Page 18 of Midnight & Mavericks

Beau’s smirk widened, and Abbie’s fingers twitched. The thought startled her, and she quickly pushed it aside.

Before she could come up with another retort, her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at the screen, her brows furrowing when she saw the name flashing on the display.

“Teddy,” she muttered under her breath.

Beau’s head tilted, his sharp gaze locking onto her. “Teddy Van Meter?” he asked, his tone neutral but with an edge that made her stomach flip.

Abbie ignored the way her heart picked up speed and nodded. “Yeah. Guess he’s decided to grace me with a call.”

Beau crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Find out what he wants. Let me listen. If you don’t mind.”

Abbie shrugged, though the curiosity in her chest was undeniable. Her fingers hovered over the screen for a moment to give Beau a chance to move closer before she hit the green button and then the hands-free button. She couldn’t help but glance at Beau, who was watching her intently. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that sent a thrill of satisfaction through her.

He stood next to her and nodded. Abbie wasted no time in answering. “Hello, Teddy,” she said, her voice cool and composed. “What can I do for you?”

As Teddy’s voice filled the room, smooth and confident as always, Abbie’s gaze lingered on Beau. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking, whether he was annoyed or indifferent or maybe a little bit jealous.

She smiled to herself, letting the thought simmer as she listened to Teddy’s pitch. For the first time all day, she felt like she had the upper hand.

Chapter Twelve

Abbie ended the call with Teddy, her fingers gripping the phone a little tighter than necessary as she turned to Beau. His eyes, sharp and watchful, locked on her immediately. She couldn’t decide if his steady gaze was comforting or maddening. Maybe both.

She slide her phone into her bag with more force than needed, “He wants to meet tonight for dinner.”

Beau crossed his arms over his chest, his posture casual, but there was nothing casual about the way he studied her. “Where’s this steakhouse he was talking about?”

“The steakhouse on Main Street,” she replied, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “You heard. Seven o’clock.”

He nodded, his expression unreadable. “All right. I’ll be nearby.”

Abbie let out a short laugh, shaking her head. “Nearby? You mean you’ll be the guy sitting in the corner wearing sunglasses and a trench coat? Beau, he knows what you look like. If Teddy has anything shady planned, he’s not going to do it with you lurking in the background.”

Beau’s lips quirked up in a half-smile, the kind that was both infuriating and far too appealing. “First of all, sweetheart, this isn’t my first undercover operation. I’ve done this kind of thing more times than I can count. Second, you’d be surprised how easy it is to blend in when you know what you’re doing.”

She crossed her arms, glaring at him. “And I’m just supposed to trust that you’ll magically be invisible?”

“Exactly,” he said, his tone annoyingly confident. “Trust me.”

“Trust you?” she repeated, raising an eyebrow. “That’s a big ask for someone who thinks calling me sweetheart is a good idea.”

His grin widened. “Trust me on this, Carter. I’ve got it under control.”

She huffed, pacing a few steps away before turning back to him. “Fine. But if you blow this, I’m not letting you live it down.”

“Noted,” he said, his blue eyes glinting with amusement. “But I won’t. You just focus on keeping Teddy talking and staying calm. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Stay calm?” she echoed, her voice tinged with disbelief. “You make it sound like he’s planning on killing me or something.”

“I didn’t say that,” Beau said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “But you do have a tendency to... let’s say... rub people the wrong way.”

“Do I now? Because I don’t hold any punches and I don’t shy away from speaking my mind?” She shot back, stepping closer to him. “And don’t act like you’re any different. You’re the king of irritating tactics, Detective Elliott.”

He stepped closer. So close, she could feel his heat. “Are you saying I get under yours?”

His words sent a flicker of something warm through her chest, but she shoved it down, refusing to let it distract her. “Yes, I am.” She saw the look of surprise in his eyes before his gaze dropped to her lips. For a moment, she thought he might kissher and that would be trouble. She stepped away. “You are like a bad rash.” He grinned. Abbie’s heart took a little tumble. “Look, all kidding aside, I don’t need a babysitter. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“Never said you did,” he replied smoothly. “But I’m not about to leave you alone with a guy like Teddy without backup. So, whether you like it or not, I’ll be there. Nearby. And you won’t even know I’m around.”

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