RetroCog (a Power Up! story)

by Harte, Marie

  “What are you thinking about?” she whispered and rolled on top of him.

  Normally Noah would have been ultra-aware of cleaning up the mess, of extricating himself from a clingy female with haste. But he felt too drained to care. He liked that he’d messed her. His seed marked her, a reminder of their close tie.

  “Not thinking about much of anything. You wore me out. I don’t think I can move.”

  She gave a soft laugh. “Good. Then you’ll be too tired to give me any more orders.”

  He blinked up at her. “You don’t like it?”

  Her smile faded, and if he could see better, he’d have sworn she blushed. As it was, the dim glow of her alarm clock pasted a blue shine across her eyes.

  “I like the way you touched me.”

  “But did you like me in charge? Tell me.”

  “Yes.” The soft sigh relieved him. “Now I know what’s been missing in all my relationships.” She huffed. “Though the one time I tried to get an old boyfriend to be a little bossier, it came across as fake. I had a hard time not laughing him out of my bed.”

  “Nice.”

  She cleared her throat. “It’s totally tacky to talk about other guys when I’m with you, huh? Not that there have been that many. Though I’m sure you’ve had a lot of past girlfriends. I don’t like to think of you with… I mean, sure, you have a past. But now you’re with me. Not with anyone else. Right?” She tapered off with a muffled groan. “I suck at post-sex talk.”

  Once again, Noah felt himself smiling. A shift from his normal composure—stern, serious, and trapped in whatever past neared. “I told you before. I haven’t been with anyone in a long time. I don’t do relationships well. Always end up pissing off my partners without meaning to.”

  “Oh?”

  “I was in a long-term thing with a woman. But I couldn’t be me.”

  “You?”

  He felt uncomfortable explaining but felt like he owed it to her. “I was with a woman a long time ago, one who liked it rough, liked me to boss her around. It’s something that gets me off in a big way.”

  “I noticed.”

  “Yeah, well, things went south with her. Then I met Deirdre. I liked her a lot. She was different. We seemed to get along, but I could never be free with her. I worried she’d leave me if I freaked her out with my ‘perverted tendencies.’”

  Lara stroked his arm. “I like your perverted tendencies.”

  He smiled. “Good. Deirdre couldn’t have handled them. And when she found out about my other big secret, seeing the past, she threw me out before I knew what had hit me. And that was three years ago.”

  “You haven’t dated since?” She looked at him in wide-eyed disbelief.

  “There were women but nothing lasting.” Noah sighed. “I’m not the most charming guy.”

  She coughed. “Gee, I hadn’t noticed.”

  He smacked her on the butt. “Smart-ass. I don’t seem to do well with women. I’m too rough, too demanding. Or I’m afraid of hurting them. Either with my needs or words.”

  They lay together quietly, and Noah hoped his touchy-feely commentary had put her to sleep. How embarrassing to blather about feelings he didn’t have.

  “You weren’t too rough with me. Or too demanding. I liked it.”

  Warmth unfurled in his breast. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” A soft kiss pressed his throat, and Noah suppressed an odd welling of emotion he didn’t know what to do with. “I think you were pretty perfect, Noah.”

  Afraid she’d start to cling, he readied himself to tell her it was just sex when she laughed at him. “But don’t get a big head or anything. I was going through a dry spell.” She poked him in the ribs, startling a gasp that she’d hit him right where it tickled, before she darted away from the bed for the bathroom.

  The door closed behind her, and he heard the sink running.

  Noah clasped his hands behind his head and wondered if he’d dreamed the whole thing. A woman he’d met just a few days ago. The epitome of sexy, smart, and beautiful. A natural submissive who didn’t take their relationship too seriously and had given him the best sex he’d ever had.

  Why didn’t she take the thought of them seriously?

  Minutes later, she reemerged and crawled back into bed with him. After a quick kiss, she rolled on her side away from him. “Night, Noah. Hey, if you want to wake me up like that again in an hour or so, go for it. I have to be up at the crack of dawn, though. We offer breakfast at the inn. You don’t know heaven until you’ve tried my Belgian waffles.”

  “Fine, but don’t leave the building without me.”

  “Mmm hmm.” To his astonishment, the woman fell asleep in seconds.

  What to make of that?

  Hours later, the sun hit him right between the eyes, lighting up the back of his lids. Noah reached for Lara, only to find the bed empty. “Shit.” He opened his eyes and stretched.

  The clock showed nine a.m. Later than he’d planned to sleep, but the little woman had worn him out. Little woman. He laughed at himself. Too much time spent in the past tended to wear on him, and he often found himself caught in the colloquialisms of yesteryear.

  He ambled into the bathroom to take care of his needs. A half hour later, showered, shaved, and brushed, he dressed in fresh clothes from his duffel and made a circumspect exit from her room. He didn’t want to embarrass her, but he had no problem letting everyone and their mother know he’d staked a claim.

  For now, he reminded himself. Only until this job is done. But for the life of him, he didn’t feel an urge to return to Bend by himself. He also felt no hurry to find the painting, despite the fact he’d probably annoy Jack. He’d never understood why his peers took such pride in aggravating their boss. He found Jack to be surly but pleasant. The man didn’t talk much, and when he did, he had a reason. For the most part, he left Noah alone, and Noah liked it that way.

  Solitude comforted him, which didn’t explain why he now sought Lara’s company. Not to protect her, but to talk to her, to see her smile.

  Confusing sex with dumb-ass affection equaled stupid. He cautioned himself to remember the job and intentionally let his shields slip to see the most recent past. There, on the steps, a shadowed figure. He knew that vibe. Death and destruction seemed to follow in its wake.

  Psychically stimulated despite his reticence, Noah followed the figure, ignoring Frank’s greeting as well as another guest he nearly ran over in his haste to watch something unpleasant unfold.

  He entered his unlocked room, which he’d left locked, and found nothing out of place. Except for a pair of rose-shaped silver earrings lying on his pillow along with a warning to leave Lara and Brownville before the angel of death came callin’. Noah took a deep breath, exhaled, and tunneled further into the psychic miasma of yesterday, closer to the intruder. He followed the hatred back, into a dark room with a sloped ceiling. In the center of what looked like an attic, the portrait of Cecilia Fine sat on an easel, illuminated by candlelight and surrounded by roses, their thorns covered in something dark. Covered in blood.

  And then the woman he’d visited in the morgue just last night came into view. She lay tied, bleeding and bruised and crying, upon an antique poster bed as the shadow alternately whipped then cut her. The man’s flank turned from shadow to the pink tones of flesh, and he started to mount her…

  Noah pulled away and threw up his shields. He quelled the urge to panic. He wasn’t scared for himself, but of what the bastard might have in mind for Lara. Time to call in the big guns. He took his cell phone from his pocket and punched in a number.

  “Jack? I’ve got a major problem.”

  After several minutes spent explaining himself and arguing with Jack’s choice of backup, Noah finally gave in. It wasn’t whom he would have chosen, but according to Jack, Avery had already seen this particular person in Brownville, at Noah’s side. Avery, their friggin’ clairvoyant. What could Noah do but accept Jack’s choice? Then a thought struck him, and he re
alized the benefits of having a psychic with those particular skills at his disposal. Time to get back to work.

  Lara frowned. “He didn’t even say hello?”

  “Nope.” Frank ran a hand through his hair. “That is one sullen heartthrob you have there. So tell me, how was he?”

  Lara swallowed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Frank tittered. “Please. I know you like the sister I never had. You, girlfriend, had sex. You’re never this chipper in the morning, especially not after the breakfast rush.”

  “Frank, keep your voice down.” She flushed when Mike Buckman raised a brow in her direction. Trust the good deputy to show up this morning, of all mornings, on the pretext of visiting with Shelly—who should have been working but was instead flirting.

  Bill Knowles stood with his aunt, concerned about something Ida had mentioned about the inn that he needed to check up on. And two of their guests had complaints about the plumbing. Everyone wanted a piece of her this morning, and Lara wanted nothing more than to rejoin Noah in bed.

  After a rousing night of sex, Lara should have been in a better mood. But in addition to the sudden demands on her time, Cecilia’s ghost continued to whisper with agitation, warnings that made no sense. Lara couldn’t shake the feeling of doom that seemed to blanket the inn.

  “Lara, this won’t take long, but I really need to talk some business with you. It’s official, I promise.” Bill nodded to her office.

  “Sure. I’ll meet you two in there.” She turned to Frank. “Call Harold about the plumbing in 2B, and see if you can’t get Shelly moving. We have two rooms empty this morning with guests due this afternoon. And as slow as she moves, it might just take her a few hours to restore the rooms to rights.”

  Frank nodded. Since check-in was after three, they had time to get all in order…if Shelly would move her lazy ass.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get our local strumpet moving.” He rubbed his chin. “You know, if you think about it, Shelly fits with the inn. This was a brothel at one time, you know.”

  She crossed her eyes at him, making him laugh louder, and left to find out what Ida and Bill wanted. Joining them in her office, she nearly tripped over Bill’s legs.

  He flushed and pulled his feet in close, sitting uncomfortably next to his aunt on the bench. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. This office is perfect for me, but it doesn’t afford much space with guests.”

  Ida tsked. “I told you we should have made this bigger.”

  Actually, Ida had balked at changing a thing in the inn. Then Lara had talked her into it, as well as into expanding their service to nightly coffee and treats. “But that would have taken away from the kitchen, and without that extra counter space, our nightly snack service might have been compromised. Just think, Ida. No more scones or sticky buns.”

  “Oh, the horror.” Bill stifled his grin when his aunt glared at him.

  “Boy would eat all day long if you’d let him. Now, Lara, the reason I’m here today. Bill’s been holding off on renewing our inspection.”

  “I know.”

  “But I can’t any longer. I’m sorry,” he apologized. “The town council is conducting their annual assessment. They’re demanding records and paperwork out the yin-yang. I need to show them official documentation on everything, including this place, but I can’t until I visibly check over the paneling code Isaac told me he fixed. You know, the one in your bedroom. It’s not that I don’t think he fixed it,” he said to forestall Lara’s objection. “I trust him. But I can’t just put a check in the block. It’s protocol I see it for myself.”

  Ida patted his knee. “Just doing your job, dear. We don’t think any less of you for being so careful.”

  Lara steepled her fingers on the desk. “I have no problem at all with you checking the box. But I have some stuff in front of it I need to move. Could you come back to see it later today?” That would give her time to straighten up and make sure Noah wasn’t lying naked in bed when Bill went through. She hoped she didn’t look as red as she felt. “I have a few proverbial fires here to put out, and I need to clean up my room before anyone looks in it.”

  Ida stood with Bill’s help. “Oh honey, dust and dirty socks won’t put Bill off.”

  No, but a naked man might. “Still—”

  “Hey, it might not be just socks, Aunt Ida.” Bill raised a brow at Lara. “She might have pantyhose or slinky nighties on the floor.”

  “William Knowles.” Ida blushed.

  Bill laughed. “Just kidding. Lara, I’ll see you later tonight, okay? I’m filling in for one of our night-shift guys, but I can squeeze you in on my dinner break.”

  Since he was doing her a favor, she wanted to offer the same. “Be here at six, and I’ll take you to dinner right after. No sense in the fire chief going hungry.”

  Satisfaction blazed in his eyes. “Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

  She followed them, wondering if Bill viewed their dinner as more than a thank-you for the inconvenience. How awkward. Would she need to explain to Bill she just wanted to remain friends? Or was she imagining more interest than he felt? Though he’d been after her for a date, lately he’d backed off. Rumor had it he had an on-again, off-again relationship with a woman who worked just outside of town.

  And what the heck was she thinking to imagine she and Noah had a relationship? Please. She’d known the guy for all of a few days. Sure, according to Noah, she now belonged to him in the bedroom. She knew he’d be leaving in a few days at most, and once again, she told herself to accept their fling as casual and not get too attached. How long would it take to find that painting? How long to find the killer?

  She shivered and forced a smile when Frank joined her to tell her about their plumbing issues. Whispers of warning feathered over her spine, and she glanced up to see Noah staring down at her from the upper balcony of the inn.

  Beware the jealous lover.

  She blinked, stunned to hear Cecilia so clearly in her mind. A vision in scarlet flickered to life by the front door. She glanced up and saw Noah’s eyes fixed on Cecilia as well.

  Then Bill, chatting with his aunt and Mike Buckman, walked together out the door, right through her, and Cecilia disappeared on a shriek.

  Chapter Six

  After a full day’s work, Lara wanted nothing more than to drag herself to bed and sleep until tomorrow. Unfortunately, she’d promised Bill dinner after he finished checking the wiring.

  “Good as new.” Bill wiped his hands on his pants and withdrew a notebook from his back pocket. He wrote a few things down, then put it back. “Now, about that dinner you promised me.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Men. Always thinking with your stomachs.”

  “Not always,” she swore she heard him mutter, but when she turned around to confront him, he raised his brows.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Let me get my purse, and we’ll go.” She found it sitting on her favorite comfy chair. “I thought a sandwich at the Corner Shop would be just the thing.”

  “I’m game.” Bill waited for her to precede him and closed the door behind him.

  She left with him, her cell phone on hand for emergencies. She stopped by the front desk and put out a note with her number, just in case. Frank and Shelly both had the night off, and with the guests taken care of, Lara didn’t exactly need to be on hand. An answering machine would catch anyone trying to book a room. Nothing stood in the way of her dinner with Bill.

  Not even Noah.

  She clenched her jaw, then forced herself to relax and smile at Bill. While they made their way to the restaurant, she half listened to him talk about his day. She couldn’t get that stubborn Noah out of her mind. Earlier, she’d mentioned her dinner plans, hoping he wouldn’t make a big deal about it. After all that nonsense about “you’re mine” and then Cecilia’s warning about a jealous lover, Lara had been prepared for the worst. Noah hadn’t done much more than shrug before leaving the inn on
some errand or other.

  She hadn’t seen him since, and she wanted to beat herself over the head for caring that Noah apparently didn’t care. Great sex did not a relationship make. She should have known that, except she’d never had such incredible, mind-blowing sex before. Being with Noah last night, she’d transcended physical pleasure into something else entirely. Though she didn’t want to make more of their coupling than there was, she couldn’t deny the fierce attraction she felt for him. Or how much his dismissal of her dinner with Bill hurt.

  Granted, she didn’t want him throwing a fit about it, but some concern should have been warranted. If he’d had a date with some woman, she’d have been annoyed. And frankly, jealous.