down at her. His eyes met her gaze and he smiled, but
she didn’t see joy in his eyes. Had she done something he didn’t like?
“Okay?”
“Yeah, gorgeous.” He kissed the top of her knee. “I’m better
than okay.”
“You don’t seem that way.”
He shook his head. “I’m embarrassed about how I behaved
earlier. When I freaked out.”
Mindy yawned and covered her mouth with her hand. “We all
have bad moments. You think I don’t have them? It could be argued I’m endlessly
having them. Hence my inability to change my hair.”
“Or maybe you just like how unique and unforgettable the
white mane makes you seem.”
This Jonah was so easy to take. The banter. The smirks and
smiles.
“Maybe you need glasses.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Anyway, can you forgive me?”
“For a minor panic attack? Sure. Why not?” She leaned up to
kiss him. “I’m not done with you yet.”
* * * * *
Mindy put on her shoes and looked at herself in the mirror. Her
outfit worked for poltergeist hunting or whatever they’d be doing. Jonah had
said to dress casual, in something she could run in if need be. Sneakers, jeans
and a pink T-shirt would have to do.
He’d left to go home and retrieve some things he needed. Whatever
that meant. She hadn’t questioned him. He’d gotten the distant look in his eyes
again and she’d decided this time to let him have the space he wanted.
Besides, she needed to think.
Mindy walked to the counter to pick up her cell phone. She’d
made up her mind. No way, no how could she stay out of Jonah’s business. Not
when every fiber in her being screamed to help him. Part of her knew she could
love this man. If she could get past the barrier he’d erected around his heart
to keep out the pain of losing his parents.
She’d been orphaned. She knew what familial pain looked like
when she saw it. But she’d been certain of her parents’ love. She hadn’t been
abandoned and never known why.
Her parents had died in a car wreck and there had been a
loving aunt to go live with in their stead. It had never been the same—but
she’d not been alone.
After she found the number she needed, she dialed it. Her
best friend from college was now a married mother of two. Her husband happened
to be a private detective. Maybe now was the time to ask for a favor.
Because people didn’t just get to abandon their children. Jonah’s
parents couldn’t have been able to simply decide they didn’t want him when he
was ten.
It didn’t work like that.
Betsy answered on the third ring and Mindy braced herself
for a long conversation about toddlers and potty training. She didn’t mind. Betsy’s
kids were great.
But she had an agenda. And she planned on finding out what
she needed to know.
* * * * *
Jonah looked down at his iPad. The whole block was mapped
out in front of him. Braxton leaned forward from the backseat and Mindy looked
from the passenger side on the front. God, the woman smelled like heaven.
He shook his head. They had a job to do. Somehow, he had to
concentrate. How on Earth could he still be so hot for her when they’d spent
the whole afternoon exchanging bodily fluids? That thought just made him
hotter. Her mouth on his cock.
“So this is the whole block?” Braxton pointed at the iPad. “Now
what?”
“We split up.” Jonah actually hated the idea even as he said
it. He wanted Mindy with him, where he could keep her safe. Even though her
portion of the mission should be safe enough.
“And?” Mindy looked at him, her big eyes reflecting her
eagerness for his response.
“We go door to door. Ring the bell.” He held coupons in his
hand. Making them had been his project when he’d returned to the mansion. “Tell
them that Foy is giving out scholarships for free classes. Ask if they have any
children in the house who might want to take lessons.”
“That’s smart.” Braxton nodded. “If they say they’re not
interested at least we now know they have kids in the
she didn’t see joy in his eyes. Had she done something he didn’t like?
“Okay?”
“Yeah, gorgeous.” He kissed the top of her knee. “I’m better
than okay.”
“You don’t seem that way.”
He shook his head. “I’m embarrassed about how I behaved
earlier. When I freaked out.”
Mindy yawned and covered her mouth with her hand. “We all
have bad moments. You think I don’t have them? It could be argued I’m endlessly
having them. Hence my inability to change my hair.”
“Or maybe you just like how unique and unforgettable the
white mane makes you seem.”
This Jonah was so easy to take. The banter. The smirks and
smiles.
“Maybe you need glasses.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Anyway, can you forgive me?”
“For a minor panic attack? Sure. Why not?” She leaned up to
kiss him. “I’m not done with you yet.”
* * * * *
Mindy put on her shoes and looked at herself in the mirror. Her
outfit worked for poltergeist hunting or whatever they’d be doing. Jonah had
said to dress casual, in something she could run in if need be. Sneakers, jeans
and a pink T-shirt would have to do.
He’d left to go home and retrieve some things he needed. Whatever
that meant. She hadn’t questioned him. He’d gotten the distant look in his eyes
again and she’d decided this time to let him have the space he wanted.
Besides, she needed to think.
Mindy walked to the counter to pick up her cell phone. She’d
made up her mind. No way, no how could she stay out of Jonah’s business. Not
when every fiber in her being screamed to help him. Part of her knew she could
love this man. If she could get past the barrier he’d erected around his heart
to keep out the pain of losing his parents.
She’d been orphaned. She knew what familial pain looked like
when she saw it. But she’d been certain of her parents’ love. She hadn’t been
abandoned and never known why.
Her parents had died in a car wreck and there had been a
loving aunt to go live with in their stead. It had never been the same—but
she’d not been alone.
After she found the number she needed, she dialed it. Her
best friend from college was now a married mother of two. Her husband happened
to be a private detective. Maybe now was the time to ask for a favor.
Because people didn’t just get to abandon their children. Jonah’s
parents couldn’t have been able to simply decide they didn’t want him when he
was ten.
It didn’t work like that.
Betsy answered on the third ring and Mindy braced herself
for a long conversation about toddlers and potty training. She didn’t mind. Betsy’s
kids were great.
But she had an agenda. And she planned on finding out what
she needed to know.
* * * * *
Jonah looked down at his iPad. The whole block was mapped
out in front of him. Braxton leaned forward from the backseat and Mindy looked
from the passenger side on the front. God, the woman smelled like heaven.
He shook his head. They had a job to do. Somehow, he had to
concentrate. How on Earth could he still be so hot for her when they’d spent
the whole afternoon exchanging bodily fluids? That thought just made him
hotter. Her mouth on his cock.
“So this is the whole block?” Braxton pointed at the iPad. “Now
what?”
“We split up.” Jonah actually hated the idea even as he said
it. He wanted Mindy with him, where he could keep her safe. Even though her
portion of the mission should be safe enough.
“And?” Mindy looked at him, her big eyes reflecting her
eagerness for his response.
“We go door to door. Ring the bell.” He held coupons in his
hand. Making them had been his project when he’d returned to the mansion. “Tell
them that Foy is giving out scholarships for free classes. Ask if they have any
children in the house who might want to take lessons.”
“That’s smart.” Braxton nodded. “If they say they’re not
interested at least we now know they have kids in the
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