They continued kissing, relief and happiness swelling through her. She felt at home back in his arms. Right, perfect. She had been so devastated when she thought he was sneaking around behind her back and that he had lied to her. Oh, not that they had any actual spoken commitments but Marissa had felt a commitment in her heart. She thought he had, too.

“I love you, Marissa.” Aaron pulled his head away from hers. “I don’t want any woman other than you. Please, trust me.”

She looked deep into his dark chocolate eyes and opened her mouth to answer him when Angela buzzed her. Damn the timing. Frustration showed in her eyes as she turned towards the speaker.

“What is it, Angela?”

“Is everything okay in there?” Angela’s stage whisper made Marissa smile.

“Yes, it’s perfect.” She smiled into Aaron’s eyes, her arms looped loosely around his neck.

“Good. In that case, Dr. Cooper’s on line one, insisting that he talk to you. I told him you were busy but he is persistent.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll talk to him.”

She sighed and smiled reluctantly at Aaron. “I’m sorry. I need to take this call.”

“Sure. I needed to take a break anyway because I was just about to throw you down on the desk and have my way with you.”

Marissa snorted with laughter as she turned and picked up the phone. “Good morning, Dr. Cooper. What can I do for you?”

She heard his clipped, formal voice come across the line. He was quick to inform her that he was making an unexpected trip to Indianapolis and wanted to see the house he was interested in this afternoon. He was anxious to take a look at it and close the deal if the house was appropriate.

“How long are you going to be in town, Dr. Cooper? Could we perhaps do this tomorrow?” She ran her hand down Aaron’s shirt front, visions of an afternoon in bed dancing in her head.

A frown furrowed her brow as she listened to his response. Apparently, it was today or never. He wanted to get things settled so he could be in the home by the time school started. She closed her eyes for a moment and swallowed her disappointment.

“Then today it is. What time would you like to meet?” She felt Aaron stiffen under her hands.

“Of course, one would be fine. I’ll meet you at the house. See you then.”

She felt Aaron’s angry glare as she hung up the phone. She guessed he was disappointed, too.

“You’re meeting a man, alone, this afternoon?” he asked stiffly.

She turned and eyed him curiously. “It’s my job, Aaron. You know that.”

“The killer is getting his victims at open houses, not private showings.”

What makes you think he won't turn to private showings now?”

She noted the stubborn jut his chin had taken on. Was he really worried or was he just trying to manipulate her into staying home this afternoon?

“Aaron, I have to do business, I have to make a living, whether you like it or not.”

“Then let me go with you,” he demanded.

“And how am I supposed to explain you being with me? This is my boyfriend who thinks you’re out to kill me.” She planted her fists on her hips and glared at him with frustration. “I can’t do that.”

“I don’t know. Tell him I’m a colleague. Whatever you have to do, Marissa. Don’t take chances.”

She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. Did he expect her to take him with her on every showing? No, that was too much. She wasn’t going to let a man, not even Aaron Ma t thews, tell her how to run her life or order her around. No way.

“Come on, Aaron. Don’t be ridiculous,” she shot at him.

“I don’t think it’s ridiculous to protect the woman I love. It’s what a man should do.”

“But I don’t need protecting,” she protested.

“Come on, Marissa. Humor me.”

Marissa felt her temper flare. Ah, hell. She’d just gotten over being mad at Aaron and they hadn’t even had makeup sex yet. Now she was mad at him again.

“Look, Aaron, I am going to continue to conduct business. I can’t let fear control my life.”

Aaron grasped her upper arms in his hands. “I’m asking you to see this my way. I can’t lose you when I’ve just found you.”

Marissa drew her breath in through pursed lips. She knew where he was coming from; she understood his concern. But she also demanded her independence. She had to do what she thought best.

“I’m going to this showing, Aaron, and you are no t r . I’m going to handle this like a professional, not a little girl, but a full grown woman. I hope you understand.”

Aaron leveled a glare at her. “I don’t understand, babe. I don’t understand why you’d risk your life, risk our future together, just to sell a house.”

She stared at him sadly for a moment before she lifted her chin and announced, “It’s not just to sell a house. It’s to declare my independence.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Marissa. I want to be a team, a united front. I’m ready to give up independence and join forces. I can’t deal with the thought that you’re not.”

And then he turned and walked out of the room.

 

Marissa stood dumbstruck as she stared at the empty space where Aaron had been. She couldn’t believe he had walked away from her and it didn’t make sense. He’d left her just because she wanted to do her job. Dr. Cooper wasn’t even from Indiana. How could he possibly be the killer? A spurt of anger winged through her. Who the hell did he think he was? She was a big girl. She didn’t need a babysitter.

Still burning from his rejection , she jammed the necessary paperwork in her briefcase and grabbed her cell phone. She wanted to get to the house early so she could get the air conditioning on and make sure everything looked its best. The house had s a e t empty for several months and she wanted to pick up some fresh flowers on the way to dress it up.

She pulled into the driveway of the home forty-five minutes early. She looked around the neighborhood and realized the area was more isolated than she'd remembered. The yards were huge and sprawling, the houses spaced wide apart. Mature trees studded the area and now, in the mid-afternoon, despite the beauty of the area, Marissa suddenly felt a sinister air settle around her.

She shook off the feeling and made her way to the beautiful to the white brick traditional house. The porch was wide and inviting, easing the feeling of danger that bubbled within her. She was just being silly. Thanks, Aaron, for making me nervous.

Marissa fumbled with her briefcase, the key, and the bundle of flowers and finally let herself into a wide open space staged with white leather furniture. She heard her stilettos tap across the hardwood floors as she made her way to the massive kitchen and unloaded her packages on the white quartz counter. The silence seemed overwhelming so before she did anything else she took out her cell phone and started one of her playlists. A version of Hallelujah filled the air and she immediately felt better.

There wasn’t much else to do. The house was exactly as she’d left it after the last showing four weeks ago. She returned to the kitchen and pulled her laptop out of her briefcase and started working until time for Dr. Cooper to show up.

Forty-five minutes passed, then an hour. Marissa glanced restlessly at the clock on her computer and noted that the doctor was late. Should she call him? He could have run into trouble on the road.

She laid her hand on her cell phone just as the doorbell chimed. He was here.

She peeked out the kitchen window and saw a dark colored sedan in the drive; windows tinted making it impossible to see inside. She let the curtain drop and hurried on to the foyer so she could open the door, giving her pencil skirt a final soothing pat she flung the door open.

And saw Harrison Hart standing on the other side.