Forever Hers (28 page)

Everything he’d sworn he’d never attempt no longer mattered. He couldn’t walk away from her. Not now. He had no idea where a relationship with her would lead or even if he was capable of having one, but he was willing to try. A long distance relationship could be tricky, but he was confident they would make it work.

For now, he would start working on Raelynn.

Eddie got up and left his bedroom. In the kitchen, mother and daughter danced while cooking, the aroma of freshly baked pastries in the air. Amy, in her trademark shorts and tank top, was busy placing forks and spoons in a wicket basket she used for utensils and napkins. Raelynn, dressed similarly, stood on a stepping stool with her back to him, so he couldn’t tell what she was doing. They were both singing off-key and shaking their heads, hair flying every which way.

He stopped and grinned. The scene filled him with a warm feeling, like he was privileged to witness their special bonding moment. He was laughing by the time he lowered the volume.

“You’re back,” Amy said, her smile luminous.

“Back?” he asked.

“I checked on you earlier, but the bed was empty. I thought you’d gone jogging.”

Fatigue was supposed to be a libido killer, but it hadn’t work since he arrived at the lake house.

“I don’t need to anymore, I’m getting plenty of exercise these days,” he teased, then dropped a kiss on Raelynn’s forehead. “Morning, Princess.”

“Morning, Uncle Eddie. I’m making fruit salad.” She was plucking grapes from a vine with her tiny, chubby fingers and adding them to a bowl of sliced cantaloupe and melon. “Mommy made frittata.”

“It looks good,” he said as he closed the gap between him and Amy, but something in his eyes must have given his intentions away because she took off, hustling around the counter with the wicker napkin holder.

“That’s enough, sweetie,” she told Raelynn. “Take these to the table.”

“Okay, Mommy.” The little girl stepped down off the stool, took the basket and headed outside, where the table was already set for three.

“Breakfast is ready,” Amy said, glancing at him warily. “I’ll bring out your coffee, so just go ahead.”

“If that’s an attempt to get rid of me, it’s not going to work.” Eddie rounded the counter and moved behind her.

She stiffened. “Raelynn will see us.”

“I know.” He let his hand rest on her hip and found the bare skin where her tank top met her shorts. Slowly, he traced a line along her waist until his left and right hands met then fanned his fingers over the gentle swell of her stomach. Gently, he nudged her until she was flush against him then dropped his head and nuzzled her neck. “I think it’s okay.”

“I don’t think so.” She squirmed and tried to wiggle out of his arms.

“Why?”

She twisted and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Because
you
are not ready for the responsibility that comes with it.”

“I am,” he murmured in her ear then turned her around and repeated. “I’m more than ready.”

“What are you doing to
my
Mommy?” Raelynn yelled from behind him.

Amy stiffened and for the third time, she tried to get away from him. Eddie’s arms tightened. He looked down at Raelynn, who was staring at him with her lower lip jutting out.

“I’m giving your mommy a hug.”

Raelynn frowned. “Why?”

“Because she’s cuddly and sweet,” he said.

A confused expression crossed Raelynn’s face. Eddie wanted to let Amy go and pick up her daughter, but that would defeat the purpose of his plan.

“Is it okay to hug Mommy?” Eddie asked.

Raelynn still looked uncertain, but she nodded. “Am I sweet and cuddly too?”

“Oh yeah. Do you want a hug too?”

She raised her arms.

Eddie reached down and scooped her up, cradled her in his left hand and replaced his right arm around Amy, whose body stayed stiff as a board. “Can I get a kiss, short stack?”

Raelynn giggled and kissed his cheek. “Mommy, give him a kiss too.”

That she didn’t want to kiss him in front of Raelynn was apparent in her rigidness. He cocked an eyebrow. Sighing, she reached and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“I want a grown-up kiss,” he added. “Please.”

Raelynn’s eyes widened. Amy’s eyes promised retribution, but she reached up and pressed her lips to his. Before she could retreat, his hand come up and held her head in place. Then he ran his tongue along the soft, plump flesh, begging her to let him in. She did, their tongues caressing gently. Tension left her body and her hand reached up to grasp his shirt. When he eased his lips from hers, she stared at him with glazed eyes.

“Eew,” Raelynn said, covering her mouth. “I don’t like grownup kisses.”

Amy buried her face on Eddie’s shirt. He laughed and planted another kiss on Raelynn’s head. “Your mommy and I like it.”

Raelynn looked at her mother, obviously waiting for her verdict. Amy finally turned and smiled at her daughter, then she lifted her from his arms and sat with her on a stool.

“I’ll finish setting the table,” Eddie said, feeling pretty pleased with himself.

While mother and daughter watched him with the same indulgent expression, he carried the bowl of fruit, the frittata and serving spoons outside. He retrieved a mug from the rack and poured himself some coffee then joined them on the patio.

After breakfast, Raelynn went inside to watch TV and left them lingering at the table. Eddie studied Amy and smiled. He liked the way her turquoise top brought out the blue in her eyes. More of her natural hair had grown, so the strands were two-toned, which suited her.

 
“You’re staring,” Amy said.

Eddie grinned. “I know.”

“It’s rude.”

“You’re beautiful.”

Her cheeks warmed. “Thank you.”

“I’m still waiting for the copy of your work.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if reading it now is a good idea. It’s pretty raw.”

“I don’t mind.”

She made a face. But before she could come up with a response, Jimmy’s grandmother came around the house. The woman had to be in her seventies yet she walked like a much younger woman. She even wind surfed.

Eddie stood. “Morning, Catherine.”

“Good morning, dear. Nice morning for breakfast on the patio.”

“Yes, it is,” Amy said. “Join us, please. I made frittata.”

“No, no, dear. As much as I enjoy your cooking, I’ve already eaten. I was on my way for my morning walk when I saw your cars. What happened?”

“What do you mean?” Amy asked, but Eddie was already stepping away from the table.

“The tires are all flat and Amy, your windows are smashed.”

Eddie was off the deck before Catherine finished talking. Amy raced after him. They didn’t just smash her windows. They’d slashed hers seats and yanked out her audio system.

“Don’t touch anything,” Eddie warned, walking around the cars, looking for anything the burglars might have left behind.

“They’re back,” Amy whispered behind him.

“Who’s back?” Catherine asked.

“The burglars,” Amy improvised so calmly Eddie turned to look at her.

How could she be so calm? Eddie wanted to gut Nolan for the crap he was putting her through.

“Thank you for telling us, Catherine,” Amy added. “We’ll call the police and let them deal with this.”

She patted Amy’s arm. “Let me know what they say, dear. If they can’t catch these no-good thieves, my sons will move in with us and start a neighborhood patrol. They are both sharp-shooters,” she added and chuckled.

Eddie waited until the woman left for her walk then started for the house. After a few steps, he realized Amy wasn’t behind him. She was walking around the three cars, taking a thorough inventory. Even Baron and Kara’s SUV, which they’d been parking in the wide driveway to give room for the mats and punching bags, hadn’t remained unscathed. The tires were slashed and would all need to be replaced.

As for Amy, she didn’t lose it like an average woman would. She held it together. His baby was a survivor. She might have been victimized but she was no one’s victim. She could have stayed with Nolan, but she’d found the strength to walk away and move her child out of harm’s way. It took strength to stand up to a psycho.

From the moment he’d learned about Nolan, he’d seen her as someone that needed to be rescued and protected. Even as he taught her self-defense, he never imagined she’d use it because he, the big detective, would protect her. But the way she’d trained the last week, working morning and evening, determination in her expressive eyes, she had a goal. And that goal included protecting herself and her child. When he’d pieced together the puzzle that was Nolan, he’d put off telling her his theory for fear that it would be too much for her to handle. She’d handled it.

He didn’t know what he felt for her. Admiration. Awe. Love. He just knew he was one lucky bastard to have her in his life. He turned and closed the gap between them.

***

Amy looked up as Eddie walked toward her with determination in his steps and a look she couldn’t define in his eyes. He cupped her face, ducked his head and gave her a brief, possessive kiss, the kind that made her toes curl and blood sing, but he didn’t give her body time to appreciate the invasion. He lifted his head and grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“Whoa, slow down. What was that kiss for?” She half jogged to keep up with his long strides.

He grinned. “That was because it’s Sunday.”

Warmth unfurled in her stomach and spread like a blossoming flower. “You’re talking about something we discussed last week instead of our vandalized cars?”

He stopped and looked into her eyes. “Yep. You know why? This,” he jerked his head to indicate the cars, “brings us closer to nailing Nolan, so I don’t want you to worry about him anymore. Focus on us. Our relationship.”

She studied him with a puzzled expression. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want a relationship with you, Amy Kincaid. You and Raelynn. I want it all. I’m willing to learn. You’ll teach me.”

He was bold and gorgeous, and his timing sucked, but she couldn’t deny she wanted him. She chuckled. “I don’t remember offering.”

He gave her another quick kiss. “Think about it.”

As if she’d be able to think about anything else now, but she was wrong. As soon as she stepped inside the house, thoughts of Raelynn had her racing to the study. Her daughter would have to stay indoors until the police finished with the cars. Raelynn had come a long way and Amy refused to see her regress because of one act of vandalism.

“I’ll call the police,” Eddie said and disappeared toward his bedroom.

Amy checked on her daughter, who was curled up on a couch, her eyes glued to the screen. “You can watch a few more episodes today, sweetheart. I’ll bring you a snack later, okay?”

“’Kay, Mommy,” she said without looking away from the screen.

Closing the door to the study, Amy went to her desktop, tapped a key to get rid of the screen saver and searched recorded footage of the last twelve hours. Her security camera range didn’t extend beyond the hood of the cars, so all it caught was the back of the skulking man as he moved from car to car. He wore a ski mask.

Eddie reappeared with his cell phone glued to his ear and the computer tablet for the second surveillance system in his other hand.

“Three cars,” he said into the phone. “No, captain, we didn’t touch anything,” he snapped. “But that doesn’t mean our fingerprints aren’t all over them. Okay. Yes, everything photographed and documented.”

At last no one would accuse her of vandalizing her own car this time, not with Eddie as a witness. As soon as he sat and fired up the tablet, Amy joined him. His video recording was clearer, but still they saw nothing of the burglar’s face. Luckily, they had a wireless camera on a security light pole and caught him leaving, teeth flashing. It also showed him throwing the crowbar in the nearby bushes. Then he pulled off his gloves and pocketed them, but one fell. He kept walking until he was out of the camera range. The screen went blank then the timer started again. It showed Catherine, Sam’s grandmother, walking then stopping by the cars.

Amy and Eddie looked at each other and both jumped up and raced outside. The rubber glove was exactly where the man had dropped it. Eddie stopped her from getting too close.

“Don’t step on the grass or touch anything. Could you get the colorful, plastic hampers you use for clothes? We’re going to mark the crime scene, so the cops don’t drive all over it. Too many criminals beat the system because an overzealous rookie accidentally destroyed the crime scene.”

She nodded and hurried back inside the house. He was right behind her. When she reappeared in the living room on her way outside, he was ahead of her with two rolls of toilet paper. Outside, he covered the glove with a hamper then proceeded to wrap the toilet paper around a tree, unrolled it and looped it around the next tree, then the light pole, across the road running past the house to the bushes, where the burglar had dropped the crowbar. He was ingenious and quick on his feet.