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She cradled the captain’s pipe in her hand.
“You loved her, didn’t you?” she whispered. “I don’t know how you met or knew her, but you loved Millicent Pepper. And she loved you. That’s why she wanted to save the Gardenia House and why she supported naming the town Bliss Cove and was on the women’s league for the boardwalk. You were both advocating for the same things. You were on the same side.”
This time, there was no reply. Bee stood for a moment longer before putting the pipe back on the stand. She closed the display case and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Adam was in the conference room, leaning forward in a chair as he watched the greenish play of video footage across the monitors.
“I’ll just be another half hour or so.” He glanced at his watch. “You can head home if you want.”
Bee pulled up a chair next to him. She wasn’t ready to tell him about her revelation yet—first, she needed proof, and second, she didn’t know why the captain’s relationship with Millicent was important, except that it sounded as if it had been a lovely romance. Maybe it didn’t even need another reason to be important.
Adam had one elbow resting on the table. Bee let her gaze travel from his hard forearm all the way up to where his T-shirt sleeve hugged his biceps. His skin was tanned, dusted with dark hair, and she could see the corded tendons and muscles roping from his wrist to his shoulder.
Her belly fluttered. Standing in the circle of those muscular arms had felt like being protected by the widespread wings of an eagle.
On some subconscious level, she’d known that nothing bad could reach her if Adam was holding her. Not even fear or insecurity. For all his “I am scientist, hear me roar” talk, he was—first and foremost—a man. A big, strong, protective man who didn’t need to do anything exceptexistin order to prove it.
She settled her hand over his. Adam glanced at her. She drew her forefinger over the ridges of his knuckles and traced a pattern up to his forearm. Goose bumps appeared on his skin, and she smiled at the evidence of his reaction to her touch.
“You have remarkable arms,” she said. “Do you work out a lot?”
“When I can, yeah.”
“It shows.” She drew little circles over his forearm. “They’re like steel.”
“Thanks.” His eyebrows drew together in faint puzzlement. “Is there a reason you’re touching them? Not that I mind in the least,” he added hastily.
“I’m doing an experiment.” She spread her hand over his arm and stroked upward to his biceps. Her blood heated at the sensation of his smooth, hard muscles. She tucked her fingers under the sleeve, where his skin was even warmer. His chest must feel like a furnace.
“Does the experiment have to do with the ghost?” Adam asked.
“Mmm.” She slid her hand back down his arm again. “I just wanted to see if he was paying attention.”
“I don’t know about him, but you’ve definitely got my attention.” He leaned closer to her, his eyes darkening. “And other things.”
She brushed her lips gently across his. A tingle of pleasure ran down her spine. For an instant, he didn’t move, almost as if he were waiting for an interruption or a warning, but nothing happened.
She kissed him again, harder. He brought his hand to her nape, tilting her head slightly to angle their mouths together.
She pressed a hand to his jaw in a mild warning. But there was no shock, no cold spell, no other sign of dire warning. Either Captain Marcus had listened to her, or he was busy in another part of the house. With a murmur of pleasure, she parted her lips. Heat bloomed through her.
She wanted him. Her heart, head, and body all knew the truth. She just had to keep her guard up—and since she still didn’t often let it down, that wouldn’t be difficult to do. Even if Adam had swooped into her life with a sudden and rather shocking intensity.
He trailed his lips across her cheek, his warm breath causing her whole body to tingle. She opened her eyes, glancing past his shoulder to the row of TV monitors where—
With a gasp, Bee yanked away from him.
He backed off, his hands coming up in surprise as if he’d done something to hurt her. “What’s wrong?”
She stared at the monitor. He followed her gaze to the grainy image of them sitting on the sofa the instant before he moved in to kiss her.
“Oh, no.” She pressed her hands to her hot cheeks. “I didn’t eventhinkabout the cameras. How did…? Wait a minute. You were just watching that footage?”
A slight grimace twisted his mouth. “Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me we were caught on camera like that?” She swiveled the chair around and looked up at the corner of the room. “Are there cameras in here too?”
“No, none in here.” He put a placating hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to be embarrassed.”
