blue cashmere peacoat and pulled a wool hat over her curly hair. She clutched the handrail as she rode the elevator downstairs, her heart thumping in anticipation of seeing Isaac again. Her heels tapped on the marble floor as she walked to the front of the lobby.

  When she arrived, she saw Isaac speaking to the doorman and she brought her hands to her chest in fear. Hopefully, he wasn’t telling Isaac about how she was bribing him for information. When he tipped his hat in Autumn’s direction, Isaac quickly ended his conversation and greeted her with a lazy smile that made her heart flip.

  “Hello, stranger. Long time no see.”

  Isaac strolled over, so sexy in dark indigo jeans, a white button-down shirt and a black leather coat that looked buttery soft. She gulped down a breath trying to forget how much she wanted to explore him and the searing orgasms he’d given her only hours earlier.

  He reached for her arm and leaned in close. “You’re still as beautiful as ever.”

  The heat of his touch radiated through the heavy fabric of her coat. She started to wrap her arms around his waist, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw his two children lift their heads from their phones.

  Her cheeks burned. “Thank you,” she whispered, hoping she didn’t sound out of breath. Isaac had heard her gasping enough last evening.

  Autumn took a quick step back as his children approached.

  Devon gave her a friendly wave. He had a round face that always looked cheerful. Deshauna wore a nasty glare that almost made Autumn cringe and wonder if accepting Isaac’s invitation was a huge mistake.

  Spending the afternoon with two teenagers and their mind-blowingly hot dad. What was she getting herself into?

  Despite her jitters, she gave both kids a warm smile.

  “Where are we going?” Devon asked, addressing his question to her.

  Autumn shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “How about we just stay home,” Deshauna said sulkily, still glaring at Autumn. “Whose dumb idea was this anyway? It’s freezing outside!”

  “The cold air is invigorating,” Isaac interjected. “It’ll give you guys plenty of energy to tackle your homework later on tonight.”

  Both kids groaned. They had started to pull out their devices in defeat when the doorman walked up and cleared his throat.

  “Your car is ready, sir.”

  Devon ran to the lobby door and pushed it open. “That’s not a car. That’s a limo!” he said, his voice cracking with excitement.

  “Sweet,” Deshauna said. Her face brightened as she stepped outside and got her first look at the sleek black vehicle.

  “Can we get in now, Dad?” Devon asked. The chauffeur opened the door and Devon was in the limo before Isaac could respond.

  Deshauna stepped in next and plopped down next to her brother. She immediately went to the mini-refrigerator and grabbed a can of soda as if she’d ridden in a limo a million times.

  Autumn ducked in advance of the low ceiling and could feel Isaac watching her climb in. His eyes met hers briefly as he slid into the seat beside her.

  “Dad, can I have one of these for prom next year?” Deshauna asked, after a sip of soda.

  Devon was busy pressing every button he could see. “Can we keep it?”

  Isaac laughed. “No, we can’t keep it. It’s just a rental. But we can have fun in it today. Only the best for my family.”

  Both kids pouted for a few seconds but then forgot about the sulkies as they checked out the limo’s luxurious features.

  Autumn quietly inhaled the smell of Isaac’s cologne through her nostrils. The scent was even stronger now that they were in closer quarters. Not overpoweringly so, but just enough to make her want to bury her head in his neck. Like forever.

  After a ride through Central Park, the limo emerged onto Fifth Avenue and parked in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

  “Dad,” Devon whined as he clambered out after his sister. “I thought you said you were taking us on an adventure.”

  Autumn was equally surprised at Isaac’s choice for a Saturday outing. She thought for sure they were headed to something more testosterone based, like a hockey game or maybe even bowling. Isaac never failed to intrigue her, and strange as it might seem, his being into art was a turn-on. She couldn’t wait to explore the museum with him at her side.

  By the time Isaac climbed out of the limo, Devon and Deshauna had already started up the stairs to the entrance. “This place has something from every culture in every part of the world. You don’t call that an adventure?” he called out after them.

  He reached for her hand and held it tight as he helped her from the limo. Their eyes locked and his smile warmed her in a way that made her feel she was curled up in his arms. And Lord help her, she wished that she could be.

  The wind w
hipped her curls across her face and Isaac gently brushed them away with his right hand.

  He stepped closer and cupped her chin lightly, as if he was going to kiss her.

  “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Her heart fluttered in her chest, and for a moment she didn’t speak—she just panicked. She wanted him to kiss her but not in front of his children. She didn’t want it to appear as if she and Isaac were in a relationship when they were really just friends. If he ever found out she was investigating him, they’d turn into enemies real quick.

  Autumn stepped back far enough that it forced him to drop his hand from her face.

  “So am I,” she admitted truthfully as she withdrew her hand from his.

  She hugged her arms around her chest and shivered. “Let’s get inside. It’s freezing out here.”

  Isaac nodded and they walked up the stairs to the museum, where they met up with Devon and Deshauna.

  Once inside, Autumn gaped at the immensity of the lobby area while Isaac went to pay the admission fee. Although hundreds of people milled about, it didn’t seem at all crowded.

  Isaac returned shortly and after they checked their coats in, he handed each of them a paper ticket.

  “Peel the sticker off carefully and stick it to your shirt,” he instructed.

  He then gave Devon and Deshauna one map to share and kept the other one for himself.

  Isaac unfolded the map and Autumn held one corner of it so that she could look at it, too.

  “Where would you guys like to go first?”

  Devon piped up first. “Arms and Armor!”

  “Boys and guns. So typical!” Deshauna muttered and rolled her eyes. “I want to see the costume exhibit.”

  “That sounds like fun. I love fashion, too,” Autumn said in a friendly tone.

  Deshauna clicked her tongue against her teeth and gave her a nasty look. “What do you know about style?” she retorted in a snippy voice.

  Isaac’s head snapped up. “Chill out, Deshauna. Autumn is our guest today and you will treat her with respect. Is that clear?”

  Deshauna slanted her eyes in Autumn’s direction and nodded reluctantly.