Bachelor Protector

by Julianna Morris

  “A few weeks ago when Tyler was Italy, though he flew into Illinois for a few days to advise on rescue efforts. Apparently the second architect and the owner are trying to blame his original design.”

  “That’s outrageous.” Her eyes flashed in anger. “He would never make that kind of mistake.”

  “I think almost everyone agrees.”

  “How did you find out?”

  “From my uncle,” Kurt admitted, belatedly grasping the complications to revealing this particular secret. Sarah had mentioned those complications, but he hadn’t paid attention. “Uncle Milt was the Glimmer Creek police chief until a few months ago and was concerned about an uproar Tyler caused at the sweet shop the first day he was here. So he did a background check. Do you know anything about that?”

  Rosemary’s cheeks brightened. “I told you about it. Tyler thought I should quit my job because he felt it was too much for me to handle. I know he generally keeps his feelings to himself, but he’s protective and was worried.”

  “You mentioned he was unhappy about you working, not that he’d caused a commotion.”

  “It wasn’t serious, and I didn’t want you to be annoyed with him. He apologized, and that’s why he’s giving Sarah advice about the remodel, to show he regrets his behavior.”

  Somehow, Kurt doubted repentance was at the core of Tyler Prentiss’s efforts. The young man was hard to fathom, but there was a spark when he looked at Sarah that couldn’t be mistaken.

  Kurt didn’t like it.

  There couldn’t be two people more unsuited, even supposing Tyler Prentiss was interested in anything permanent.

  “Er, yeah,” Kurt muttered. “Anyway, I thought you should be told. You hadn’t mentioned it, so I was concerned.”

  And my daughter told me you didn’t know. He hoped Rosemary didn’t ask any more questions, because he didn’t know how to answer them.

  Rosemary picked up her fork and pushed the remaining food around her plate. “I wish Tyler had confided in me. It’s strange when your children begin protecting you, instead of the other way around.”

  Kurt nodded glumly. They were only in their fifties. Sure, he got involved when Sarah had a problem, but that was his prerogative as a parent. He didn’t need to be shielded when she was upset or worried.

  “I’m going to feel bad if you don’t finish your dinner,” he said, gesturing to her half-eaten meal. “Did I make a mistake telling you about Tyler?”

  “It’s best for me to know.”

  * * *

  ROSEMARY ATE MORE of the pasta to reassure Kurt, though her appetite had vanished. She’d thought something was distracting Tyler, but she’d naively hoped it was from falling in love with Sarah.

  “I’m sure you can find more information about the investigation online if you want to know more,” Kurt told her. “You’re welcome to use the laptop at my house, but they also have computers available at the Poppy Gold business center.”

  “I’ll go to the business center,” she said quietly.

  While Kurt had become a good friend, she didn’t want him to be there when she was reading about Tyler’s troubles. She’d feel too exposed.

  “It’s located in the old City Hall building and open twenty-four hours a day.”

  “You seem to know everything about Poppy Gold.”

  “I meet the guests while I’m working on plants or floral arrangements, so it’s good to know what services are offered.”

  “What is your most common question?” she asked to lighten the mood.

  “‘Where can I buy those cinnamon rolls?’” he said promptly, and Rosemary forced a smile.

  “The sweet shop sells unbelievable amounts of them,” she said. “I’m trying to convince Sarah to do mail order for products like the rolls and fudge. Customers would love it. Some have even offered to pay for overnight shipping.”

  “If you stay in California, you might become part of a huge baking empire,” Kurt joked.

  The comment made Rosemary think. Tyler had asked if she planned to move to Glimmer Creek, but she hadn’t given it much consideration. Was she ready for small-town life, nearly three thousand miles from where she’d been born and raised? It would be a huge step. She also couldn’t stay at Poppy Gold forever, which meant finding a home.

  “We’re going to be friends, no matter what. Right?” she asked lightly, knowing it was time to give serious thought to the future.

  “Friends are friends for life,” Kurt replied. “I still stay in touch with my buddies from the army. They visit Poppy Gold, and we keep up-to-date with email and Skype.”

  “What about social media?”

  “Nah. Skype is different. You can really talk, and I don’t have to post pictures of my ugly mug for the world to see.”

  Rosemary grinned. “You’re fishing for compliments, but I don’t mind. I think you’re very handsome. Not George Clooney handsome, of course, but there’s only one George Clooney.”

  “What do women see in that guy?”

  “Maybe it’s his smile or his eyes or that gorgeous body. Or just the entire delicious package.”

  Kurt snorted. “Window dressing.”

  “I also understand he’s a decent person. Socially conscious and all that.”

  They continued chatting and teasing each other, by unspoken agreement leaving more painful topics alone. Kurt was the first friend she’d made since Richard’s death, and she was still learning how to navigate that friendship.

  But one thing was becoming evident—it was also the first time since her marriage that she wasn’t worried about what she revealed and whether her husband would approve. How could you have true friends if you never felt free to be yourself?

  It made her sad knowing how much Richard’s pride had cost them both.

  * * *

  OVER THE NEXT WEEK Tyler spent a few hours each evening at Sarah’s house. She longed to kiss him again, hoping for more, but how could she be sure it was pure desire and not just a wish for him to spend the night and make her feel safe?

  He was interested. She could see it in his eyes and the way his breath quickened at times, but he also didn’t make any attempt to kiss her again.

  Mostly he seemed fascinated by the blueprints of her building, pouring over them like a cat inspecting a can of sardines that it couldn’t open.

  “What is so intriguing about those things?” she finally demanded.

  “I’ve checked my measurements against the original floor plan, but something didn’t seem to add up. So I went to the city and checked the plat maps. There appears to be a hollow space in the wall between your building and the one next door that isn’t included in any of the plans. You’ve never noticed?”

  Sarah frowned. “If anything, I would have assumed they closed a gap between the two buildings for appearances.”

  “Perhaps, but I wonder if your shop could have been used as a speakeasy. It was built right after the start of Prohibition, and the hollow area may be a staircase or hiding place in case of a raid.”

  The possibility of a hidden space in her building was exciting, and Sarah tried to recall what she’d been told when buying the property.

  “If I remember correctly, my building and the one next door were originally built by two brothers,” she said slowly. “They had a huge fight before opening their respective businesses. Supposedly they never spoke again. Both defaulted on their mortgages after the banks failed during the Depression. The properties were repossessed, and they left the area around the same time.”

  “What were the two businesses?”

  “Got me. But if one of them operated as a speakeasy, the other brother must have known.”

  Tyler grinned at her. “Want to go look for secret passageways?”

  Sarah hesitated. No other packages had bee
n left, but it still would be uncomfortable returning to her house late. On the other hand, she couldn’t let fear paralyze her.

  “All right. We can both drive, and that way you don’t have to come back here.”

  “Let’s just go in my rental.”

  Trying not to feel relieved, Sarah went out to the car with Tyler. He drove to the shop, and they went in through the back to the storeroom where he promptly began checking the wall adjacent to the neighboring business.

  “Hear how hollow that sounds?” he asked, tapping various spots.

  “Couldn’t it just be a poorly insulated space?”

  “Sure, but the outside dimensions of the building are definitely wider than the inside dimensions.”

  Sarah eyed the plaster he was tapping. “That’s great, but you aren’t going to start knocking holes, are you? I don’t think the health inspector would approve.”

  “Of course not, but let’s go upstairs to the apartment. I didn’t take enough measurements to know whether the discrepancy exists up there.”

  Sarah shrugged and unlocked the door to the staircase. They went up, and Tyler seemed to forget her presence as he measured and calculated, checking the small notebook he always seemed to have with him.

  “The discrepancy is here, too,” he finally said in an absent tone. “You’d probably see it if you got onto the open section of the roof and started comparing.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  Tyler began examining the bookshelves attached to the wall in question and finally the floor.

  “There are drag marks along here.”

  He pointed, and she saw a faint wear pattern in the hardwood floor that she hadn’t noticed before. They looked interesting and she began tugging at the bookshelf. “What about a hidden latch?” she asked after a minute.

  “Possible.” He ran his fingers under the decorative molding at the top. “Here’s something.” There was a click, but the shelves still wouldn’t budge, so he continued checking. This time he pressed two places simultaneously and pulled sideways.

  The bookshelf slid along the wall, and they saw a framed opening. Sitting inside was a bottle of amber liquid, with a yellowed sheet of paper beneath it.

  Sarah blinked. “Well, what do you know?”

  * * *

  THOUGH TYLER HAD FOUND discrepancies in blueprints before, it was the first time he’d uncovered a hidden compartment. He stuck his head inside the opening and saw a staircase to the left, but it was too dark to tell much else.

  Sarah brushed against him as she retrieved the bottle and sheet of paper. He ground his teeth. Kissing her had been a mistake because now he knew what she tasted like and how her fragrance filled his senses.

  “Listen to this,” she said, grinning, “‘Dear Officer Bennett, you figured it out at last. Too bad we’ve left for greener pastures. Noble and I have a nice nest egg saved, not that the bank has ever seen it. Good thing, too, the way it failed. Have a drink on us. This is the finest whiskey money can buy. Don’t ever say we didn’t serve the best. Fred and Noble Millard.’”

  Tyler chuckled despite his discomfort. “At least they had a sense of humor.”

  “I wonder what they’d say if they knew this staircase remained a secret all these years.”

  “Maybe it hasn’t,” he suggested. “Officer Bennett may have found the hidden door and didn’t want anyone to know they got away from him.”

  Sarah held up the note. “And left this for future generations to find?”

  “Maybe not.”

  “What made you think there may have been a speakeasy here?” she asked curiously.

  “It was just speculation, but it seemed possible considering the period. Why else hide a space in a building except as an escape route? It’s just the right size for a set of stairs. I also looked up old issues of the local newspaper. There were several editorials from the period urging the police department to be on the lookout for illegal drinking establishments in the downtown area.”

  Sarah held up her keys. “I have a flashlight on my key ring. It’s small, but bright. Do you want to go down first as the discoverer?”

  Tyler accepted the key ring. “Sure, but only to safeguard your fragile sensibilities from seeing the skeleton that may be at the bottom.”

  “My fragile sensibilities, huh? Do you think I’d come unglued that easily?”

  Actually, Tyler was more concerned about the staircase being unsafe after decades of disuse, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Sarah—she’d insist on going first. As for getting hysterical at the sight of a skeleton? He doubted it. He had a growing respect for her resilience.

  “I just wanted to be sure you were paying attention,” he said. “I’ll go down first and come back with the light. If there’s no skeleton, you can check it out for yourself.”

  “Ha ha.”

  Standing on the threshold, Tyler stomped the landing at the top of the stairs. It didn’t quiver. The Millard brothers must have been as good at carpentry as they’d been at bootlegging. Nevertheless, he tested each step going down. They were rock solid. At the bottom, he flashed the light around.

  “No skeletons?” Sarah called from above.

  “Mostly dust. It looks as if there used to be a door into the other building. They must have covered it when they left town. There’s also a small area down here where they could have stored some of their stock. I’m betting there’s a storage area under the staircase, as well.”

  “That makes sense. In case of a raid by the police, customers could hide in the other building. I bet there was an opening into the apartment on the other side of the landing, too.”

  “Possibly. But do you know what this means?” he asked.

  “Uh...my place of business used to be a speakeasy?”

  “Yes, but it also means you’ll be able to get the space you need for the remodel.”

  “Well, your mother did say you were a brilliant architect.”

  * * *

  SARAH GULPED AT the sound of Tyler’s laughter echoing up the stairwell. It was a no-holds-barred laugh and sent electricity surging through her abdomen.

  Really inappropriate.

  But she’d always thought laughter and sex were a delicious combination. It was too bad the empty apartment was such a dismally uncomfortable place. Of course, beds were more niceties than necessities. And since they weren’t at the house, she was reasonably certain what she felt was pure desire, not a hidden need for a protector.

  Tyler appeared at the top of the stairs and handed her a shoe. She blinked.

  “There was a lady’s shoe down there?”

  “Yup. Imagine the stories that could have led to it being there.”

  Sarah tossed the shoe to one side and eyed him.

  She’d never been that good at the games between men and women, but it seemed unlikely that Tyler would make a move. He’d been the starchiest kind of gentleman ever since they’d kissed.

  Letting go of her inhibitions, she put her arms around his neck. “I can think of some possibilities. Do you think any secret lovemaking went on down there?” she whispered against his mouth.

  His body instantly responded against her.

  “You’re playing with fire,” he warned.

  “I hope so,” Sarah said as she kissed him. His hands slid down her bottom, pulling her tighter, and she moaned. All the reasons they shouldn’t get more deeply involved didn’t seem to matter, just the rush of blood through her veins.

  She wiggled against him.

  “I don’t think your intentions are honorable,” he muttered.

  “No, and I’m counting on that preparedness you talked about.”

  “Oh, I’m prepared. But aren’t you worried about your staff being downstairs?”

  Sarah
thought about it. None of her employees had a reason to come upstairs, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

  “No worries, I’m not a screamer...so I hope you won’t be disappointed. Of course, all bets are off if you’re a groaner.”

  * * *

  TYLER FELT AS if he’d stepped from the edge of a precipice. “I don’t groan.”

  With a saucy smile, Sarah stepped backward and slowly removed her shorts and panties. Her T-shirt and bra followed.

  Tyler groaned and she laughed. “Not a groaner, eh?”

  “I’ve never seen you do a striptease before.”

  He took his own shirt off and pulled her to him. The contact of her breasts with his hot skin sent lightning through her body, a sensation that intensified when he lifted her against a wall and opened his mouth over her left breast, teasing the hard nub with his tongue.

  She gasped and wondered if she might be a screamer after all.

  After an endless moment, they slid to the floor and Tyler was able to give both her breasts proper attention, teasing and tasting with a skill she’d only guessed at before.

  Ice man?

  His ex had to be insane if she’d thought he could make love like this and not have a maelstrom of emotion inside.

  Sarah explored Tyler’s back and then eased the zipper over his arousal.

  “In a hurry?” he whispered.

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Hell, yes.”

  He groped and pulled out his wallet, quickly sheathing himself with a condom. Then grasping her hips, he thrust into her.

  It had been so long, that Sarah’s body instinctively resisted. Tyler stopped and caressed her until her tension eased. Slowly he set up a rhythm that made the world spin.

  She came apart, her body no longer seeming to belong to her. Tyler collapsed next to her a moment later, gasping for breath.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  MINUTES...OR MAYBE HOURS later, a loud thud came from the first floor.

  “I should check on that,” Sarah said, although she doubted it was anything dramatic. But it might get her past the awkwardness of wondering what to say. Maybe she simply wasn’t modern enough to have a casual lover. Casual? She would have laughed if she hadn’t felt so rattled. Nothing she felt toward Tyler was casual.