has
what she needs.”
Donovan snorted his drink and lapsed into a
coughing fit. “Come on, Maddie. That just ain’t fair,” he said once
he was able to speak. “I know you heard bad things about me from
Lindsey today, but be logical. Wouldn’t it have been worse if I
married her and then broke things off?”
Probably, but she wasn’t about to agree with
him. She inhaled the lovely bouquet of the tea and leaned back in
her chair, taking a sip. “Why are you here? I know it’s not
‘official business.’ I talked to your partner on real official
business a few minutes ago.”
He shrugged. “I lied to get rid of Brandon,
and so you’d let me in the house.” He picked her keys up off the
table. A black cylinder now hung from the ring. “Also, I wanted to
make sure you had this.”
He handed the keys over, and Madeline saw the
red spray nozzle on the end of the small canister.
“Be careful with that,” he cautioned. “It’s
pepper spray. One shot to someone’s face, and you’ll have plenty of
time to get away and find some help.”
A chill swept through Madeline. Perhaps her
mom was right about the foolishness of moving to California. “You
think I need this?”
Donovan leaned forward to take her free hand
in his. “You live alone, and you walk dogs in the morning and
evening all by yourself.” He paused, his blue eyes seeming to
assess every feature on her face. “That bastard you dated tonight
made sure everyone in town knows you’re a dog walker and that you
found the body moments after Frank’s death, likely seeing the
murderer.”
Madeline’s heart beat erratically in her
chest. She’d been trying to forget that, ever since Lindsey brought
it up earlier in the day. Even though she believed Brandon didn’t
mean to put her in danger, he probably had.
“What about my windows?” she asked, trying to
control her shaking. Donovan’s warm hand felt comforting over the
top of hers, steadying her somewhat. “I live on the seventh floor.
You don’t actually think I’m in danger that way, do you?”
He shook his head, the silver streaks
glinting at his temples. “Probably not. But you have to admit, it
was a good excuse to check out your bedroom.” He squeezed her
fingers in his. “I told you I’m interested. I meant it.”
Madeline snatched her hand from his. What
does he think, if he scares me half to death and then protects me,
I’ll magically fall into bed with him?
“How long will your interest hold?” she
asked, rising from her chair. “My guess is only as long as it takes
to be satisfied under my lavender comforter.”
“You’re listening to gossip and rumors.”
Donovan tipped back his teacup, finishing the drink in one gulp.
“Don’t you want to know the truth, Maddie?”
It was one Maddie too many.
She walked to the front door and flung it
open. “It’s time for you to leave.”
He sighed and stood up, pacing toward her
with a predatory grace. He crowded out all the available space as
he neared her, but Madeline stood her ground. Her skin prickled
with the nearness of him as he stopped next to her in the short
hallway.
“Are you sure you want me to leave?” He
pressed his body against hers, backing her against the wall. “I
have experience with women, Maddie, and they’re always very
satisfied.”
“Then go harass one of them. I’ve had
enough,” she said, infusing as much ice as she could into her
voice. “That is, if you can find one dumb enough to fall for your
act.”
“Brrr.” He shivered visibly. “It’s a bit cold
in here. I’m beginning to understand why a beautiful woman like you
is still single.”
She watched as he stepped past her into the
hallway. He couldn’t know her fiancé cheated on her, but attacking
her for her single status was more hurtful than anything else he
might have said.
“Have fun,” she shouted after him as he
walked down the hallway, blinking back her tears. “If you hurry,
you might get back to your dinner
what she needs.”
Donovan snorted his drink and lapsed into a
coughing fit. “Come on, Maddie. That just ain’t fair,” he said once
he was able to speak. “I know you heard bad things about me from
Lindsey today, but be logical. Wouldn’t it have been worse if I
married her and then broke things off?”
Probably, but she wasn’t about to agree with
him. She inhaled the lovely bouquet of the tea and leaned back in
her chair, taking a sip. “Why are you here? I know it’s not
‘official business.’ I talked to your partner on real official
business a few minutes ago.”
He shrugged. “I lied to get rid of Brandon,
and so you’d let me in the house.” He picked her keys up off the
table. A black cylinder now hung from the ring. “Also, I wanted to
make sure you had this.”
He handed the keys over, and Madeline saw the
red spray nozzle on the end of the small canister.
“Be careful with that,” he cautioned. “It’s
pepper spray. One shot to someone’s face, and you’ll have plenty of
time to get away and find some help.”
A chill swept through Madeline. Perhaps her
mom was right about the foolishness of moving to California. “You
think I need this?”
Donovan leaned forward to take her free hand
in his. “You live alone, and you walk dogs in the morning and
evening all by yourself.” He paused, his blue eyes seeming to
assess every feature on her face. “That bastard you dated tonight
made sure everyone in town knows you’re a dog walker and that you
found the body moments after Frank’s death, likely seeing the
murderer.”
Madeline’s heart beat erratically in her
chest. She’d been trying to forget that, ever since Lindsey brought
it up earlier in the day. Even though she believed Brandon didn’t
mean to put her in danger, he probably had.
“What about my windows?” she asked, trying to
control her shaking. Donovan’s warm hand felt comforting over the
top of hers, steadying her somewhat. “I live on the seventh floor.
You don’t actually think I’m in danger that way, do you?”
He shook his head, the silver streaks
glinting at his temples. “Probably not. But you have to admit, it
was a good excuse to check out your bedroom.” He squeezed her
fingers in his. “I told you I’m interested. I meant it.”
Madeline snatched her hand from his. What
does he think, if he scares me half to death and then protects me,
I’ll magically fall into bed with him?
“How long will your interest hold?” she
asked, rising from her chair. “My guess is only as long as it takes
to be satisfied under my lavender comforter.”
“You’re listening to gossip and rumors.”
Donovan tipped back his teacup, finishing the drink in one gulp.
“Don’t you want to know the truth, Maddie?”
It was one Maddie too many.
She walked to the front door and flung it
open. “It’s time for you to leave.”
He sighed and stood up, pacing toward her
with a predatory grace. He crowded out all the available space as
he neared her, but Madeline stood her ground. Her skin prickled
with the nearness of him as he stopped next to her in the short
hallway.
“Are you sure you want me to leave?” He
pressed his body against hers, backing her against the wall. “I
have experience with women, Maddie, and they’re always very
satisfied.”
“Then go harass one of them. I’ve had
enough,” she said, infusing as much ice as she could into her
voice. “That is, if you can find one dumb enough to fall for your
act.”
“Brrr.” He shivered visibly. “It’s a bit cold
in here. I’m beginning to understand why a beautiful woman like you
is still single.”
She watched as he stepped past her into the
hallway. He couldn’t know her fiancé cheated on her, but attacking
her for her single status was more hurtful than anything else he
might have said.
“Have fun,” she shouted after him as he
walked down the hallway, blinking back her tears. “If you hurry,
you might get back to your dinner
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