Forever Hers (15 page)

Eddie nodded. “Thanks, Sally.”

“No problem.” Sally glanced at Amy. “Take care, Ms. Kincaid.”

“You too, and please call me Amy.”

The police woman nodded and waved, then headed toward her squad car. Amy turned her attention to Eddie. Whatever control he’d lost earlier was firmly under his will. His eyes were frosty, all traces of warmth gone. A chill crawled under Amy’s skin and she shuddered.

“You’re cold,” he said.

“I’ll crank up the heat once I get inside the car. Do I follow you or you me?”

“I’ll follow you.”

“I need to fill up the tank first.”

He nodded, waited until she was inside the car before going to his. He was an impossible man to figure out. One moment he’d acted like a man who cared about her, then next like he treated her like a stranger. Maybe that was the cop in him—available when you need him then off to the next case. Efficient, but impersonal. Like Nolan.

Nolan had blown hot and cold too. Faked concerned for her then became controlling. No, she wasn’t doing this again. It was time she stopped comparing every man she met with Nolan.

Amy waited until Eddie fired the engine then she pulled out of her parking spot. From the moment she’d worn the red dress, she’d stopped being rational. Somehow, she’d gotten fixated on wowing Eddie without thoughts of an endgame. She didn’t really want him. He just happened to be the only man around when her hormones went into hyper drive.

What did she really want? An affair? She didn’t think so. She wanted a relationship. To be desired and needed by someone who appreciated her. To be loved. You’d think Nolan would have killed that need inside her. Instead, she was more determined than ever to find it. Her parents had that kind of love. They finished each other’s sentences, knew what the other was thinking before he or she voiced it. They might have sucked as parents, but Amy couldn’t deny their steadfast love for each other.

Eddie stayed in his car as she filled up the tank though she was aware of his eyes on her. Why did he have to be a cop? It just complicated things.

The drive home went fast with no incident despite Sally’s assumption that Nolan might pop up. Using the garage’s side door, Amy followed the muted voices to the living room, where Lauren and Raelynn were working on a Disney princess puzzle. Her daughter was already in her pajamas.

Raelynn looked up and dropped the piece she’d been holding. “Mommy. You’re back.” She flew into Amy’s arms.

“Just like I promised.”

“Where’s Mr. Eddie?” she asked.

“Right here, sweetheart,” Eddie said, entering the living room. Raelynn flashed him a grin.

“Did we interrupt a game?” he asked.

“No, we’re all done,” Raelynn said, speaking around her thumb.

“No, we’re not,” Lauren retorted, standing. “A piece of this puzzle is missing and I can’t seem to find it.”

Amy grinned when her daughter wiggled out of her arms. As soon as she put her down, Raelynn went to search for the piece she’d dropped.

“How did it go?” Amy asked.

“Great,” Lauren said. “But I’m no longer a teenager. Who knew hide-n-seek would be so hard.” Her gaze went to Eddie. “Did you catch him, detective?”

“He didn’t show up, but I had expected that. Sorry I haven’t called you about the listing.”

Lauren dismissed his comment with a wave. “Don’t worry about it. Besides, you look like a glass and concrete kind of guy.”

Eddie gave her an enigmatic smile. “You never know.”

“Well, you know where to find me if you ever decide on investing your hard-earned money in a home or a time-share.”
 
She grabbed her bag from the side table and winked at Amy. “Walk me outside.”

Outside, the security lights by the garage doors turned on, but they weren’t the usual low wattage bulbs. Eddie must have replaced them with flood lights, their brilliance blinding. Neither of them spoke until they reached her car.

“So, was it worth the effort?” Lauren asked, studying Amy with a knowing grin.

Amy gave her a blank stare. “What?”

“The outfit. How did the good detective like it?”

Amy shrugged, but didn’t meet Lauren’s gaze. She sucked at lying. One look into her eyes and Lauren would know she lusted after her houseguest. “I didn’t dress up for him.”

Lauren laughed. “Oh, honey, you are such a liar. From day one, I knew you were interested in him.”

“I am not. Thanks for babysitting. I owe you one. Now go.” Amy shoved the car keys at her friend and prayed Lauren hopped into her car and took off.

“I can always read you, Amy Kincaid. And I’m not wrong this time either. Why do you think I’ve bowed out?”

“You have?”

Lauren laughed. When she stopped, she peered at Amy through locks of ebony hair. She pushed them in place and sighed. “Honey, you are so transparent. I think he likes you too. The entire time we were talking by the boat, he kept glancing toward the house, hoping you’d come out or something. I tried to ignore it, because he has a body built for sin and I wanted to taste it.” She signed dramatically. “But then I realized I was being unfair to you. He’s attracted to you just like you are to him.”

“No, he’s not,” Amy protested, but her complaint sounded weak. She’d seen the flash of heat in his eyes, but that didn’t mean anything. He was wrong for her in so many ways.

“If you’d seen the way he was staring at you in there, you wouldn’t say that. I think you should go for it.”

Amy let out a long suffering sigh. “Lauren.”

“Don’t Lauren me. I’m serious. He’ll be here for several weeks then gone. A torrid affair is what you need to jumpstart your libido and kick your butt back into the dating scene. You’re only twenty-seven for pity sakes, and you’re gorgeous. Plus, Raelynn is warming up to him, so seeing the two of you all over each other won’t send her into a catatonic state.”

Amy squirmed, bothered by Lauren’s suggestions and the images “all over each other” evoked. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Eddie. She did. Like she’d told herself, he just happened to be around when her hormones decided to misbehave. On top of that, he was wrong for her in so many ways. He was anal and uptight. But gorgeous with a killer ass and smile, the annoying inner voice added.

Uneasy with her thoughts, she glared. “Shouldn’t you be leaving? Your friends are probably wondering what happened to you.”

“Think about it, Amy.” Lauren gave her a quick hug. “And keep me updated on the creep.”

Amy waited until Lauren drove away then entered the house. She bolted the side door and double-checked the door leading to the garage. Raelynn’s giggles teased her ears before she reached the living room.

Her daughter sounded like a happy, normal child.

Amy peered around the wall surrounding the living and stared in amazement. Eddie was teaching Raelynn how to play chess. Memories of Amy’s past snuck in. She and her dad hunched over a chess board as they faced off. How had she forgotten those moments?

Raelynn pointed at one piece at a time. “King…queen…knight…bbbb…”

“Bishop,” Eddie said.

Raelynn studied the board then wrinkled her nose. “Where do the prince and princess go?”

“There are no princes and princesses in chess.”

“Why not? Their mommy and daddy are here.”

Eddie opened his mouth to answer then closed it. He rubbed his nape and glanced at Amy. “Help,” he mouthed.

He looked so adorable with that helpless look. Amy grinned and walked around the wall to join them. She knelt by her daughter. “The princes and princesses are keeping all the citizens of Chess-ville calm while the king and queen defend the kingdom. When you win and capture his king,” she pointed at Eddie’s king, “they will throw a big, fancy ball for everyone.”

“Can he cap…cap…ture my king?”

“Not if we get his first. You want to try?”

Raelynn nodded.

Amy showed her where to move her first piece. Eddie countered the move. Under Amy’s guide, Raelynn moved the second piece and the next and next. After about ten moves, Eddie stared at the board in shock.

“How did you do that?” he asked.

Amy shot him a triumphant grin then said, “Sweetheart, place that one right there and say, ‘checkmate’.”

“Checkmate,” Raelynn said then looked at her mother. “Did I win?”

“Yes, you did.” She pressed her forehead against Raelynn’s and laughed. Her daughter giggled. Eddie shook his head at their antics. “Now, get his king. He’s our prisoner.”

Eddie grabbed his king and lifted it above his head, keeping it out of Raelynn’s reach. “No one captures my king.”

“Hey, he’s our prisoner,” Amy said. “Get him.”

Raelynn launched herself across the coffee table at Eddie. He plucked her from mid-air, clasped her to his chest and gently rolled onto his back on the floor, his hand still raised. “You can’t have him. He’s mine.”

“No, he’s mine. I won.” Raelynn tried to crawl out of his grasp. She wiggled and kicked, then she started to giggle uncontrollably as Eddie tickled her. “Mommy, help me!”

“Oh, no, this is between you two.” It was the most beautiful sight Amy had ever seen and she savored it. She wasn’t sure which one surprised her more, her daughter or Eddie. The man could actually goof around.

She winced when Raelynn’s knees jabbed into his stomach. If he wasn’t careful, she was going to get him where it hurt the most.

“I give up,” he said. Raelynn’s tiny fingers pried his fingers open and grabbed the king. While he faked exhaustion, she rolled off him and jumped up and down, waving the king in victory.

 
“I got him…I got him…,” she screamed and danced. “Can we do it again, Mr. Eddie? Can we? Can we, Mommy?”

“Tomorrow,” Amy said firmly.

“No-ooo,” her daughter wailed.

“It’s time for bed, sweetheart and see how exhausted poor Eddie is?” He still stayed on his back, but his T-shirt had ridden to show taut abs and a thin line of fine hair disappearing under his pants. A subtle movement behind his pants had her eyes flying to find his. He cocked his brow.

Her face warming, Amy looked at her daughter. “Come on. It’s time to get the teeth goonies.”

Raelynn sighed dramatically. “I already brushed my teeth
and
took a bubble bath.”

“Then it’s Read-a-kingdom time. The citizens await their princess. Go choose a book. Go…go…go…”

While her daughter ran out of the room, Amy sat back and smiled at Eddie. He was no longer lying down. Instead, he sat with his elbows on the coffee table and watched her with a speculative gleam in his gray eyes. This playful side of him had surprised her. Maybe she was judging him too harshly.

“Thanks for teaching her chess and making it fun.”

“Me? I just showed her the board and explained the pieces. Where did you learn to play like that?”

“From my father.” More happy memories flashed through her head, making her breath catch. She looked away from Eddie’s probing stare. “It’s, uh, it’s been a while since I played, so I’m a bit rusty.”

“You called that rusty?”

She grinned. “I could have your king in five moves.”

He cocked his brow. “Is that a challenge?”

“Call it whatever you want.”

“Bring it on.” He interlocked his fingers and stretched, popping his knuckles.

Amy shook her head and stood. “Chess is a game of strategy and tactics, not brawn, silly.”

He rolled his head left then right. “You worry about your strategy. I’ll worry about mine.”

“I’m going to tuck Raelynn in. Be back in a few.” But before she could leave, her daughter appeared with a picture of her father clutched in her hand. “Sweetie? What are you doing with that?”

“Tell me the story of my Daddy again, Mommy,” she said.

“Sweetheart—”

But Raelynn was already skipping to the couch, where she sat and stared at Amy with expectant blue eyes. Amy sighed and stole a glance at Eddie. This was not how she’d planned to tell him about some of her past.

“Are you sure you don’t want to hear the story in your room?”

“No. I want Eddie to hear about my Daddy. My
real
Daddy. Not the fake one.”

***

Real and fake daddy? More clues to Amy’s past? He wanted to hear this story, but from her expression, she didn’t want him around.

“That’s okay, sweetheart,” Eddie said. “Maybe some other time.”

Raelynn threw the picture on the couch and pouted. “Then I don’t want to hear it. I hate him.”

“Raelynn Kincaid, what’s gotten into you?” Amy hurried to her daughter’s side and cupped her face. “What’s wrong?”

Her eyes grew big and filled with tears.

“Baby, talk to Mommy,” Amy begged.

“I’m scared, Mommy,” Raelynn whispered.

“Oh, honey.” She gathered the child in her arms and pulled her onto her lap as she sat. “Why? What happened?”

“I saw him,” she whispered, but Eddie heard her.

“I know. At the store. He’ll never come here or hurt you.”