Lucky Streak

He frowned, clearly unhappy with her subject change. “Don’t you think I do what I can? But if I want to save my own sanity, I have to limit the time I spend with him. It’s too hard, too painful.”

She smiled in understanding. “But I’m here now. And I can be the buffer. I can help you and Edward. In fact, I want to.” Leaning over, she kissed Mike full on the lips. “You have to shower and get dressed for work.”

He groaned, but tossed the covers off himself and rose. “Don’t think this get-to-know-you stuff is finished. There’s a lot you didn’t tell me,” he said in warning.

She grinned, keeping things light. She didn’t want him to sense she was deliberately hiding things. “I’ll make breakfast while you shower,” she told him.

His gaze met hers and lingered. “You’ll spoil me if I let you.”

“So let me,” she said softly.

Without replying, he turned and started for the bathroom. Her gaze followed his strong, firm rear end as he walked until the closed door changed the view.

She stood and pulled on one of Mike’s shirts, something she was growing fond of doing, before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast.

She might as well keep busy now. She wouldn’t be able to find out if anyone had pulled her marriage certificate from city hall until 9:00 a.m. Las Vegas time.

She whipped up scrambled eggs, orange juice and hot coffee, then waited for Mike to join her. She wanted to give him as many positive memories of them as a couple as possible before she was forced to disillusion him once more.

Amber sighed. She was a survivor. She’d always known how to get by, and if Mike followed through on the divorce, she knew she’d get through that, too. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t fight-for herself and for him. If the time came, she’d walk away knowing she’d given it her all.

KING BOBBY WAS in a celebratin’ mood. “Amber Rose married Michael Corwin this past weekend. Whoo-wee! I got me some information!” He tossed his hat in the air, Texas style. His sources had come through again.

He had a name and an address, though there were no signs of her at her Vegas apartment. He’d have to set his sights on the husband, then. Detective Michael Corwin.

“Dang woman married a cop,” King Bobby muttered. Which meant he couldn’t head East and show up at the cop’s place, guns blazin’.

He’d have to go slow and subtle-like. He picked up the phone in his office and dialed home. “Emmy Lou?” he bellowed. “Book me a flight to Boston!”

Some things a man had to handle for himself.

CHAPTER EIGHT

MIKE AND HIS PARTNER often ate lunch at the deli near the courthouse, one block from the station, and today was no different. Dan was extolling the virtues of married life while Mike remained silent. He didn’t have a typical marriage, so why bother joining the discussion? Besides, for the last two days Dan had been happy to provide enough conversation for the both of them, allowing Mike to deflect most inquiries about his personal life.

“So enough about me and Nat. How’s Amber?” Dan asked before biting into a French fry.

“Fine,” Mike said in a monotone.

“And how’s married life treating you?”

“Just fine,” he said in the same tone.

Dan rolled his eyes. “The hell it is. Not if you’re still giving me short nonanswers. Just how long did you think I’d let you off the hook?”

“You want me to gossip like a woman?” Mike asked pointedly.

“Low blow, buddy.” Dan paused to pour more ketchup on his plate. “Seriously. What’s the matter? Aren’t you getting laid?”

That was so far from the problem, Mike couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m just not going to kiss and tell, no matter how many different ways you ask.” Mike had yet to come to grips with his wife and her secrets. Sharing how she’d taken off with his cash wasn’t something Mike was willing to confide. Not even with his partner.

Dan narrowed his gaze. “You’re being protective of your wife. I’ll take that as a good sign.” Dan held up a fry to make his point before eating it.

Mike tackled his burger, hoping if he continued to ignore his partner, Dan would change the subject.

“Is Amber cooking for you?”

Apparently Dan wouldn’t be deterred. “She makes me breakfast, but I haven’t been home for dinner. And before you jump to any more brilliant conclusions, remember it’s only been a couple of nights.”

“What’s her specialty? Cold cereal?” Dan asked.

“Eggs. What’s wrong with you, asking stupid questions like that?”

Dan shook his head. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve got a hot woman at home who’s cooking your meals and warming your bed and you’re afraid to go home. When I mention married life, you act as if you’re on death row. So I ask again. What’s wrong with you?”

Mike could understand his partner’s concern. But he wasn’t about to elaborate. “It’s not that simple,” he said, jaw clenched.

“It could be. You married a stranger in Vegas. She followed you home. Now you’re supposed to enjoy the get- to-know-you honeymoon stage. A little backward, but what did you expect?” Dan asked, his voice tinged with a combination of frustration and curiosity.

Mike had expected honesty. He’d wanted Amber to open up to him immediately upon her return. How else could he begin to understand her?

Hell, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t given her the opportunity to confide in him. Instead, she’d deliberately changed the subject, which told him she was hiding something big. Something she obviously didn’t trust him to know.

Because she didn’t think he could handle whatever it was?

For all he knew, she was right. He wouldn’t know what he could handle until she confessed. And for such a big reveal, she needed to trust him. Clearly she didn’t. Yet, just as obviously, she was trying to make the marriage work. He, on the other hand, had been grumpy and obnoxious outside the bedroom.

He groaned and pushed his plate away from him. He’d been handling her all wrong, he decided.

“How ’bout you cut the lady some slack?” Dan suggested. “You never know. You just might enjoy having her around.”

Mike nodded slowly, having just reached the same conclusion. “Anyone ever tell you that you aren’t as dumb as you look? Maybe I should give Amber a break.” It wasn’t as though living with her was torture.

She was beautiful, sweet, and when he let himself forget she’d stolen his money and taken off, he could almost believe she had a heart of gold. Added to that, there were plenty of perks, as Dan had pointed out. If they could find common ground, maybe they could make this thing work.

Unless whatever she was hiding drove an even bigger wedge between them.

AMBER LOVEDLaw and Order. She watched the television show religiously whenever she got the chance and thanks to syndicated reruns, she could always find it on one channel or another. She’d been curled up on the couch, trying to get lost in the crime drama and not think about her own problems, when Mike came home from work.

At the end of the workday, he was adorably disheveled with a day’s worth of razor stubble darkening his handsome face. Every time she looked at him, her desire for him renewed, stronger than before.

Since he’d said he’d grab dinner out, she expected him to shower and head to bed, where she’d have to corner him for a serious talk.

Instead, he sat down beside her on the couch. “What are you watching?” he asked.

Surprised, she decided to test his mood with some simple conversation. “Law and Order. Do you like the show?”

He inclined his head. “When I let myself forget I’m a cop, it’s pretty good. Catch me up?” He pointed to the