AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hardly. I didn’t want you to be embarrassed…”
“Embarrassed?” she laughed. “Are you kidding? I had sex with the sexy, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist. I was thinking of taking out an ad announcing it.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I’m in charge of ads and that is so not happening. If there are any ads for bragging rights, in my paper I get to do the bragging. But on a serious note, to be completely honest and open, I’ve been attracted to you since I saw that picture of you and the Murder Club members at Jess and Thorn’s place. I even made sure to find out if you were single and unattached. I was trying to figure out a way to get to meet you. Now that I’ve done that and you’re every bit as wonderful as I thought you’d be, I’m all in. I’m not going anywhere. So, take a deep breath and relax.”
They ate their breakfast, talking about all kinds of inconsequential things from their pasts, and found in a lot of ways they had very similar experiences.
“Do you have a little bit of time?” she asked.
“That’s the beauty of owning your own small-town paper; my time is my own. I have as much as you need.”
“Let me get showered and dressed. I want to see if we can catch up with Ezra Kane. I want a chance to talk to him, and I’d like it if you were there. This investigative stuff is your bailiwick, not mine.”
“I don’t know… you and the rest of your club seem to be doing pretty good for a—and I quote—bunch of amateurs.”
“Yeah, I think some of the cops don’t like us solving those crimes. It’s like they think we’re trying to show them up. We aren’t.”
“It doesn’t matter if you were. I’m the last guy to give a rat’s ass about pissing off the cops. They didn’t get the job done, and you’re bringing closure and justice to those victims and the ones they left behind. Look, good cops are going to see that. Guys like Thorn and Slade will be the first ones to congratulate you. It’s the ones who dropped the ball or just didn’t give a damn who get cranky. So, you just keep doing what you’re doing. I’ve got your back, as do Slade and Thorn.”
Lori popped into the shower and got dressed and ready in record time. She smiled as she left the bathroom without a stitch of clothing on. She’d forgotten to take panties and bra in with her.
“I’ve changed my mind. When at all possible, greet me in the morning like that.”
She looked down and saw that her nipples were stiffening. She might have tried to chalk it up to the room being chilly, but it wasn’t, and room temperature sure as hell wasn’t making desire pool between her legs. She felt the blush in her cheeks, but decided that wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. She grabbed her bra and as she reached for her panties, Ryker sprang across the room and snatched them away.
“No more panties for you,” he rumbled, wrapping his arm around her waist, and nuzzling her neck, letting her feel the state of his own arousal.
“Hmm. That’s nice. I’m going to have to wash my jeans daily.”
“We all have to make sacrifices. But if you want, I’ll do the laundry.”
She pulled on her jeans, having to kind of jump up and down to get them on. She slipped her bra on and presented her back to him. “Do you mind,” she asked, looking over her shoulder.
He fastened her bra, kissing her shoulder. “And when we’re alone, this comes off, too.”
Turning around, she looped her arms over his head. “You’re kind of bossy.”
“I’m all kinds of bossy, but I can behave like a civilized man in certain circumstances for short periods of time.”
“So, you’re telling me, you’re basically a caveman.” She watched his face in the mirror. “Oh my god, you’re standing there thinking that wouldn’t be the worst thing—to revert to Neanderthals.”
“I don’t think it would be the worst thing. Things were simpler back then. Find your woman, hit her over the head, and drag her back to your cave. Simple. Easy.”
Lori rolled her eyes and groaned as she pulled on a tank top, slouchy cardigan, and cowboy boots of her own. “At least you’re honest about it.”
They headed down the hall with their arms around each other. When the elevator took them to the lobby, they exited, and he offered her his hand. She loved how he was giving her the choice of how public to make their relationship, and how much PDA she was willing to allow. Deciding she didn’t give a single damn about what anyone thought, she took his hand, bringing it up to her lips and kissing his knuckles.
Grinning, they entered the hotel’s small coffee bar, and spying Ezra Kane, they walked to his table to join him.
“Well, don’t you two look all lovey dovey this morning. This,” he said, indicating the two of them, “happened awfully fast.”
“The time and tide wait for no man,” said Ryker. “When you find the one you’ve been waiting for…”
“You hit her over the head and drag her back to your cave,” Lori said, loving the way Ryker grinned and Ezra looked decidedly uncomfortable.
Ryker helped Lori into the booth. “Come on, Ezra; you’ve been in love. You know how it is.”
Ezra leaned back and sighed, a wistful look in his eyes. “Once. A very long time ago. Well, I suppose I should be happy for the two of you, and what the hell, I will be. So, Lori, you’ve been the hit of the event. Everybody’s talking about you, the murder, and what you saw. My guess is you’ll sell out completely at the signing this afternoon. The hotel’s gift shop and the bookstore down the street have sold out of your books.”
