Bare Necessities (9 page)

“I’m sure whoever it is means no harm. Simply trying to give me a scare. They obviously don’t know me. I don’t scare easily, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Seth chuckled. “Tell me about it. Even I couldn’t get you to leave.” He reached out and took her hand. “And that was one of the stupidest things I ever wanted.”

“I’m still a little thrown by this curveball. One moment, you hate me then you like me, but I think I’ll take it for what it is.”

“How do you think I feel? One minute, you are giving me dirty looks, and then you’re giving me a different type of dirty look.”

She leaned forward, kissing him. It was a short one but enough to bring his engines to life again.

“I guess I better get out of here. Thankfully, it’s late, and hopefully no one will see me.”

“Let’s hope.”

After one last kiss, she left, abandoning him alone on his couch praying like hell she made it home safely at this time of night. Seth was glad he’d finally opened up to her. Not many knew what had happened to his sister. Neither he nor she talked about it, not even to each other. Whenever he brought it up to Kimberly, she would brush it off as though it was no big deal. He wondered if the past haunted her as much as it did him.

* * *

 “Come here, Lila, you little cutie,” Ava called after the walking toddler.

“I told you, she is a mess. It’s darn impossible to get anything done.” Julie darted across the living room, snatching her daughter up in one swoop.

Ava watched in delight as she studied the pair. Julie held Lila up and gave her little tickles before setting her loose again. As soon as Lila was free, she ran back the other way.

“Wow, look at that expression you have on your face. Are you catching the baby bug?” Julie asked.

“The what?”

“The baby bug. You know, you want one yourself.”

“I don’t think so. I kinda need a man, a ring, a dog, a house … all that stuff.”

“You have some of those.”

“Um … no. Pretty sure I have none of those. I’m renting a cabin still over at Honeycreek, and I don’t have a dog, a ring, or a man.”

“Oh, you know that last part was a lie,” Julie joked.

Ava raised an eyebrow at her cousin. “He isn’t mine.”

“Oh, please. If you’d quit fighting your feelings for one another, the two of you would be between the sheets in no time.”

Without a doubt, Ava knew Julie was right. Hell, Ava might have even gone to bed with the man last night. She was glad he’d had self-control and stopped before they’d gone any further. Sure, all they had done so far was kiss, but she could not wait to get the man naked.

“Now you’re in la-la land, which tells me I’m right.” Julie smiled. “Anything else happen since that last kiss?”

Ava would love to tell her cousin she’d seen him last night, but apparently it hadn’t gotten around yet that she had accused Seth of being the one who was damaging her shop.

“Nothing.”

“Maybe Mark and I should have you both over for dinner one evening. Oh, and Claire and Jace could come also. A triple date!” Julie’s gaze darted all around. “Where the heck is my cellphone? I’ll text Claire right now and see when they are free.”

Ava laid her palm on Julie’s hand. “Cousin, chill. This triple date can’t happen right now.”

“Sure, it can.”

“No, really, it can’t. I sorta accused him of being the one doing all those things to my shop. He’s been removed from the case, and I’m not allowed to be in contact with him until they solve it.”

Julie’s mouth dropped open. “What? Are you insane? Seth would never do something like that. I’ve known him for a long time. He doesn’t have it in him.”

“I wasn’t thinking straight. I told Seth I would go to them and tell them I was wrong, but he said not to. If I at all think he might be involved, then I have to leave him off. He didn’t want anyone accusing him of tampering with evidence, and he thinks someone out there is trying to make it look like he did it. Obviously, they are, after the note they spray-painted.”

“Poor Seth.”

“This is hard on me, too,” Ava argued.

“Yeah, but how could you think he did it?”

“Because the man has been telling me practically since he met me that he wants me to leave. Go to Jackson Hole or wherever. Just get out of Brookfield. He isn’t innocent in this.”

“I wasn’t trying to imply that he is.”

Ava crossed her arms. “It sounded like it. I’m the one being vandalized.”

“Let’s just change the subject. This is touchy and fresh, and the last thing either you or I want is to be on non-speaking terms over some silly fight, right?”

Ava’s arms fell to her side, and she smiled. “You always were the peacemaker. God, what would I do without you in my life?”

“I don’t know. Have a lot more enemies?”

Lila walked over, obviously getting worn out from the circles she had been running around the living room. She stood in front of Ava and reached up. Ava picked up the little girl, and when Lila snuggled up next to her and plopped her thumb in her mouth, Ava’s heart melted. Maybe she was catching the bug, because right about now she wanted her own.

Chapter Eleven

Seth had been right, and now the town folks were scrambling madly, collecting supplies. The first dusting of snow hit a little early this year. The weatherman reported that it wasn’t going to last. The next day, the day would heat up enough to melt the snow away, but it still left everyone in a tizzy. The local grocery stores were packed as everyone prepared for the upcoming winter.

Pulling into the station, Seth was ready to get this day over with. The first part had been the usual nonsense, and now the last half was dealing with all this snow stuff. Hopefully, everyone made it home safely tonight, and he could get some rest. After the visit from Ava, and knowing she just might have let him make love to her, had left him up all night tossing and turning.

As he entered his office, he noticed several officers watching him. He wasn’t really sure why. Looking down, he checked to make sure he hadn’t spilt anything on himself. Nothing. Shrugging it off, he took a seat in his office and fired up the computer to go over his e-mails.

Cody suddenly leaned through the doorway. “I need to talk to you.”

“What’s up?”

“It’s about Ava’s case.”

Shit. What was going on now?

“There’s been something else,” Cody continued.

“You’re kidding. What?”

“A note was left at her cabin.”

Seth stood, shoving the chair away from his desk so it smacked against the wall. “The person has been to her place?”

Cody nodded and handed him a paper. “This is what the note said. It’s not looking good for you.”

Now Seth was really confused. He took the note and read in disbelief.
Your kisses may be sweet, but I still want to see your sweet ass walking out of this town.

“Fuck.” Seth gripped the paper tightly in his hands.

“I’m going to ask this only once. Is it you?”

“Hell, no!” Seth yelled. “Someone is trying to set me up.”

“Any idea who?” Cody asked.

“No.” Seth shook his head. “But I wish I did. I’m glad you’re in charge of this. I know you’ll find him.”

Cody cleared his throat. “We’ll find whoever it is.”

“There has to be someone else. Ava has to know someone else who has said something.” Seth’s thoughts turned back to last night when she’d visited him. “When did she get the note?”
Please say last night.
At least then he’d have an alibi.

“When she returned home today from a visit with Julie.”

Shit!
“I know I’m not in charge of this, but you’re going to have to come down hard on Ava to think of someone. Anyone at all she has seen walk by the place slowly or whatever.” He let out a groan. “Does she think I sent this note?”

“No. When she brought us the note, we asked her that. She said she was sure it wasn’t you and that she thought someone was setting you up.”

Relief swept through him. Thank God for that. Maybe whoever this person was wouldn’t be able to ruin things between them. Whoever was terrorizing Ava had to be someone she knew and had to be watching from afar. Maybe an old flame or a friend she’d done wrong. Then it dawned on him. They knew nothing about her past.

“Find out about old friends she might have gotten in a fight with, family who might feel like she owes them money, maybe even a scorned ex. And you might have to go to Julie. Ava is secretive.”

“On it, sir. We are going to get this solved.”

“I hope, and hopefully before the next incident happens.”

“Don’t worry. There won’t be another.” Cody turned and left.

Seth stared at the copy of the note in his hand. He couldn’t believe he couldn’t help with this. All he wanted was to find Ava and bring her home with him, where he knew she’d be safe and whoever this person was couldn’t get to her.

Work was impossible to finish up knowing the offender was out there. Seth closed his laptop, packed his things, and decided to leave for the day. As he made his way to the front door, he saw a meeting going on in one of the rooms. Cody appeared to be in charge of it. Even though Cody had the hots for Ava, or so it appeared, Seth knew Cody could handle the team almost as well as he could. Cody would find the SOB, and soon things would be normal again.

Then again, had anything been normal since Ava had come to town? As he drove home, his mind wandered to that first evening he’d met her. She’d been fun and flirty. Right off the bat, he’d wanted to know everything about her, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he knew nothing about her. Other than the fact she was opening up a lingerie shop. Where did she move from? What work did she do before this? Why was she in Brookfield? The girl was a mystery.

He remembered when they’d arrived at the Swift Water Café diner the way she’d jerked when his hand had pressed against her lower back, as though the gesture was too intimate or possibly too possessive. Had someone hurt her in the past? Had she come to his town to get away from someone? She wouldn’t be the first person to take up residence in Brookfield to escape their past. There were several citizens who had done just that.

When this was done and over, he was making it his duty to get to know everything there was about her.

* * *

The sun had been down for a few hours now. Seth had waited as long as he could, but he had to see Ava. It was almost midnight, and he had decided to sneak over to Ava’s cabin when it got late enough. Even with the light dusting of snow on the ground, he had to see her.

To be on the safe side, he parked his car in front of the main house and then walked to Ava’s cabin. Only one window was lit. He hoped she hadn’t gone to bed yet. Smiling, he thought that wasn’t likely.

As he made his way up the steps, he cautiously looked around to make sure no one would see him. He then lightly tapped the door, hoping it was loud enough for her to hear but no one else.

A loud thud sounded from inside, and a curse word came next. He hoped he hadn’t woken her. Her footsteps soon sounded, and he stepped back so she could see him through the peephole. Seth heard the lock click then the door swung open, and he gulped. She wore a purple lingerie thingy with a robe over it. His brain stopped working, and he was thankful when she reached out, yanked him in, and shut the door.

His gaze roamed over her body, and talking was no longer an option. By the way she was staring back at him, he knew she felt the same hunger. The distance between them shrunk in a second, and they were plastered together, lips greedily touching.

Seth lifted her and carried her toward her bedroom. He was thankful he had taken the time to help Claire and Jace with the renovation. Otherwise, he would be a stumbling fool right about now.

He laid Ava down on the bed then parted her thighs with his legs and climbed between. It took him no time to get the robe off and gaze down at the olive-skinned bombshell. Never in his life had he ever seen a woman as beautiful as Ava. There would never be another woman who could turn his head.