Twenty minutes later, showered and dressed, he emerged feeling far more human and in control. He gathered his laptop and files while Suki handed him a travel mug she’d filled from the fresh pot she’d brewed. She’d found a second mug in the cabinet and filled one for herself as well.
With a briefcase in one hand and a travel mug of coffee in the other, she followed him out to the Mustang. They had left her rental at the station the night before, since both of them needed to be back at the sheriff’s department by eight.
As Sean backed out of the driveway and turned toward town, his thoughts drifted to Grace once more. The first chance he got, he was asking her out.
Still irritated with Sean, Grace tried to shove him from her mind as she stood in line for breakfast at Bagel Bonanza on Main Street, just a few doors down from her shop. Morning traffic drifted past the front windows, tires humming over pavement. The rich scent of fresh coffee and toasted bread filled the small café, but it did little to ease the knot that had taken up residence in her chest.
She’d spent half the night twisting beneath her sheets, replaying the image of him with that other woman. What annoyed her most was that every time she closed her eyes, her mind betrayed her by dragging her back to the kiss they’d shared and the way her whole body had responded. The memory had enough power to warm her skin every time. She could still recall how she’d softened against him, how the solid heat of his chest had sent a sharp pulse through her, leaving her breathless and wanting far more than she should have. At the time, she’d been disappointed when he’d walked away instead of kissing her again—or following through on what he’d hinted at.
In the cold light of morning, she was thankful that was where the evening had ended. At least she’d been spared even greater humiliation.
After paying for her bagel and coffee, she turned toward the door, eager to get back to her therapy clinic. It swung open before she reached it, and she nearly collided with Sean… and her.
Grace stopped short. Her pulse stumbled when she saw him, only to spike again at the sight of the petite brunette standing beside him. Her fingers tightened around the cardboard sleeve of her coffee cup.
“Grace! Hi!” Sean grinned.
Really? Doesn’t the man have any shame?
“Hi, Sean.” The reply sounded calm enough to her own ears, and she clung to that small victory. There was no way she intended to let him see how much this stung.
It was barely seven-thirty in the morning, and he was still with the same woman he’d had dinner with the night before. It didn’t take a genius to connect the dots. Her stomach dropped as her imagination supplied all the details she didn’t want. Then she noticed the faint color rising in his cheeks.
Of course he was embarrassed.
The thought should have satisfied her, but it only deepened the ache blooming behind her ribs. Part of her wanted to march right out the door and keep walking until she reached the edge of town. Another part wanted to plant her fist squarely in the center of his broad chest.
Then the woman beside him smiled. Not smugly. Not with pity. Just… warmly?
She stuck out her hand. “Hi, Grace, I’m Suki Ralston. I work with Sean. He told me all about you last night. I hear you’re opening a business nearby. Congratulations.”
The unexpected friendliness left Grace blinking in confusion. This was not the confrontation she’d prepared herself for. She’d already decided she disliked the woman on principle. Maybe more than disliked. Yet Suki met her gaze without hesitation, as if she could read every mortifying thought racing through Grace’s head and had chosen kindness anyway.
Still dazed, Grace reached out and shook her hand. “Um… yes, I am. You… um... you work with Sean?”
“Actually, Suki has a doctorate in criminal psychology,” Sean explained. “She’s a behavioral analyst based out of Quantico and came to help us out with the case. We’ve been friends for a couple of years.”
“Oh.” The flat response slipped out before Grace could stop it, her brain scrambling to process this sudden shift in reality.
Suki must have picked up on her confusion because her smile widened. “We’re just friends—nothing more. I’m staying in the guest room at the beach house, across the hall from Sean’s room.” She glanced between them. “Now, why don’t I grab a bunch of bagels for the rest of the task force while you two talk?” She winked at Grace and headed toward the counter.
Grace stared after her, mortification sweeping through her as understanding crashed over her. Oh no.
“Grace? You okay?”
She turned back to Sean and let out a soft groan, pressing both hands to her burning cheeks. If the floor opened beneath her right then, she would have welcomed it. “I’m such an idiot.”
His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Before she could retreat, he grasped her elbow and guided her toward a small empty table near the window, steering them out of the way as several customers pushed through the door behind them. The warmth of his fingers around hers made her pulse jump all over again.
Grace swallowed, wishing she could disappear, but the words tumbled out before she could stop them. “I saw the two of you walking into Sassy’s last night and just assumed you were on a date. And when you walked in here with the same woman, I figured you’d spent the night together. And you have no idea how embarrassed I am right now.”
“Ah.” Sean laughed, and though it wasn’t cruel, her humiliation climbed even higher. “Is that why you didn’t answer your phone last night?”
She nodded, keeping her gaze fixed on the center of his chest. Looking him in the eye felt impossible.
“Sorry for the misunderstanding. But Suki and I are not and have never been romantically involved. As she said, we’re good friends. I just thought she’d be more comfortable staying at the cottage than at a hotel.”
