“I’m not sure baked goods can fix this problem,” Garrett said, but not until after he snatched one off her plate.
Abby wrinkled her nose as she came back out of her kitchen with another plate loaded high with cookies. “There is no problem so serious it can’t be fixed with baked goods.”
“If we don’t know which lawmakers are undecided on supporting Linden’s measure, how can we persuade them?” Ben raked his hand through his hair, pulling at the ends. “Half of the men on this list would vote for the bill no matter what, and the other half aren’t even on the city assembly.”
Garrett moaned and threw his head back as he chewed. “I’m sorry, friend. You can criticize my information-gathering all you want, but nothing is going to pierce the veil of the deliciousness of this cookie.” He bowed gallantly towards Abby. “Well done, my queen.”
She beamed as Rose passed by and took an offered cookie, then sat on Ben’s lap. The tension in his core eased at her touch, and he pressed his lips to the space just below her ear as he exhaled. She giggled and bent down to kiss him, the sweet chocolate taste making her more delicious than usual.
Garrett narrowed his eyes. “Are we not going to comment on this?”
“Comment on what?” Cass stepped in with a tray of coffee and sat it beside the unusable list, and Ben nodded his thanks as he wrapped Rose even tighter in his arms.
“This!” Garrett thrust his hand towards the pair. “Did you see that? He was smiling a moment ago.” He put his hands on his knees and stared at Rose. “Are you a witch?”
“It’s best to just ignore them,” Cass said as she poured a cup of coffee, doctored it heavily with cream and sugar, and handed it to Abby.
“Aren’t they the sweetest?” Abby said, taking a gulp of her beverage.
“Stop,” Ben said, though his censure carried no heat. Righteous indignation was difficult to muster when Rose shifted like that on his lap. If they could finish this meeting, he could take her back to his apartment and—
“I don’t remember Stewart talking about any of these people.” Ben stiffened—and not in the pleasant way—at Rose’s words. Only two days had passed since Rose saw her sister in the park, and they had only left each other’s company for long enough for her to attend another political tea. When she returned, she stripped off her silk gown so quickly she popped several buttons, then pulled him down on the floor of his sitting room to remind him she was his.
“Who did he talk about, then?” Ben hoped his tone was gentle, although he doubted it was. He’d asked her not to see Ruffgate again, but she refused.He’s our best source of information, she’d argued, and he hated how she was right. Ruffgate was not dangerous, but what if he discovered the reason for her interest in him? What were he and his associates capable of?
Rose flinched. “I can’t remember.” A flush crept up her neck and she moved to stand, but he caught her wrist and gently pulled her down again. “I’m sorry, I tried, but he said so many things so quickly, and I’ve never been clever with names—”
“Stop.” He pressed his finger to her lips, then chased it with his mouth. “You’re extremely clever and helpful.”
“Really?” Garrett cried. “Are we watching the same thing happen—”
“Enough, Garrett,” Cass interrupted. “Knowing who could be swayed is our best chance of stopping this bill.” She turned to Rose. “Would you be willing to see Stew—Ruffgate again? Maybe ask him about who he’s meeting with? Even a few names would be helpful.”
Rose stood then, and Ben let his arms drop limp to his side. “Of course I would. He asked me to step out for a walk tomorrow.” Her eyes sparkled. “Perhaps I can persuade him to show me around his office, and I can take a peek—”
Ben’s booming refusal made everyone whip their attention to him. “No,” he repeated in a more measured tone. “It’s too dangerous.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “What harm can the man do? I watched him squeal in terror when a bumblebee landed on my shoulder.”
Worry raked its icy fingers down his spine. “You have no idea what he’s capable of.”
She lifted her delicate chin and met his gaze with blazing eyes. “You seem to have no idea whatIam capable of.”
“This is normal, too,” Abby mock-whispered as Garrett stared at them wide-eyed and Cass poured herself another coffee.
Ben’s lungs were suddenly too small, too tight. “This is serious. If something happened to you, if—”
Rose’s hand touched his and their fingers interlocked. His lungs expanded, but the dull ache beneath his sternum remained. “I’ll be safe, Ben. Nothing will happen to me except extreme boredom.”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close until his heart thumped against her breast. “Swear you won’t do anything rash.”
“I won’t.” Her whisper vibrated against him, and he cupped the back of her head, his eyes burning.
Thiswas the danger of loving someone. Now that he had seen how destructive love could be, how another person’s pain could destroy him, he would never rest again.
“And this is where the magic happens!”
The effusive tone and broad gesture was more fitting for a carnival barker than an aide for a local politician, but Stewart Ruffgate gazed at his superior’s desk as though it were the eighth wonder of the natural world.
