Eli returned her grin. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, Mom. You can always count on me.”
“Such a suck-up.”
Eli and his mom both turned to the doorway where Drake stood with his hands in his coat pocket.
Eli hugged his mother tighter. “You’re just upset because I’m her favorite.”
Drake flipped him the bird.
“Drake Michael,” their mother scolded. “Not in my presence. Mind your manners.”
Drake crossed the room and kissed his mother on her cheek as Eli let go.
“I’m too old to be punished,” he joked. “Besides, I just had a rough couple of days at work. I blame all bad behavior on sleep deprivation.”
“Too many cats in trees?” Eli joked.
Drake laughed. “Funny. How many snotty noses did you treat today?”
Eli crossed his arms over his chest. “Two, actually, and it would’ve been more but I was called away to Nora’s clinic because of a break-in.”
“Is Nora okay?” Drake asked, suddenly not joking or smiling.
“She’s fine,” Eli assured him. “Happened before she arrived and they only took meds from the cabinet.”
“Odd,” Drake said, shrugging out of his coat and hanging it on the back of a kitchen chair. “Why break in there?”
“Cam says she’s an easy target,” Eli said. “She has no alarm system. Pharmacies do and Dad’s office does. Of course, Dad’s office doesn’t have anything of major street value, but we have the supplies.”
“What did Nora have?” Drake asked.
“Syringes,” Eli told him. “Anything to assist in getting high or to sell. They targeted her clinic because of the lack of alarm and no one would think of that.”
Drake nodded. “What else does Cam think?”
“Cameron has been working on some undercover case,” their mother chimed in, sliding her silvery hair across her forehead and behind her ear. “He’s been so busy and secretive. Was he on the scene today?”
Eli nodded. “He left just after I got there. He must be busy because he hasn’t been around here lately and he rarely answers my texts.”
Bev hugged her arms over her abdomen. “I worry for him. For all my boys, but whatever he’s working on really has him tied off from us. It’s never been like that with him before.”
Eli threw Drake a glance, but his brother just shrugged. Obviously Drake didn’t know what Cam was working on, either. Eli added that to his list of things to do. He would talk to Cam, if nothing else, to give their mother peace of mind.
“I’m sure he’s fine, Mom.” Eli kissed his mother on the forehead. “There are some things he just can’t discuss. We know he’s careful. He’s the chief of police, for crying out loud. His officers won’t let anything happen to him.”
Bev smiled, but he knew she wasn’t convinced. “You going to be here awhile?” Eli asked Drake.
“Yeah.”
Eli grabbed his coat from beneath Drake’s on the kitchen chair. “I need to run out and do some things. I’ll be back later.”
“Tell Nora I said hi.” Drake laughed.
Eli threw him the bird as he opened the door.
“Eli Ryan,” his mother shouted as he closed the door behind him.
So what if he was going to see Nora? He had some things he wanted to discuss with her and, well, he just wanted to see her.
There, he could admit that he had a problem. And the problem was the tall, curvy woman who had worked her way back into his life without even trying.
* * *
“Do you always make home visits to victims?” Nora joked.
Cameron laughed as he wrapped his arms around her. “Only the pretty ones.”
Stepping back and gesturing for him to have a seat, Nora hung his coat by the door. “Eli and I installed new locks today.”
“That’s good.” Cameron crossed his ankle over his knee. “What about an alarm system?”
Nora crossed her arms, shaking her head. “I’ve thought of that, but the expense is pretty steep. Even if I could do the installation and setup, there’s the monthly fee. Besides, I’m sure this isn’t going to be a recurring thing.”
Cameron nodded. “Most often criminals don’t come back to the exact scene, but you’re an easy target. With no alarm system, they aren’t going to think twice about getting back in.”
Nora sighed and sank down onto the sofa beside Cameron. “I’ll think about it, but it’s just not in the budget right now.”
“You know me, Eli, Mom and Dad—”
Nora shook her head. “I’m not asking for money. It will be fine. Besides, I’ve been talking to a real estate agent about selling this house. If I can downsize, I’ll have a little extra to put toward the clinic.”
“Why are you selling?” he asked, brows drawn down.
Settling a hand over her belly where the baby was moving slightly, Nora shrugged. “It’s too big for me and the baby. Too much to worry about, try to keep up with. I know Todd was gone a lot, but when he was here he managed to keep it in good shape. I just don’t have the time or money for all of that now.”
Cameron eased forward on the sofa and turned to fully face her. “Anytime you need anything done here all you have to do is ask. Drake and I will be here in a second.”
Nora patted his leg. “You guys have your own lives. I can’t call every time the faucet leaks or my grass needs to be cut.”
A knock on her front door cut into their conversation and Kerfluffle perked up from her favorite resting spot beneath the Christmas tree.
When Nora skirted around the coffee table and went to look out the sidelight, she smiled. Eli on her porch wrapped in his coat was a sight she’d never tire of seeing.
She opened the door to a cold blast of air and Eli with his wide shoulders filling the entryway. “Come on in,” she said, stepping aside. “It’s becoming a St. John reunion.”
“I saw his unmarked car in your driveway.” Eli shrugged out of his coat, hanging it by her door. “Shouldn’t you be catching criminals?”
Cameron smiled, flashing that killer grin that ladies loved. “Even the chief has to take a break.”
“Do either of you want anything to eat or drink?” Nora asked, suddenly feeling like she should play the hostess.
Eli took her hand, guided her to the vacant chair across from the sofa and eased her down. “We don’t want anything and you need to be resting.”
Nora rolled her eyes. “I’m not dying, Eli. I’m pregnant. You’re a doctor—surely you know all of this already.”
Cameron laughed. “You really should take care of yourself. We want a healthy baby in April.”
While she hated being told what to do, Nora had to admit that being ordered around and protected by such handsome, sexy men did have its perks. Who was she to argue?
As soon as she was seated, Kerfluffle darted over to Nora’s lap and stretched out, obviously ready for some love. Why was the affection always on the cat’s terms? Did she own the house?
“Now that you’re here, I’ll head on out.” Cameron came to his feet. “I need to run by the station before I go home.”
“You might as well throw a cot in your office and sell your house,” Eli commented. “And pop in over at Mom and Dad’s because Mom was just saying how she hasn’t seen you. She’s worried.”
Cameron rubbed a hand over his face. His lids drooped and frown lines were becoming more evident. Whatever he was working on was draining the life out of him. Nora wanted him to relax and take some time off, but he was the chief and she highly doubted he’d ever get enough time off to truly benefit him.
“I’ll stop in,” he told Eli. “Nora, please call me anytime. If you hear anything about the break-in or if you need something done around here. Don’t sell j
ust yet, okay?”
Eli’s head whipped around. “Sell?”
Grabbing his own coat by the door, Cameron laughed. “And that’s my cue to leave.”
Nora crossed her legs, rested one hand on her growing belly while the other stroked her tabby. “Stop staring at me, Eli. The Neanderthal thing is getting old.”
Resting his hands on his narrow hips, Eli continued to glare down at her. “Why are you moving? Todd always told me how much you loved this house.”
Nora closed her eyes, tipping her head back to rest on the cushion of the chair. “I do. But I can’t keep up, and with only one income, it’s just too much. The money from the VA went to the funeral. Todd had a meager savings, but apparently he had racked up some debt with a couple credit cards that I knew nothing about so the savings went to that. I’m just bouncing the idea around. It’s a hard decision.”
Suddenly Eli was beside her, sliding his strong fingers over hers. Nora stared at the image of his dark, scarred hands over her pale, delicate ones. When her eyes came up to meet his, she saw pain.
“I’m sorry, Nora. I know you guys shared some good times here—”
Nora couldn’t help the onslaught of tears as she shook her head. “No, we didn’t. That’s just it. There were no good times, Eli.”
Stupid pregnancy hormones. She hadn’t meant to blurt out the ugly truth hiding between these walls. The life she and Todd shared wasn’t picture-perfect, and while she’d love to blame him for the disaster that was their marriage, she had to be honest and take half of that blame. They were two loving people who never should’ve gotten married. Two people who should’ve remained friends and nothing more.
“Nora.” Eli reached up, cupping her face until she fully focused on him. “I’m not sure what went on with you and Todd, but I know he would want you to be happy.”
Oh, he had loved her in his own way, but not enough to stay married. Knowing that he wanted out of their marriage hurt her in a way she hadn’t expected. But it was his death, so abrupt, so final, that nearly killed her.
This baby was giving her new hope and there was no way she would let her little girl down. Unlike her own free-spirited mother.
“I’ll find a way to help you keep your house,” he vowed. “Trust me.”
“I don’t want to talk about this,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
Sighing, Nora closed her eyes, not wanting him to see her own pain...her growing feelings toward him.
“You must think I’m the weakest person.” She laughed. “Every time you’re around I’m an emotional mess. I swear it’s the hormones.”
Eli gripped her hands again and smiled. That smile lived in her mind, her heart. That warm smile never failed to make her happier and bring back memories of better times.
“You’re one of the strongest people I know,” he told her. “Man or woman. You get crap thrown at you and still continue to come out on top.”
Yeah, well, she felt like she was at the bottom of that crap pile and slowly crawling her way out.
As she raised her gaze to Eli, she smiled. Maybe he was just the hope she’d been needing. Maybe this attraction wasn’t dead, after all, even though time and hard life lessons had kept them apart.
Nora didn’t want to get her hopes up, but she couldn’t deny she still felt that stirring in her gut whenever Eli was around. And from the way he looked at her, cared for her, she knew the attraction wasn’t one-sided.
So what would they do about it?
Chapter Eight
Listening to Nora declare her marriage wasn’t all she’d wanted was like a punch to the gut. He’d heard Todd say things about Nora back home, but Eli assumed that was just Todd talking through depression of being in the war.
Eli knew Todd’s secret, but he’d always assumed that at home Todd and Nora were happy—because Nora was in the dark, mostly. Wasn’t this baby proof of their wedded bliss?
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he told her. “I guess I just assumed you and Todd had a good marriage.”
“We did...at first.” She let go of his hands to swipe at her damp face. “But we grew apart, out of love—if we ever truly loved each other beyond friendship. It happens. I would’ve stayed with him because it was the right thing to do. I mean, he was off fighting for our country and had a great deal of stress. I think the love just wasn’t there. We were better at being friends than playing house.”
And war would test even the strongest of relationships. Eli had hated hearing about Todd’s time with Nora over the past few years, but what could he say? Eli had walked away from the woman who would’ve spent her life with him. So all the torture had been his own fault.
“He did love you,” Eli stated. It was so important that she knew because Eli never doubted that Todd loved Nora; he just happened to love another woman, too. A secret Nora could never know. “He talked about you all the time, so don’t doubt it.”
Eli may have fudged the truth a tad, but he didn’t want Nora’s memories of her late husband to be tainted or for her to feel guilty for the marriage that wasn’t everything she wanted, everything she deserved.
Nora smiled. “Thank you for telling me.”
Gripping her hands again, he pulled her to her feet. “I know it’s late, but I have an idea.”
Nora laughed. “You’ve got that look in your eyes.”
“What look?”
“The one that says you’re up to something. Remember, I knew you and your brothers when you were troublemakers. I know when you’re plotting.”
Eli shrugged. “I’m older now and a little more reserved than I used to be.”
Nora quirked a brow. “Reserved? The St. John boys are anything but reserved.”
“Well, we’re calmer now.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the kitchen. “What do you say we make a batch of Snickerdoodles?”
Nora groaned. “You know my weakness.”
“Hey, who said anything about you? I didn’t have any dessert tonight and I can’t remember the last time I had homemade Snickerdoodles.”
Smacking his chest playfully, Nora laughed again. Music to his ears. Anything he could do to keep her smiling and not living in the past full of heartache was worth it. Besides, he still wanted an excuse to be with her, to talk to her, look at her. He’d missed so much time with her because he’d purposely distanced himself, but right now the last thing he wanted was distance.
He was torturing himself by spending all this time with her. But he could no more leave than he could stop this pull of renewed attraction toward her, and damn if that didn’t complicate his life even further. He thought being back home would be fine, somewhat difficult but doable. He had no clue how fast and hard Nora would tumble back into his life in a fresh, new and terrifying manner.
In the process of making cookies, they moved around her kitchen, adding ingredients and working together. And by working together, they regressed to their youthful days by throwing flour at each other and making a pretty good mess.
“Now who’s going to clean this up?” she asked, smiling as she glanced around the flour-covered countertops and wood floor.
Eli shrugged. “I’d say the same people who made the mess.”
“Really?” The tone of her voice, the naughty grin she offered him, scared him...and completely turned him on.
Before he knew it, she’d taken an egg and smashed the shell overtop of his head. Yolk ran down the sides of his head and Eli couldn’t help but laugh...and retaliate.
In an instant he’d cracked one atop her head, too, and she looked right up at him and laughed. Before he knew it they’d tossed more flour at each other, accidentally knocking the sugar canister to the floor. Kerfluffle darted through the room, glanced at the mess and darted back out.
When Nora started to back aw
ay from Eli, she slipped on the tiny granules. In one swift move, Eli grabbed her around her waist, hauling her up against his chest.
Her rounded belly bumped against his stomach. He loved the feel of her pregnant, loved how beautiful she looked growing with a child she already loved so much. No, the baby wasn’t his, but the woman...
No, she wasn’t his, either, no matter how he wished for different circumstances.
“You okay?” he asked, helping her upright.
Nodding, she kept her eyes locked on his. She licked her lips and tried to push her egg-soaked hair from her face. “I guess we should start cleaning up.”
He needed distance. She felt too good in his arms, smelling sweet and tempting just like he’d remembered. The playful way they clicked into place had even more memories rushing to the surface, threatening to take control over his common sense.
How could everything between them still feel so right after all these years? Shouldn’t they feel awkward around each other as if trying to get to know each other again? Yes, they were totally different people, but that strong bond of friendship apparently tied them together no matter what had passed between them—time or marriage.
Every moment they were together they clicked on some level. Which just went to prove the bond they’d formed as teens was impenetrable. “Why don’t you go shower? I’ll clean up in here.”
She tipped her head. “But you’re a mess, too. I have a shower down here if you’d like to use it before we start cleaning.”
Oh, no. No way could he shower in the same house knowing she was in the shower, too. Temptation was something he was taught to avoid and Nora threatened to drive him positively mad.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her, fighting his inner-demon. “You go on. I’m sure there will be plenty for you to pick up when you’re done.”
She only hesitated a second before she nodded and left the room. Once he heard the bathroom door close upstairs, Eli rested his hands on the counter, the edges biting into his palms. With his head hanging between his shoulders, he let out a long breath.
Harlequin Special Edition November 2014 - Box Set 2 of 2: The Maverick's Thanksgiving BabyA Celebration ChristmasDr. Daddy's Perfect Christmas Page 48
