Page 79 of Courting Gossip (Courting)
Chapter Twelve
The call didn’t come in until the next morning. Genieve didn’t answer, but she could tell from the look on Brody’s face that something important had happened. She wandered away from the new bread recipe she was trying and watched him over the breakfast bar. He was standing in front of the sliding glass door. He’d opened it to let the spring day inside, but he looked as if things had just turned dark and stormy. His fingers were drumming against his thigh, and his expression had gone flat.
‘I understand. Are you sure?’ He nodded once when he got affirmation. ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
She padded out of the kitchen into the living room, and her toes curled into the carpeting. She didn’t like the feeling in the air. Something wasn’t right. ‘What is it? Did they catch the guy?’
He raked a hand through his hair. He looked confused. He’d become less careful about showing his feelings, but the signs were still subtle. ‘That was Gunderson’s assistant. Detective Morgan was just there.’
Her shoulders slumped. She’d thought they’d been talking about the break-in at her place. She tucked her fingers into her pockets. ‘What was he doing on Capitol Hill?’
‘Arresting Margaret Harris.’
Genieve’s jaw dropped. ‘Maggie? Samuel’s assistant? For what?’
He put his phone into his back jeans pocket. The confusion was lifting, and anger was swiftly taking its place. ‘For breaking into your house.’
‘Maggie?’ Genieve gasped. ‘But…it can’t…is he sure?’
Brody crossed the room, his lavender eyes turning almost slate. ‘Did she ever give off any signs? Did she ever say anything to you? You said she was jealous.’
‘She was infatuated with Samuel, but I never felt threatened by her.’ Genieve lifted her hands. ‘How could I? She’s so mousy and timid.’
‘Timid enough to heave a landscaping stone through your window.’ His jaw was hard. He hadn’t shaved yet, and whisker stubble made him look dark and dangerous. ‘Did she show any signs of hostility towards you?’
Genieve didn’t know what to say. She wanted to be relieved that someone had been caught, but now she had to wonder what she’d done to deserve such treatment. ‘She was standoffish. She barely said a word to me.’
He stopped a foot in front of her, intensity radiating. ‘Did she know?’ he asked.
‘Know what?’
‘That you’re an escort.’
Genieve sucked air in so sharply, it hurt her throat. His question had been razor sharp. ‘No, she didn’t know. Samuel and I didn’t walk around wearing sashes that said “client” and “slut”.’
‘I didn’t mean—’ He jerked his chin away and stared at the far wall. His pulse thudded in his throat before he turned back. ‘Are you sure?’
She folded her arms over her chest, trying to hold in the hurt. How could she be sure? She tried to keep it quiet that she made her money on her back, but that didn’t mean a jealous assistant hadn’t poked around and found out – especially when her client was Samuel. He could be absent-minded and clueless. ‘No, I’m not sure.’
The pulse in Brody’s throat was joined by a tic at his temple.
‘I don’t know what Samuel told her.’
He rubbed his forehead, and the tension turned into determination.
‘I need to go into the city,’ he said matter-of-factly. He hesitated for a brief moment, and then planted a hard kiss on her lips. ‘I’ll fix this.’
Genieve watched him stalk down the hallway. Damn him for making her feel as if she was in the wrong. They hadn’t suspected the woman, but who would have? Shouldn’t they just feel happy she’d been caught? Relieved? Why was he acting as if things had gotten worse?
When he came out of the bedroom, he was in a grey suit and tie. His black shoes gleamed, and the look was sharp, powerful and unyielding. He’d gone back to being the old Brody. His eyes were hard, his cheekbones were chiselled and his jaw jutted forward. ‘I’ll call when I have more info.’
He scooped his keys off the table by the utility-room door, but she stopped him by grabbing his tie. He stopped short and looked at her sharply. He wanted to go old-school? She could do that, but he wasn’t going out that door without remembering that she had his number.Theyweren’t going back to the way things were before.
She let her eyelids go heavy as she moved in close. She leaned into him and smoothed his tie along his chest. ‘Don’t be long,’ she said huskily.
She felt his erection pop up against her belly. The hard look in his eyes flared, and, next thing she knew, he had her pressed up against the wall.
His mouth was hot on hers, and she raked her hands through his short hair, letting her fingernails score his scalp. Their tongues batted, and their chests heaved. When he pulled away, he wasn’t so distant any more. ‘We’ll celebrate later,’ he told her softly. ‘But right now I need to tie up loose ends.’
