Page 36 of Surprise Baby for the Enemy

CHAPTER 19

Raleigh

Before Derrick has even openedhis door, I do the thing I promised I wouldn’t do- I jump out of the car. We’ve parked across the street from a little white house, identical to the houses on either side of it, framed by trees and neat grass. There’s no car in the driveway, stolen Buick or otherwise.

“Raleigh-”

Derrick cuts himself off before his voice can rise to a shout, but I don’t stop or turn as I hear him climb out of the cruiser. My heart is pounding too hard and fast. I’m across the quiet street already, and before I can second guess myself, I run up the lawn of Emma Clarke’s house and duck against its side in the shade of a tree. There’s a gate leading to the side yard, and a window just past it that probably looks into the living room. Thank god I’m wearing Derrick’s pants instead of one of my cute mini-skirts. I could seriously tear up my legs scrabbling up this gate.

Am I running from my own cruel words, and the way they made Derrick’s face darken?

No, definitely not.

Derrick is halfway up the lawn himself, but he’s doing his best not to look like he’s hurrying- and he’s keeping his eyes onthe house windows around us. An officer in uniform entering someone’s yard will draw attention, and he knows it.

But once he’s under the trees, he moves quickly.

His hand reaches over the gate to unlock it and he swings it open with ease. Before I can be irritated that I hadn’t thought of that, he’s on top of me. His hand clamps down on my upper arm, and he quietly presses me up against the side of the house as we crouch under a window, electric blue eyes flashing.

“Just foronce, can you let me in on what the hell you think you’re doing?” he snarls.

My heart is in my throat, but it’s not fear that’s sending adrenaline down my arms and legs- it’s exhilaration. His face is centimeters from mine, and I’ve never seen him so nakedly furious. Even after he arrested me outside of Cooper’s, even when he came after me when I crashed his car. And yet, even so angry, he’s not holding me hard enough for it to hurt, and he’s not shouting. He’s still totally in control of himself.

For a guy who hides his real self behind gentlemanly smiles and diplomacy, he’s most beautiful when he’s likethis.

Unfortunately for him, I’m most used to conducting myself when people are angry with me.

“I’m gathering intel,” I say simply.

“What you’re doing is trespassing,” Derrick shoots back. “Something you can be arrested for.”

“Good thing you can’t arrest me,” I grin.

He squeezes my arm, but still not enough to hurt. “You told me you would stay in the car. If you’re not going to stand by your word, then you’re not going to be allowed to be part of this.”

My heart jerks. “Don’t-” The rest of the words stick in my throat. I can see in his eyes the memory of last night, of my pathetic tears and fears of failure.

The line of Derrick’s jaw softens, and I hate the sight of it. I’d so much rather have his anger than his pity.

A beat of silence passes, and a sound pricks my ears. The muffled, canned laughter of a game show on TV. Derrick looks above my head, where the window that looks into the living room sits.

Someone is home.

“If you’re going to look, do itcarefully,” he murmurs, releasing me and slipping to one corner of the window. The sun is low in the sky, making it easier to see through glass to a lit interior- and the blinds are still open to let in the fading light.

My thighs are screaming from my crouch, but I don’t dare stand. Craning my neck, I peek into the window from one corner as Derrick does from the other.

The living room is sparsely furnished but comfortable, with a worn leather couch and footrest set up in front of a TV and some wilting plants left under the windows on the opposite side of the room. A young woman with a pale blonde bob sits on the couch, shoveling takeout noodles into her mouth. On the screen in front of her, the game show host shouts the result of some quiz, and the crowd screams.

I look over at Derrick. “So we know she’s home.”

He points at me. “Stay. Right. There. I’m going to ask her some questions. If you move before I tell you to, I really am arresting you, and I don’t give a shit what your brother does to me.”

“Fine,” I say. I’m not interested in listening to polite, phony Derrick asking a bunch of questions anyway. It looks like Silver might not be here after all.

I’ve lost my momentum.

Derrick holds my eyes for a beat longer than necessary. Daring me to lie to him again. I blink slowly at him, and he sighs sharply and crab walks past me to the gate. He opens it with care, wary of any creak of the metal, but it stays silent.

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