CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Thank you?
She’d never had a one-night stand so she couldn’t be sure of protocol, but she was fairly certain it didn’t involve banal declarations of gratitude.
The next morning, he was gone. She had a feeling he would be. Dealing with a woman “the morning after” was probably not his forte. His expertise was most likely in sneaking out of women’s bedrooms before dawn.
The kicker was, he hadn’t left her bedroom. After they’d gotten dressed in the kitchen, he walked her to the hallway, and with a funny look in his eyes, gave her an awkward hug and said, “Um, thank you. See you in the morning.” Then they’d returned to their separate bedrooms and slept alone.
She’d have to Google that and find out if it was a thing now. Should she have reciprocated? What if it was rude not to say it? Ugh, who knew?
She should probably be royally ticked off, but what did she expect? He wasn’t head over heels in love with her. It was just sex, and she understood that going in.
Crap. What if sex with her was horrible? Mitch was no doubt used to women much more exciting and “capable.” Her inexperience must have been evident. Last night had been the most erotic fifteen minutes of her life, but she imagined her hot sex scale differed vastly from his.
Maybe she was overreacting. He did leave a note saying he had business in the city but would be back by lunch. Perhaps that’s all it was. Killing and kidnapping seemed like a nocturnal pastime, so she was most likely safe for now.
She could analyze it to death or make cookies. The decision seemed easy until she went to the refrigerator for butter. The refrigerator. She would never think of it the same.
Good God, what had she been thinking? Sex. With Mitch. On her grandmother’s kitchen floor? The sad part was, she’d do it again. In a second.
***
Mitch dreaded seeing Maggie again. She would be pissed.
She wasn’t the kind of girl you could throw down on the floor, have hot sweaty sex with, and then just say good night.
Oh God, if only that was what he’d said.
Thank you? He couldn’t believe that had popped out of his mouth.
She must think he was a total idiot. Or a total jerk. He’d have to fix that at least.
When he returned from the city, she was sitting on a stool in the kitchen, drinking orange juice, and reading a book. One look, and he was immediately turned on again. So much for getting her out of his system. He shook his head and approached.
“About last night…,” they both said in unison. The morning after. It was an awkward moment, but they powered through. “I wanted to apologize,” they both said again at the same time and then laughed.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You go first. I hope you’re not going to say you’re sorry it happened because I’m not.”
“Well…no…I’m not sorry it happened. Surprised at the timing, but not sorry. I mean, it was great and all. I just…” She looked down and mumbled the last sentence. “I wanted to apologize for being so crass and using such coarse language.”
He gave her a cocky grin. “You mean when you demanded that I ‘fuck you already’?’”
She cringed. “Ahh, is that what I said? I knew it was bad but couldn’t remember exactly how it came out.” Her face heated, and he tried not to laugh. She was so damn cute.
“Well, I can’t say I wasn’t surprised to hear you say it. But don’t be sorry. It was hot as hell.”
She turned red at his sly grin. “What were you going to say?” she asked, clearly wanting to move on.
“Oh, yeah. Well, I owe you an apology, too.” He paused and made a show of looking around.
“All the rooms in this house, Maggie, and I take you right here on the fucking floor. In the kitchen for Christ’s sake.
I should have made it better for you, especially for our first time.
Anyway, I’m sorry I got so carried away. ”
He wasn’t prepared to admit out loud that he never lost control like he had the night before. That she made him so crazy, he couldn’t even wait to get her to a bed or find a condom. Quite frankly, it scared him.
She looked down, and he was afraid she was preparing to let him have it. That would be okay. He deserved it.
Instead, she looked up and said, “Well, I can’t say I wasn’t surprised. But don’t be sorry. It was hot as hell.”
He laughed out loud. “It was pretty hot. You’re right about that.” Glad she wasn’t mad, he stole a sip of her juice.
“So, you went to the city this morning? I don’t suppose you picked up any groceries?” she asked.
“Oh yeah, I had an appointment I couldn’t get out of. That’s what I wanted to tell you last night. Then you distracted me, and I forgot…” He trailed off and smiled.
“I distracted you? I was just trying to get some juice!” she exclaimed.
“Are you upset about what you got instead?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Well, no. I’ve never had two orgasms back-to-back like that. I guess I can’t complain. I should actually be saying thank you.” She emphasized the last two words.
His head snapped up, eyes wide, and she laughed long and hard.
“Shit. Okay, I deserve that. I don’t know what the hell got into me.”
She continued to laugh, and he finally did, too. “Thank you? Oh my God, you must think I’m the biggest idiot. You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
She got the giggles under control. “To save you from a lifetime of embarrassment, I won’t tell another soul, but, no, I probably won’t let you forget it anytime soon, either.”
“Ugh. That’s fair, I suppose.” He stood and walked over to the patio doors. “Hey, don’t go down to the beach until I have a chance to check things out around here, okay?”
“That takes all the fun out of being at a beach house,” she complained, “but all right.”
“I know, I’ll take a look as soon as I can. That reminds me.” He walked toward her pulling a small, silver chain out of his front pocket. “Will you wear this?” The surprise on her face made him clarify immediately. “It’s a tracking device.”
Did she think he’d gotten her jewelry? That would be awkward.
“Do I need this?” She plucked it out of his hand to examine it. Attached to the chain was a dime-sized charm with the word “love” inscribed on it. How cheesy.
“It’s just a precaution. In case we get separated and I need to find you.
Keep in mind, it’s an older version someone is letting me borrow on the down-low.
It won’t work unless it’s activated and doesn’t transmit very well in concrete buildings, so coverage in the city is spotty.
It’s meant to be a last resort type of thing, but I figured better safe than sorry. ”
“You think I might be kidnapped?” Her voice raised an octave in panic.
“No, no, like I said, it’ll just make me feel better. Here, turn around and let me put it on.” He quickly put it on and then changed the subject. “What do you have planned for today?”
***
“What do you mean, you can’t find them?” Manuel ground out. He was already irritated at having to switch hideouts. This new place was even dumpier than the last, and he hadn’t slept well on the blow-up air mattress that was serving as his temporary bed. He was in no mood for bad news.
“We trashed the lady’s house, like you said. Then we was gonna wait for her to come back to start following her, but after she came back, we never saw her leave again. We been watchin’ the store, too, and she ain’t gone there, either.”
“Dammit. What about him?”
“He dropped off the grid, too. We think they’re together,” Carlos stated with authority.
“Why the fuck do you think they’d be together?”
“Just a thought, boss.”
“So, what’s your plan to find them?” Manuel asked impatiently.
“We haven’t been able to find his family yet.
I’ve got a couple of guys staking out the houses of her family, but she’s got a lot of relatives, so we have to rotate around.
We haven’t approached anyone yet, but if you want, we can start interrogating them.
” What he meant by “interrogating” was implied.
Carlos was good at roughing people up. He liked his job and took pride in his work.
All he needed was the go-ahead, and he’d be putting the thumbscrews to anyone and everyone who knew Margaret Tucker or the cop.
“Not yet. For now, just find them. It hasn’t been that long. They’ll turn up soon.”
“Whatever you say, boss.” Carlos seemed disappointed, but his time would come soon enough.
As soon as Carlos had cleared the door, Manuel picked up the phone and dialed an out of country number. He needed help. Professional help. The bumbling idiots he had working for him were not going to cut it this time.