Page 5 of Criminology of a Character

“Yes… because I want you to mean it. This is our first chance to really be alone together, and you’re right. We are coming from different places. I need time to catch up, but I still want your words to be true. I want to be important to you.”

“And you’re nervous that I’m just a smooth talker.”

“No… I…”

“It’s okay to be nervous.” Eamon brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “Do you know how panicked I was when you first walked through my door to interview me about Brett Lumen? I took one look at your throat and convinced myself you’d never forgive me. So, I get it. We’re still getting to know each other, but I think I’ve proved my love isn’t only talk. I deserve some brownie points for taking a bullet for you, don’t I?”

“You get the whole tray of brownies for that.”

His smile burned bright enough to rival the sun, and Bel couldn’t stop the blush blooming across her cheeks.

“I hope to never give you cause to doubt my affection, but if you want me to watch my words, I’ll slow down,” Eamon said as he tucked the keys and his phone into his pocket. “We’ll just date.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He extended a hand. “Detective Emerson, would you ever consider going to dinner with me sometime?”

“I could be persuaded if asked nicely.” Bel smiled as she slipped her hand into his, the tension fading from her muscles. She disliked feeling insecure, but romantic vacations were not her area of expertise. It was ridiculous to fear that the man who used his own back as a shield to protect her didn’t mean his words, but being alone with him made her suddenly nervous. If he ever left her, she’d never date again. She couldn’t tell him that. Not yet, but her heart had already decided. Eamon Stone was it for her, and it was unsettling to transform from a woman who believed she’d never find love to a woman convinced she found her missing half.

“Well then, please be my guest at dinner tonight,” he said with a flourished bow.

“I guess my schedule’s free.” She playfully tossed her brunette curls, and Eamon triumphantly led her from their bungalow. “On second thought, though, you don’t always have to watch your words.”

He quirked his brow at her.

“It’s nice to be reminded of how important I am to you.”

“You have a deal, Detective.” He extended his free hand, and they shook on it.

“Detective Emerson,I’m so glad you convinced him to come,” Dr. Frank Victors said as the waiters set their desserts on the table, and Bel both dreaded the final course and couldn’t wait to try it. The meal had been worth every penny Eamon had donatedfor their plates, but she was almost painfully full. She couldn’t eat another bite, but the decadence was too delicious to pass up.

“Please call me Bel,” she said, savoring the cake on her tongue. “You spent hours fixing my skin. I think we’re past formalities.”

“Well, Bel, I am glad you dragged the recluse out of his lair,” Frank laughed. “I’ve known Eamon for years, but this is the first time someone’s convinced him to join us.”

“I had unused vacation days, so I’m pleased it worked out.” Bel smiled at Eamon, mostly happy that they’d joined the excessively rich on this island. He’d opened up to her and been gracious with her insecurities. She’d felt closer to him until they sat down at their assigned table, and their differences came flooding back. Eamon belonged to this world, but she didn’t, and the expressions on the diamond-studded wives confirmed she didn’t belong. She tried to ignore their judgment, and thankfully, she’d found a haven in Dr. Victors’ wife, Mary. She was as lovely and genuine as her husband, but the other doctors and their spouses made Bel miss her dog’s accepting company.

Initially, she’d assumed their looks were due to how visible her scars were in this dress. The room swarmed with plastic surgeons, but not one diner had so much as a freckle out of place. She figured her willingness to display her imperfections bothered them, but then Charles and Anne Blaubart joined their table. She’d met the couple at Wendy Darling’s New York City wedding. Their meeting had been brief, but Anne hadn’t been this hostile during their first conversation. If Bel remembered correctly, the lithe blonde had been bored by that encounter, but this dinner had been an entirely different experience. Dr. Charles Blaubart behaved civilly, despite his constant hinting that he’d love the chance to work on her throat, but Anne’s disgust was so obvious that even Eamon’s demeanor darkenedwith every course. Gone was the playfully thoughtful man from the bungalow, his predator firmly back in control.

“This cake is so good, but I can’t eat another bite,” Bel said as she leaned her head against Eamon, hoping he’d pick up on the hint.

“Is that your way of saying I can eat your slice too?” he whispered into her hair.

“Yes, you can have mine.” She kissed his shoulder as he pulled her half-eaten dessert before him.

“I’ll be quick,” he said, thankfully understanding her meaning. “There’s a moonlit beach with our names on it. You want to walk with me?”

Bel nodded, and he switched his fork to his left hand so he could wrap his right arm around her shoulders. He hugged her close, and the tension bled from her muscles at their contact. She tuned out the table’s conversation as Eamon finished her cake, mentally already on that secluded beach with her handsome date, but then Anne Blaubart withdrew a packet of gum from her clutch, and Bel’s brain fixated on the odd package. She didn’t recognize the brand or the deep blue wrapper, but it wasn’t the unfamiliar candy that dragged her focus back to her dinner companion. It was the way the woman fiddled with the empty wrapper as she chewed. Most people crumpled gum wrappers into balls or folded them into squares, but as if her nervous fingers had a mind of their own, Anne painstakingly folded each corner until the blue wrapper became an origami butterfly.

Bel stifleda smirk as she watched Eamon search for her. After a late night walking the beach, they’d opted for a lazy poolside day. Needing a break from the heat, he’d left their seats toorder pina coladas from the bar while she’d slipped into the water. She’d assumed he’d seen her wade into the pool, but he’d obviously missed her movements because he currently stood shirtless and confused before their lounge chairs, frozen drinks forgotten in his fists as he searched for her. She guessed the crowd and chlorine masked her scent, but that wouldn’t be an obstacle for long. He’d find her eventually, and she sank lower, silently counting the seconds until he figured it out. His mild panic reminded her of Cerberus when the dog lost sight of her, and that thought tugged a giggle from her lips. Eamon’s head snapped around at the sound. It was too low for human ears to detect, but he found her instantly, his face brightening, and Bel once again saw Cerberus in his relief.

She waved before climbing out of the pool, enjoying the way his eyes widened at the sight of the water dripping down her body. True to his promise, he’d bought her an abundance of tiny bikinis, and deciding to be brave in her own skin, she’d donned a blue one with gold details. Eamon’s reaction instantly erased her insecurities about showing all her scars because if he didn’t care what she wore in public, she wouldn’t worry either.

“You should really warn me if you’re going to get in the pool,” Eamon said as she accepted the frozen cocktail and reclined on her chair.

“We’re at a busy resort, and the pool is shallow,” she said. “Nothing is going to happen to me.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He leaned over and kissed her, and while the kiss was quick, it was enough to show everyone who she belonged to. “I almost dropped our drinks watching you get out of the water. I need a little heads-up next time you attempt to stop my heart.”

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