by Deanna Chase
“I like Jared and trust him. If I let Declan unsupervised in our house, I would imagine he would initiate a panty raid,” her mother countered.
Kate bowled over in laughter. “The scary thing is I could totally picture him doing that.”
“I understand I have a tendency to be overprotective—but you’ll always be my little girl.” Her mother gave her a beseeching stare. “I don’t want to see you hurt by anyone. It’s great you found someone who is also psychic, but make sure you don’t let him convince you to do things you’re not comfortable with,” her mother advised.
“I won’t, Mom,” Kate promised. “He’s made it clear that he has his own agenda for finding Melanie. As long as she gets home, it doesn’t matter to me the reasons he’s helping.”
“Good. I’ll try not to lose sleep over the thought of Declan tempting my daughter down a dark path,” she said. Her mother bit her lip and cast an uncertain glance her way. “While you’re home, I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”
Flopping back onto the couch, Kate gave her mom an expectant look. “I’m all ears.”
“I met someone.”
Kate’s jaw dropped. This announcement was unexpected. Although her dad had moved on before the ink was dry on the divorce papers, her mom made it clear on several occasions she wasn’t ready to date. Kate had attempted to reassure her that it wouldn’t bother her in the least if she found someone else. Her mother had explained she had been with Robert Edwards for twenty years and couldn’t envision being with another man.
“Kate, say something. You’re making me nervous.” Her mother stilled and awaited her reaction.
“Mom, I think it’s great,” she stated enthusiastically.
Her mother’s eyes filled with tears. Kate swallowed hard as her own emotions stirred. Her mom deserved the very best in life and she hoped this man turned out to be worthy of her affection. Kate persisted, “Well, don’t keep me in suspense. Give me the dirt on this guy.”
Her mom let out a strangled laugh. “I was so nervous to tell you. It seems like we’ve been our own little team for two years and I wasn’t sure if you would think of Dan as an interloper.”
“So, Dan, huh?” Kate questioned and wiggling her eyebrows up and down. “Where did you meet him? What does he look like?” Kate leaned forward with her hands on her chin.
“He emailed me about buying a few products for his sister. I guess she’s a fan of the brand I sell. I went to drop off the delivery and we hit it off. We met for coffee today,” her mother gushed.
“Aww, my mom is in love,” she squealed.
Her mother threw a couch pillow at her. “Not yet, but maybe I’m meant to find love again. Maybe I was inspired by you and Jared,” she said with a wink.
“Please stop, Mom! The l-word makes me break out in hives,” Kate moaned and scratched at her arm for emphasis.
“I won’t push it. For the record though, I would love to have Jared as a son-in-law one day,” she said and continued dryly, “If you end up with Declan, I’m getting the locks changed.”
Chapter Sixteen
Delaney collapsed on the far end of their L-shaped couch and glanced over at Melanie’s seated form. Her sister’s eyes were blurry and her expression slack. She had consumed way too much wine at the bar tonight.
It had been their ritual to go out after one of them broke up with a guy. With Delaney’s latest track record, they would soon turn into raging alcoholics.
Delaney gave Melanie a loopy grin. “Men totally suck.”
Melanie’s boyfriends were far from princes, so she had to agree. “Yes, they do.”
“I should’ve known from the beginning that Cam wasn’t the one. All of the warning signs were there…”
Melanie didn’t let her finish. “Cam’s a creep. You’ll find the right guy.”
Delaney’s blurry stare turned serious. “Mel, do you really believe in that soulmate stuff?”
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
“But do you think the soulmate has to be someone you’re romantically in love with?” Delaney looked thoughtful. “Because my definition of a soulmate would be the other half that makes you whole. And to me…that’s you.”
Melanie’s vision clouded. “Delaney, you’re such a sentimental drunk,” she kidded.
However, Melanie was touched by her sister’s proclamation. She felt the same way about Delaney. She was there for her through every happy moment as well as each heartbreak. Their connection extended beyond sisterhood. It was as if one couldn’t exist without the other.
“What I’m trying to say is…”
“I love you too Delaney.”
Lounging back into her beach chair, Kate cherished the feeling of the sunshine dancing over her skin. She was sitting in the comfort of her backyard and indulging in a couple of hours of downtime. Her brain was taking a reprieve from a full evening of Melanie’s visions the night before and a packed schedule of classes this morning. After seeing the memory of Melanie with her sister, she was touched by the sisters’ bond. It made her question what was going on with Melanie to make her revisit a memory that was close to her heart.
Before her philosophy course, Kate had tried to get inside of Melanie’s head without any luck. She was thinking it probably had to do with Declan freaking her out about going nuts from her visions. A couple of hours of relaxation could be just the thing to clear her mind and try again.
The pale comment her father had made the other night still gnawed at her. A few hours of vitamin D were exactly what Kate needed. Since the unseasonably warm weather was bound to end soon, this would probably be one of the last times she wore her bikini this year. Kate adjusted the green straps to ward off unwanted tan lines on her shoulders.
Kate picked up the novel she had purchased on her way home from campus. On the cover, a woman in a revealing gown with her breasts to her chin was pressed against a handsome sailor—pirate? Boat captain? Kate wasn’t sure if it really mattered—without his shirt on. Since Kate was too embarrassed to ask for sex advice from anyone, she figured she better do some research on her own. She picked the book up again and skimmed to the good parts.
Bartholomew gazed at her with a tumultuous mixture of lust and pity in his eyes. “Lucinda, the things you ask…we mustn’t discuss this.”
“Sir, these feelings you inspire in me will not be ignored. I can not pretend you have not consumed every fiber of my being since the day our eyes met on the pier.” Lucinda pouted her lips at him; an act she knew would sway him to agree with her.
“I will ruin you. No honorable gentleman would ever accept you as his wife once he discovers another man has taken your maidenhead.”
She rested her body against the bed sheets and beckoned him near. Arching her back and arranging her blonde hair over the pillow, she offered herself to him. She ran her hands down the silk of her gown to bring attention to every perfect curve of her body.
“Bart,” she purred his name. “You leave port in two days. Let me have a night I may cherish for the rest of my days.”
“Damnation,” he swore and moved swiftly over her.
His scorching kiss quickened her pulse and started a fire in her belly. His hands moved expertly and she felt her body blossom under his touch. Her soul burned for him and Lucinda could not bear the idea of him leaving without knowing what it felt to be with a man like Bartholomew. Her heart would surely stop beating on the day Bart set out to sea.
He removed his shirt, leaving only his britches on. Lucinda gasped at his masculine beauty. His chest was broad with dark course hair that trailed down from his belly button. His biceps bulged with muscles earned from hard labor on the ship. As her desire built, her petals begged to be ravished by him.
Her eyes moved downwards to the snugness of his pants. Her insides twisted in anticipation as he placed his hand on his belt and pulled out…
“What are you doing?”
“Oh my god!” Kate cried dropping her book and al
most falling out of her lawn chair. Her entire body felt flushed as she noticed Jared standing over her with an amused smirk.
Since he wasn’t wearing his normal suit, she guessed he hadn’t been at work that morning. Instead, he wore a fitted black t-shirt and a pair of running shorts. He looked completely irresistible. He ran his fingers through his hair before shooting her an inquisitive look. “I tried your cell and the front door. I figured you might be back here when I saw your car in the driveway.”
“I left my phone inside,” she choked out as she tried to gain a hold of herself. She pulled up the straps of her bikini and squirmed in her seat.
“What were you reading?” Jared asked before adding, “You had such an intent look on your face.”
“Um…nothing,” she mumbled.
His arm brushed against her leg as he reached down to pick up her paperback off of the ground next to her. As his gray eyes took in the cover, she wondered if it was humanly possible to be anymore mortified than she was at that moment.
“Lust at Sea,” he read the title aloud with a wry undertone. “Doesn’t sound like school reading,” he teased.
“No, maybe not exactly…but I was reading it for educational purposes.” She pushed a strand of light brown hair out of her face and still wouldn’t look at him directly.
“And did it help?”
His gray eyes lingered over her body and it called to attention how very little she was wearing. She couldn’t tell if the rosy color of her skin was from her embarrassment or from the time out in the sun.
“Don’t think so. Lots of talks about seeds and flowers and you know I’ve never been good with metaphors.” Her voice sounded way too high pitched for normal. “Is it super hot out or what?” Kate fanned her face for emphasis. “Why don’t I get us some lemonade?”
Before Jared could reply, Kate jumped to her feet and entered the house through the sliding glass door. Entering the kitchen, she reached into the refrigerator to pull out a pitcher of lemonade. Jared suddenly appeared close behind her. Gooseflesh erupted on her arms and she visibly shivered.
“Where’s your mom?” he asked.
“She’s having lunch with a friend and then she has a sales call to go to. Why?”
Kate turned around and before she could react, Jared took the lemonade out of her hand and placed it on the counter behind them. He pulled her body to him and gave her a long kiss that left her out of breath.
His breathing was heavy as he pulled away. Her hair had loosened from the haphazard bun she had placed it in while sunbathing. Jared tucked a piece of her hair behind her ears. “I’ve tried to wait, Kate…I really did. I just wanted to make sure you were ready.”
She laced her fingers around his neck and gave him an earnest look. “I’m ready.”
Moving into the hallway, he began to rain an endless number of kisses on her. Jared’s fingers didn’t fumble as he easily untied the back of her bikini. The fabric glided down her body and fell to the floor between them. His hands moved down her bare back and she felt herself relating to the fiery emotions Lucinda had just been describing in Kate’s romance novel. His voice was a ragged whisper. “You’re sure she won’t be home soon?”
“No, we have hours.”
Kate moaned into his mouth as things began to heat up. She barely recalled making their way up to her bedroom. She fell onto her bed and wondered if she had time to fan her hair out attractively the way Lucinda had. Jared didn’t seem to mind the way she appeared as he blanketed her body with his own.
“Kate, I wanted this…I wanted you for so long…” he breathed out.
Jared’s guard was down and Kate could see the vulnerability he usually concealed. She was afraid to speak. Her tendency to put her foot in her mouth made her fearful she could easily ruin the significance of this moment.
Instead, Kate parted her lips for another kiss and hoped her body was demonstrating how much she returned the sentiment. It was arousing to see him in such a state. Jared always seemed in control. It thrilled her to see she could chip away at his composure. He made her feel desirable and it eased any nerves she had about them being intimate.
His shirt fell to the floor. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him as close to her as humanly possible. His words were barely audible as he groaned into her hair, “Kate, you are so beautiful.”
“Jared, you’re amazing,” she said softly between kisses. “This is so much better than I could ever have imagined,” she confessed huskily.
The sensation of being this close to him made her dizzy. It was challenging for Kate to maintain control, but Jared continued to kiss and hold her in a gentle and loving way. Each movement felt deliberate—as if he understood her nervousness and only cared for her comfort. It must’ve cracked at his self-control to keep his hands moving slowly and seductively over her body. Each time he dared to touch her somewhere new, his eyes confirmed with hers that she was ok with it. Her skin burned with need each time his lips brushed against flesh.
Suddenly, she felt Jared’s body grow taut. He stilled even as she continued to try and kiss him. Kate gave him a worried look and wondered if she had done something wrong. “Jared?”
“Were you expecting someone to come by?” he whispered. The lust melted off of his face and was replaced with apprehension. Before she could answer, Kate heard the doorbell ring. Would she ever catch a break?
“We’ll just ignore it,” she said decidedly. “It’s probably one of the women from the church down the street. They are always trying to convert me. I think the whole psychic thing makes them think I’m filled with sin.”
“Being half naked with your boyfriend in the middle of the afternoon would probably confirm that for them,” he joked with a wicked grin.
Kate squealed as he nuzzled her neck. The laughter quickly faded as loud knocking shook the whole house. Jared groaned, “Whoever it is has the worst possible timing in the world.”
No kidding. With a growl, she untangled herself from Jared’s arms. As the knocking continued, she vowed that whoever it was better be in a life or death situation or they were getting a major butt kicking. After tossing on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she gave Jared a helpless look. “I better get it,” Kate sighed. “One day we may actually get more than ten minutes alone together.”
He rolled onto his back on her bed and nodded. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
Trouncing down the stairs, she swung open the front door. Ideally, she could get rid of whoever it was quickly enough to recapture the mood with Jared. Her frown deepened as she realized it was Declan. Jeez, she thought bitterly, he was turning into the human version of a chastity belt.
He appeared wound up and stormed past her into the hallway. “What were you taking a nap? I’ve been at the door for ten minutes.”
“Sure, come right in,” she murmured while flattening herself against the wooden door.
Declan opened his mouth to answer her, but shut it as he heard Jared’s heavy footsteps on the stairwell. Once the psychic turned back to face her, understanding darkened his features. “Oh…sorry…I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
When Kate glanced his way, she found Jared was leaning against the doorway that led into the kitchen. By his uncomfortable stance, she knew he wasn’t happy with the interruption either. However, he took the high road and held out his hand. “Jared Corbett.”
“Declan Brayden,” he answered and heartily shook his hand. His normal swagger was gone as he spoke to Jared. “It’s good to meet you—nice to finally meet a cop who actually believes in psychics.”
Kate was pleased. She would much rather have the boys playing nice, instead of trying to pummel each other. She pictured working with both Jared and Declan. Maybe the three of them could launch their own psychic private detective agency. Jared could handle all of the legalities while the psychics focused on using their visions to solve cases.
“Sorry to barge in here, but I’ve talked to Delaney Pirola this morning. I’ve told
her about the visions we’ve had about Melanie. I think she was shocked to realize we were real psychics and not scam artists trying to get the reward money.
“Anyway, she wants us to meet with her today to look at a few photographs. She didn’t want to get into it over the phone, but apparently she has suspects in mind that she believes may know where Melanie could be,” he described in a rush.
Silence descended on the room as Kate digested this information. Chambersburg was almost four hours away which meant she would have to miss her night class. With all of the classes and work she’d been missing lately, academic dismissal and unemployment seemed to be in her foreseeable future.
“I’d like to leave as soon as possible,” Declan declared. He looked at his watch before continuing. “We probably wouldn’t get there until early evening depending on how bad the traffic turns out to be. What do you think?”
“Absolutely not.”
Shocked, Kate turned to Jared. Her normally laid-back boyfriend looked beyond pissed. Kate guessed she could kiss those dreams of a detective agency goodbye. As she glanced at Declan, his full lips were down turned and he seemed surprised too at Jared’s outburst.
“Jared?” she questioned softly.
His gray eyes met hers, but he addressed Declan. “There is no way I’m letting Kate get herself involved in something so risky. Both of you have no idea what could have happened to Melanie. If Kate goes there to help out on the case, she could make herself a target of whoever is responsible for Melanie’s disappearance.”
“I guess it’s only acceptable when you drag Kate into a dangerous case and almost get her killed,” Declan replied with venom in his tone.
“Declan…” she hissed.
“What?” He turned to face her. “It’s the truth, isn’t it? He is the one who forced you into the Preston case to help find his girlfriend’s sister.” Kate really wished everyone would stop referring to Cori as his girlfriend’s sister. It was beginning to get on her last nerve. Declan was getting himself worked up as he continued to denounce Jared. “If Billy Rizzo had killed you that night, your blood would be on his hands.”
