Collared (Going to the Dogs) (13 page)

He pressed his forehead to hers and captured her eyes. “I’m going on the record here and saying this is still a mistake. If I had any sense, I would turn this case over to someone else and stay away from you.”

“Please don’t,” the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She rarely pleaded, and she never let her fear keep her from doing something that she wanted to do. That would make her weak. She wasn’t sure if that made her stupid, too.

“I won’t. I can’t now. I want to find the bastards who stole from you, even if it has to do with a damn dog collar.”

“It’s more than that. Those pieces…mean something to me.”

“You didn’t say the pieces had a sentimental value. I’m sorry I acted like such an ass the first day I met you.”

“Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, Caleb.”

“Yeah, I guess they are.”

“You still owe me time in my world, though.”

He breathed a heavy sigh. “Oh, how will I manage without any bar fights?”

She caressed the bruises down his arm. “That sounds like a good plan for you, but you might not want to get too smug too quickly.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s a Fairy Tea Party.”

“Oh Kee-rist.”

“With ten-year-old girls.”

“Geez.”

“The wings are optional. The invitation is in that envelope with the list.”

“What? For crying out loud.”

“What’s the matter?” she asked. “Your wings at the cleaners with your brass knuckles?”

He narrowed his eyes at her and there was that irascible cop look.

“Oh, I know what it is. You can’t handle a bunch of fairies.”

He growled and dug into her sides and she gasped in surprise and hopped back out of his reach.

Then she got caught in his heated gaze as it moved over her face, then down her throat where it lingered, then settled heavily on her breasts, over her flat stomach, sliding down the long length of her legs.

“I’ll see you for lunch after I question your employees.”

“Just don’t scare Juliana with your cop look. Okay?”

“I don’t terrorize sweet, hard-working girls. Just hot as hell Social Register members.”

He turned and left, and finally Harper felt like she could breathe. She’d never experienced anything like Caleb Shaw, but all she could think was that she wanted lots more. Whether that was wise or not…she wasn’t sure she gave a damn.

#

Okay, so he was going from Harper’s bed to questioning her two employees. That meant he had to engage his brain. Hell, did he even have one, or had she totally blown his mind to bits? He hadn’t meant to lose himself like that. But, as many times as he tried to convince himself otherwise, he just kept getting this stupid smile on his face.

He intended to read nothing into it.

When he hit the garage, he exited and took a deep breath, making a great effort to get all those curves and that face—and her hair, the way she cried out when he was deep inside her—all out of his head.

“Yeah, right.” It hadn’t been the best idea to follow her to her shower, but he’d hurt her when he’d totally hadn’t meant to. The look on her face had wounded him, and he couldn’t say why. She had been so sweet to him, so worried about his injury.

So, following her to her room to apologize and convince her it wasn’t what he’d meant seemed, at the time, the most logical thing to do. But he wasn’t so sure he’d been driven by logic as much as he’d been driven by something else…something taking shape and building that he’d been afraid he’d destroyed.

When he’d walked into her bathroom, and seen her crying in the shower, something came over him that he’d never felt before. He hadn’t given it a second’s thought before he took her in his arms to soothe her. But all that skin, all that beauty and vulnerability took him down.

When a man had a naked woman in his arms who was melting all over him, ready to take him inside, especially if that man thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and her mouth was sweet, and her hands were on him, and he knew deep in his heart just how good it was going to be between the two of them? All that was left was surrender.

He recognized her limo and the driver leaning under the hood. “Mr. Stevens.”

The chauffeur looked up and met Caleb’s eyes. “Detective. What can I do for you?”

“Just routine questions about the breakin.”

“Sure.” He wiped his hands on a greasy cloth.

“I didn’t know you were a mechanic, too.”

“No, I’m not a mechanic. Just checking the oil and fluids.”

“Ah, do you live on the premises?”

“Yes, Ms. Mendoza and I live here with Ms. Sinclair.”

“Where were you on the day of the breakin?”

“I was also in Vegas with a friend since we had some time off while Ms. Sinclair was away.”

“A friend?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Name?”

He took a breath and looked away. He didn’t want to answer. Caleb studied him while he debated on whether or not he was going to give him a name. His movements were controlled and he carried himself like a man who was always aware of his surroundings. His eyes were sharp and direct.

“I need to corroborate your whereabouts.”

“Ms. Sinclair is not aware that Juliana…Ms. Mendoza and I are…dating.”

“Is that against her rules?”

“Not really. Harper wouldn’t care.”

“That’s the second time you’ve called her Harper.”

“That’s her name.” He turned and closed the hood. “Look, I had nothing to do with the breakin, and neither did Juliana. I’m pretty sure Mrs. Crumb isn’t drugging poodles and cracking safes, either.”

Caleb looked down at the list Harper provided him. “What about Jason Marshall?”

“He’s seventeen and he cleans the pool. He’s one of Harper’s kids.”

“Kids?”

“Yes, she supports the children’s cancer wing of Mercy hospital. He’s a survivor. He lives with his mom and cleans pools in the city for extra money. He’s a good, hard-working kid.”

Caleb was getting a distinct vibe off this guy, like he knew how to handle himself. He wondered if he doubled as a bodyguard. But his story seemed solid. “Okay, thanks for your time. If you think of anything at all that could help in this investigation, please call me.”

He nodded and took Caleb’s card and tucked it into his wallet. For a split second, Caleb thought he was going to say something, but then he turned away.

He headed back up the elevator and tracked down Juliana Mendoza, who watched him like he was the boogey man come to life. He had to interview her very gently, but got the same story from her that he had from Jeffrey Stevens. And, Mrs. Crumb. Well, let’s just say he couldn’t possibly suspect her after she gave him one of her freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and a cold glass of milk. He’d teased her with the whole ‘bribing an officer of the law’ thing, and she’d given him a wink, telling him it would be their little secret.

He’d get Shane to interview the kid on Monday.

#

“This lobster is fabulous, Harper. My compliments to the cook,” Tripp said.

She could barely register what he was saying because Caleb kept giving her heated looks. He looked so good in her brother’s clothes, especially the ripped-up jeans. But he’d looked really good out of them, too, in her room, on her bed, inside her. Her body heated just thinking about him.

Harper realized that Tripp was looking at her expectantly and she smiled at him, dragging her eyes away from Caleb’s. “Thank you. I’ll mention that to her.”

His eyes narrowed and he threw a glance at Caleb, who was now focusing on his lobster salad.

“So, Shaw, what are you doing here on the weekend?

“Just interviewing the staff, sir.”

“Yes, about the breakin,” Harper added.

Tripp looked at her and then at him. “Conscientious of you.” He sounded skeptical, probably because of the hour-long wait. He scrutinized her.

She was worried he was feeling the sexual tension between them. It was almost palpable. Even her mouth tingled and felt swollen.

“Any leads?”

“A few. The street is starting to speak to me.”

“How about Harper’s employees?”

“The housekeeper and the chauffeur look clean, but Mrs. Crumb. There’s something shifty about her.”

The joke went right over Tripp’s head. “You think she had something to do with it? Seriously, that little old lady?”

Harper giggled and Caleb gave her a mischievous grin and a wink.

Tripp bristled. “Ah, you’re joking. Very funny.”

She could tell he didn’t find it amusing at all.

“And after this. What are planning to do?”

“I have to shop for appropriate
attire
…” He looked at Harper. “…for a function I am attending.”

It was her turn to smile and wink.

After lunch, Tripp lingered, but there was no reason for Caleb to stay.

“I’ll walk Caleb out and then I’ll be back.”

At the front door, she touched his arm. “I’ll help you shop if you’d like.”

“Why? You think I don’t know how to dress myself for hoity-toity parties?”

“No, that’s not it. I just want to see you again.”

“You do, huh?” She looked like she wanted to kiss him, and he wanted to kiss her in the worst way, but he stepped back. “The stores you are accustomed to don’t really fit into my budget.”

“Let me buy it for you, then.”

He bristled and shook his head. “Fuhgeddaboudit!”

After that awkward moment passed, he said, “You can come with me if you want. I think it’s a bad idea, but I want to see you again, too.”

She smiled in a way that made his heart skip.

“Can you hold onto Quinn for a little bit longer? Sorry about the burden, but if Tripp finds out my dog is here, he won’t be happy about it.”

Harper nodded. “I’ll keep him as long as you want me to. He’s no burden. He is so cute.”

“Cute? Are you kidding? That dog was trained to be intimidating.”

“Okay, if you say so.”

“You’d better get back to Tripp before he comes looking for you and finds me kissing the hell out of you.”

She took a deep breath and nodded.

When she got back to the dining room, Tripp watched her with edgy blue eyes.

“What’s going on between you and Shaw?”

Well, he wasn’t as dumb as she’d thought he was. “We’re just friends.” Harper had no qualms about lying. She would not be the cause of problems for him at work. No way.

“Of course you are. He’s so far below you in class, I’m not even sure why I was worried.”

Harper so wanted to respond to that rude comment, but defending Caleb would only make Tripp suspicious again.

The person who had no class was sitting across from her, and it would be a cold day in hell before she’d ever even consider dating Tripp McDonald again.

When he started talking about his mayoral aspirations, Harper tuned out. Instead, she amused herself by counting the hours till she could see Caleb again.

Harper directed Blue and Quinn through the dog park gate and released them out into the park. With joyous barks they raced off. She’d decided it was time to get Quinn out of the pool before he turned into a fish.

Four days had passed since she’d seen Caleb. She missed him more than was warranted, since she’d only just met him. But she couldn’t get him off her mind. She’d been so distracted…. She’d think she was okay, busy with everyday activities, then she’d remember those dark eyes, and how heated they got when he looked at her, the feel of his mouth, and simply the way he interacted with her, so easy and confident.

There had been a robbery at the Bank of Manhattan, and Caleb was working with the FBI to apprehend the suspects. It had been on the news. One of the robbers was killed at the bank, but he’d shot a security guard and one of the bank patrons. Both bystanders were dead. The other three robbers were still at large.

Harper was relieved that Caleb was working the case, but also scared out of her mind. It was clear these men had no compunction about shooting people. She would be on pins and needles until he called her again.

The good news, Poe was home! She and Jared had gotten in sometime late last night. It was time for the friends to gather at the dog park and catch up.

Harper settled on the bench and watched as Callie arrived. She was surrounded by three full grown Danes, Tilly, Jack, Jill, plus the newest littlest addition to the family, Ozzie. Callie let them all go and made her way over to Harper. “Looks like you’ve got extra dogs here today, too.”

“Yes, they’re all happy to have a chance to run and wrestle. Especially Ozzie. I found a home for him,” Callie said.

“Wait. Awww, are you sad?” Ozzie was the offspring of another mating between Callie’s and Owen’s Great Danes, Jack being a black-and-white Harlequin and Jill a Mantle. The pup’s registered name was Lassiter Run’s Diamond Blackjack, but his call name was Oswald with Ozzie for short. He was a cute, gangly rascal, almost all back with white markings. He would grow into quite a handsome boy.

“Nope. Ian is taking him. He’s so excited. He fell in love with him when he was born, but was trying to resist. Then when I had some interest in him, Ian commanded me not to sell him. He also insists that I train Ozzie first. So, I’ve already started, and he’s a good listener.”

“Excellent. Who could be a better owner then your own brother?” Harper said.

“Exactly. Wait…extra dogs?”

“Who has extra dogs?” Brooke asked, letting Boxer, her ten-month-old bulldog go. “I don’t see Cleatis.”

“It’s not Cleatis,” Harper said. Her brother’s beautiful black and tan Doberman wasn’t with her today.

“Who, then?” Brooke settled on the bench and took a sip of the soda she had in her hand.

“Quinn.”

“Who’s Quinn?” Poe said, and every one squealed except Brooke. There were hugs all around while Brooke explained that she’d seen Poe last night when they had come to pick up The Terrible Two.

After they all sat down, Poe said, “Jared and I had such a good time. What a gorgeous place, Harper. I vote that we plan a girls-only vacation there.”

“I’m all for that,” Brooke said.

“Thank you, Harper, for letting Jared and I sponge off you for our honeymoon. I really mean that. You and your dad were so wonderful to do it. I have pictures that I can show all of you when Jared gets them uploaded on my computer. He’s good with that stuff. Anyway, it was paradise—the gorgeous color of the water, the people, the food, and your villa. It was heavenly, and Phaedra is such a wonderful person. I hope you pay her well.”