Makena pushed around a piece of lettuce on her plate. The fact that River had been in town at the very least on the morning someone had attempted to take her life sat heavy on her chest. It wouldn’t do any good to look back and question how on earth she’d ever trusted him in the first place.
It was time to move forward. And then something dawned on her. “Did I hear right? Did Gert say River checked into that hotel four nights ago?”
“That’s the same thing I heard. Gert will write it all up in a report, but yeah, that’s what I heard.” Colton rocked his head. He pushed the phone away from their plates.
“So River shows up four days ago. It’s now been four days since I saw Red and Mustache Man.” A picture was taking shape, but it was still too fuzzy to make out all the details.
“So these three have met in your garage and now they are in town at the same time without staying in the same room. We don’t know if they rented a room next door.” Colton got up, found a notepad and pen and then reclaimed his seat. He scratched out a note for them to check with the early-morning-shift clerk to see if anyone matching the description of Red or Mustache had checked in or been seen coming into or out of River’s room.
“Gert said River had no visitors,” she corrected, distinctly remembering Gert’s words.
“True.” He scratched out the last part. “Which didn’t mean they didn’t meet up somewhere.”
She was already thinking the same thing.
“Maybe they thought I overhead them and that’s why I left my husband. Maybe in their twisted-up minds they think I know something, which meant the meeting in the garage could’ve been some kind of planning meeting.”
Colton was already nodding his head. “It makes sense. When we look at murder or an attempted murder case, we’re always looking for the motive. In your case, one could make the argument that River was still jealous months after you left and that it took him that long to hunt you down. That would make sense. It’s a story that, unfortunately, has been told before. The twist in this case is Mustache and Red. If River was here because of a jealousy that he couldn’t let go of or because he didn’t want you to ever be with anyone else, which is another motive in domestic cases, there wouldn’t have been anyone else with him.”
“That’s exactly my thinking. So if I did walk in on a meeting that day and they think I know something, which I assure you I don’t no matter how much I wish I did, they’re willing to kill me to make sure I’m silenced. River has already gotten in trouble with his department for extortion. At least, he’s under investigation for it.” They were finally on a path that made some sense to her. Granted, it was still twisted and unfair, and she didn’t like anything about it, period, but it made sense. “Okay, what do we do next?”
“Tonight? We eat. We try to set the case aside at least for a little while. Overly focusing on something and overthinking it only creates more questions. Tomorrow, six a.m., we pay a visit to Gloria Beecham and see if she remembers seeing Red or Mustache anywhere in the area. If we can link those three up, it’s a story that makes sense.”
Colton was holding something back.
“What is it?”
“There’s another story that says all three of them are in town and in a race to see who gets to you first.”
Makena shuddered at the thought. It was a theory that couldn’t be ignored. It would still take a while to wrap her thoughts around the fact that anyone would want her dead, let alone three people. But it was possible each person was acting on his own, trying to be the one to get to her first to see what she knew and if she had evidence against any one of them.
“Think you can eat something?” Colton motioned toward her plate. “It’s important to keep up your strength.”
“I can try.” She surprised herself by finishing the plate a few minutes later. Colton was right about one thing—overthinking the case would most likely drive her insane.
When the plates were empty, she picked up hers and headed toward the sink. She stopped midway. “I can clean yours while I’m up.” At least the ringing noise in her ears was substantially better if not her left hip. The bruise was screaming at her, making its presence known. Colton was right. All she wanted was to stand under a warm shower and to curl up on the couch and watch TV to take her mind off the situation.
Colton was on his feet in the next second, plate in hand. He was such a contrast to River, who, in all the years she spent with him, basically set a plate down wherever he was and got up and walked away without a thought about how it got cleaned and ended up back in the cabinet the next day. He’d blamed his disinclination to do the house chores on being tired after working the deep night shift. The truth was that he thrived on that schedule. And the other truth was that he was lazy.
“It’s not that hard for me to rinse off a second dish and put it in the dishwasher.”
Colton set his dish down next to the sink. “For the last year, I’ve done everything for myself. Well, for myself and two little ones. I’m not trying to be annoying by doing everything myself, but I can see how that might get on someone’s nerves. Especially someone who is strong and independent, and also used to doing things for herself. The truth is, being in the kitchen together making dinner tonight, even though it was literally nothing but pizza and salad, was probably my favorite time in this kitchen since I moved in.”
Well, damn. Colton sure had a way with words. His had just touched her heart in the best possible way and sent warmth rocketing through her. She stopped what she was doing, turned off the spigot and leaned into him.
“It’s been a pretty crazy twenty-four hours since we literally ran into each other, but it’s really good to see you again, Colton.”
It was so easy in that moment to turn slightly until her body was flush with his and tilt her face toward him. She pushed up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his soft, thick lips. Being around Colton again was the easiest thing despite the electricity constantly pinging between them. Instead of fighting it...she was so very tired of fighting...she leaned into it.
Colton took a deep breath. And then he brought his hands up to cup her face. He ran his thumb along her jawline and then her chin as he trailed his lips in a line down her neck. He feathered a trail of hot kisses down her neck and across her shoulder. She placed the flat of her palms against his solid-walled chest, letting her fingers roam.
She smoothed her hands toward his shoulders and then up his neck, letting her fingers get lost in that thick mane of his as he deepened the kiss.
There was so much fire and energy and passion in the kiss. Her breath quickened and her pulse raced. Kissing Colton was better than she’d imagined it could be. No man had ever kissed her so thoroughly or made her need from a place so deep inside her.
He splayed one of his hands across the small of her back and pressed her body against his. Then his hands dropped, and she lifted her legs up and with help wrapped them around his midsection. He dropped his head to the crook of her neck.
Colton held onto her for a long minute in that position before he released a slow, guttural groan and found her lips again.
He fit perfectly and all she wanted to do was get lost with him.
THE ATTRACTION THAT had been simmering between Colton and Makena ignited into a full-blown blaze. He wanted nothing more than to strip down and bury himself deep inside her.
Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his shoulders. Considering her injury, this was about as far as he could let things go between them. There was another reason. A more obvious one. He knew without a doubt that taking their relationship to the next level would be a game changer for him, and he hoped it would be for her, too.
But she had trust issues and he still hadn’t gotten over the loss of his best friend. Besides, as much as Makena fit him in every possible way, he had zero time to commit to a new relationship. He had the boys to think about and the fact that they might not be comfortable with him moving a stranger into the house. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his brain tried to convince him these were excuses. Maybe they were.
But if he was ready, he doubted his mind would try to come up with reasons they shouldn’t be together. The biggest of which was the fact that she hadn’t gotten over the experience with her ex.
Colton had seen that fear in her eyes one too many times. Granted, her anxiety had never been aimed at him and he would never do anything knowingly to hurt her. He wouldn’t have to. His badge and gun might prove to be a problem for her.
Plus, she’d changed her life in every sense of the word. She needed to reemerge and find a footing in her new life.
Makena moaned against his lips, and it was about the sexiest damn thing he’d ever heard. Let this go on too much longer and no cold shower in the world would be able to tame the blaze. Because he was just getting started.
He dropped his hands from her face, running his finger down to the base of her neck. He lowered his hand to her full breast and then ran his thumb along her nipple. It beaded under his touch and sent rockets of awareness through his body. Every single one of his muscles cried out for the sweet release only she could give. His need for Makena caused a physical ache.
Sleeping together at this point would only complicate the relationship. She was beginning to open up to him more and more. He sensed she was beginning to lean on him, and he liked the fact her trust in him was growing.
She needed to be sure how he felt about her before taking this to the next level. And since he was just now trying to figure that out himself, he pulled back and touched his forehead to hers. Their breathing was raspy. A smile formed on his lips.
Having twin sons had sure made one helluva grown-up out of him. Not that he’d taken sex lightly in the past. He preferred serial dating before he married Rebecca, and always made certain that his partners knew one hundred percent that the relationship would be based on mutual physical attraction. The likelihood anything emotional or permanent would come out of it was off the table.
“What is it, Colton? What’s wrong? Did I do something?”
“You? Not a chance. It’s me. And before you think I’m giving you the whole ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech, it really is me. I think whatever we have brewing between us could turn out to be something special. But the timing is off. I think we both realize that.” He almost couldn’t believe those words had just come out of his mouth. They were true. They needed to be said. But, damn.
He felt the need to explain further, because he didn’t want her to be embarrassed or have any regrets. “For the record, I think that was probably up there with the best kisses of my life.”
He could feel her smiling.
“Okay, I lied. That was the best kiss of my life. And it gets me in trouble because I don’t want to stop there. I want more. And when I say more, I don’t just mean physical.” He could almost hear the wheels spinning in her brain and could sense she was about to do some major backpedaling.
“I hear what you’re saying, Colton. I feel whatever this is happening between us, too. I don’t exactly have anything to give right now.” Ouch. Those words hurt more than he was expecting them to.
“You don’t have to explain any of that to me. I feel the same.”
“I’m sorry. This is the second time I’ve put you in this position. I promise not to do it again.” She pulled back and put her hands up in the surrender position, palms out.
“Well, that’s disappointing to hear.” Colton laughed, a rumble from deep in his chest rolling up and out.
She looked at him with those clear blue eyes, so honest and still glittering with desire. The way his heart reacted, he thought he might’ve made a huge mistake in pulling back. Logic said that he had done the right thing in preparing her. His life didn’t have room for anyone else, and she was just about to figure out what her new life was going to be. She didn’t need him inserting himself right in the middle and possibly confusing her.
A sneaky little voice in the back of his mind said his defense mechanisms were kicking into high gear. He hushed that because it was time to think about something else.
“We could watch a movie to take our minds off things. We could talk.” Normally, that last option would’ve felt like pulling teeth with no Novocain. But he actually liked talking to Makena. Go figure.
“I think what I would like more than anything is to curl up on the sofa with you and turn the fireplace on low. And maybe have something warm to drink. Maybe something without caffeine.”
“Sounds like a plan. As far as the hot beverage without caffeine, I’m kind of at a loss on that one.”
It was her turn to laugh. She reached up and grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tugged him toward her. She stopped him just before their lips met. “Thank you, Colton. You’ve brought alive parts of me that I honestly didn’t know existed anymore. You’ve shown me what a strong, independent man can be.”
This time she didn’t push forward and press a kiss to his lips, and disappointment nearly swallowed him.
He smiled at her compliment and squeezed her hand, needing to refocus before he headed down that emotional path again.
“Good luck if you want something warm in this house that doesn’t have caffeine.”
“If you have water, a stove and maybe a lemon or honey, I can get by just fine.”
“I definitely have honey. It’s in the cupboard. Gert makes a point of bringing some back for everyone in the office when she visits honeybee farms. She’s made a goal to visit every one in the state before the end of the year. I should have a few bottles in there to choose from. As far as lemons go, I actually might have a few of those in the bin inside the fridge. I’ll just make a call and check on my boys. I really want to hear their voices before they go to sleep. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take the call in the other room while you make up your warm batch of honey-lemon water.”
His smile was genuine, and when she beamed back at him his heart squeezed. His traitorous heart would have to get on board with the whole “he needed to slow the train down” plan. It was on a track of its own, running full steam ahead.
Makena pushed him back a little bit in a playful motion. He hesitated for just a second, holding her gaze just a little too long, and his heart detonated when he turned to walk away. He exhaled a sigh and grabbed his phone off the granite island before heading into the bedroom.
He gave himself a few moments to shake off the haze in his mind from kissing Makena. He was still in a little bit of shock that one kiss could ignite that level of passion in him. He chalked it up to going too long without sex. That had to be the reason. He hadn’t felt a flame burning like that in far too long.
After a few more deep breaths, he was at a ready point to hear his sons’ little babbling voices. He pulled up his mother’s contact and let his thumb hover over her number.
He dropped his thumb onto the screen and put the phone to his ear. It took a couple of rings for his mother to pick up. When she did, he could hear the sounds of his little angels in the background, laughing. He’d recognize those voices anywhere.
“Hi, son. I was just drying off the boys after their baths. How are you doing?” she asked. He listened for any signs of distress in her voice that meant taking care of the boys was too much for her right now.
“All is well here. We’re moving forward with the investigation and I’ll be up and out early tomorrow morning to go interview a potential witness. Making progress.” Hearing his sons’ laughter in the background warmed his heart.
“Colton, what’s really wrong?” His mom could read him and his brothers better than a psychic.
“The case. I know the intended target from college. We go way back and she’s a good person. She definitely doesn’t deserve what’s being handed to her.” It would do no good to lie to his mother. She’d be able to hear it in his tone and he wouldn’t feel good about it anyway. He’d been honest with her since seventh grade, after he’d hidden his phone in his room so he could call Rebecca when they were supposed to be asleep.
A young Colton hadn’t slept a wink that night. He’d come clean about the deception in the morning and his mother said he’d punished himself enough. She expected him to leave his phone downstairs before he went up to bed just like the others did. Garrett had always sneaked back down to get his, but that was Garrett and beside the point.
Lying had taught Colton that he was an honest person.
Plus, his mother had been around him and his brothers who worked in law enforcement long enough to realize they wouldn’t be allowed to divulge details about an ongoing investigation. She wouldn’t dig around.
And she wouldn’t ask. There were lines families in law enforcement never crossed.
“I’m sorry to hear such a nice-sounding person is having a rough go of it.” He could hear more of that innocent laughter come across the line and he figured his mother knew exactly the distraction he needed. “The boys have had a wonderful day. They’ve been angels with just enough spunk in them for me to know they’re O’Connor boys through and through.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Do you want me to put them on the line? I can put the phone in between them. They’re here on the bed. Well, mostly here on the bed. Renee is here helping me and they keep trying to move to get away from the lotion.” His mom laughed. It sounded genuine, and there’d been too much of that missing in her life over the past few months. It made him feel a lot less guilty about having the boys stay over with her for a few days. They might be just the distraction she needed.
“I would love it. Put them on.” He could hear shuffling noises, which he assumed was her putting the phone down.
Her mouth was away from the receiver when she said, “Hey, boys. Guess who is calling you? It’s your Dada.”
It warmed his heart the way his family had accepted Silas and Sebastian despite the circumstances of their birth.
“Hey, buddies. I hope you are behaving for your Mimi and Aunt Renee.” In truth, there wasn’t a whole lot to say to one-year-olds. All he really wanted to hear was the sound of their giggles. Knowing how well they were being cared for and how much his mother loved them. It was kind of Renee to help.
One of the twins shrieked, “Dada!”
The other one got excited and started chanting the same word. Colton didn’t care how or why his boys had come into his life. He was a better man for having them. He kept the phone to his ear and just listened.
A few minutes later, his mother came back on the line.
“Well, these two are ready for a little snack before bedtime,” she said.
“Sounds good, Mom.” He wanted to ask how she was really doing but figured this wasn’t the time. Instead, he settled on, “They really love you.”
“Well, that’s a good thing because I love them more. And I love you.” There was a genuine happiness to her tone that made Colton feel good.
They said their goodbyes and ended the call. Colton glanced at the clock. It was after eight. He needed to grab a shower and get some shut eye soon. Four o’clock in the morning would come early and he wanted to be at the motel the minute the clerk started work.
Colton took a quick shower, toweled off and then threw on some sweatpants and a T-shirt. By the time he joined Makena in the other room, she was curled up on the couch. She’d figured out how to flip the switch to turn on the fireplace. He didn’t want to dwell on how right it felt to see her sitting there in his home, on his sofa, looking comfortable and relaxed.
If it was just the two of them and she was in a different mental space, letting this relationship play out would be a no-brainer. But he had his children to think about and how the loss of their mother at such a young age would affect their lives. He also had to consider how bringing someone into their lives who could leave again might impact them. He couldn’t see himself getting into a temporary relationship or introducing them to someone who might not stick around for the long haul.
“Shower’s free. I left a fresh towel out for you and a washcloth. It’s folded on the sink,” he said, trying to ignore his body’s reaction to her. His heart—traitor that it was—started beating faster against his rib cage.
Sitting there, smiling up at him, Makena was pure temptation. A temptation he had to ignore—for his own sanity.