Kevin stared at Noelle, hardly believing his ears. He had been hoping for just this sort of reaction from her.
“There’s no reason for you to check into a hotel. You should sleep here tonight,” she continued softly. “I’ll pull out the sofa bed for you.”
So much for the wish for an impetuous holiday fling, he thought ruefully.
Not about to pass up the chance to spend time with her and get to know her better, he checked his desire, figuring there would be plenty of time for that later. “Thanks. I’d like that. Meantime, I better go pick up the milk and juice Mikey is going to need come morning.”
All-business once again, Noelle reached for a notepad and pen. “Let me give you directions to the closest twenty-four hour grocery store.”
Twenty minutes later, Kevin was back, groceries in hand.
He walked in to find the sofa bed in the living room already made up, a candy cane and a note from Noelle on his pillow. “Better get some shut-eye,” she had written. “Mikey wakes early….”
Kevin went to sleep fantasizing about what it would be like to be an integral part of Noelle and Mikey’s life. He woke at 6:00 a.m. as a pair of footsteps padded downstairs, one step at a time. Opening his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a yawning Noelle holding on to her son’s hand. She was wearing a pink spaghetti-strapped tank top and matching pajama cardigan that made the most of her full breasts and slender torso. Pink-and-white flannel pajama bottoms warmed her long slender legs, fluffy pink slippers her feet. With her hair tousled and her cheeks rosy from sleep, she was undoubtedly the sexiest woman he had ever seen. As well as the most patient, loving mother…
The minute they hit the ground floor, Mikey raced toward him, a toy truck in his hand. “Monster tick-up-puck!” he announced, waving his toy and peering into Kevin’s face. “Right?”
Grinning, he nodded. “Right. That’s a monster pickup truck.”
“Pick-up-puck!” Mikey repeated enthusiastically, vaulting up on the sofa bed. He scrambled onto Kevin’s chest. “Monster pick-up-puck!”
“Mikey, honey…” Noelle approached, apology in her voice, a mixture of amusement and affection in her eyes. “It’s awfully early. Kevin hasn’t even had any coffee.”
Seeing Noelle was all the wake-up call he needed. “It’s okay.” Kevin chuckled while Mikey patted his face. “Like I said, I’ve got a lot of nieces and nephews.”
His expression intent, Mikey ran his monster truck across Kevin’s chest, down his arm, back up to his shoulder.
Exasperated but content to let the situation play out as it would, Noelle disappeared into the kitchen. When she returned a few minutes later with a steaming mug of coffee for Kevin, she looked considerably more awake. “Mikey, your breakfast is ready.” She held out her hand to her son. “You can bring your truck.”
He toddled off with her.
Grateful for the momentary privacy, Kevin got up and pulled on his jeans and the sweater he’d been wearing the night before. “Feel free to use the guest bath upstairs,” Noelle called from the other room. “Breakfast won’t be ready for another fifteen minutes.”
Breakfast. Made for him by the woman of his dreams. Contentment flowed through him. He could get used to this.
“DASH.” Noelle stared at her old friend in the doorway. His timing couldn’t be worse.
“I know it’s early.” Dash held up a silencing hand. “But I got your message and I wanted to talk to you before I headed to court.”
Noelle caught the curious glance of one of her neighbors, heading to his car. Wishing she had on something other than her pajamas, she stepped aside. “Come on in.”
As she shut the door behind him, Dash glanced at the rumpled covers on the sofa bed. “Everything okay?” he asked, concerned.
“Yes.” She might as well tell him. He’d find out soon enough, anyway. “Kevin McCabe bunked here last night.”
Dash paused, offered a tactful smile. “If I’d known he needed a place to stay, I would have put him up.”
Noelle nodded as graciously as possible. “I’ll tell him. I’m sure he’ll be happy to know that.” Mindful of the reason Dash was there, Noelle went to her desk and got out the file on the January fifteenth charity event. “There’s a penalty clause in the contract with the hotel that reneged on us,” she explained, as she handed it over. “They owe us twenty-five percent of the cost should they fail to provide the agreed upon services. I figured you’d want to handle this for Miss Sadie.”
“Thanks. I do.” Dash gave it a cursory glance, then closed the file. In no hurry to depart, he braced a shoulder against the wall. “How did my aunt take the bad news?”
Noelle grimaced. “I haven’t told her yet. I wanted to get another ballroom lined up for her approval before broaching the subject.”
“Otherwise she would just worry,” Dash said.
“And it’s been a rough enough month for her already,” Noelle concurred. “In any case, I should have everything arranged by late today. As always, I’ll fax any and all contracts to your office for your perusal before I ask Miss Sadie to sign them.”
“Thanks.” Dash knelt as Mikey toddled toward him. He returned the little boy’s hug affectionately and then stood. “How long are you going to be in town?”
“Hopefully, just until tomorrow morning.” Noelle watched Mikey take his toy truck over to the sofa bed. “I really need to get back to Laramie. I still have a lot to do there, and I like being able to take Mikey over to see Miss Sadie and check in on her every day. Especially given the fact she was betrayed by her neighbor. She’s very upset about that. She still can’t believe Scooter Roth did it, never mind was the mastermind of such an insidious plan.”
“From what Aunt Sadie told me, I’d have to agree.” Dash paused, compassion etched on his face. “I figured you’d be upset.” His voice lowered confidentially. “Just because…”
“It was so close to what happened to me,” Noelle whispered back.
“Yes.” A painful silence fell between them.
She looked up at Dash. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t stepped in and helped me back then,” she told him gratefully.
His expression turned protective. “I wasn’t about to let you take the fall for something you didn’t do. Any more than I want anything to hurt you now.”
“Initially, I was under suspicion in this case, you know.”
Dash froze. “Are you still?”
“I don’t know.” Noelle hesitated. Being around law enforcement still left her feeling edgy and on guard. “I think I’ve been able to set Kevin’s mind at ease. But sometimes…the way he looks at me…” She shrugged, not sure she could put her feelings into words.
Dash’s brow lifted. “You think McCabe suspects?”
“Suspects what?” Kevin asked smoothly, strolling in.
“WHAT SHE’S PLANNING to give you for Christmas,” Dash replied after a short but telling pause.
Kevin wasn’t sure what Noelle and Dash had been discussing—he’d only caught the tail end of their conversation. He knew it wasn’t something either of them wanted him to witness. Dash’s expression was lawyer-bland, giving away absolutely nothing. In contrast, the look on Noelle’s face was guilty as all get-out. The two were definitely hiding something that he was certain had nothing to do with gift selection.
Unease sifted through him. Had he let his emotions get in the way, and ruled out both Noelle and Dash in the identity-theft case way too soon?
Kevin looked at Noelle, who was suddenly back in the kitchen, making more coffee. “I didn’t realize we were exchanging gifts,” he stated, watching her reaction carefully.
She forced a smile and cut him a glance that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I thought Mikey and I should do something for you—the spirit of Christmas, the season of giving and all that.”
Kevin didn’t want to pass on the opportunity to spend time with Noelle and her son, although he could see Dash was less than pleased with the notion. “Sounds fun,” he said.
Flustered, Noelle looked at the unopened carton of eggs next to the stove. “Breakfast will be ready in a minute…”
Kevin wished he could stay. “Sorry. I’m going to have to pass,” he told her reluctantly. “The Roths have agreed to see me but only if I can get to their place before Scooter has to leave for school.”
Dash took off his jacket and sat at the table. “I’ve got time,” he said, making himself comfortable.
Kevin frowned. It figured. But the quest for Noelle’s time and attention wasn’t over yet.
ON THE SURFACE, Kevin noted, the Roths looked like any other well-to-do family. “Mom” and “Dad” looked polished and professional in designer suits and expensive shoes. Their home was large and beautifully furnished, right down to the priceless antiques and the expensive art on the wall, and their manner was gracious. Yet something about them didn’t ring true to Kevin from the very first. It was almost as if the Roths thought they were more clever than the police and were going to be able to schmooze their way out of this mess their son was in. Their attorney, a noted criminal defense lawyer, was every bit as slick. Only Scooter—in his private-school uniform, hair hanging down in his face—seemed uncertain about his fate.
“You should know, Detective, we’re talking to the district attorney about a plea deal,” the lawyer began.
Mr. and Mrs. Roth both nodded emphatically. “Scooter has learned his lesson,” Mrs. Roth swore. “No more betting over the Internet with cyber bookies. And certainly no more criminal activity to pay off his debts.”
“We’re all going to cooperate to the fullest extent of the law,” her husband agreed, putting one arm around her waist, while Scooter slumped even lower in his wing chair.
“Unfortunately, they’ve already told all they know,” the attorney remarked. “Scooter merely e-mailed the instructions and information given him, in order to keep the vicious thugs from hunting him down. It looks as if the mysterious ringleader—The Wizard, as he or she liked to be called—may never be caught.”
Kevin continued making notes on the pad in front of him. “I wouldn’t bet on that. The case is far from closed. And won’t be until we identify The Wizard.”
Interestingly enough, Scooter’s parents look scared by Kevin’s declaration, while the boy seemed almost relieved to know law enforcement was still involved. Which meant the threat was very real.
Kevin looked at Scooter. “I know you don’t want to rat anyone else out, but sometimes you have to think about protecting yourself. This is one of those times. Whether or not The Wizard is found, you’re facing some serious jail time.”
“I think we might be able to get a deal with the district attorney for probation,” Scooter’s attorney said.
“You should know, Scooter,” Kevin warned frankly, “the district attorney can make a recommendation to the court regarding sentencing. That doesn’t mean the judge has to abide by it. No deal is a sure thing.”
“Stop trying to frighten him unnecessarily,” Mrs. Roth declared.
Kevin took his business card out of his pocket. He stood and handed it to Scooter. “Sometimes you know more than you think. If you remember anything else, or recall anything that might help, you can phone me anytime.” He looked Scooter right in the eye. “At the end of the day, the best person to help you out of this mess you’re in is not a parent or your lawyer. It’s you.”
AT NINE O’CLOCK that night, Noelle was just starting her workout when her doorbell rang.
Kevin McCabe was standing on the porch. “I wanted to stop by and see if there was anything else you needed before I headed back to Laramie.”
Aware of the brisk air sweeping in, Noelle ushered him inside and shut the door. Her yoga mat lay in the middle of the living room floor and the television showed an instructor demonstrating “the tree.”
Kevin paused and looked at the screen. “Can you actually do that stuff?”
Noelle grinned and adopted the position, one foot pressed against the upper thigh of her other leg, hands pressed together prayerlike in front of her. “Yes. It’s fun…and relaxing.”
He regarded her drolly. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Aware she was tingling all over, and not from the workout she had just begun, Noelle picked up the remote and hit the stop button.
“So is there anything you need before I leave the city?” Kevin repeated.
Noelle smiled, a little embarrassed at just how happy she was to see him. “We’re fine. Mikey and I are driving back to Laramie first thing in the morning. But if you’ve got a few minutes—” she led the way into her kitchen “—I wouldn’t mind hearing how your meeting with Scooter Roth and his parents went.”
Finding she was suddenly parched, Noelle took a pitcher of lemon water out of the fridge and poured two glasses. After she handed him one, Kevin settled against the counter.
“We still think all three of them know much more than they are letting on,” he said, “and could if not identify the ringleader, at least give us some idea where to look.”
“But they’re not cooperating,” Noelle guessed.
Kevin appeared just as concerned as she felt. “Mr. and Mrs. Roth are banking on a deal with the district attorney. I don’t think that’s going to keep Scooter out of jail, and I told them so.”
“But it didn’t make any difference.”
“Not to Mr. and Mrs. Roth,” he replied.
“What about Scooter? Did he take you seriously?”
Kevin let out a disgruntled sigh. “Maybe. In any case, he knows how to reach me if he ‘thinks of anything’.” He took a long drink, wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. “In the meantime, we’re still investigating. I spent the day interviewing the others awaiting trial and got some more information.”
“Thanks for the update.”
“No problem. So, Dash isn’t here?” Kevin asked casually, looking past Noelle.
“Funny,” she replied dryly. “Dash asked the same thing about you not too long ago. He stopped by after work to see how things were going with me and Mikey.”
Kevin shrugged. “Great minds think alike.”
She continued to study him. “Don’t you mean competing minds think alike?”
Kevin nonchalantly drained the rest of his drink and set the glass down. “Not sure I know what you mean.”
“I think you do, Detective.” Noelle angled her chin. “I think Mikey and I have somehow become a ‘territory’ thing between you and Dash, and the two of you are doing the equivalent of peeing in the corners.”
Kevin threw back his head and laughed. “Great analogy.”
She stomped closer, until they were standing close enough to feel each other’s body heat. “Can you tell me you weren’t hoping to interrupt—or thwart—something between Dash and me tonight…if he had happened to be here?”
The mischief in Kevin’s eyes faded, replaced by something much more acute. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t want you all to myself,” he stated in a soft, confident voice that did funny things to her insides. “I do. Particularly since Dash Nelson has the advantage of a head start.”
Noelle folded her arms in front of her. “I’m not a prize for the taking.”
Undeterred, Kevin quipped, “How about a heart just waiting to be won, then?”
She huffed. “I am not going to be involved in your competition.”
“Glad to hear it.” Kevin wrapped his arms around her, brought her close. He threaded one hand through her hair. “I don’t want to fight him for you, either. I just want you for myself.”
The passion in his voice stole her breath. “Kevin…”
“Kiss me like you mean it, Noelle,” he ordered, slowly bringing his lips down to hers. “And I promise I’ll kiss you back the same way.”
The intensity of his kiss drew forth a well of emotions she wanted to pretend didn’t exist. Noelle groaned, even as she kissed him back passionately. “I knew if I kept seeing you this would happen,” she admitted ruefully. They’d end up making love. She’d end up wanting more….
Kevin lifted her up so she was sitting on the counter, arms wrapped around his neck, his strong, hard body ensconced in the open V of her legs. The insides of her thighs rubbed against the outside of his. “I knew it, too,” he confessed gruffly.
If only he knew everything about her. All her secrets. The pain of her past. If only she was sure he could accept the truth, should it ever come out, as she always feared it would.
Forcing herself back to the sweetness of the moment instead of the uncertainty of the future, Noelle closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his shoulder.
“Why do you think I’ve been coming around so much?” He kissed the side of her neck.
Trying to keep things simple, she guessed lightly, “For sex?” She arched, her breasts brushing against his chest, as his lips targeted the sensitive place behind her ear.
“Guess again.” Still driving her mad with sensation, he lifted the hem of her shirt, his hands roving higher.
She trembled as his palms molded her breasts through the smooth knit of her sports bra, his thumbs running over the tender crests. “So you won’t feel so alone…at Christmastime…” she said breathlessly.
“So I can be with you,” he corrected.
His eyes held hers with the promise of passionate lovemaking to come. She hadn’t allowed herself to want anything for herself in such a long time. Hadn’t allowed herself to hope…. Kevin McCabe was bringing back her faith.
“If I stay…” he warned softly.
“I know.” She held his gaze, sure about this much. “I want you, too.” Wise or not, she wanted to lose herself in the spirit of the season and feel close to someone again. She wanted the bliss—the intimacy—only Kevin could bring. Being with him like this was the only present she needed. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she wrapped her legs around his waist and brought his head back down to hers. Their lips fused in an explosion of heat and hunger, and then his tongue swept her mouth with a kiss that sent her emotions soaring. Overwhelmed by the pleasurable sensations, she returned his embrace with everything she had. Until that wasn’t enough…for either of them.
His heartbeat racing in time with her own, he asked hoarsely, “Upstairs?”
Already trembling, Noelle nodded. “My bedroom.”
Cupping his hands beneath her bottom, he lifted her off the counter and, with her still clasped against him, carried her easily up the stairs.
“Last room on the left,” Noelle whispered between kisses, keeping her legs locked tight about his waist, her arms about his neck, her midriff pressed to his.
Kevin set her down next to the bed, his gaze intently locked with hers. His arms tightened around her possessively and his expression showed both fierce satisfaction and wonder. Then he kissed her, hard and sweet. She felt his need and yearning, and it mirrored hers. In that endless kiss, they drew from each other—Noelle surrendering one moment, taking control the next. Helpless to resist, she arched against him, the need in her an incessant ache. Easing his hands beneath her top, to her breasts, he murmured, “You’ll have to show me what you like.”
What didn’t she like when it came to him? Noelle wondered, breathing in the wintry fragrance of his aftershave lotion.
“How about everything,” she responded, her breasts swelling and nipples beading. Aware she had never felt sexier in her life as she did when she was with him, she let the sandpapery feel of his evening beard sensually abrade her face. He bent his head, the slow strokes of his tongue across hers unbearably seductive. And still it wasn’t enough, for either of them. Her shirt came over her head, her bra was unclasped, pants and panties whisked off.
“Starting with this…” Noelle continued, making short work of getting him naked, too. She ran her hands across hard muscle and smooth skin. He was absolutely beautiful. So beautiful she couldn’t take her eyes from his broad shoulders, nicely sculpted chest, well-defined pecs and flat abs. And lower still… Not that she was the only one admiring. He had paused to look at her, too, his eyes taking in the soft curves of her breasts and rosy-pink nipples.
“Have I told you how gorgeous you are…?” he whispered, guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed.
He certainly made her feel gorgeous, Noelle thought, as he laid her back gently and stretched out beside her. Rolling her onto her side, he took her in his arms and kissed her again and again, until a fire roared within her and her body tingled with heat. That quickly, Noelle was ready for him, but Kevin seemed determined to take his time and make their lovemaking last. Grasping both her wrists in one hand, he anchored them above her head and held them there. He smiled at the way she trembled. Then he kissed his way down her neck, to the very tip of her breast, his lips suckling the pale pink circle and lingering there until she felt deliciously aroused. An urgency swept through her and she made soft, breathless sounds of pleasure as he turned his attention to her other breast.
Nothing had ever felt so wonderfully stimulating. Parting her legs, she moved restlessly on the bed. She was so wet and they’d barely started yet.
“Have I told you how much I’m going to enjoy making you mine?” he continued. The possessiveness in his voice sent another thrill shooting through her.
“Kevin…” she murmured as he paid homage to the underside of her breasts, the sensitive juncture between her ribs.
“I guess you like this,” he observed, an expression of sheer male appreciation on his face.
She moaned. Still holding her captive, he moved lower still. “How about this?” Eyes sparkling, he dipped his tongue into the well of her navel.
She sent him a look that spoke volumes about the state of her arousal.
“And this?” He let go of her hands only to grasp her hips and start kissing her thighs. She meant to retain some element of control. It proved impossible. Her body ignited, and she was so consumed with wanting him inside her that she could barely breathe. And, to her dismay, he knew it. His gaze traveled over her, the desire in his eyes as unmistakable as the hardness of his body brushing against hers. Flush with victory, he slid a hand between her legs. “Or this…” Still smiling, he found her with his lips and hands, making her blossom, sending her to the brink.
Needing to give as well as receive, she tried to wrestle free. “Let me…touch you….” she gasped, knowing now was no time to be selfish.
Letting her know he was still the one in charge, Kevin chuckled. “In due time.” He held fast, making her tremble with need. And then his mouth was on her in the most intimate of kisses, demanding total surrender.
She went. Boy, did she go. And then he was sliding up, covering her body completely with his own again. Possessing her with one smooth, sure stroke. Awash with sensation, heart brimming with unexpected love, Noelle rose up to meet him. Easing his hands beneath her, he lifted her, going deeper, slower, stronger. The essences of their bodies blended, bringing them closer still, making them one. Until there was no more thinking, only feeling this hot, melting bliss.