by Tara Randel
She opened her mouth to respond, but what could she say? No, he shouldn’t have kissed her, not on the job. Wasn’t it an unspoken rule that you didn’t kiss your partner on a stakeout? But she’d wanted him to. Was glad he did. Now what?
He cleared his throat. “It’s one thing if we kiss for the sake of the cover, in front of people who think we’re married. I don’t have an excuse for this moment.”
Covering her reaction to his kiss, she straightened her shoulders. “You’re right. We don’t.”
His brows angled. He kept his mouth shut, making her wonder what he was thinking. Certainly regretting his actions. His chagrined look confirmed it.
When he didn’t say anything else, Eloise stepped back, tottering on her high heels. He reached out to grab her but she held him off. “I’m fine.”
Dante ran a hand over his hair. “Eloise—”
“We should get back. Write up our report while the events of tonight are still fresh in our minds.”
“Right. Report.”
Still, she lingered. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started to walk.
She blinked rapidly. They needed to move, not hang around and chat about their feelings. What if the thieves came back and found them? They couldn’t take the chance.
When they reached the front of the building, Dante scanned the surrounding area before waving her forward. “Clear.”
They jogged back to the truck, jumping inside. Eloise caught her breath, reached out to turn the key she’d left in the ignition. Dante’s hand caught hers in midair.
“What just happened back there... Is it going to be a problem?”
She searched his face for any tip-off to what he might be feeling. All she could see was his cop face, straightforward with no emotion.
Swallowing hard, she said, “Let’s chalk it up to adrenaline. We’re professionals, Dante.” Professional. Right. “We won’t let a slip like this happen again.”
He nodded and turned to look out the window.
Embarrassment flushed her cheeks. Thank goodness it was dark so he couldn’t see her mortification. She started the truck and steered in the direction of home, wondering how on earth she was going to face him at the breakfast table tomorrow, acting like he hadn’t just altered her world.
CHAPTER NINE
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Eloise hitched a breath before entering the kitchen. Dante sat at the table, an empty plate before him, scrolling through his phone. How did he manage to look so handsome after only a few hours’ sleep? She’d intentionally walked past the mirror without looking when she rose this morning.
Dante set the device down and gave her his full attention when she tossed a file on the table.
“Your guy is Greg Reed. He’s got a sheet. Juvenile record. He’s kept his nose clean for the past fifteen years.”
“More like he just hasn’t gotten himself caught.” He opened the file and read. “Auto theft. Petty theft.”
“He was working solo back then. Maybe he feels safer having a boss, or a network, to work with.”
“I don’t know. He was pretty cocky, strutting around and barking out commands. I could tell Rico was ticked but managed to hold it in.”
“Maybe Rico doesn’t want to upset the ringleader?”
“That would be my guess. He might not like Greg around, but Rico’s in too deep now. He’ll put up with this guy as long as the money is rolling in.” Dante closed the file. “Any luck on the warehouse?”
Blinking the grit from her eyes, Eloise adjusted her glasses, then turned and poured herself a mug of coffee. The rich aroma did little to energize her. Leaning against the counter, she answered, “No luck there. I only found a numbered corporation as the owner and kept digging deeper, but got nowhere. Once I reached a dead end, I wondered if it’s a front for a dummy corporation. I’ll keep searching.”
“I called Chambers this morning. He said he’d station a surveillance team outside the warehouse.”
Taking a few steps across the room, Eloise sank down into a chair across the table from him. “If we can find the location where the cars are being shipped next, it would certainly go a long way in revealing who is in charge.” She sipped the coffee. Winced at the industrial-strength potency.
The corner of Dante’s mouth angled down. “Sorry. Not my best pot of coffee.”
She set the mug on the table and ran a hand through her messy hair. After last night’s adventure, she’d tossed and turned, finally rising well before dawn to power up the computer and start her searches. Still dressed in an oversize sleep shirt and yoga pants, she wasn’t exactly at her best after little sleep.
Dante nodded to the stove. “I scrambled some eggs if you’re hungry.”
Hungry? After last night? Hardly. “I’m fine.”
A heavy silence settled on the room.
“Eloise, about last night.”
She held up a hand. “We’re good. There’s no need to rehash our lapse of judgment.”
He flinched. “I need to explain.”
This she couldn’t wait to hear. He’d kissed her, then quickly apologized. Obviously, he’d decided she wasn’t worth the trouble.
“Look, I stepped over the line.”
She held her tongue.
“My brother warned me about this. Working closely together, that is. That line between the job and personal feelings being blurred. I’m the guy everyone accuses of being impetuous. Jumping in before considering the consequences. I don’t want that for us, Ellie.”
She closed her eyes. She’d never admit it, but she loved it when he shortened her name. Ellie sounded playful, fun. Unlike nose-to-the-grindstone Eloise.
But Dante was correct. He was labeled the loose cannon. And since most of her colleagues considered her by-the-book all the time, she understood the weight, and resentment, of carrying an identity others saddled you with.
Releasing a sigh, she asked, “What do you want?”
“To finish out this case. Then maybe we can figure out where we stand.”
She met his gaze head-on. “Where we stand?”
“Personally.”
It took everything in her to control a shiver. His eyes were dark. Heated. But he was right. Neither of them could risk crossing the line. After they closed the investigation? That was a different story.
“About that kiss,” he clarified.
“I know what you were referring to.” She paused, wanting to ask, What about what I want? but had come to terms with the fact that they were on a job. There were expectations and duties to uphold. This was their real purpose, not playing at being married. The case needed to be wrapped up and personal feelings had no place in the middle of an op.
Too late, Ellie, the part of her who didn’t hide her feelings taunted.
Dante leaned forward in his seat. “If our superiors get wind of us becoming...closer during this op, do you think any of them will condone it? No. Then we can both kiss the promotion goodbye.”
Her breath stilled in her chest. The promotion. Last night, she’d been so topsy-turvy over his kiss, all thoughts of the sought-after promotion had flown from her mind when his warm lips brushed hers. It wasn’t until she’d gotten home that the gravity of their actions hit her. She could have blown all her hard work for a few moments of paradise. And to make matters worse, she’d so easily kissed him back. While her feelings for him were accelerating, he seemed to be backpedaling, considering last night’s conduct a big mistake.
She cleared her throat. “I know all this, Dante. I agree. We take a step back.” Even if she wanted to throw caution to the wind, she couldn’t. She wanted the promotion as much as Dante. If they continued down the road they’d started last night, neither of them would accomplish their goal. “We forget about what happened. Keep up the married-couple ruse until the case closes. Find out which one of us makes s
ergeant.”
He reached across the table to place his hand over hers. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I wasn’t thinking.”
Neither had she. Now she had to abandon any personal feelings and wishful what-ifs. What a crazy idea, that Dante would want to have anything more than a working relationship with her.
“Don’t apologize. I wanted to kiss you as much as you wanted to kiss me. You’re right. It was ill-timed and thoughtless. We need to move forward.”
He nodded, but in the last moments, she’d been unable to read his eyes. Had he put up a wall? Fine, then she would, too.
“I need to get ready for work.” He rose, carried his dish and coffee mug to the sink, rinsed them off and placed them in the dishwasher. He stopped right next to her before leaving. “You sure we’re okay?”
Ignoring the scent of his tantalizing cologne and the warmth of his body, she nodded firmly. “Absolutely.”
He sent her a questioning look, then left the kitchen.
Eloise sat in silence, blinking back the moisture gathering in her eyes. The refrigerator motor kicked on, rattling with a mechanical hum. Grabbing her mug, she headed out back, away from Dante and the sting of his rejection.
Stepping onto the patio, she covered her eyes against the late-morning sun. Birds chirped a cheery song overhead. “Quiet,” she muttered, then dropped into a chaise longue, placing her mug on the table nearby. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes. Maybe she could finally fall asleep. Put the discussion with Dante out of her mind for good.
Just as she was dozing off, a creaking sound stirred her. She cracked one eye open to see Martha, covered dish in hand, slowly making her way across the grassy stretch of yard to the patio.
“Oh, my dear. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
Eloise linked her fingers and raised her arms over her head to stretch. “I’ve heard sleep is overrated.”
Martha laughed. “I see you’ve been spending time with our sassy Stella.”
“Guilty as charged.”
Martha placed the plate on the outdoor table. “I baked cookies. When you didn’t stop by for coffee this morning, I decided to drop them off. Thought your hunky husband might like them.”
“Hunky?”
A becoming blush swept over Martha’s face. “As if you haven’t noticed.”
Oh, she had, much to her detriment.
“Have a seat,” Eloise invited.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Martha, hand gripping her cane, made her way to the chair closest to the chaise. “Beautiful day.”
Eloise shrugged, took a sip of her cooling coffee and grimaced. She needed to dump Dante’s sludge and make a new pot.
“Something troubling you, dear?”
Eloise cocked her head. Was it obvious?
“Those circles under your eyes give you away.”
Eloise met Martha’s concerned gaze and her heart sank. Oh, how she wanted to confide the truth to someone. She was in deep water and felt like the riptide was carrying her farther and farther away from the safety of the shore. She didn’t have any close friends to talk to, couldn’t tell Brandy about her conflicted emotions or word would get back to the station. Her parents would most likely brush her off. But here sat a woman Eloise felt herself growing closer to, offering a chance to unburden her heart. Did she dare?
“This marriage thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”
“Oh, Ellie, marriage is a lot of hard work. No couple makes the perfect partnership right away. It takes time and you’re just starting out.”
Eloise nearly choked at Martha’s words. Partnership? The sweet woman had no idea.
“I’m not being foolish, Martha. I get that things don’t gel overnight.”
“George and I were married for over fifty years when he passed. A day didn’t go by that I learned something new about the man I’d lived with for most of my life.”
Fifty years? Eloise couldn’t imagine being in love for that long, but had to admit she saw happy couples in loving marriages every day. Even her parents had a good life together. It was dealing with an unwanted daughter they had problems with.
Martha pierced Eloise’s gaze with hers. “That’s not to say it was all fun and games. We had years where things didn’t go right, but we kept the lines of communication open. That’s important.”
Yes. Like Dante reminding Eloise they couldn’t cross the line in this work relationship. Before this case, no one would have had to warn her of the pitfalls of doing so. Yet here she sat, dwelling on those blurry lines and nursing a bruised heart as a result.
“I suppose I have to work on my patience.”
“Oh, dear, this is just the beginning. Wait until little ones come along.”
Eloise couldn’t fathom that far ahead. She was still trying to wrap her mind around one kiss. “Please, don’t rush me.”
Martha laughed. “Nothing worth having is easy.”
“Trust me, nothing about Dan is easy.”
As if on cue, Dante sauntered outside. “Did I hear someone say my name?”
Eloise controlled an eye roll.
“I was just telling your wife that I made cookies.” Martha pointed to the dish. “For you.”
Dante placed a hand over his heart. “What did we do to deserve you for a neighbor?” He leaned down to peck a kiss on the older woman’s pink cheek, then lifted the dish to sniff the goodies under the covering. “Chocolate chip?”
Martha grinned.
“My favorite.”
Eloise had to admit, she was as smitten with Dante as Martha, so she needed to send him off before she forgot her vow to remain professional. “Time to leave?”
Dante’s dark gaze met hers. “It is. See you later.”
Eloise nodded as Dante took the dish inside with him.
The birds sang overhead and squirrels chattered as they jumped from one tree branch to another, foraging for food. Eloise took another sip of coffee, shook her head and set the mug down.
“You know you can talk to me whenever you need to,” Martha said, her voice steady. “I won’t judge.”
Eloise couldn’t meet her gaze. “Why would you judge?”
Martha looked at the kitchen door, then back at Eloise. “You’re newlyweds. Your husband just left for work. And there you sit, without jumping up to kiss him goodbye.”
Oops.
“I, ah...”
“And by your earlier comment about not being sure about the marriage, it doesn’t take much to put two and two together.”
Pushing herself up, Eloise swung her legs over the chaise. Time to nip this in the bud. “Blame it on the late night out.”
“You don’t want to talk? I get it. But can I give you a piece of advice?”
“Sure.”
“Even though Dan is working a later shift, you might want to spend more time with him than with Stella and her gang. What seems like fun now won’t last, I can promise you that.”
Under normal circumstances, Eloise would have agreed wholeheartedly. But she had the op to consider. Still, she didn’t want to come across ungrateful. “I will take your advice under advisement.”
“Good.”
“Now that we have my married life settled, what are you up to today?”
A sly twinkle shone in Martha’s eyes. “Actually, I stopped by to see if you were free this afternoon. I have some errands to run and wondered if you’d drive.”
“Dan took the truck.”
Martha waved her hand. “I have a car in the garage.”
Surprise had Eloise gaping. “You drive?”
“Not any longer, but my son insisted I keep the old rattletrap. It comes in handy when I talk—er, I mean, ask someone to drive me around.”
Eloise grinned. “Then it would be my pleasure. What did you have in mind?”
/> “My craft group meets every other week. I need additional yarn for a project I’m working on.” The light still glimmered in her eyes. “You know, you should come join the group. There are some young women your age who are settled into their married lives. You would enjoy their company.”
“Are you trying to save me from the scandalous lure of the nightlife?”
“I am.”
Eloise laughed. “As it happens, I worked early this morning, so I’m all yours. We can go grab a bite for lunch if you’d like.”
“I’d consider it an honor.” Martha rose a little unsteadily. “And you should seriously consider taking up a hobby.”
Eloise threw up her hands. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. Let me take a shower and get dressed. I’ll meet you in...thirty minutes?”
Martha was already making her way across the lawn. “It’s a plan.”
Shaking her head, Eloise picked up the mug and carried it inside. This is what she needed. Girl time. Some distance from Dante while she made strides in regaining the professional attitude she had before this undercover op ever started.
* * *
“DAN. MY OFFICE.”
Rico’s voice carried over the din of the repair shop. Looking up from the engine he was taking apart, Dante saw his boss standing in the open door to his office. He tossed the wrench, with a little more force than necessary, into his toolbox, grabbed a towel and strode Rico’s way.
“What’s got you in a mood?”
Dante heaved out a sigh. “Married life.”
Rico chuckled. “Lemme guess. Trouble in paradise?”
“You could say that.”
An electric drill whirred, drowning out the conversation for a moment. Ramsey inspected the undercarriage of a car raised on a lift. Nearby, Mac slammed a hood closed. Oscillating fans mounted on the walls battled the heat of the afternoon. The prevailing scents of oil, grit and rust grounded Dante.
“Heard your wife went out with mine last night.”
“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind Ellie having friends. It’s just...”
“Just?”
Dante glanced over his shoulder. “Mind if we talk where the guys can’t overhear?”
