Grace glanced around the almost full dining room of the Cranberry Inn. Named for its exterior color, it was a beautiful bed and breakfast on the north end of town, which opened its doors to the public from five until nine for supper. The Victorian décor matched the architecture of the grand building and inspired a different atmosphere than Sassy’s did. The restaurant on Main Street was always fun, loud, and boisterous, with the bar area having its regular crowd due to a row of TVs showing current sporting events. The dining area was a little quieter, yet it was still filled with happy chatter. Here at the inn, the environment was more subdued and most conversations were carried out in soft, delicate voices.

Bonnie gave a small wave across the room to one of her regular customers before turning back to her dinner companion. “Are you all right, Gracie? You’re awfully quiet and you’ve barely touched your dinner.”

She stopped moving her penne ala vodka around the plate and sighed. “I’m fine, Aunt Bonnie. Guess I wasn’t that hungry after all.” She couldn’t tell her aunt she was upset because the night after he’d kissed the stuffing out of her, she saw Sean out on a date with another woman. It felt like Jessica Winters and the prom all over again. “I’ll take it home for lunch tomorrow.”

Bonnie was a smart woman. She knew something was bothering her niece, but the girl could be as stubborn as a mule. She’d just have to wait until Grace was willing to open up about it. Instead of pushing Grace to talk, Bonnie waved down their waitress and requested a container of the cook’s delicious chicken and rice soup to go.

Grace drove Bonnie back to Main Street where the older woman would deliver the soup to Dan’s apartment above his hardware store before going home. After making sure her aunt got inside okay, Grace steered her car west. As she passed Sassy’s, she slowed the vehicle down, looking for Sean’s Mustang. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or not when she didn’t see it.

Shaking her head, she told herself it shouldn’t bother her that he was out with another woman. They had shared a few meals together since they’d both returned to Whisper, but those hadn’t actually been dates—just spur of the moment get-togethers. It wasn’t as if she had any claim on the man. The kiss they’d shared had obviously meant more to her than it did him. Well, she wasn’t the type of woman who liked to share. If Sean wanted to date other women that was his choice, but Grace wasn’t going to sit around waiting for him. Once her business was up and running she would find a way to meet new people. For now, she’d have to be content with the few she knew in the area. “Maybe tomorrow I’ll go to the shelter and adopt a kitten. At least that would be something I could cuddle up with,” she said out loud, trying to convince herself that would be enough.

Entering her silent condo finalized her decision. She was going to get a cat. She’d had one when she was little and missed having a furry companion to come home to—someone, or in this case, something to talk to at night when she was alone.

Turning on the lights, she dropped her bag, hung up her coat, and slid her shoes off. The remaining portion of her dinner went into the refrigerator, and then she walked to her bedroom to put on her pajamas. After getting comfortable on the couch with a few magazines Bonnie had given her, she turned on the television and waited for the ten o’clock news to come on.

* * *

Sean showed Suki to her bedroom in the beach house, then went into his own room to change out of his suit as she got herself situated. A few minutes later he walked out to the living room and glanced at his watch. It was a quarter to ten but he knew they would be up for a few more hours going through the case reports. He’d already read the printouts from Philadelphia, but was going to do it again to see if he’d missed anything. Plopping down on the couch, he wondered if it was too late to call Grace. They would have been home earlier, but he’d forgotten to bring his laptop and they’d ended up going back to the station where it was locked in the conference room.

Standing, he grabbed his cell phone from the dining table and found Grace’s number in his contacts. She’d given it to him the night before as they sat on the couch talking. Leaning against the door jamb between the living room and kitchen, he pressed send and hoped he wasn’t about to wake her up. It rang a few times before going to voicemail and he disconnected the call before leaving a message because he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say.

“Got a girlfriend you haven’t told me about?” Suki teased as she walked into the room wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants. She strode over to the porch door where she’d left her briefcase on the floor when they first entered the cottage. Grabbing the leather handles, she carried it to the loveseat, which faced the windows overlooking the ocean, and sat down.

Sean shrugged and tossed his phone on the couch. “To tell you the truth, I’m not sure.”

“Want to talk about it?” Sean had mentioned Grace several times over dinner and it was obvious to Suki the woman had caught his interest.

“No, thanks.” He honestly didn’t because he wouldn’t know where to start, so he changed the subject. “We’re going to be up for a while, aren’t we?”

“I know I am, why?”

Sean smiled and rubbed his hands together. “I’ve been looking for an excuse to start a fire in the fireplace. What do you say?” He pointed at the stack of dry wood set neatly to the right of the brick hearth. Although the days had been warm, the nights were still chilly, especially on the beach.

“Great. I’d love it.” She stood and stepped toward the kitchen. “You wouldn’t happen to have some hot chocolate in here, would you? Can’t have a fire without some cocoa.”

“Look in the cabinet next to the fridge.” He began putting some logs and crumpled newspaper into the fireplace. “There should be some for the Keurig machine. Make mine a cappuccino, please.”

“Sure thing. By the way,” she said turning around to face him from the doorway, “you never told me you were working with a bunch of hunky guys on this. You could have warned me you know.”

Sean rolled his eyes. “Sorry, but checking out guys for you is not my thing.” He paused and peered at her over his shoulder. “Which one caught your eye?” He didn’t really want to know, but curiosity got the best of him.

“I’m not sure yet, but when I figure it out you’ll be the second one to know.” Suki raised her eyebrows several times in rapid succession and chuckled. “Maybe the third.”

Sean laughed and shook his head at the profiler; she was a hoot. Ten minutes later, the fire was roaring and they were sipping their drinks. Both were immersed in their individual files—Sean on the sofa, Suki on the loveseat. She continued to make notes on her pad, and Sean knew her well enough not to interrupt her as she created the profile. He’d have to wait until morning and hear her analysis along with everyone else.

Around midnight, his eyes were blurry and watery from so much reading. Standing, he shuffled over to the hearth and secured a metal cover to the front of the fireplace. The fire had faded down to glowing embers because he’d been too engrossed in his reading to stoke it.

He sat back down and stretched out, leaning his head on the back of the couch, thinking of Grace. He wanted to ask her out on an official date since they hadn’t been on one yet. Maybe he should talk to Uncle Dan and see if he thought it was a good idea. Sean hadn’t asked the older man for advice on women since he was a teenager, but Grace was special. It was something he felt in his gut. The woman was damn special.

Closing his eyes, he thought about those wicked, hazel eyes and her blonde hair. He loved it when she took down her ponytail as she had the night before. Her hair was long and straight, making him want to wrap it around his hand and wrist, and pull her to him. She had been dressed in jeans or sweats the few times he had seen her, and he wondered what they were hiding. If he invited her to the Cranberry Inn, maybe she’d wear a dress or a skirt. He’d bet everything he owned her legs were fucking knockouts.

His mind wandered as he imagined those legs wrapped around him as he entered her, kissing and nuzzling her neck and shoulders as he ease himself further into her hot, wet pussy. He could almost feel the weight of her breasts as he kneaded them with his hands—her skin, silky and soft. God, she was fucking beautiful. He heard her murmur in his ear, “Hey, hot stuff, wake up.”

Huh? Something wasn’t right. Cracking his eyes open, he found himself lying on his side on the couch, a blanket over the lower half of his body and Suki standing over him drinking a cup of coffee. She was dressed in a brown suit with a pale blue blouse. “Wake up, sleepyhead, it’s almost seven.”

Sean glanced over to the windows and saw the sun was up. Holy shit. He’d fallen asleep on the couch and slept there all night. Thankfully, he realized something else was up before he removed the blanket. Dragging his hand down his face, he tried to get his morning wood under control. Suki was a good friend but she certainly didn’t need to see him in such an aroused state.

Oblivious to his dilemma, she headed back toward the kitchen. “You looked so comfortable last night, so I just threw the blanket on you around one when I went to bed. Go hop in the shower while I make you a cup of coffee. Should I find us something to eat or do you want to grab something on the way in?”

Sean took advantage of her back being toward him, jumped up, and headed to his bedroom. “Something on the way is fine. There’s a decent bagel place in town.”

“Sounds good to me.”

After showering and getting dressed, Sean grabbed his computer, files, and the travel mug of coffee Suki had filled for him. She’d found two of them in the cabinets and loaded them both up for the ride into the station. Carrying her briefcase and coffee, she followed Sean out to his Mustang. They’d left her rental car at the station last night since they’d been together anyway and both of them needed to be back at the sheriff’s department by eight this morning. Pulling out of the driveway, he steered toward town.

* * *

Still pissed off about Sean, Grace tried to push him from her mind as she stood in line for breakfast at Bagel Bonanza on Main Street, just up from her shop. She’d tossed and turned half the night, imagining him with that other woman. What annoyed her even more, was every time she closed her eyes, she remembered the kiss they’d shared, and how her body had come to life in those few seconds as she’d slowly melted against him. When her nipples had brushed against his hard chest, she’d been shocked at the jolt of electricity that had shot through her, straight to her core. While she’d been disappointed when he left instead of kissing her again—or taking her to bed like he’d mentioned—she was grateful now that’s how the evening had ended.

After paying for her bagel and coffee, she headed for the door. It opened before she reached it and she almost walked right into Sean . . . and her. Grace’s eyes went wide when she saw him, then narrowed slightly at the sight of the petite woman standing next to him.

“Grace! Hi!” Sean grinned. Really? Didn’t the man have any fucking shame?

“Hi, Sean.” She hoped she sounded indifferent. She’d be damned if she’d let him know how hurt she was. It was just after seven thirty in the morning and he was still with the woman he had dinner with last night. It didn’t take a fucking genius to figure out they’d spent the night together. Look at him, she thought, he’s blushing—obviously embarrassed he’d run into her on the heels of last night’s date. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to punch him or be swallowed into a black hole and disappear.

Suddenly the other woman did something that shocked Grace—she smiled, stuck out her hand, and happily introduced herself. “Hi Grace, I’m Suki Ralston. I work with Sean. He told me all about you last night. I hear your opening a business nearby. Congratulations.”

It took Grace a long moment to respond as her narrowed eyes widened again. This was not what she’d expected—she had already decided she wanted to hate the other woman, maybe even wanted to scratch her eyes out. But Suki was looking her straight in the eye as if she knew exactly what Grace was thinking, and yet she was still making an attempt to be friendly. Grace slowly reached out and shook the proffered hand, still very confused. “Um. . . yes, I am. You . . . um. . . you work with Sean?”

Sean was the one who answered her question. “Actually Suki has a doctorate in criminal psychology. She’s a profiler based out of Quantico and drove in to help us out. We’ve been friends for a couple of years.”

“Oh,” Grace responded in a flat tone of voice, unsure of how she should react to that information.

Suki must have sensed her continuing uncertainty because she added, “We’re just friends—nothing more. Now why don’t I grab a bunch of bagels for the rest of the task force while you two talk.” She winked at Grace and then made her way over to the counter to order.

Grace stared openmouthed at Suki as she strode past.

“Grace? You okay?” Sean asked with concern in his voice.

She turned back toward him. Moaning, she brought her hands to her burning cheeks. “I’m such an idiot.”

Now it was Sean’s turned to be confused. His eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?” He took one of her hands and led her to a small, empty table so they didn’t block the doorway for a few people who were leaving.

Grace swallowed hard before her words rushed out. “I saw the two of you walking into Sassy’s last night and just assumed you were on a date. And when you walked in here with the same woman, I figured you’d spent the night together. And you have no idea how embarrassed I am right now.”

“Ah.” Sean laughed, fueling her mortification. “Is that why you didn’t answer your phone last night?” She nodded, her gaze pinned to his broad chest to avoid looking him in the face. “Well, to tell you the truth, Suki is borrowing a spare bedroom at the beach house. But we are not, and have never been, romantically involved. Like she said, we’re good friends and I thought she’d be more comfortable staying at the cottage than at a hotel.” With two fingers of his right hand under her chin, he tilted her head up so their eyes met. “I hope you’re not mad.”

“Mad? No! Just very, very embarrassed. I’m sorry. I mean, we aren’t even dating, but after that kiss the other night . . .” She paused, swallowed hard, and took the plunge. “Well, I guess I was kind of hoping . . .”

His face lit up and he let out a low chuckle that was incredibly sexy. “If you must know, I was kind of hoping, too.” He brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen forward onto her cheek and she felt the brief heat of his fingers on her skin. “Listen, I don’t know how busy I’m going to be today, but is it all right if I call you later?”