Midnight Secrets (34 page)

She drew in a deep breath, tightening the material slightly and revealing the sexy, silken body beneath it.

Zach swallowed a groan and patted the pillow beside him, hoping he didn’t look or sound too desperate. “Why don’t you come back to bed?”

“I was thinking of bringing you something to eat.”

At the mention of food, his stomach produced a giant growl reminding him that breakfast had been hours ago. He had skipped lunch because he had been looking for Savannah. “I’ve got some chicken salad in the fridge.”

He was about to throw the sheet off and get out of bed, but she stopped him with “No, stay there. Let me bring it to you.”

Other than in the hospital, which he figured didn’t count, he’d never been served in bed before. Zach dropped his head back to the pillow. “Now, I could get used to that.”

She snorted. “Don’t. My kitchen skills have diminished greatly over the years. Having fully prepared food is what I do best.” She turned to go out of the room and then stopped, shooting him a sultry smile over her shoulder. “By the way, I’m your dessert.”

She disappeared before he could answer back, but his body responded to her words like magic. Arousal surged, tenting the sheet covering him. Zach sighed his contentment. He had her here with him; they’d just made love and would do so again very soon. It was as if his dreams so long in the making were finally coming true.

Where did they go from here? She had a career she loved. Zach had worked hard to attain his position and status here, but it meant nothing without Savannah. How would she feel if he told her he’d move to Nashville if he could be with her? Hell, he still had no idea what he meant to her. There was desire, but was there more? Had she forgiven him for deserting her?

Something else they hadn’t yet talked about was the dead animal on her doorstep. Teenage prank or a threat? If it was a threat, who’d made it? Henson and Clark Dayton swore their innocence, and while their level of crimes was at best juvenile and he had absolutely no use for either of them, a dead animal went lower than he thought even they would stoop.

In the midst of searching for Savannah and being convinced someone had taken her, he had called the DA’s office in Nashville and talked with her boss. There’d been no more threats made against Savannah. The sentencing for the perp she’d put away would take place next month. Garrison didn’t believe the X-Kings had traveled all the way to Midnight to leave a dead animal on her doorstep. Zach hadn’t believed it either but felt the need to double-check. And they would remain on his suspect list until he knew the truth. No one was above suspicion. But if not the X-Kings and not Dayton or Henson, then who? And why?

“Lunch is served.”

He sat up and smoothed out the bed. “Come join me.”

She placed the tray in the middle of the bed and then crawled under the covers with him. Food suddenly no longer seemed an urgent need. He reached for her and she held out her hand to keep him at bay, laughing. “Oh no, we eat our meal and then comes dessert.”

He grinned. “I always thought dessert made for a great appetizer.”

“Nice try, but I think I’ll have more energy if we eat first.”

Since he had specific plans that included expending a hell of a lot of energy, Zach picked up a sandwich and took a giant bite. Munching contentedly, he said, “So you don’t have the chance to cook often. I remember you were once a damn good cook.”

“Either you have a selective memory or you were exceptionally hungry. Most of my stuff was as basic as it comes. Now I don’t even have time to cook the basics.”

Zach demolished his first sandwich and went back for the second one. “So what’s a typical day like for Assistant DA Savannah Wilde?”

Savannah shrugged, uncomfortable where their discussion was leading. If she told him what her average day was like, he’d soon learn that other than work, her life was about as dull and empty as a hollow drum. She liked it the way it was. Safe and predictable was how she coped. Zach was too inquisitive to just let it go at that. He would want to know why a twenty-eight-year-old woman had almost no social life and the only true friends she had were her two sisters. Explaining that might veer too close to when and how she’d chosen this almost monastic lifestyle. She could not go there now. Both Sammie and Bri had told her she was going to have to tell him the truth at some point. They were right. But at what point? She didn’t know. But today wasn’t that day.

Aware he was waiting for her reply, she shrugged and said, “I usually get to the office by seven. When I’m in court, I’m usually there from around nine till around four. If I’m not in court, then it’s a lot of paperwork, phone calls, some fieldwork.” She shrugged again. “You know the drill.”

“So what do you do in your downtime?”

“I volunteer at a crisis clinic close to my apartment.”

“Do you date much?”

Since her dating life consisted of a handful of blind dates that had been about as exciting as a watching paint dry, she shrugged evasively and said, “I’m not seeing anyone special right now.”

His eyes held more questions but thankfully he let it go. “Did you get to see your grandfather much after you moved away?”

Feeling safer with this tope, she relaxed and continued eating. “Once a month he would meet the three of us in Mobile.”

“Why Mobile?”

“It was close by for him. And he loved the city. I always thought if he’d been younger, he would have moved there after we left home.”

“I was real sorry to hear about his passing.”

She swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat. “He went quickly and quietly. We’d just seen him the week before, and though he was in his early eighties, he still looked years younger and acted that way, too. It was a shock when Gibby called and told us.”

“I wish I’d gotten the chance to say goodbye to him. He was one of the finest men I’ve ever known.”

“He thought a lot of you, too.”

“I figured he’d be furious at me for what I did.”

He had been furious, much more so than Zach might expect. She’d had to beg him many times not to interfere. If he’d had his way, he would have gone to Fort Benning and literally dragged Zach home.

“He tried to remember …” She cleared her throat. “We all tried to remember the good times.”

Dropping his half-eaten sandwich on the tray, he took her hand and held it against his mouth. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to forgive me?”

“I’ve already forgiven you, Zach. You explained what happened. That’s all in the past.” Shoving the tray out of the way, she turned and softly kissed his cheek. “Now, what about that dessert?”

He grabbed her shoulders, pulled her over to straddle him, and growled against her mouth, “Just so you know, I usually ask for second and third helpings on dessert.”

Savannah lost herself in the magic, forgetting for just a little while that major issues surrounded them. Sometime soon, they’d have to face them. But for right now … for right now, this was all she needed to survive.

Chapter

Twenty-five

When he was a kid, if anyone had told Zach that he’d someday have dinner with the mayor of Midnight at his home, he would’ve asked them what they’d been snorting. It’d never been his dream to hobnob with the elite of this town or any other. He shot a glance at the woman sitting beside him. She was the only elite he’d ever been interested in impressing.

Five days had gone by since the incident with the dead animal on her doorstep. Nothing unusual had happened since then. He was close to thinking that some bored teens had found roadkill somewhere and thought it’d be cool to dump it at someone’s door and it just so happened that person was Savannah. Not that his concern had eased up any. After going through those few hellacious hours when he’d thought something had happened to her, it was going to take a hell of a lot more time for him to stop worrying.

Since that day, he and Savannah had reached a new level in their relationship. They saw each other every day, often had meals together, and spent their nights in each other’s arms. Things had progressed much quicker than he ever could have hoped. His feelings for her were a thousand times stronger than they’d been ten years ago. She went into his arms every night as if she belonged there and was more than content to stay there forever. Everything should be perfect. So why the hell wasn’t he happy?

Apparently feeling his eyes on her, Savannah twisted in her chair and gave him a smile. Still sweet, still beautiful, but so full of secrets. There was something missing. Something she wouldn’t share or wouldn’t tell him. It was as if she was holding something back—an emotion, a feeling. He didn’t know.

Every time he brought up her life in Nashville, she became evasive. Did she think he’d think less of her if she’d had romantic relationships? It hurt like hell to think of her with another man, but she was a young, beautiful woman. It was only natural for her to have had relationships. Had she been married before, engaged? He wanted to know everything about her and still felt he knew so little.

“You’re awfully quiet. Everything okay?”

Zach jerked himself out of his useless introspection. He should be damn happy for what he had right now. A month ago, he figured he’d never even have a chance to be with Savannah again, in any way. This was a hell of a lot better than he deserved.

“I’m fine.” And, since he didn’t want to discuss how un-fine he was, he changed the subject. “I saw you and Corwin in deep discussion a few minutes ago. He giving you some legal advice?”

He’d meant it as a small joke. Corwin Banks was the most prominent attorney in Midnight, but Zach would bet his last dollar that Savannah was the more knowledgeable when it came to legal issues. She smiled but her eyes remained solemn. Dammit, there it was again. That look of secrecy. Why?

“We were just talking about old times. When my parents were alive.”

“They were friends?”

She nodded. “Whenever I come to the Kilgores’ for dinner, Lamont always invites some of my parents’ old friends.”

“Is that hard for you? Hearing them talk about your parents?”

“It used to be. Not so much anymore.”

“Time give you a different perspective?”

“I guess.” She shrugged and smiled vaguely. Her voice softened as she asked, “So, your place or mine tonight?”

“Your choice. I’m off tomorrow.”

She grinned cheekily. “I was kind of hoping to get you off tonight.”

Surprised laughter erupted from him. Learning that Savannah had a wicked, sometimes bawdy sense of humor had been an extra delight. He might have doubts about a lot of things, but when it came to the heat between them, it was hotter than ever.

“What’s so funny?” Nesta asked.

Savannah felt a blush to the roots of her hair. She could tease and joke with Zach about things she’d never consider saying to anyone else.

Before Savannah could answer, Nesta giggled. “Never mind. By the look on Savannah’s face, I know it was meant for only you two.” She beamed at them. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you two together. I remember when you were both just young’uns and looked at each other like there was no one else in the world. It’s so good to see you acting like that again.”

Her blush deepened. This thing with Zach was too new and fragile to discuss in public.

“Now I’ve gone and embarrassed you even more.” She looked over her shoulder. “Lamont, get over here and get me out of this hole I’m diggin’.”

Savannah laughed and hugged the older woman. “You’re fine. This is just kind of new to us, too.” She shot an amused look at Zach and was surprised that he wasn’t smiling. In fact, he looked downright grim.

Big and burly, Lamont wrapped one arm around his wife, one around Savannah, and grinned down at them both. “What’s this? My wife is saying something embarrassing?” He winked at Zach. “When I married Nesta, that was the one thing her daddy warned me about. Her family has a long history of foot-and-mouth disease … you know, insert foot into mouth.”

“Lamont Lester, that’s not true.” She paused and then added, “Okay, maybe a little true.” Waving her hand at Savannah and Zach, she said, “But don’t they look wonderful together?”

Fortunately, Lamont was a born politician. “Nesta, I forgot to tell you that the caterer said they were running low on ice.”

“What?” Her eyes wide with worry, she quickly excused herself and practically ran toward the kitchen.

Lamont winked again. “That’ll keep her occupied for a while.” He leaned forward and kissed Savannah on the cheek. “You youngsters enjoy yourselves.”

After he left, Savannah took a sip of her wine and shot a glance around. So far, she had talked to Lamont and Nesta, Corwin and DeAnne Banks, Noreen Ingram and Richard Tatum. She’d been as vague as possible with her questions surrounding the night her parents died, but her discretion would soon have to end. This subtle line of questioning wasn’t working.

Tonight she would tell Zach about her grandfather’s letters and ask for his help. Yes, she needed to see the police and coroner’s reports, but she also hated keeping secrets from him. She had only about a month left here in Midnight and wanted to make the most of it. They hadn’t talked about the future; Savannah refused to allow herself to think there was one. Optimistic dreams of the future no longer existed in her world. Besides, they lived hundreds of miles apart.

“You about ready to go?”