Night Shield (18 page)

“Good thinking.” He closed his eyes and kept her close.

*  *  *

She let the morning slide away, enjoyed a fast, hard workout with him in his gym while they argued over sports highlights that flashed by on the portable TV.

They shared a breakfast of bagels and coffee, along with the Sunday paper, while spread out lazily in bed. Natural, normal, almost-domestic habits, Ally thought as they dressed for the day.

Not that a man like Blackhawk could or should be domesticated. But a slow, uncomplicated Sunday morning was a nice change of pace.

She sat on the side of the bed and laced up her ancient high-tops. Jonah tugged on a T-shirt, studied the endless line of her legs.

“Is your plan to wear those little shorts to distract me from whipping your excellent ass on the court?”

She lifted both eyebrows. “Please. With my innate skill I don’t need such pitiful ploys.”

“Good, because once I start a game, nothing distracts me until my opponent is crushed.”

She stood, rolled strong shoulders shown to advantage in the sleeveless jersey. “We’ll see who’s crushed, Blackhawk, when the buzzer sounds. Now, are you going to stand around here bragging, or are you ready to rock and roll?”

“More than ready, Detective Honey.”

She waited until they were in his car. She thought the timing best. Besides, the longer she waited to bring it up, the shorter amount of time he’d have to argue with her.

Casually, she stretched out her legs and prepared to enjoy the ride. And smirked, just a little, when she saw his gaze shift and slide down the length of her legs.

“So, are you ever going to let me drive this machine?”

Jonah switched on the engine. “No.”

“I can handle it.”

“Then buy your own Jag. Where’s the court where you want to go down in inglorious defeat?”

“You mean where’s the court where I plan to beat you into a whimpering pulp of humiliation? I’ll give you directions. Of course, if I were driving, I could just take us there.”

He merely flicked her a pitying glance, then slipped on his sunglasses. “Where’s the court, Fletcher?”

“Out near Cherry Lake.”

“Why the hell do you want to shoot hoops way out there? There are a half-dozen gyms around here.”

“It’s too nice a day to play indoors. Of course, if you’re afraid of a little fresh air …”

He reversed and drove out of the parking lot.

“What do you do besides use that gorgeous equipment in your apartment over the club when you have a free day?” she asked him.

“Catch a game, check out a gallery.” He sent her a slow smile. “Pick up women.”

She tipped down her own sunglasses, peered at him over the top. “What kind of game?”

“Depends on the season. If it’s got a ball or a puck, I’ll probably watch it.”

“Me, too. I’ve got no resistance. What kind of gallery?”

“Whatever appeals at the time.”

“You’ve got some great art. In the club and in your apartment.”

“I like it.”

“So … What kind of women?”

“The easy kind.”

She laughed and tucked her glasses back in place. “You calling me easy, ace?”

“No, you’re work. I like a change of pace now and again.”

“Lucky me. You’ve got a lot of books,” she commented. She studied his profile, the sexy, angular lines of it, the way the dark glasses concealed the fascinating contrast of those eyes of pure, light green. “It’s hard to picture you curling up with a good book.”

“Stretching out,” he said, correcting her. “Women curl up with books, guys stretch out.”

“Oh, I see. That’s entirely different. This is your exit coming up. You’ll take the two-two-five. And watch your speed. The traffic cops just love to nail pretty boys like you in their hot cars.”

“I have pull in the police department.”

“You think I’m going to fix a ticket for you when you won’t even let me drive this thing?”

“It so happens I know the police commissioner.”

As soon as he said it, it clicked.

“You said out in Cherry Lake?”

“That’s right.”

He got off at the first exit and pulled into a convenience store parking lot.

“Problem?”

“Your family lives in Cherry Lake.”

“That’s right. And they have a basketball court—well, half-court. It was all we could push my parents into, even though my brothers and I campaigned pretty hard. They also have a barbecue pit, which my father puts to very good use. We try to get together a couple Sundays a month.”

“Why didn’t you tell me we were going to your parents’?”

She recognized the tone: anger, ruthlessly tethered. “What difference does it make?”

“I’m not intruding on your family.” He shoved the car into reverse again. “I’ll drop you off. You can get a ride back when you’re done.”

“Hold on.” She reached over, switched off the ignition. If he was angry, fine, they’d fight. But she’d be damned if he’d freeze her out. “What do you mean intruding? We’re going to shoot some baskets, eat some steak. You don’t need an engraved invitation.”

“I’m not spending Sunday afternoon with your family.”

“With a cop’s family.”

He pulled his sunglasses off, tossed them aside. “That has nothing to do with it.”

“Then what does? I’m good enough to sleep with, but I’m not good enough for this?”

“That’s ridiculous.” He shoved out of the car, stalked to the end of the lot and stared out on a narrow grassy area.

“Then tell me something that isn’t ridiculous.” She marched up to him, jabbed his shoulder. “Why are you so angry that I want you to spend a few hours with my family?”

“You conned me into this, Allison. That’s first.”

“Why should I have to con you into it? Why is it, Jonah, that you’ve known my father for more than half your life, but you’ve never accepted a single invitation to our home?”

“Because it’s his home, and I have no place there. Because I owe him. I’m sleeping with his daughter, for God’s sake.”

“I’m aware of that. So is he. What? Do you think he’s going to dig out his police issue and shoot you between the eyes when you walk in the door?”

“This isn’t a joke. It’s so easy for you, isn’t it?”

Here’s the heat, she thought, pumping.

“Everything was always just right in your world. Solid, balanced and steady. You have no idea what mine was before he came into it, and what it would be now if he hadn’t. This is not the way I intend to pay him back.”

“No, you pay him back by insulting him. By refusing to acknowledge your relationship with me, as if it was something to be ashamed of. You think I don’t know what your life was like? You think my world was so rarefied, Blackhawk. I’m the daughter of a cop. There’s nothing you’ve seen I haven’t, through his eyes. And now my own.”

She drilled a finger in his chest. “Don’t you talk up to me, and don’t you talk down. Wherever, however each of us started, we’re on level ground now. And you’d better remember it.”

He grabbed her hand. “Stop poking at me.”

“I’d like to flatten you.”

“Same goes.”

He walked away, waiting until he was sure he had some level of control again. Her mention of shame had gotten through. He could be angry with himself for falling in love with her. But he wouldn’t be ashamed of it.

“I’ll make you a deal. You get rid of the tail.” He gestured to the shadow car that had pulled in a minute behind them. “And we’ll take a couple of hours at your parents’.”

“Give me a second.”

She walked to the dark sedan, leaned in and had a short conversation with the driver. She had her hands in her pockets as she strode back over to Jonah.

“I cut them loose for the rest of the afternoon. It’s the best I can do.” She circled her shoulders. Apologies always tensed her up. “Look, I’m sorry I played it this way. I should have done it straight and we could have argued about it back at your place.”

“You didn’t play it straight because you knew I wouldn’t be here to argue with.”

“Okay, you’re right.” She threw up her hands in defeat. “Sorry again. My family’s important to me. I’m involved with you. It just follows that I want you to feel comfortable with them.”

“Comfort might be asking a little too much. But I’m not ashamed of my relationship with you. I don’t want you to think I am.”

“Fair enough. Jonah, it would mean a lot to me if you’d give it a try this afternoon.”

“It’s easier to argue with you when you’re being obnoxious.”

“Now see, that’s what my brother Bryant always says. You’ll get along fine.” Hoping to soften
things, she hooked her arm with his. “There’s one thing, though,” she began as they walked back to the car.

“What thing?”

“This deal at the house today? It’s a little … more than I might have indicated. Sort of a kind of reunion. It’s just that there’ll be more people, that’s all,” she said quickly. “Aunts and uncles and cousins from back East, and my father’s old partner and her family. It’s really better for you this way,” she insisted when he balled a fist and tapped it against her chin. “It’s more a horde than a group, so nobody’ll even notice you. Hey, why don’t you let me drive the rest of the way?”

“Why don’t I knock you unconscious and you can ride in the trunk the rest of the way?”

“Never mind. It was just a thought.” She strolled around the car, reached for the door handle. But he beat her to it. It made her laugh and turn and take his face in her hands.

“You’re a real case, Blackhawk.” She gave him a noisy kiss, then climbed in. When he joined her, she leaned over, rubbed her knuckles over his cheek. “They’re just people. Really nice people.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“Jonah. An hour. If you’re uncomfortable being there after an hour, just tell me. I’ll make an excuse and we’ll go. No questions. Deal?”

“If I’m uncomfortable in an hour, I’ll go. You stay with your family. That’s the way it should be, so that’s the deal.”

“All right.” She settled back, secured her belt. “Why don’t I give you a quick rundown so you know the players? There’s Aunt Natalie and her husband—Ryan Piasecki. She runs some of the interests of Fletcher Industries, but her real baby is Lady’s Choice.”

“Underwear?”

“Lingerie. Don’t be a peasant.”

“Terrific catalogues.”

“Which you peruse for fashion’s sake.”

“Hell no. There are half-naked women in there.”

She laughed, relieved they’d passed the crisis point. “Moving right along. Uncle Ry’s an arson inspector in Urbana. They have three kids, fourteen, twelve and eight, if my math’s right. Then there’s my mother’s sister, Aunt Deborah—Urbana’s district attorney—her husband, Gage Guthrie.”

“The Guthrie who has more money than the national treasury?”

“So rumor has it. Four kids for them. Sixteen, fourteen, twelve and ten. Like steps.” She made upward motions with her hand. “Then there’s Captain Althea Grayson, Dad’s former partner, and her husband, Colt Nightshade. Private Investigator. More of a troubleshooter really. Sort of a loose cannon. You’ll like him. They have two kids, one of each, fifteen and twelve. No, thirteen now.”

“So basically, I’m spending the afternoon with a teenage baseball team.”

“They’re fun,” she promised him. “You don’t like kids?”

“I have no idea. My exposure to their species has been limited.”

“This exit,” she told him. “Well, it won’t be limited after today. I think you might have met my brothers somewhere along the line. Bryant’s in Fletcher Industries. I guess he’s a kind of troubleshooter, too. Does a lot of traveling and nailing butts to the wall. He loves it. And Keenan’s a firefighter. We visited my aunt Natalie right after she hooked up with Uncle Ry, and Keen, he fell for the big red truck. That was it for him. Left at the next light. That wraps it up.”

“I have a headache.”

“No, you don’t. Right at the corner, left two blocks down.”

He’d already gotten a solid impression of the neighborhood. Stable, rich and exclusive with its big,
beautiful houses on big, beautiful grounds. It gave him an itch between the shoulder blades he’d never be able to explain.

He was comfortable in the city, where the streets reminded him he’d overcome something, and the faces that crowded him were anonymous. But here, with the majestic trees, the sloped lawns, green and lush with approaching summer, the explosion of flowers and rambling old homes, he wasn’t just a stranger.

He was an intruder.

“That one there, on the left, the cedar and river rock, with the zigzagging decks. I guess everyone’s here already. Looks like a parking lot.”

The double driveway was packed. The house itself was a huge and unique study of rooflines, jutting decks, wide expanses of glass, all accented by trees and flowering bushes with a meandering slate path ribboning up the gentle hill.

“I’ve reassessed the deal,” Jonah told her. “I’m adding exotic sexual favors. I think this deserves them.”

“Fine. I’ll take ’em.”

She reached for the door, but his arm shot out, pinned her back against the seat. She only laughed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay, we’ll discuss exotic sexual favors later. Unless you’re demanding a down payment on them here and now.”

“Yeah, that’ll put a cap on it.” He jerked open his door, but before he could walk around the car, there was a war whoop, and a pretty young girl with a pixie cap of dark hair raced down the hill.

She grabbed Ally in a bear hug the minute she was out of the car. “There you are! Everyone’s here. Sam already pushed Mick into the pool and Bing chased your neighbor’s cat up a tree. Keenan got him down and my mom’s inside putting something on the scratches. Hi.”

She beamed a hundred-watt smile at Jonah. “I’m Addy Guthrie. You must be Jonah. Aunt Cilla said you were coming with Ally. You own a nightclub? What kind of music do you have?”

“She does shut up twice a year, for five minutes. We time it.” Ally wrapped an arm around her cousin’s neck and squeezed. “Sam is in the Piasecki branch, Mick is Addy’s brother. And Bing is our family dog who has no manners whatsoever, so he fits in very well. Don’t worry about remembering any of that, or you really will have a headache.”

She reached out to take his hand, but Addy beat her to it. “Can I come to your club? We’re not going home until Wednesday. Thursday if nagging works. I mean, what’s one more day? Gosh, you’re really tall, aren’t you? He looks great, too,” she added, peering around him to her cousin. “Nice job, Allison.”