Ghostly Interests (20 page)

“Vintage,” Harper agreed.

“What are you guys doing back here?” Jay asked, rapidly losing interest in the pop culture conversation. “If you’re not here to see me – your loss, by the way – then that means you’re here to ask more questions about Annie Dresden.”

“Actually, I’m looking for more information on Professor Dalton,” Harper replied, an idea forming. “I know you said he made the rounds with a lot of students, but did anyone ever … I don’t know … threaten to get him fired because of the way he dumped them?”

“There were a lot of girls who threatened him,” Jay replied. “He didn’t seem to care. He thinks he’s untouchable.”

“You don’t seem to like him very much,” Zander said.

“He thinks he’s God’s gift to women,” Jay said. “The dude is old. The only reason women sleep with him is because they want to get good grades.”

“Jay thinks he’s God’s gift to women so he doesn’t like Professor Dalton because he sees him as competition,” Collin explained.

“I figured that out myself,” Harper said, winking at Collin.

“I
am
God’s gift to women,” Jay said. “Everyone wants to date me.”

“Then how come you have to resort to hitting on random women on a college campus?” Jared asked, appearing out of nowhere and fixing Jay with a harsh look.

“Oh, good, the cop is back,” Jay muttered. “Speaking of … I never told the hot chick about Professor Dalton. I only told you about him. When did cops start sharing information with civilians?”

Jared shifted his eyes to Harper. “Not that I want to take this guy’s side, but he has a point. How did you know exactly what he said to me that day?”

“How do you know what I know?” Harper countered.

Jared extended a finger in warning and wagged it in Harper’s face. “Don’t try to confuse me. How did you know?”

“Um … .”

“Oh, just tell him so we can get our coffee,” Zander said. “We were hiding in those bushes over there while you were questioning him.”

Harper pursed her lips, anger with Zander warring for supremacy in her head with fear over Jared’s reaction.

“I see,” Jared said, smiling despite himself. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. I guess that makes sense. You knew more than you were supposed to and I never questioned why. I assumed Mel told you. He tells everyone everything else.”

“Wait … you’re not mad?” Harper was surprised.

“No,” Jared said. “I need you to stand there and let me do my job for a second, though. Then I’m going to take you for coffee while Zander goes home.”

“I want coffee,” Zander whined.

“You can get coffee,” Jared replied. “You just can’t get it with us.”

“We drove together,” Harper said.

“I’ll make sure you get home.”

Harper nodded wordlessly, her cheeks burning under Jared’s pointed gaze. Zander mimed making out with an invisible person behind Jared’s back while Harper tried to ignore him.

“I know what you’re doing, Zander, and if you don’t stop it I’m going to thump you,” Jared warned, never moving his eyes in Zander’s direction.

“How did you know?”

“I can see your reflection in the window,” Jared said, pointing.

“Oh, I guess that’s why you’re a cop,” Zander said. “If you’re taking over Harper duty does that mean I can go?”

“Don’t you want to find out what Jared is going to ask him?” Harper protested.

“I’ll wait for the highlights on CNN tonight,” Zander deadpanned. “Jared, am I free to go?”

“I’m encouraging it,” Jared replied.

“By, Harp.” Zander kissed her cheek quickly. “I’ll make enough dinner tonight for three – just in case.” Zander was gleeful as he scampered away.

“He’s a trip,” Jared muttered.

“He’s a fairy,” Jay griped.

“Don’t ever say that again,” Jared warned, turning his hostile attention back to Jay. “I don’t care if you think you’re being cool or you really believe it. Show people respect for a change. You might be surprised how it benefits you.”

Jared’s stock was rising in Harper’s estimation with every word.

“I don’t want to waste a lot of time with you,” Jared said. “I do want to know if you can give me the names of any of the other students Dalton slept with.”

“I don’t know their names,” Jay said.

Jared glanced at Collin. “What about you?”

“I’m sorry,” Collin said, turning his palms up as he shrugged. “I honestly don’t know either. I’m not up on the gossip like Jay is. I can try to find out if you want.”

“That would be great,” Jared said, slipping a business card in Collin’s direction. “Do me a favor and keep it quiet why you want to know.”

“Will do,” Collin said, nodding.

Jared held his hand out in Harper’s direction, taking her by surprise for the second time in the same five-minute window. “Shall we?”

Harper eyed his hand, confused. “Shall we what?”

“It’s coffee time,” Jared said.

“Oh, okay.”

Jared kept his hand extended. “Take my hand.”

Harper did as instructed, internally sighing at the way her hand fit perfectly inside of his.

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Jared said.

“You’re going to make me work for every second of this, aren’t you?”

“We’re going to work together,” Jared said. “Now, come on. We can’t count this as a date, but we can enjoy our time together.”

“Work, work, work.”

“Sometimes the best things in life are worth the work,” Jared said. “Come on.”

Twenty-Two

“What kind of coffee do you want?” Jared asked, his fingers still linked with Harper’s as he studied the menu at the university center’s coffee shop.

Harper stared down at their joined hands, and when she didn’t immediately answer Jared shifted his gaze over to her. “Does this bother you?”

Harper jerked her head up, surprised by the question. “No. It’s just … a few days ago you thought I was a crackpot and now … now you’re openly holding my hand.”

Jared studied her for a moment. “You think I’m moving too fast. That’s fair.” He released Harper’s hand. “Just for the record, I didn’t think you were a crackpot.”

Harper tilted her head to the side, shooting him a doubtful look.

“I didn’t think you were a crackpot,” Jared repeated. “I thought you were a scam artist.”

Harper wanted to be offended, but his delectable grin was too cute to ignore. She gave in and returned the gesture. “You’re funny.”

“I considered being a clown before becoming a cop, but I thought it would be more fun to catch criminals than climb in a small car with ten other clowns. I’m borderline claustrophic.”

Instinctively Harper reached out and grabbed his hand again, surprising herself with the gesture. “I … um … .”

“I can’t stop touching you either,” Jared said, opting for blunt honesty. “It’s not like we’re dropping our clothes and going for it right here. I’m perfectly fine with you holding my hand.”

“I don’t know why I keep doing it,” Harper admitted, running her other hand through her flaxen hair.

“It’s because I’m hot,” Jared said. “That’s what I keep telling myself when I fixate on you, too, by the way. Oh, and if you ever feel the uncontrollable urge to rip my clothes off, I’m going to be okay with that, too.”

“You’re good at this flirting thing,” Harper said.

Jared arched an eyebrow. “Does that bother you?”

“I might be a little rusty.”

Jared’s face softened. “I think you’re doing fine,” he said. “While you and Zander don’t technically flirt, that witty repartee you have going has helped keep your skills fresh.”

“You’re very … understanding,” Harper said, her face serious. “I thought you were the exact opposite when I first met you.”

“I wasn’t at my best that first day,” Jared conceded. “I wasn’t expecting a murder in Whisper Cove. I was trying to get to know Mel – and he’s odd – and then you came along with Zander. Do you want to know what the first thing I thought when I saw you with Zander was?”

Harper nodded, intrigued.

“I hoped he was your boyfriend.”

“That was
so
not what I was expecting,” Harper said, wrinkling her nose. “I thought you were going to say your heart rate sped up and it felt as if you’d been hit by a bolt of lightning.”

“That’s exactly what I felt,” Jared said. “I still wanted Zander to be your boyfriend. That would’ve meant you were off limits. I don’t move in on other people’s territory. I wasn’t exactly looking to start dating someone.”

“And now?”

“Now I’m pretty sure I can’t keep away from you so I’m just going to go with it,” Jared said. “Things may work out and they may not, but I think I’m going to drive myself crazy if I try to pretend there’s nothing here.

“I don’t know what’s here,” he continued. “I do know that … your hand seems to fit mine. I do know that when you smile it lights up your whole face. I do know that I like listening to you talk. I also know that I’m constantly distracted by your lips.”

As if on cue Harper ran her tongue over lips, drawing Jared’s attention to them.

“That right there makes me want to push you against that wall and kiss you senseless,” Jared said.

“You are amazingly blunt,” Harper said, her breath catching.

“Don’t worry. I’m not kissing you here,” Jared said. “I already told you I’m not going to do that until this case is solved. I don’t want death hanging over us when I make my move.”

Harper snorted. “Make your move?”

“What would you call it?”

“I don’t know,” Harper said. She leaned forward and brazenly gave him a kiss on the cheek, taking them both by surprise.

“What was that for?” Jared asked, marveling at the warmth of her skin as it touched his. “I thought I told you we were waiting.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” Harper said. “That’s not the main event anyway. That was just a … appetizer.”

Jared grinned. “I can’t wait for the entrée.”

“Me either,” Harper said. She took a step away from him and shook her head to snap herself out of the reverie she was mired in. “You do funny things to me. You make my stomach … knot up.”

“I know the feeling,” Jared said, running his hand through his hair. “Seriously, though, what do you want to drink? If we don’t turn this conversation to a safer topic I’m going to lose my head – even more than I already have.”

“I’ll have an iced green tea with no sweetener.”

Jared made a face. “That sounds … healthy.”

“I’m addicted to green tea,” Harper said, her expression rueful. “I used to be addicted to Diet Coke, but Zander broke me of that habit when he bought the Keurig.”

“Green tea it is,” Jared said, bringing their joined hands up and brushing a quick kiss across her knuckles. “Why don’t you go and get straws and napkins and find us a table?”

Harper nodded. “Okay.”

Their eyes were still locked on one another and Jared knew that any outsider looking in would see the sexual tension oozing between them. He reluctantly let her hand go. “Find a table away from everyone else if you can.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Harper teased. “What if I get an overwhelming urge to rip your clothes off?”

“That’s what I’m hoping for,” Jared said, reaching up and running his thumb down her smooth cheek. “I’ll find you in a few minutes.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

HARPER
was having trouble putting words to the feelings cascading through her. She hadn’t felt anything like this since Quinn. No, that wasn’t true. She’d been genuinely fond of Quinn. He was comfortable, attractive, and fun. He’d never shaken her to the core like Jared did with a simple look, though.

Part of Harper felt guilty for that realization. She knew Quinn wasn’t her soul mate – and she believed in soul mates, especially now – but she was starting to think she’d only been going through the motions with him. Jared was something different.

She was so lost in thought she didn’t notice the figure moving in behind her until Molly was practically upon her. “Harper!”

Harper jumped, clutching the napkins closer to her chest as she swiveled. Molly’s face was a mixture of excitement and glee and Harper couldn’t help but smile at the young woman’s enthusiasm. “What’s up?”

“I saw you come in here with the hot cop,” Molly said. “Where is he?”

“Ordering drinks.”

“You were holding his hand,” Molly said, her ski-slope nose wrinkling. “You said you weren’t interested in him.”

“I was probably lying to you and myself,” Harper admitted. “I’m definitely interested in him.”

Molly squealed and grabbed Harper’s hand. “That’s so great. I’m so happy for you.”

“We’re having coffee, not getting married,” Harper said, refusing to give in to her inner urges and squeal right along with Molly. “We’re just getting to know one another.”

“I’m still happy for you,” Molly said. “You deserve someone to … have coffee with.”

Harper snorted. “It does sound nice,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I finished up my last exam,” Molly said. “I’m all yours for the summer.”

“Speaking of that, Zander and I have been talking,” Harper said. “We’re going to start paying you, especially since you’re going to be working full time this summer. Summer is a busy time for us and we think you deserve a little something thanks to all the hard work you do.”

“But … I volunteered as an intern. You don’t have to pay me. I love working with you guys.”

“I know you do,” Harper said. “You also work hard and when you work hard you deserve to get paid for it. You’ve been with us a long time now, Molly. You’re part of our family.”

“I’m so excited.” Molly threw her arms around Harper’s neck and drew her in for a tight hug.

“Did I miss something?” Jared asked, a drink in each hand as he rounded the corner and caught sight of Molly and Harper.

Harper disengaged herself from the boisterous college student. “Jared, this is Molly. She’s been an intern with us for … wow, thirteen months now … and I just told her she was going to get paid for her work this summer.”

“Ah,” Jared said, handing Harper her green tea while eyeing Molly. “Are you telling me you were a slave driver before this?”

“No,” Harper said, making a face.

“I volunteered,” Molly explained. “I heard about them on campus and I went out to their office and I fell in love with Harper and Zander the moment I met them. This only proves I was right.”