I will not lose my composure. I will not make a fool out of myself.
“As promised, I brought coffee. I figured Marie would be here, too. Chuck at the coffee shop said Marie takes it black with a dash of sugar, and of course I know you like yours with caramel creamer, Syd.”
Marie took the proffered cup. “Oh honey, I wish I was younger. I’d chase you around this office.”
Mike laughed, but his eyes never left mine. Casually he stepped closer, and his extreme hotness nearly incinerated me.
Ruff. Ruff. Ruff.
Maggie Maye gave a series of barks at his feet.
“Hey there, Mags. Did you miss me? As soon as Sydney takes this coffee, I’ll pick you up.”
Shit, that was my cue. I took the coffee and inhaled its rich fragrance. “Thank you. Smells amazing.”
“Good.” He picked up Maggie Maye. She licked his face crazily—like it had been forever since she’d seen him.
My word. A man in a police T-shirt loving on a dog definitely had the lady parts screaming for attention.
“I need to mop. You two go back to Sydney’s office.”
I whipped my head around to stare at Marie. The office crew cleaned the night before. Their duties included mopping the floors. It smelled of bleach in the office. “What? They—”
Marie waved her hand. “Go. I need to get my chores done.”
Tilting her head, her eyes widened in a way that told me to just go with it. Mike’s brow bunched in confusion before he shook his head and chuckled.
“Out. Both of you. To the back. I need to hurry before our first patient arrives. Leave Maggie Maye with me. I need her help.”
This was beyond obvious. Maybe now was a good time to fall like I had before and escape the humiliation of Marie locking us in my office like a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven. “Marie, the floors are fine.”
Without warning, she grabbed my hand and pulled me into my office. Mike followed us inside and the door was promptly shut, leaving Maggie Maye with Marie in the waiting area.
I muttered, “I think you make every woman crazy.”
Mike gave no response, so I glanced up. The familiar tension between us grew, and I gulped. Yes, gulped. There was a hunger in Mike’s eyes I hadn’t seen before.
Think, Sydney. Think. “Umm, this is my office. Here’s my stethoscope.”
Mike didn’t move.
This was so awkward. I needed no help from Marie with this. I’d managed to get dates all on my own.
My nerves were rattled, and of course I kept prattling about. “This is the heart model I use to show the effects of heartworms. And this is—”
“Sydney.”
I looked his way. “Yes?”
“Why were you jealous about Maggie Maye last night?”
Oh hell. I was surely going to crack. Locked in a room with the mega hot cop. My defenses were going to fold like a cheap suit.
I licked my lips. “I think learning about heartworms would be better. We should definitely get Maggie Maye on preventative medicine if no one claims her in the next couple of days. And you should consider if you want to get her spayed. Accidental pregnancies can happen when she’s in heat.”
Accidental pregnancies? Maybe I should give myself a swirly.
He took a step forward. “I don’t think that would be better.”
I was filled with equal amounts of nervousness and anticipation. Of course, nerves got the better of me. “Maybe listen to my stethoscope? People love to do that.”
He took three measured steps, and I could feel the heat of his body next to me. My body called to be closer to his. My eyes drifted down to his feet.
I am so out of practice with this. Maybe the bookstore has a Dummies Guide to Dating.
Going to the bookstore was a must on my to-do list in the next couple of days.
With a gentle pressure from his finger under my chin, he pulled my head up to meet his gaze. “Will you please tell me?”
Please. My complete undoing. Damn you, sex-ridden brain!
“I was jealous she got a kiss good-bye from you.” Scared what he might think, I mashed my lips together. Of course, that only lasted two seconds. “I mean, I wanted to intercept it. But that would be crazy.”
The darkening of his blue eyes told me he liked what I’d said… maybe. Maybe I didn’t sound as crazy as I thought.
“How about I make it up to you with a good-morning kiss?”
Yes! Yes! Yes! His mouth was so close and his minty breath whispered over me. Oh, how I wanted to feel those lips. “I think that would help.”
Without another word, his lips pressed against mine. I let out a small sigh. Mike took advantage and slipped his tongue into my mouth. His taste was exquisite. One hand went to the nape of my neck and the other to the small of my back, pulling me flush against him.
Wow to the zer. The commanding feel of his mouth, combined with the possessive touch on my nape, had me nearly fainting. No, don’t faint! You can’t miss a second of this!
I moaned, and he pulled me closer to him, if that were possible.
Inside, I screamed for more.
Then he wrenched his mouth from mine, panting. “Fuck, that was amazing.”
I grinned. “Well said.” My brow furrowed. “Why’d you stop?”
“There’s someone in the waiting room asking for you.” At my look of confusion, he winked. “Cop ears.”
We walked to the door. Before he opened it, Mike turned to me. “I want to call in sick from work and kiss you all day long. How does dinner tomorrow night sound? I have to do some work tonight.”
“Like a date?”
“Yes, like a date.”
“Yes, I’d love to.”
“Perfect.”
We walked out into to the lobby to find Wesley with a bag of baked goods. “I came bearing gifts. Your fave from Chuck’s—chocolate croissants.”
“Oh yum. Thanks, Wesley.”
I took the bag and glanced at Mike, who was giving Wesley a hard stare. Oh, he had no idea Wesley and I were only friends. For all Mike knew, I acted like a crazy person for anyone with a penis. I never acted crazy in front of guys. Normally, they had zero effect. Which made it even harder to come to grips with my erratic behavior.
Motioning between the two men, I made introductions. “Mike, this is Wesley. Wesley, Mike.” Turning back to Mike, I said, “Wesley and I have been friends since we were kids.”
A little of the tension eased from his face, but not all of it. “Wesley.”
“Mike.”
Is that a guy thing? Did they already meet? I’d ask Mike later.
An awkward silence fell over the room. Wesley cleared his throat. “I wanted to see if you were available for dinner tonight.”
Beside me, Mike stiffened only slightly. If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t want another girl inviting him to dinner without more explanation. I needed an excuse. “Sounds fun, but Mike and I have plans tonight. Maybe a rain check?”
Mike’s face relaxed, and he almost smiled. Until we had time to talk, I wanted him to understand that Wesley was simply a friend. Of course, I would never abandon my friend, but I wanted to explore what I had with Mike.
Wesley pulled out his phone. “What if we went out as a group? It might be nice. How about dinner at A Mano Italian tonight instead of later this week? Does seven work?”
Wesley wasn’t giving up, but that was normal. Once he had his mind set on something, it was rare he changed courses. I glanced at Mike, who nodded. “It does.”
I guessed his plans were changeable. Phew.
Wesley checked the time. “I need to run to a meeting. See you both tonight. I’m going to check if Leslie can make it.”
Leslie? Who’s Leslie? I shrugged, figuring I’d find out soon enough. I waved. “Bye, Wesley.”
“Bye, Sydney.”
Marie stood from where she’d been sitting at her desk. I had forgotten she was in the room. “I have some dusting I need to do in your office.�
�
As she left the room, Mike watched me. I touched his arm. “Wesley is just a friend. I promise.”
He nodded. “Okay. I won’t stop you from seeing your friends, Syd.”
I smiled. “I figured that. But I wanted to make sure you understood Wesley and I are only friends. I hope you’re not missing anything too important tonight. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.”
With each passing second, Mike grew more comfortable with me again. “I had some stuff to look into for a few cases I have, that’s all. I’d have to stop for dinner at some point.”
“Good. I’m glad it worked out. Do you know Wesley?”
Mike ran a hand down his scruff. “We’ve had a few disagreements with some cases. I’ve only spoken with him a handful of times. I’m sure he’s a great guy.”
Oh yeah, cop meets lawyer. Now I understood why there might be a bit of animosity. Hopefully, outside of work, differences would be put aside. Dinner was going to be interesting.
Sydney
“So, Mike, how do you like Salem?” Wesley asked.
Mike finished his drink before answering. “It’s a great city.” He winked at me. “As of four days ago, Salem became my favorite city.”
I couldn’t help but grin as he stared at me, clearly indicating I was the reason why.
Thank goodness things at dinner between Mike and Wesley were normal. It had been an emotionally exhausting day at work. We’d had to let two families know that test results had determined their pets had terminal cancer. Losing a pet was the worst part of my job. I had known those two dogs since they were puppies.
Since then, my mood had remained sullen.
Mike had offered to pick me up from the clinic, but appointments had run late. So we met at the restaurant instead.
I motioned to the empty seat. “Is Leslie going to make it?”
“I hope so. Her meeting is running late.”
From what I’d gathered, Leslie and Wesley had been dating for a little over a month.
I took a sip of my wine, hoping that now Mike understood Wesley and I were simply friends. Nothing more.
A woman approached the table, and Wesley dabbed his mouth as he stood. “Hello, darling. Glad you could make it.”
She gave him a quick kiss. “Sorry I’m late. Things didn’t go according to plan.”
“I can tell. Come sit down.” Wesley pulled out her chair and helped her settle at the table. “Leslie, this is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Sydney, and her date, Mike.”
Since he was introducing her to me—one of his oldest friends—he must consider her more than just a romp between the sheets.
We exchanged pleasantries. Leslie was cute, with dark hair cut in a pixie style and warm brown eyes.
Leslie smiled. “I’m excited to meet you. Wesley said one of his best friends moved here. Hopefully, we can grab coffee sometime. You can give me all the dirt to hold over Wesley’s head.”
I laughed. “Sure thing. But Wesley is pretty boring. He was the one always keeping me out of trouble.”
Wesley rolled his eyes. “Only when you were impractical and could have gotten hurt.”
Cocking my head, I quipped, “Don’t be such a stuffed shirt,” and everyone at the table laughed. As we laughed, our server brought over steaming plates loaded with food. Mike’s steak looked mouthwatering, but one bite of my pasta convinced me I’d made the right choice. After we’d begun to eat, Leslie motioned with her fork between Mike and me. “How long have you been dating?”
I shook my head and laughed, knowing how crazy it sounded. “Like a day, maybe. I don’t know if it counts since we haven’t been on an official date yet.”
Beside me, Mike squeezed my leg. “A mistake I plan to rectify soon.”
Leslie sighed. “That’s so sweet.”
Leslie filled the silence with small talk about the town, her job, and her favorite shops. Eventually, Mike grabbed my hand; his thumb made small, soothing strokes on mine. The waiter came around, removing plates and asking about dessert.
Mike’s pager went off and he checked it as discreetly as possible. Regret was written all over his face when he turned to me. “I need to go. There’s been a break-in.”
“I think I’m going to head home, too. I’m exhausted,” I said. “Do you need me to get Maggie Maye for you?”
He placed his napkin on the table and motioned for the water. “I don’t think so. If I do, I’ll let you know. Are you good to get home?”
The waiter approached the table, and Mike handed him a card. Wesley said to Mike, “I’ll get dinner tonight. My treat.”
“Thanks for the offer. But I’ll get Syd’s and mine.”
Leslie gave a pouty face and said, “I wish you’d stay for dessert.” It seemed an overly exaggerated expression considering her age.
“Thank you. But I’m exhausted. We had to let two families know their pets were terminal today, and now they have to decide if they want to put them down. It’s been a rough day.”
Mike squeezed my hand, and I saw the sympathy in his eyes. Wesley nodded my way. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“I will, thanks.”
Across from me, Leslie persisted. “It’ll help take your mind off everything. Please stay.”
I stood with Mike as he signed the check. “Rain check. It was nice meeting you. Night, Wesley.”
Wesley stood. “Night, Sydney. Sorry about your day.”
“Thanks.”
There was a storm rolling in. Mike held my hand as we walked to my car. A dull headache throbbed at the back of my head. “I thought something was off. You need to talk about it?”
“No. It’s part of the job. It just makes for a sucky day. I’m going to go home, curl up in bed, and maybe research the letter.”
Mike leaned in to kiss my cheek. “I’ll make sure we don’t have any interruptions tomorrow night. There is something I want to talk to you about. It’s something I found in one of the houses here in town. It can wait, though. I’ll call to check on you later.”
“I can’t wait. Go catch some bad guys.”
That made him smile. “I will.”
I looked in the rearview mirror as I was pulling out of the lot. Mike had stayed until I was safely on my way.
When I was finally home, I put on my pajamas and settled in bed with my laptop and the notebook. I needed to research Quinn Soloman and her family to see what I could find out. As soon as I had some free time, I planned to stop by and see Beatrice at the welcome center. That was a great place to get information on the history of the town.
I held the compass Grandpa had given me as I searched.
There were no records of Quinn Soloman from Salem, Massachusetts. That wasn’t a surprise because records from the 1800s weren’t necessarily online. I searched the name Hathorne and found a Judge John Hathorne, who had been a judge during the witch trials. He’d had two sons and had regretted being part of the trials. I kept reading, wondering if there was any connection. Nathaniel Hawthorne had been a famous writer who changed his name almost a hundred years later in order to disassociate himself from the judge. This wasn’t much to go on. Maybe Beatrice will know. She was one of the most knowledgeable people in the area.
Ahh, the questions.
This was exactly what I needed after a yucky day.
My phone rang. Mike’s name scrolled across the screen, and I gave a little giggle seeing it. I was shocked at the time, though. Over three hours had passed since I arrived home, and I hadn’t noticed.
“Hello, Officer Murphy.”
“I thought I was Mike to you.”
“Aren’t you in uniform?”
For a moment, there was silence, and then Mike’s voice came back on the line. “Not anymore.”
“You’re naked?” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I mean… Don’t answer that. I don’t want the image of you naked. I mean… Yes, I do want the image. But no… no… no… this is going terribly wrong. I’m going to stop talking now.”
Laughter greeted me from the other end of the line. “I’ve put on a pair of sweatpants. I had to remedy being Officer Murphy.” Sigh… he wanted me to call him Mike. “Unless you want me to be naked.”
I froze. How am I supposed to respond to that? Hearing him get all bothered on the phone would be hot. Like whoa hot. But… but… but…
“Syd, I was kidding. Sweatpants will stay on. What are you doing?”
Thinking about you stroking your dick.
Wait. Did I say that aloud? I waited, but Mike didn’t react. No, I hadn’t. Phew. Focus. Mike had changed the subject, so I took that as an opportunity to do so, as well, and avoid any further humiliation.
“I’m trying to research the names we found in the letter.”
“What’d you find?”
“Nothing on Quinn or her family. I found some on the Hathornes, but I think it was because Judge John Hathorne presided over the witch trials. There’s no mention of a daughter.”
I scrolled and found nothing useful. “Gah! If only I was a detective. I feel like my Nancy Drew skills are broken. The internet is not my friend.”
“I’m coming over with Maggie Maye.”
“You are?”
“If that’s okay. I wanted to talk to you about what I found in the Salem Witch House Museum.”
“Yes, it’s fine.” More than fine.
I heard the sound of a door closing on his end of the line. “Admit it. You’re a closet scavenger hunt lover.”
“Hello, my name is Mike Murphy, and I love scavenger hunts.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it’s why I became a cop. The thrill of solving a mystery. And this is more exciting since it involves history.”
“Oh, yes, history buff. I don’t mean you’re buff. I mean you are a buff.” I groaned and dropped my head back against the headboard. “I’m going to stop talking now.”
He chuckled, and I bit my lip. I could head the crickets chirping loudly from Mike’s side of the call. I better get dressed. What should I wear?
There was a knock at my door as he said, “I’m here, Syd.”
“Wait—you’re here?” Still in my nightie, I threw on my robe and drew the tie tight. “How’d you get here so fast?”
Dangerous Temptations Page 7
