by Marion Myles
She stared around in amazement. Had all these urban looking creatures really come from this town? How come she’d never noticed them walking around the streets or in the stores? Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement and turned to see Roman waving from a table in the back.
He stood when she approached and flashed a smile, his dark liquid eyes seeming to sparkle. When her stomach started a series of flips, she ruthlessly shut it down.
“Hi, Roman,” she said, purposely making her tone brisk. “Luke’s not here yet?”
He slid in opposite her and stretched his arm across the backrest of the neighboring chair. “Called and said he’d be here in ten. I guess that means we have a couple of moments to hang out first. So…how was your day?”
“Fine, thanks. Yours?”
“Oh, you know, kinda dull. Nothing like yesterday. That domestic sure was a highlight.”
“You have a sick mind.”
He leaned forward in his seat, eyes lasering in on hers. “No, you don’t understand. It’s not that I like seeing people hurt, but in this case, the outcome was good. The woman had been beaten around some these last few years, and every time it happened either wouldn’t file charges or dropped them the next morning. This time she’s sticking. Even got herself a lawyer. I love when you do your job and get a happy ending at the same time.”
Mia nodded slowly. “I guess that must be very satisfying.” She paused, and he didn’t look away but remained intent on her face. It was disconcerting, and she glanced around the cafe, searching for something to talk about. When her mind remained stubbornly blank, she gestured to the front counter. “Do you want a coffee or anything? I’m going to get a latte. I could use a little boost.”
“Sure, I’ll take another hit of caffeine. Make mine an Americano, black.”
He smiled and leaned back against the chair, and for a moment she was distracted by the way his biceps flexed against the sleeve of his T-shirt. After what she was sure was too long of a gawking session, she got to her feet and turned away.
It was a relief to stand in line for several minutes while she waited to order. In the beginning, she’d seen Roman only as a cop and the brother of a dead girl…not to mention someone to be avoided because he might dig up her unsavory past and make trouble for her in the almost-too-good-to-be-true present.
Now, though, she was starting to know him a little. What she saw was a seriously hot male specimen. He loved his family, especially his mother. That fact alone was enough to melt her heart. Roman was passionate about his work, had a definite dominant streak, which could end up being annoying, but was also a pretty big turn-on. And lastly, she was fairly sure he wasn’t dating anyone, so it would seem he was unattached and available.
All in all, Roman Mancini was quite the catch.
But not for her, she amended, remembering her vow. She tended to be a loner, happy with her own company and her dogs. People, in general, were too much damned work. When it came to men, they were nothing more than an invitation to get messy. She didn’t do messy. By the time she returned to the table with the coffees, she’d talked herself and her libido all the way back down to earth.
Roman’s hand lingered on hers when she passed him the mug. “Thanks. I’ll get it the next time.”
Mia refused to be thrilled at the thought of them getting together again for coffee. Without thinking, she took a sip of her latte, burning the roof of her mouth. “Dammit,” she sputtered.
“Yeah, it hurts like a bitch, doesn’t it,” Roman said. “I’ll get you a water or something.”
When he sprang to his feet, Mia reached out and touched his arm to stop him. “No, it’s fine. I’m already okay.”
He glanced down at the hand on his wrist and smiled. “Okay. If you’re sure.”
The flush raced up Mia’s chest and neck and landed on her cheeks, and she snatched her hand back and put it in her lap. God, she was behaving like a teenager on her first date, and this was the farthest thing from a date.
“Hey, Mia, it’s okay for us to be friends.” Roman’s voice was soft. “I know I was kind of a jerk to you in the beginning, but I appreciate everything you’re doing to help find Anita. It means a lot, so thank you. And now that you’ve stopped showing up at the police station and lying right to my face, I can see you’re a pretty cool chick.”
She lifted an eyebrow at him. “A pretty cool chick? Wow, there’s a compliment.”
“Yeah, I didn’t want to get too sloppy and ruin our dynamic.” He shrugged and winked at her before his attention shifted over her left shoulder. “Hey, Luke, you made it. Thanks for coming.”
Roman got to his feet and held out a hand. The man was almost as tall as Roman’s six-foot-two but leaner and rangier. They shook hands, and Mia stood and offered hers as well.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Mia Reeves.”
Luke smiled at her briefly. In his pale green eyes, she saw both fatigue and wariness. “Hi, Mia. My wife loves your jewelry. She bought a necklace and a pair of earrings at the fair last week. Hasn’t taken them off since.”
“Oh, that’s nice to hear. Thank you. Can we get you a coffee or anything?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
Roman gestured to the seat beside him. Luke sat with a sigh while he and Mia returned to their chairs. “How are Mandy and the kids?” Roman asked.
“Good. Busy. It seems like the boys are on the go twenty-four seven. Neil started soccer this summer, and I can tell it won’t be long before Patrick will be ready, too. Then there’s judo, swimming, skating. You name it, and they’re doing it.” He paused and swallowed. “I didn’t tell Mandy I was meeting you, by the way. It can get awkward sometimes. You understand?”
“Yeah, sure. I get it.” Roman nodded and spread his hands on the table. “Anyway, I asked you here because Mia thought it might help to talk to you, ask some questions.”
Before Mia could follow her cue and wade in, Luke turned to her. “It’s weird that you’re a jeweler and a private investigator. How do you have time for both?”
“Oh, well…the PI work is really secondary. I’m pretty much easing out of it, in fact. The hours are lousy sometimes. Besides, my jewelry business is going really well, so I think I’ll stick with that. I’m sorta doing this as a favor.”
Luke nodded, seeming to accept the explanation. “What do you want to know?”
“Let’s see…um…when was the last time you saw Anita before she disappeared?”
He frowned and glanced at Roman. “I already told the police a million times. Isn’t it in the report?” He sighed and bowed his head. “We met on Sunday night at Pizza Hut. Anita only had a short break. She was working until closing, so we grabbed a bite around five thirty.”
“What about the next day? You talked to her, right? I remember that showing in the phone records.”
“Yeah, I did. A couple of times. We were supposed to meet for lunch before she started her shift but I…couldn’t…I got tied up at work. I was interning at my dad’s office that summer and you know how it is, especially when you’re the son of the boss. Can’t just cut out whenever you want.”
“I guess she ended up eating lunch with Brooke that day?”
“Yeah, I know. I shoulda pushed harder to get away. I don’t even remember what it was that kept me back now. Stupid. So stupid.”
His fist pounded down on the table, and Mia felt the anguish in her own body. His emotions were so raw it was easy to push into him. What she saw was a surprise though, and her breath hitched when the snippets of a scene flashed by. Inside a restaurant she didn’t recognize, Luke and Anita were leaning close together across the table and talking intently. Arguing maybe? Anita wiped at a tear on her cheek. Luke’s eyes were hard and his face infused with red.
“Was everything okay between you and Anita before she disappeared?” Mia blurted out.
Luke shrank back, but seeming to catch himself, squared his shoulders and turned to face her. “Yes, of course. We were crazy ab
out one another.”
Mia was aware of Roman’s sudden interest. His foot shifted over and rested lightly against hers under the table. When she flicked her glance across to his face, the message was clear in her mind to keep pressing this button.
“Oh, I know you two were tight. But couples, even the most loving and connected ones, have disagreements from time to time. I’ve heard Anita wasn’t herself the day she disappeared. You know, distracted and out of sorts. Maybe you guys had a fight the night before, at dinner?” she pressed.
“We were fine,” Luke insisted. “Nothing was wrong.”
Mia couldn’t see into him anymore, but she felt his fear rising up like a tidal wave followed by the most devastating pain. Then everything in her mind went dark. With a nod at Roman, she pushed away from her connection with Luke and exhaled quietly, trying to rid herself of the panicky sensation. She hated allowing anyone’s negative energy to invade her.
Unfortunately, the energy wouldn’t budge, and now her own uneasy fear joined in until her heartbeat pounded in her head and spots appeared in her line of vision. She climbed unsteadily to her feet. “I need to use the ladies room,” she said in a voice that sounded miles away from her.
She caught a glimpse of concern in Roman’s eyes and saw him pushing to his feet, but she shook her head, turned away, and fled to the restroom.
* * *
Mia stepped out of the ladies’ room to see Roman leaning against the wall swiping the screen on his phone and obviously waiting for her. His head snapped up the minute she appeared.
“Hey, you okay?”
She nodded, ignored the rising rush of embarrassment, and glanced over his shoulder toward their table. “I’m fine. Did Luke leave?”
“Yeah. He was pretty frazzled after you bolted though trying his damnedest not to show it. Then he pretended to get a text, which he didn’t because I was near enough to see his screen. He made some lame excuse about getting home to help with the boys.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left like I did. I just…couldn’t stay.”
Roman’s eyes scanned her face for a long moment. “What happened back there? You went ghost white. I swear you looked as if you were gonna drop like a stone. Did you see something again?”
Mia sighed and leaned against the wall beside him. “Not exactly. I think maybe Luke and Anita had a fight the night before she disappeared, but it was only a glimpse. I have no idea what it was about. That’s not what got to me though. It was his fear and pain today. As soon as I started asking about that stuff, he was terrified and it…okay, it’s hard to explain without sounding like a lunatic, but when the feeling gets into me, it’s…it’s horrible. I had to get rid of it. Except I couldn’t while I was sitting right across from him. I needed some distance.” She paused and stared down at her feet.
“Hey, I’m sorry.” Roman’s voice was barely more than a whisper. “I didn’t realize helping me would bring you so much pain. Look, we can drop it for now. If something comes to you—like before at the park—then great, but you don’t need to put yourself through this. The truth is, Anita’s gone. She’s not coming back. Nothing we figure out is gonna change that.”
Her breath caught, and she raised her eyes to meet Roman’s. In them she felt his genuine concern and sorrow. Steeling herself, she pushed out with her mind. Now his sadness and what was it?…remorse, maybe…filtered into her.
She stepped away from the wall. “No, absolutely not. We keep looking. Keep asking. I can handle it. Sometimes I’ll need a moment to stabilize myself and sometimes, if it’s too much, I’ll have to back away entirely for a bit, but I’ll be fine. Honest.”
His head shook back and forth like a dog with a bone. “No, I can’t ask you to do this. It’s not right.”
She grabbed his arm and squeezed tight, taking more of his despair into herself…taking as much of it as she could stand so he’d be sure to feel a good, solid lift of mood and energy. He gazed at her hand for a moment and then back into her eyes, the question showing clearly on his face.
What the hell? Why did she care so much all of a sudden? This was so unlike her. She couldn’t seem to think her way through the feelings to even begin figuring it out.
“It’s my decision,” she insisted stubbornly. “I’m going to keep looking for your sister whether you want me to or not.”
The silence stretched on for a few more moments, but she was content to wait while he stared down at her. Finally, he smiled, and his eyes warmed all the way through.
“You know something, Mia? You fascinate me. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
His hand reached out, and soft fingers stroked her cheek, causing her breath to once again catch in her throat. Carefully, painstakingly slowly, he lowered his face to hers while she stared back at him, heart galloping. When their lips met, Mia stopped thinking entirely and threw herself into the kiss. He tasted of coffee. His lips were warm and soft and somehow exactly perfect against hers.
A moan rose up from her chest, and she pressed into him, chest to chest, while his arms wrapped around her shoulders and stroked down her back. Somehow her hands were in his hair, all the masses of glorious black silk, and he eased her against the wall as their lips parted and tongues stroked in.
The wanting, the needing, clawed at her with such force she felt dizzy. Heat washed over her, and she closed her eyes against the too bright lights of the hallway before wriggling her hands up to his chest and pushing him back.
“No,” she said. “This isn’t going to happen.”
“From my point of view, it’s already happening,” Roman said, but he shifted away and released her from the wall. “There’s something here. Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves to figure out what it is?”
She shook her hair back and brushing by him, walked several steps before turning to face him again.
“It’s nothing more than some basic sexual heat. It happens all the time. I don’t know about you, but if I followed every hit of lust to its obvious conclusion I’d never get anything else done.”
She didn’t like the look of the smile breaking over his face.
“That was more than basic sexual heat, and you know it, but I get it might have scared you some. My powers with women are an awesome responsibility,” he drawled. “No worries. I can wait until you’ve wrestled your fear back down to manageable levels. But know this. I’m not done with you. Not by a long shot.”
“Oh, please, get over yourself,” she snapped. “I’m not twelve. Come to think of it, that ‘you’re scared and I can wait’ crap wouldn’t have worked on me even back then. I’m not scared. I’m just saying no.”
When he crossed his arms over his chest and kept right on smiling as if some all-knowing wise man, she growled and whirled away.
“I’ll go and talk to Luke again tomorrow. Alone,” she called out over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner and back into the coffee shop.
Chapter Twelve
It took a bit of pleading, but eventually Luke agreed to meet with Mia, this time in his office at the clinic. And while he was courteous and answered her questions, there was now a definite mental barrier erected between them. Although it was unlikely he’d have known Mia probed into his mind the day before, some part of him was blocking her out nonetheless.
When she realized she was getting nowhere with him, Mia decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it.
“Luke, I can’t help having this feeling something was going on with Anita the day she disappeared. If you know anything, please tell me because it could really help. The Mancini family is desperate to have some closure.” She grimaced and held up her hand. “I know, I hate that word, too, but in this case, finding her body would perhaps bring them some peace. I’m sure it must be the same for you?”
He scowled and leaned back in his chair. “Of course, I want that, but I don’t know anything. Frankly, the way you’re pressing this point—as if I’m the one who…made her disappear or know
what happened and have been withholding the information all these years—is insulting. I think we’re done here.” He stood and walked around the desk. “I’ve given you more than enough of my time, and I won’t talk to you about Anita again.”
Mia got to her feet and trailed after Luke to the door. It was only as she pulled her purse strap over her shoulder that she remembered what she’d brought and unzipped the outside compartment. She withdrew a slim, silver box embossed with Healing Crystals on the lid.
“I brought this for your wife.” She held the box out for Luke who studied it through narrowed eyes. “You said she enjoyed my jewelry, so I thought she might like this bracelet.” When he continued staring at the box, she sighed and lifted the lid. “Look, it’s not a bribe or anything, honest. I’m passionate about my art, and if Mandy appreciates it too, I’d love for her to have another piece. The stones are rose quartz for relaxation. Please, take it. No strings attached.”
Finally, he reached out and grasped the box, turning the bracelet over with his finger. “It’s nice. I think she’ll like it. Thank you.”
“You’re most welcome. Thanks again for talking to me.”
Mia shrugged internally while she walked back to her SUV. All in all, it could’ve been worse, she supposed. Yeah, Luke had more or less tossed her out of his office, but he hadn’t been nasty, and she had the feeling he was the type of man who wouldn’t necessarily hold it against her.
Turning back toward Main Street, she caught sight of Gabe’s Diner and found herself pulling into a parking space out front. Gabriel got off his stool and walked over to the take-out counter to greet her.
“Good afternoon, my friend. Is the Lord smiling down on you today?”
“Um…yes, thanks. How about you?”
He grinned. “Of course. For this is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Now, what can I get you?”
