by Temple Hogan
It must have worked because he glanced at her with a smile and looked away until the image reached his brain. He jerked his head back to look at her, and she saw that familiar flare in the depths of his gaze.
Oh yes, he got the message.
She was one hot sexy babe, and he was thinking home and bed right this minute. But she had something else in mind. She leaned forward, letting her breast brush against his arm.
“Has Jack told you he’s a plumber?” she asked Beck.
“No kidding,” Beck said. “I’m looking for a good plumber. I’ve been doing a lot of updating on an old Victorian. I can do the building and finishing, but I’m out of my league when it comes to plumbing. Could you take us on?”
“Uh, we’re booked up pretty far,” Jack hedged. “I’d have to check our schedule.”
“We can wait,” Beck said. “We’ve made do until now so a few weeks more won’t make a difference. We want someone we can trust and who knows what he’s doing.”
“Then, you’ll want my brother, Bart,” Jack said evasively.
“Do you have a card?” Beck asked.
“Uh, not on me,” Jack said, fiddling with his glass, making wet circles on the tabletop.
“That’s all right. I’ll look you up in the book,” Beck said amiably.
Jack’s expression looked pained.
“Look, you’re better off to just get another plumber. Sorry.” Nervously, he picked up his glass and took a long swig of beer. Why should he be so nervous, Sera wondered, and so evasive if his brother really was a plumber? The answer came to her in a flash.
Because he wasn’t a plumber!
He’d lied, but what did he do and why had he been in her house that night she first saw him? She wanted answers, and she was determined that before the night was over, Jack Trent would be spilling his guts. She smiled at him again, letting her eyelashes dip so she was viewing him through slitted eyes. He might not be an Incubus, but she was still a witch. An ordinary man didn’t stand a chance.
He picked up his glass and took another swallow, avoiding her eyes. She looked at him adoringly. Never had a man appeared so wide-eyed, deer-caught-in-a-headlight, and though she was in no way an expert with men, even she could see he was lying. She studied him with a smoldering glance, and he laughed nervously and began to relax again, while she assessed everything about him, using her witchy powers without one ounce of hesitation. She’d been a good girl long enough. Mums, your innocent little baby girl has come of age with a bang.
She let her gaze slide over Jack, noting things about him with new eyes. Yes, he was incredibly handsome, that hadn’t changed, but in a different way from most men she’d met. He was in great condition, not run-of-the-mill, workout at the gym, but harder like Nick who used to be a police captain but had since become a lawyer. Come to think of it, Jack reminded her of Nick in a lot of ways—that self-contained air, the quiet, coiled strength, never flaunted but you were aware it was there, the vigilance, as if he was watching and weighing everything. Was he a policeman? Why would he hide that? And why would a policeman pretending to be a plumber be in her kitchen?
She studied him some more, the way he turned his head, cautious and alert. He sipped his beer, and to a casual observer, he might appear relaxed, but Sera could see the coiled tension, the wary alertness. He was a man who was hiding something. She was sure of it. She reached across the table toward him, and in so doing, knocked over his nearly full glass of beer. With a little help from her, it splattered his shirt and soaked his lap. Jack jumped to his feet.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, grabbing a paper napkin and swiping at his clad thighs with one hand while she lifted his wallet from his back pocket with the other. She hid it in the folds of her skirt.
“What a mess,” she said, swiping at her own dress although it had remained perfectly dry. “Excuse me, everybody, while I clean up.” Without waiting for a reply, she took off. She was barely inside the ladies’ lounge when her two sisters entered, their expressions avid.
“Did you get it?” Charlie asked, sprawling on the lounge chair next to her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sera said, hiding the wallet behind her.
“Oh, don’t even try,” Phil said. “You could never keep a secret from us. We know when you’re lying. Besides, I saw you lift his wallet, like a real professional. I was proud of you. What I want to know is why?”
“He’s lying, and you want to know who he really is,” Charlie said. “Let us help.”
Sera hesitated a moment, then gave in.
“Oh, all right! He said he was a plumber, and he was in my kitchen under the sink when I arrived there from your wedding, but there are things that just don’t add up. I just want to take a look at his credentials.” She brought out the wallet and thumbed through to the driver’s license. Immediately, her sisters crowded closer, their heads bumping against hers as they jockeyed for a better view.
“Do you see anything that looks suspicious?” Charlie demanded.
“Not yet,” Sera said with some disappointment and dug through the wallet some more. Suddenly, a separate section fell open displaying a badge.
“He’s a policeman,” Charlie said and caught her breath as she got a better look at the badge. “FBI.” She looked at her sister with wide, alarmed eyes. “What on earth have you been doing that the FBI is investigating you?”
“Nothing,” squealed Sera.
“How do we know he’s investigating Sera?” Phil asked pragmatically. “We both know she’s the soul of innocence. I’ll bet she’s never even had a parking ticket.”
“Yeah, what would a librarian be doing that brings her to the attention of the FBI? You haven’t been selling pornography on the web, have you?” Charlie asked incredulously.
“I won’t even dignify that with an answer,” Sera snapped.
“Then I just don’t get it,” Charlie said, staring at the floor. She jerked her head and looked at Sera. “We have to tell Nick. He’ll be able to find out what this is about. He has friends in the FBI.”
“Maybe this is a fake badge. Maybe Jack Trent is a con artist who tricks women into giving him money,” Phil speculated.
“I don’t have any money, well, not like a million or something,” Sera said, feeling deflated that Jack was using her for his own nefarious purposes.
“Have you forgotten the money you inherited from Aunt Claire? I’ll bet you invested it without spending one shilling. You must have a small fortune now.”
“Not enough to attract a con man,” Sera argued. She wanted to cry, but she was damned if she would in front of her sisters. “Besides, this is all conjecture. Jack is probably just an ordinary guy like Nick and Beck.”
Her sisters exchanged glances.
“Our guys are not ordinary,” they stated adamantly as one.
“But you thought Beck had murdered his wife when you first met him,” Sera pointed out to Phil.
Her sister smiled. “I never thought Beck was a murderer,” she said softly. “I knew he wasn’t.”
“Then why are you so quick to think the worst of Jack?” Sera countered.
“Baby, you’re the one who nabbed his wallet. Why do you have doubts?”
“I…I don’t. I just wanted to find out more about him.”
“That’s good. A woman should find out everything she can about a man before she gives him her heart and body.” Phil paused and studied Sera’s expression.
“Too late,” Sera said, her voice wavering while she wiped at her wet cheeks.
“Oh, Sera,” Charlie said softly, taking hold of Sera’s hand. Charlie took a deep breath. “Then we just have to find out who he really is and what he’s about and make him change his ways so he’s worthy of you.” She paused, and her shoulders slumped. “Damn, for the first time in forever, I miss our father.”
“Why on earth do you say that?” Phil demanded. “He ran off and left mums and us years ago. We don’t need him for anything.”
>
“Of course we do,” Phil said. “A father can keep a better eye on his daughters and make sure the men they take up with are decent.”
“You and Charlie seemed to have done that on your own,” Sera said roughly, tired of where this conversation had veered. “What makes you think I can’t do the same? Don’t interfere. It’s all your fault, anyway. This all came about because you were talking about an Incubus for me. If you hadn’t done that, I would have been careful to check Jack’s credentials. Tonight, I’ll talk to him, and I’m sure he’ll clear everything up.”
“I hope so,” Phil said doubtfully.
“If he can’t, you throw him out, and if you need some help, call Phil, she’s good at that.”
“Ha,” Phil said and grinned. They were all thinking of her last boyfriend when Beck came on the scene. Even Beck had helped. That had made him a good guy in their book, no matter what the rumors were.
“I have to go,” Sera said, getting to her feet and looking in the mirror. “Do I look like I’ve been crying?” she asked.
“No, love, you look fabulous.” Charlie assured her.
“You look better in that dress than Charlie did,” Phil said, earning a hard glance from her middle sister. She linked her arms with Sera and Charlie.
“Three for one and one for all, to paraphrase,” she said brightly, and they left the lounge and headed back to the table.
Jack stood up as they approached and eyed them appreciatively, but his gaze settled on Sera, and she blushed in spite of her new suspicions.
“It’s time we head home,” he said, brushing at his wet pants.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, putting her arm around his waist and in so doing, replacing his wallet in his hip pocket.
“It’s okay,” he said softly. “You can make up for it later.”
The blood strummed through her veins. How was she going to be tough and demand answers when he could affect her like this with just one word? Well, she must. Sex tonight would not be an innocent roll in the hay. She was on a quest for information, and she knew just how to get it. She felt like Mata Hari.
“Stay strong,” Charlie said to her.
Phil nodded her head in agreement, then they each turned to their husbands, perfect men in every way, but not nearly as perfect as Jack. Sera was more confused than ever, but determined Jack would tell her the truth about himself or she’d turn him into a centipede. She hoped she could keep to her resolve.
They said their goodbyes and headed home. Jack pulled into the driveway and turned to her.
“I liked your family.”
“Thanks, they’re pretty terrific most of the time.”
“Are your mom and dad still alive?” he asked, holding her hand.
“Mums is. I’m not sure about my father. We’ve never heard from him since he left.”
“And you’ve never seen him since?” His voice rose at the end as if he didn’t quite believe her.
“Time for you to answer a few questions,” she said, keeping her voice light. “Exactly who is Jack Trent?”
“You know as much about me as there is to tell,” he answered with a shrug. “My brother has his own plumbing business, and I work for him in the summer and teach at the local college in the winter.” He glanced at her. “And I seduce beautiful women who think I’m an Incubus.”
“I know you’re not an Incubus,” she said sternly.
“And you’re not a witch?” he teased.
“Actually, I am,” she said and opened the car door for herself and got out.
“Wait a minute,” he said, getting out from behind the wheel. He studied her face, but she didn’t meet his gaze. “All right. So you’re a witch. I can believe that because you’ve certainly bewitched me.”
He gripped her shoulders and lowered his head. She ducked away. She’d given him a chance to explain, and he hadn’t taken it.
She had to think this through, she realized. She’d been living in a fantasy world, telling herself he was an Incubus, believing her sisters had sent the perfect lover without her having to go out and look for him. Now when he was less than perfect, when he proved to have secrets of his own, she was angry and confused. She had no one to blame for this but herself.
“Good night, Jack,” she said firmly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked in bewilderment, so she faced him squarely.
“I’m tired,” she said. “I need some time alone to think.” She drew a deep breath. “You’re not telling me the whole truth about who you are. How can I trust you?”
He didn’t argue, but he looked at her for a long time, as if trying to discern what was behind her words.
“It’s a bridge that works both ways.” he said finally and got in his car.
Rolling down the window, he hesitated as if he might say something else, but he put his car in gear and drove away. She stared after his blinking taillights, disappointed the evening had ended as it had. Straightening her shoulders, she went inside straight to her computer. It was time she did a little investigation of Jack Trent. Her heart wasn’t in it, as she booted up the machine. Suddenly, she was afraid of what she might find, and she had a horrible feeling it would change her life forever.
* * * *
“How’d your date go?” Hurley asked when Jack stepped through the door.
The young agent took off the headphones and placed them on the dining room table where the equipment was set up. His stocking feet were propped up on one of the chairs. A Sudoku puzzle book lay nearby.
“Interesting,” Jack said and loosened his tie. He took off his suit coat and draped it over one of the unused chairs then sat down. “I met some of her family, her sisters and their husbands. Nice, ordinary people. I don’t see them connected with Mannie Somner. In fact, one of her sisters, Charlie, is a policeman and her husband, Nick Hilliard, used to be police captain. He’s a lawyer now, and I don’t know the story behind that.” He stopped talking and looked at the listening devices spread out on the table.
“Any luck?”
“Nah,” Hurley said, shaking his head. “All’s quiet on the western front.”
“I thought for sure Somner’d take advantage and use the phone again.”
“This may not help us nab the bastard,” Hurley said, “and I’m getting tired of being stuck inside listening to this thing all day. How much longer are we going to do it?”
“I’ll take over tomorrow,” Jack said without telling Hurley that he’d hit a wall in his relationship with Sera. “Might as well shut it down for the night and get some rest. She’s back home, and no one’s going to use her phone while she’s there.”
“You don’t think she’s connected with this then?” Hurley asked.
Jack found himself shaking his head. “Let’s just say I’m not as certain as when we started out.”
He rose and headed for one of the bedrooms. He’d expected a different ending to this night, but he’d spooked Sera, and when she’d asked for the truth, she’d known he was lying or at least keeping something from her. He reviewed the conversation he’d had with her family, looking for anything that must have raised red flags with her. Beck’s questions about plumbing had been tough since he didn’t know squat about it. Well, the damage was done. Now, he had to figure out some way to undo it. He’d try again in the morning, but what would he tell her? Maybe the truth!
He got undressed and went to bed, but he was restless and couldn’t sleep. He wanted Sera beside him, no he wanted Sera beneath him, on top of him, any way she wanted to go as long as they were making love. That word stopped him. Love! Not something he considered much in his present life, but he knew for damn sure she was getting to him. He got lost in the thought of her slim body with all its moist giving parts, her warm, fragrant skin, and pushed his face into his pillow.
This was part of the job, he told himself. Fucking her was just a way to get closer to Somner, but inside himself, he knew better. He’d had trouble keeping his hands off her from the first moment
he saw her. She’d occupied far too much of his attention.
She was an interesting woman. He was no longer an Incubus, probably hadn’t measured up to her expectations, but according to her, she was still a witch. He chuckled into the darkness. He could barely wait for morning. He’d concoct a new story about himself, one she’d believe, and go to her house and screw her brains out, then he’d start all over again. He thought about his promise to relieve Hurley. Well, his partner could take some time off. Jack would be with Sera in her home so no calls would be made from there tomorrow. He patted his pillow into place and fell asleep dreaming about Sera with her long beautiful legs wrapped around him, her smile loving and warm.
Sometime during the night, he had a wet dream, the best he’d ever enjoyed. He was making love to Sera, and his muscles clenched in a paroxysm of passion. Just as he was about to climax, she pulled away from him, tears on her cheeks and asked who he really was. He couldn’t tell her, words wouldn’t come, although he tried to speak. She smiled through her tears, a smile so sad that it broke his heart then she faded away into a mist.
“No, come back,” he called, but she was gone.
He woke with a frightening urge to speak to Sera. It was the middle of the night. She’d be sleeping. He’d have to wait ‘til morning to talk to her. He lay back against his pillow and stared into the darkness. Fear of losing something that meant a great deal to him haunted him so he couldn’t sleep.
Chapter Nine
He was sitting on her doorstep when she went out for the mail. Her heart clutched with relief. She’d spent the night worried that she might never see him again. Now he was here. Don’t give in without finding out the truth, she warned herself.
“Good morning,” she said coolly as if she was used to finding attractive men camped on her front porch.
