Authors: Casey Griffin
“Was a report filed for this incident?” the cop asked, breaking her train of thought.
“Yes,” Piper said. “Just yesterday afternoon.”
He made another note on his pad while Piper and Aiden shared a worried glance. Finally, he clicked his pen closed and tucked the notepad away.
“Okay, well, I think that will be all for now. I’ll contact you if I need anything further.”
Marilyn reappeared from the kitchen and took his cup. “Do you think my guests will be safe, Officer? Should we be worried about another attack?”
“For now, let’s hope this is an isolated incident. It doesn’t appear as though there was malicious intent. We’ll chalk this one up to mischief, for the time being.”
“Tell that to the brick that nearly rearranged my face,” Piper said, a little insulted.
“I understand,” he said, “but at that time the center had been closed for the day. There was no way to know anyone was inside, except for the dogs, and they’re kept in the back. In my experience, this type of vandalism is just a warning. No harm meant.”
Piper scowled at the officer, thinking about the poor ladies, but he didn’t seem to care about them.
Marilyn saw the argument on her face and swooped in. “Well, thank you for coming, Officer. I’ll walk you out.”
Piper’s glare session was interrupted when Aiden reached out to her. This time, it wasn’t for a handshake. He laid a hand on her shoulder, warm and comforting. For the millionth time that day, she remembered what his hand had felt like in hers. Her palm twitched with the desire to feel it again.
“Are you sure you’re all right? You seem rattled.”
“Yeah. I’m okay. Thanks.”
While she was still shocked to see him there, his presence calmed her. His confidence, his I’m-the-boss demeanor, all the things that had annoyed her earlier that day when she left his house. She must have been more rattled than she realized, because with his hand lingering she felt drawn to him, to lean against him for a second. But what was she? Some helpless damsel in distress? Shaking off the longing, she gave him her best “keep calm and carry on” smile.
“I’m fine,” she said again. “Just fine, fine, fine.”
Marilyn returned, and Aiden’s hand dropped to his side.
“What a business, all this,” she said. “Who would want to attack a dog shelter?”
“Scum,” Piper said. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll catch the guy.” Not that she had all that much confidence in Officer Tucker. She said it more to reassure the woman, since Piper could already see that Marilyn would be up worrying half the night. Much like she would be.
“Perhaps I should cancel my vacation,” Marilyn said.
“What? No. Don’t be silly. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for months.”
“I was planning on going on a Caribbean cruise this week with my sister and her kids,” she told Aiden. “But I don’t think it’s such a good idea at a time like this.”
Piper interrupted her. “You’re going. And you’ll have a great time. I’ll take care of things here. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure you will, dear, but—”
“But nothing. Trust me. Go.” Piper knew she could handle it. Along with clinical shifts at the vet hospital, her telegram job, studying for her licensing exam, dealing with the cops, and graduation, oh, and don’t forget her new job with the world’s most distracting boss … She wasn’t taking on too much. Nope, not at all.
“I’ll be fine,” she said again, just to hear herself say it.
Marilyn clicked her tongue and walked over to the desk, fishing around in the junk drawer. After a moment, she plucked a roll of duct tape from its mysterious depths. “Maybe you’re right. Even if I stayed, I’m not sure what good an old woman like me would do fretting about the place.”
Piper made a show of rolling her eyes for Marilyn. She always referred to herself as an “old woman,” but she was barely in her sixties. Hell, she could have passed for early fifties. And Piper had a feeling she knew it too.
Marilyn handed the roll to Piper. “Well, Mr. Caldwell, it was nice of you to come. Is it customary to check on your properties yourself if something happens?”
“Not usually. I wanted to come in person to make sure everything was okay. As you well know, I have a
vested interest
in this particular property.”
Marilyn inclined her head and gave a knowing smile—or was it Piper’s imagination? “Of course.”
Piper’s shoulder still felt warm where Aiden’s palm had rested, but now he avoided her questioning look. She hoped that she was his “vested interest,” but the exchange that passed between him and Marilyn was a strange one. It spoke of confidentiality, like there was a loop, and Piper was out of it. Loopless.
“Well, we appreciate your concern,” Marilyn said. “Piper, would you mind helping me finish up here and settle the guests before heading home?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Grabbing a chair from the corner of the room, Piper dragged it in front of the broken pane and stepped up. She reached down for the cardboard resting against the wall, but Aiden got to it first. He traded her for the duct tape in her hand.
“I’d like to stay behind and help, if you don’t mind.”
Piper opened her mouth to say she didn’t need any help, but Marilyn answered before she could.
“Oh, certainly,” she said. “Thank you. Well, if you’ve got a handle on things here, I’ll check on the guests and grab a broom for all this glass.”
The woman mumbled to herself as she headed into the back. The door closed behind her, and a silence fell over Aiden and Piper. She held the cardboard while he ripped off pieces of tape to secure it in place.
After a couple of minutes spent gnawing at her lip, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you owned the property?”
He used his teeth to tear off another piece. “I suppose I just didn’t think of it. I was being honest when I said that I like to keep my business life and my personal life separate. I know it’s a bit old-school, but isn’t that the golden rule? Don’t mix business with pleasure?”
Piper frowned. “Right.” She was dying to ask why he’d really come. What was his vested interest? He and Marilyn had done everything but tap the sides of their noses to hint at their little secret, but Piper supposed it was none of her business. No loop for her.
Aiden pressed the last piece of tape in place. Piper went to jump off the chair, but he reached up and put his hands around her waist. He helped her down, his arms and torso flexing beneath his shirt with what, she imagined, was thanks to a well-established gym regimen. Gym hater or not, she
needed
to join that gym. Just to look, of course. There was no harm in that, right?
When she was firmly back on the floor, he hesitated before pulling away, like he wanted to say something. That afternoon, he’d made it clear that she was just another employee. But the way his eyes softened, his hands still gripping her waist, made her doubt that.
“So, is this business?” she asked. “Or pleasure?”
The door to the back swung open, and Aiden’s hands dropped to his sides.
“All right then,” Marilyn sang out as she rounded the desk. “It seems the little ones have settled down already. I’ll quickly sweep up. I don’t think we can do any more here tonight. Might as well go home and get a good night’s sleep.”
“Oh, well, that’s a relief,” Aiden said, a little jumpy. “It was a pleasure, seeing you again, Marilyn.” He shook her hand and turned to do the same to Piper.
Beating him to it, she stuck out her hand. He only paused a second before taking it, but long enough that Piper knew it caught him off guard. She shook his hand firmly, no-nonsense. Just business. They wouldn’t want to confuse that thick sexual tension for pleasure, or anything.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Caldwell,” Piper said. “Good night.”
Turning on her heel, she grabbed her backpack, whistled for Colin, and headed for her Volkswagen.
Piper kicked off her military boots in Aiden’s front entry and sighed like she’d just fought the battle of her life. Well, it certainly felt like she had.
A group of off-duty military boys had hired her to welcome their friend home from active service. Apparently, they thought it would be a good idea to engage her in a bit of friendly hand-to-butt combat. Good thing she had her pistols locked and loaded—with water, that is. The effect was like a cold shower and kept the troops at bay long enough for her to finish her song and make a hasty retreat. Between a waiting room of never-ending patients at the veterinary hospital that morning and the telegram, she was ready for a little fresh air in the park.
Reaching into her holsters, she pulled the guns out and laid them down on the entrance table. That’s when she noticed the small box of imported chocolates. The little tag on them said:
Piper
.
She gasped and did a little happy dance in the foyer. Best tip ever! She wondered if he’d ever left anything like that for Tamara. The thought made her scowl at herself. She wasn’t sure where that had come from, but she shoved it away. The tag said:
Piper
. The fact that at some point that day he’d been thinking about her when she wasn’t around made her grin wickedly—in a totally professional, noninterested manner. She slid the box into her bag. Her day was looking up.
“Sophie!” she called out.
A light padding of paws on the hardwood announced her approach down the hall. Colin and Sophie gave their usual kisses hello. When they were finished, they both turned to Piper expectantly as if to say,
Okay, we’re ready to be entertained now. Dance, monkey. Dance.
“I need to change first; then we’ll go to the park,” she said.
She turned to head for the washroom and immediately got a faceful of silk tie. She yelped in surprise and jumped back. It was Aiden. Leaning against the wall, she laid a hand over her pounding chest, which was covered with nothing more than a camo sports bra.
“Sorry,” Aiden said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She heaved a sigh. “I’ll forgive you, since you live here and all. I just didn’t know you’d be at home.”
“I had some extra time between meetings this afternoon and thought I’d run home for a late lunch.” He seemed a bit edgy, like he had at the center the night before, like he was afraid of being caught. Again, his attractive assistant, Tamara, popped into her head, and she wondered if that could be why.
“But now that we’re both here, maybe I’ll join you for your walk. If you don’t mind.”
“You’re the boss,” she said.
“But I should have made it clear before. There’s a strict no guns policy in my house.” He pointed at the fluorescent pink water pistols.
She laughed. “I just finished a telegram job. I was about to change.”
“Oh, please. Don’t change on my account. In fact, I would feel much safer being escorted by a soldier.”
“I don’t think you need protection from all the poodles.”
“No, but there’s something about a girl in uniform.” His edge had smoothed right out. A little too smooth, she thought as his eyes roamed over her tight midriff.
She could feel her face turning the same shade as her water pistols. “If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll go change.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her. “We can take my vehicle.”
She gasped in offense. “You don’t want to ride in the classic?”
“Classic?” He laughed. “I’ll show you a classic.”
“All right. All right. We’ll take yours then.”
Piper stepped into the bathroom to change out of her fatigues and into her civvies. She was glad she brought something more flattering to wear that day. The breezy bohemian tunic and tight yoga shorts would keep her cool in the hot sun, but they were cute enough to show off her assets. Not that she cared what Aiden thought, or anything. Nope, not at all. But as Zoe would say, it would show the boy what he was missing out on.
She stepped back into the hall and noticed that Aiden had also made a wardrobe change. He’d swapped his usual business attire for a plaid shirt, cargo shorts, and tennis shoes. The ensemble was clearly new.
“I see you took my advice about the uniform,” she said.
He gave a self-conscious tug on his shirt. “I haven’t had a chance to put the wrinkles in yet.”
“Looks good.” She tried not to notice his toned arms peeking beneath his short sleeves as she headed for the foyer.
“Actually, we’ll head out through the garage.” He nodded toward a door in the hall. But when he opened it and flicked on the light, she thought “garage” was a bit of an understatement. It was more like an airplane hangar.
Her eyes widened. She took in the line of cars that could have been a museum for the evolution of the automobile. “You know, some people collect stamps or postcards.”
“Well, I prefer e-mail, and I’ve been too busy to travel much except for business.”
“So cars, then.” She nodded. “Naturally.”
She suddenly recalled the last time her mom tricked her into talking to her brother. He’d boasted about the classic car he’d been eyeing and she imagined he dreamed of having a garage just like Aiden’s one day. The collection before her became a little less impressive.
“I only own these five. Well, eight if you count the ones I keep at the cabin.”
Only eight. Meanwhile, she could barely keep the one running. Was he deliberately showing off with his nonchalance, or did he really not notice? And something told her the word “cabin” didn’t quite cut it, either.
Sophie and Colin hopped down the wooden steps. Toenails clicking on the treated cement floor, they disappeared between the cars to explore. Piper followed them to take a closer look. She strolled by the first one.
“Jaguar Roadster,” she said. “Nineteen-fifty…” She turned to him.
“Five. E-Type,” he said. “Good guess.”
“Good car.” She pointed to the next one, painted a sparkling copper. “Nineteen-seventies Porsche.”
His eyebrows shot up, clearly impressed. “Nineteen-seventy-six, nine-eleven turbo. You’re not bad at this.”
“I told you I like classics. I just can’t afford a real one. My dad used to own a 1968 Shelby. He preferred domestic.”