almond now?”
“I’ll be buying a case of it.”
She laughed, then her eyes popped open as he straddled her. His eyes, still hot, met hers as his thumbs flicked over her nipples. “I’m not done yet.”
“But—”
“I’m not done.” Leaning over her, he took her hands, lifted them, clamped them around the iron rungs. “Leave them there. You’re going to need something to hold on to.”
“Simon.”
“What I want, as much as I want,” he reminded her, and slid down, lifted her hips. “Until I’m finished.”
The breath trembled between her lips now, but she nodded. “Yes.”
Eighteen
As a sop to healthier eating, Fiona tossed some strawberries onto her Froot Loops. She ate them leaning against the kitchen counter, watching Simon drink coffee leaning against the one across from her.
“You’re stalling,” she decided. “Stretching out another cup of coffee so you’re here until people start coming in for the first class.”
He reached into the cereal box she’d yet to put away, took a handful. “So?”
“I appreciate it, Simon, nearly as much as I appreciate being sexed into a coma last night. But it’s not necessary.”
“I’m drinking this coffee until I finish.” He experimented by dunking a Froot Loop into the coffee. Sampled.
Not half bad.
“I’m staying until I leave,” he continued. “If you have something you have to do, go do it, but I’m not leaving you alone. Deal with it.”
She scooped up more cereal, munched it while she studied him. “You know, somebody else might’ve said, ‘Fee, I’m concerned about you, and I don’t want to take any chances with your safety so I’m going to be here for you.’”
He dunked a couple more. “Somebody else isn’t here.”
“That’s very true, and maybe there’s something perverse in me that prefers your method.” He might’ve been dunking colorful rounds of cereal into his coffee like tiny doughnuts, but he looked scruffy and irritable. God, why did she love that? “What are we going to do about this, Simon?”
“I’m going to drink my coffee.”
“And, using the coffee as a metaphor, are you going to keep drinking it until they catch the person who’s killing those women, and may want to add me to his scorecard?”
“Yes.”
She nodded, ate more cereal. “Then stop hauling that stupid duffel over here every night. I’ll give you room in the closet, clean out a drawer. If you’re sleeping here, it’s ridiculous not to leave some of your things here. You deal with it.”
“I’m not living here.”
“Understood.” He’d inconvenience himself for her, but he’d be careful not to step over the next line. “You’re just hanging out here, and drinking coffee with coffee-soaked Froot Loops—”
“It’s pretty good.”
“I’ll put it on the menu. And sleeping here after making crazed love with me in the shower.”
“That was your idea.”
She laughed. “And a damn good one. Restrictions that apply are acknowledged. Leave your damn toothbrush in the bathroom, Simon, you idiot. Put your underwear in a drawer and hang up a couple of shirts in the closet.”
“I’ve already got a shirt in the closet. You washed it because I left it on the floor.”
“That’s right. And if you leave clothes on the floor, they’re going to get washed and put away whether you like it or not. If I can agree to you drinking coffee, you can agree not to haul that duffel back and forth like a security blanket.”
When his eyes narrowed, she narrowed hers back at him. And smiled. “What? Did that hit the mark?”
“Are you looking for a fight?”
“Let’s say I’m looking for your famous balance. I give, you give.” She tapped her chest, pointed at him, then wiggled a hand between them. “And it levels out in the middle. Think about it. I’ve got to get ready for class,” she added, and strolled away.
Twenty minutes later as her first class of the day started their socialization exercises, she watched Simon walk to his truck. He called his dog—and shot Fiona a look from behind his sunglasses.
He drove away—without the duffel.
She considered it a small, personal victory.
Midway through the day, she’d logged “visits” from Meg and Chuck, Sylvia and Lori, topped off by her daily check from Davey.
Apparently no one was going to leave her alone. As much as she appreciated the concern, it occurred to her just why she’d chosen a place several miles outside the village. As much as she loved company, she needed those small pockets of solitude.
“Davey, I’ve got a call in to Agent Tawney—who’s probably going to make yet another trip out here. I’ve got my phone in my pocket, as promised, and barely thirty minutes between classes. Less when one of the clients is an islander because they stall until whoever’s next on the Watch Out for Fee list shows up. I’m not getting any of my office work done.”
“So go do it.”
“Do you really think this guy’s going to drive up here in the middle of the day to attempt an abduction between my Basic Obedience class and my Advanced Skill Set?”
“Probably not.” He took a swig from the Coke she’d provided. “But if he does, he’s not going to find you alone.”
She cast her eyes up to the puffy clouds dotting the sky. “Maybe I should start serving refreshments.”
“Cookies would be good. You can’t go wrong with cookies.”
She punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Look, here comes one of the next class. Go protect and serve someone else.”
He waited until the car came close enough for him to see the driver was female. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t forget the cookies.”
Davey gave a nod to the other driver as he got into his cruiser and she parked.
She climbed out, a tall, pretty brunette with a swingy wedge of chin-length hair and what Fiona thought of as city boots. Stylish and thin-heeled under trim gray pants.
“Fiona Bristow?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh, what great dogs! Can I pet them?”
“Sure.” Fiona signaled, so her dogs stepped up to the woman and sat politely.
“They’re so sweet.” She shoved her enormous shoulder bag behind her back and crouched down. “The pictures on your website are good, but they’re even better in person.”
And where’s your dog? Fiona wondered. But it wouldn’t be the first time a potential client came out to scope her and her setup before signing up.
“Did you come to monitor a class? I have one starting in about ten minutes.”
“I’d love to.” She angled her face up, all fresh style and perky smile. “I was hoping I’d hit between classes so I’d have a few minutes to talk to you. I checked the schedule on your website and tried to time it. But you know how the ferries are.”
