Page 72 of Crazy In Love (Secrets of Suburbi 3)

"He's eaten quite a few. Must not be so bad."

"He's a dog. He doesn't know what he likes."

Snuggle Muffins sighed.

Sorry, boy. I didn't mean it. I'm just trying to keep us out of jail. Was there a prison for dogs? If so, Snuggle Muffins was quite the accomplice, which made him just as guilty as me. I was trying to save his ass too.

Detective Torres leaned against the kitchen island. "So what was so important that you wanted to discuss?"

"Did I say important?" I shook my head. "I don't remember saying that."

He raised both his eyebrows. "What, you just wanted me to stop by?"

There it was again. It really seemed like he was flirting with me. That would have made Noah really mad. I tried to hide my smile. If Detective Torres really was flirting with me, it opened up a few more options on how to get out of this. Maybe he'd actually offer to be tied up...

"You definitely said you had something important to tell me." His gaze locked with mine and I felt frozen in place.

"Or did you say that?" I asked.

He shrugged his shoulder. "We both did. But I'd rather hear your news first."

I gestured to all the Christmas decorations. "I just wanted to show you that I was able to decorate. Thanks to you bringing up that box. I can't believe you were able to lift it all by yourself. It was so heavy." I leaned against the opposite side of the kitchen island. Normally when I leaned this far over, my breasts would be on full display. But I was still wearing the stupid freaking winter coat.

"Yeah, I can see that. Christmas bush and all. Tell me, Ensley, why were you really drinking last night? Sure you didn't have anything to celebrate?"

I flipped my hair over my shoulder. "My husband is missing. Of course I didn't have anything to celebrate." I ran my finger down the condensation on my glass. "Just me all alone in this big empty house."

He lowered his eyebrows. "Ensley, are you feeling alright? You're looking a little...sweaty."

I was hoping the jacket was making my skin flushed and sexy. I wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead. But Detective Torres was correct, I was sweating bullets. "Yeah, I'm fine." This time when I flipped my hair off my shoulder it was because it was unbearably hot against my neck. Some of the strands stuck to the sweat.

"I need to discuss something with you," he said. "And I need you to be completely honest with me."

Nothing I ever said to him was honest. I needed to get closer to him if I was going to woo him out of questioning. "Of course, detective. How about we go get more comfortable in the other room." I walked away before he had a chance to respond.

It was a bad idea to come into the family room. Last night it looked like a Christmas wonderland. Today it looked like a tornado had swept through. I ignored the wreckage and gestured to the couch.

"I'm good," he said and leaned against the doorjamb.

Apparently my sweatiness was a huge turnoff. I collapsed on the couch, breathing hard. I needed to figure out a way to get him out of my house before I internally combusted. And before Noah got back. I was two seconds away from taking off my jacket and doing a seductive dance for him. I wasn't even sure how that would help, but my brain was becoming mush from the heat.

"So you called the police station Friday about your husband being missing, correct?" he asked.

"That is correct." I unbuttoned my jacket but kept it firmly wrapped around me. It let a tiny amount of cool air hit my chest.

"You said you saw him that morning?"

"Mhm." The small amount of air wasn't helping. It was too freaking hot. Had Noah turned up the thermostat?

"I went down to his office to ask his staff some questions."

That wasn't good. Neither was the fact that I was pretty sure I was about to faint from heatstroke.

"No one there has seen him since Tuesday."

"Tuesday? Oh, that’s weird. I wonder where he was going instead of work?" It came out more sarcastic than I'd intended.

Detective Torres just stared at me. "That's what I was hoping you could help me with."

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