CHAPTER 21

Theo relished the moment when Avery opened her eyes. Slowly, she adjusted to the gloom and then turned to him. Her guardedness gone, there was a satisfied look on her face. He’d done that to her. Sprawled out on his side next to her, he examined his fiery little beauty.

Her hair was strewn out around her shoulders and she was still completely naked, though he’d made sure to tuck her beneath the sheet and coverlet. The flush had gone from her skin, which had returned to its usual creamy white. A surge of protectiveness raced through him, coupled with something else. Permanence. With her. He could see it so clearly. The only question was, could she?

Avery glanced out the window and yawned. “What time is it?” she murmured sleepily.

Theo squinted over her at the small clock on the nightstand. “Two-thirty.”

“Can you see without your glasses?”

“Not well. Distances are tough and so is reading. But this close, my vision is just fine.” Giving her a sexy smile, he stroked his fingers through her hair and kissed her. Her swollen lips felt delicious against his. He deepened the kiss and demanded entry with his tongue.

“Wait,” she murmured, in between kisses. “What are we doing?”

“I think the word you’re looking for is foreplay,” he said, grazing his lips along her jaw.

She shoved at his chest and he moved a few inches away, still stroking his hand through her hair. “You know what I mean,” she said, giving him a warning look.

“I do,” he said, cocking his head at her. “But I’m surprised that you actually want to talk.”

Avery had the grace to blush. “Yes, well, I … I just want to set some ground rules.”

He stilled, not liking the sound of that. “Ground rules?”

“For whatever this is.” She looked at him meaningfully.

Ignoring the way she’d characterized their relationship, he changed tacks. “Why do we need rules?”

“It’s always good to have rules, especially in a situation like this.” She spoke cleanly and crisply.

He couldn’t ignore the subtext this time. “A situation like what, exactly?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

“This.” She gestured between the two of them. “Star Harbor is just a temporary way station for both of us. As soon as I figure out whether I want to return to the Center, I’ll be heading back to Boston.”

He blinked with surprise. “Really? And why is it that you think Star Harbor is just a temporary way station for me?”

“I assume that you’ll be out of here as soon as your work on your book is done.” He was less surprised by that assertion. A month ago, it might have been a safe assumption, but now that he’d rediscovered his inner self—his true self—he wasn’t going anywhere. Not for a long, long while. “It’s all right, though,” she continued. “I understand.”

“Actually,” he said carefully, “I’ve been thinking about staying on in Star Harbor. My writing is going well and my family is here, at least most of the time.” Not to mention her, but somehow he knew if he told Avery that now, she’d completely shut down on him, something he really didn’t want to deal with.

She looked surprised for just a moment. “Well, I think we both know this,” she said, making the gesture again, “is temporary, even if we do end up staying here.”

“You’re so certain of that.”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “This can’t last. We’re too different and we have different paths ahead of us.”

The conversation was going downhill, fast. He had to act quickly before her mask slipped fully back into place. There was only one way to get her to open up again. Luckily, he was becoming an expert in the art of Avery’s seduction. “We don’t have to make any decisions now,” he said, nuzzling her neck. “Let’s just see where this goes.”

“I don’t—”

But he kissed her before she could finish her sentence, opening her mouth with his. She moaned, welcoming his probing tongue and matching his gentle strokes with her own. This, she couldn’t deny. The chemistry between them was too strong. He’d break down her defenses, bit by bit, until she had no choice but to accept that he was the one for her. And if it took him hours—make that days—of lovemaking, well, who was he to object?

Making a little purring sound in the back of her throat, she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Just then, a loud banging sound came from deep within the bowels of the Inn.

Immediately, he was on high alert. “What was that?” he demanded, propping himself up on his elbow.

Avery’s eyes widened.

For a few moments there was silence. Then there was a knocking sound and a rush of cold air from the vent on the wall. “And that,” he said.

Avery wiggled out of his arms and sat up, pulling the sheets over her breasts. “I’ve been hearing those noises for a while now. Kate told me she’s heard them, too.”

Quietly, they listened together. Another muffled bump sounded.

“So have I. I’m going to go check it out,” Theo said, flipping the sheets off his body and standing up. He went to retrieve his boxer shorts from the chair. He caught Avery staring at him as he was putting them on. He grinned. “I’ll be back in a minute. Then we can pick up where we left off.” She blushed pink, a beautiful sight. “In the meantime, sit tight.”

“I want to come, too,” she demanded.

“Absolutely not,” he responded in a voice that brooked no opposition. “Stay here.” He pulled on his cords, then slipped out the door before she could argue with him.

The noise had come from below them, but Theo wasn’t sure exactly where below them. Just to make sure he wasn’t missing anything, he did a quick sweep of the third floor, checking the door to the other guest room. It was locked, so he moved on to the second floor, again checking each of the rooms. They were all locked, even the broom closet. Finally, he reached the first floor. Taking care not to step on any loose floorboards, he crept around—through the foyer, the parlor, the kitchen, and the dining room. The last room was the library. There was no one in there and he was about to go back upstairs when he heard it again—a hollow, booming sound.

The cellar.

He couldn’t go down there now. Not only would it be the height of stupidity to do so—he was alone and unarmed—but he had someone else to worry about. Avery. He’d never risk putting her in danger, which was exactly what he’d be doing. There was only one possible course of action.

Sprinting back up the stairs as quietly as he could, he returned to Smuggler’s Cove. He knocked so he wouldn’t startle her, then pushed the door open. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a shirt and a worried expression. He slid the dead bolt home and turned to her.

“What is it?” she said, standing up. “Did you find out what was making the noise?”

“Not exactly,” he said. “But I have a strong hunch I know what’s going on. I just wish I had put two-and-two together earlier.”

“Well?” she demanded.

“We need to stay here and I need to make a phone call.” He unplugged his cell phone from its charger and dialed a familiar number.

She narrowed her eyes. “Who are you calling?”

“Cole.”

“Your brother? But why involve the Sheriff’s Department in this? It’s probably just an animal or something, trapped in the pipes.”

He shook his head. “It’s not an animal. It all makes sense,” he said as the phone rang. “The lights on the water at night. The caves leading from the Point. The noises coming from below the Inn, not to mention the weird drafts. That drug operation that Lexie and Buster discovered at the Grange couldn’t have been operating in a vacuum. Those drugs didn’t all stay in Star Harbor. They had to go somewhere, and I strongly suspect that this might be one of the ways they’re shipping them out.”

“Drugs?” she squeaked, eyes opening wide.

“Yes.” He motioned for her to be quiet as Cole picked up.

“Grayson.” Cole didn’t sound like he’d been sleeping.

“Cole, it’s Theo. I need you to look into something for me.”

“What’s going on?” His brother was immediately on the alert, and for good reason. Theo would never dream of calling this late unless it was an emergency.

“Get the Coast Guard out to the Point. I think there’s something big going on right now. It might be drugs, so tell them to be careful.”

“And you know this how?”

“Let’s just say my research and their operations have overlapped.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I trust your judgment. I’ll get them out there immediately. Val’s team, too. Anything else?”

“Yeah. Not that I think there’s a clean escape, but please send someone to the Inn. There’s a wooden wall in the cellar that separates part of the area off. Look down there. The entrance to the cellar is around the back of the Inn.”

“You there now?”

“Yes.”

“Avery with you?”

Now wasn’t the time for secrets. “Yes.”

Cole swore, a dirty, guttural phrase. Theo didn’t blink. He’d heard it all before. “Keep safe and out of the way,” Cole barked. “I’ll call you back.” The phone went dead.

Theo shoved his cell phone in his pocket and turned to her.

“That’s it?” she asked.

“That’s it.”

“Well, can’t we do something else? Something to help?”

No way was he putting her at risk. “There’s nothing we can do. We need to leave this to the professionals. If I’m right, these guys are the real deal. They’re probably armed to the teeth, just waiting to pick off anyone who gets in their way. The best thing we can do is to stay far away until it’s over.”

She glanced at the door. “Are you sure?”

“Avie,” he said huskily, stalking closer to her. “Come here.” Reluctantly, she turned back to him. He embraced her, holding her tightly to him. “I’m sure. I know you want to help, but you can’t.” Then he had an idea. “But we can watch. Put on your pants. I’m going to open the window.”

She scrambled to finish dressing as he threw on a shirt. He unlocked the window and with one strong push, shoved it open. It had finally stopped snowing, and the evening was crisp and clear. Unfortunately, the night air was freezing, and Avery immediately began to shiver. Theo took the coverlet from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. He pushed the desk back from the windows, then grabbed his binoculars from his bag and turned off all the lights. Sitting on the desk in the dark, they’d have a great view of Star Harbor Point. Pulling Avery close, he kept his eyes trained on the water.

In a few moments, he saw them. They were far away, and he could barely make them out. Little lights bobbing up and down, away from the Point. Could the Coast Guard get there fast enough? Just then, he heard the sound of a car pulling up the gravel driveway. Cole.

Avery must have heard it too, since she tried to pull away from him. He held her to him. “Stay here,” he said softly.

She made a little noise of frustration, but she did as he asked.

The unmistakable crackle of walkie-talkies sounded in the air. Cole was tough, and his deputies were top notch, but Theo silently willed the Coast Guard and the Feds to handle the rough stuff. Within moments, two helicopters flew rapidly over the harbor, heading directly for the Point. Soon, the area was illuminated by their high beams. He could faintly hear orders being barked through amped-up speakers. Though he couldn’t make out the words, he got the gist of what the authorities were saying. For a minute, it looked as if the drug boat was going to make a run for it, but three Coast Guard vessels pulled up, blocking its path.

The next half-hour went by quickly as the drug boat was forcibly boarded and Cole and his team of deputies prowled around the Inn. They heard a sharp bang coming from what sounded like the cellar, but no other loud noises. When the little craft was finally towed away by one of the larger Coast Guard vessels, Theo smiled. Just then, his cell phone rang.

“You watching this?” Cole asked.

“Yep,” Theo confirmed.

“Got a call from Val. They got ’em. Three guys in custody and a hell of a lot of drugs, to boot. Looks like bath salts—the same kind we found at the Grange during that bust—but we’ll have to test to make sure. If they are, it’s a federal offense, of course, since they’re a regulated, Schedule One drug.”

“The Inn?” Theo questioned.

“Secure. All men accounted for. We broke through the wall, which is where we found more drugs and lots of supplies. They must have been using that chamber as a storage area.”

Theo breathed a sigh of relief, not just for his and Avery’s safety, but for his brother’s. “Thank you.”

“I think it should be the other way around, don’t you, bro?”

“Just doing my civic duty.”

“We’ve been tracking the flow of drugs for months after the Grange bust. We strongly suspected that at least a portion of them were being shipped out by sea, but we didn’t have any leads on that angle. Leave it to the Professor to figure out the master plan. You did good, Theo.”

“Thanks. Talk in the morning?”

“It is the morning, but you could probably use some sleep.”

Theo glanced down at Avery, her head resting on his shoulder. The sun would be up soon, and he could use some rest. “Yeah.”

“Well, sweet dreams, Professor. Come down to the station when you wake up. I need a statement from you for my report. I’m sure Val will want a word with you, too. And tell Avery I’ll need to come by the Inn to do cleanup.”

“Will do. ‘Night, Cole.” He clicked the phone off. “It’s done,” he said to Avery.

“So I can leave now?” she said sleepily, her heavy-lidded eyes showing her exhaustion.

“You can sleep now. You have guests checking in later on and you need some rest.” Gently, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed. He pulled off her jeans, then tucked her in and shut the window. After taking his own pants off, he slid in beside her. Wrapping himself around her for warmth, he sighed. She felt so good in his arms, especially when she wasn’t trying to fight him. Or herself.

Sleep claimed Avery almost immediately. Theo followed soon after.