“It’s in a safe deposit box.”
Charlotte let out a disappointed sigh.
“Well, maybe one day,” he hedged.
To Lexie, it seemed as if he were putting her grandmother off.
But his ploy went over Charlotte’s head, because without warning, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Oh, thank you!” she exclaimed.
He awkwardly patted her back, all the while sending SOS signals to Lexie.
“Okay, Grandma, you can let Coop go now. It’s time for him to leave.”
Charlotte peeled herself off him.
“Why don’t you go lie down,” Lexie suggested, still unnerved by the news that her grandmother had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. “I’ll walk Coop out and then I’ll clean up for you.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind…”
Lexie pulled her grandmother into a hug, trying to convince herself that she didn’t suddenly feel frailer just because Lexie now knew about her medical issues.
“Thank you for dinner, Mrs.—I mean Charlotte. The food was delicious, but the company was even better.” Coop pressed a kiss to the back of Charlotte’s hand.
The gentlemanly gesture sent shivers of awareness coursing down Lexie’s spine. Although she thought she could read people pretty well, he’d had her baffled since this afternoon. From that sizzling kiss to the way he’d pulled back after lunch, to his surprising willingness to come for dinner, she didn’t know where she stood.
She was his jewelry investigation partner—that much she knew for sure. As for anything romantic, she hadn’t a clue. She’d spent the better part of the evening tamping down any desire he aroused in her. Yet once her grandmother had disappeared into her bedroom and they were alone, every inch of her was keenly aware of the man. He studied her with those piercing blue eyes and she wanted to melt into his arms.
Instead, she folded hers across her chest. “So much for helping me convince her that we’re not engaged.”
“I tried! But she’s pretty damn stubborn. Like someone else I know.” Amusement danced in his expression. “I would have fought the good fight, but she mentioned her health and I didn’t want to upset her.”
Damn. Why did he have to be so sexy, sensitive, caring and have issues with women who liked to travel? Which brought up another bone of contention she had to pick with him. “Ex-wife?” she asked.
“It’s not like I was holding out on you. Technically this is only our second date.” He reached out his hand and pulled her toward him until her body aligned with his.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and met her gaze. “We are very different people.”
She nodded. “Who want very different things out of life.”
He paused, staring into her eyes until she felt the pull of his desire straight through to her stomach. “Are you getting on a plane anytime soon?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not until after my grandmother’s birthday at the end of the month.”
She didn’t have her destination chosen yet, either. By then the restlessness ought to take over and she’d be out of here, but for now she was exactly where she wanted to be.
“The question is, can you live with that?” She looped her arms around his neck. “Because if so, until then, I’m yours.”
He replied quickly, sealing his lips against hers in a kiss that was extremely delicious and way too short. He didn’t slip his tongue inside her mouth, but he lingered long enough to tantalize her with his warm touch.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she murmured.
“That’s a yes. But I’m leaving before I do something extremely inappropriate in your grandmother’s living room,” he said, a seductive gleam in his eyes.
“I wouldn’t mind.”
“Neither would I,” he murmured. “I have a full schedule for the next few days, but how about you come by my place around eight Friday night?”
“For work or play?” she asked as she walked him to the door.
He grinned. “If you’re lucky, maybe a little of both.”
COOP RETURNED HOME to a clean apartment, his brain flying with ideas and ready to write. Something about being with Lexie and her grandmother had rejuvenated him. Instead of going to bed, he sat down in front of his desktop computer, which luckily the thief had left, and got to work.
He spent a long time outlining a story loosely based on the theft of a valuable ring by the family chauffeur. Then he logged another hour researching the jewels and the Lancaster family, from whom the jewels had been stolen.
Lancaster.
The same name Lexie had remembered. Coop’s gut clenched, but he kept digging until he unearthed another mention of the Lancaster theft, which detailed how everyone at the party had been questioned by the police and later exonerated. Except for the temporary staff, leaving a cold trail. One of them had been a chauffeur who’d driven friends to and from the party for the evening.
His neck and shoulders ached and he stood up and stretched. But it wasn’t the physical pain that bothered him most. Lexie recalled the Lancaster family despite Charlotte’s claim not to remember. And Charlotte admitted the necklace had been given to her husband in exchange for work done. Chauffeur work. Could all the similarities be a coincidence? Or could Lexie’s grandfather have been a thief after all?
Coop shook his head, knowing that he couldn’t bring this to her until he’d dug deeper. Maybe his father could get him access to the cold case files and he’d find something fresh the police had missed. Something that exonerated her grandfather. Until he had something definitive, he wasn’t about to burden Lexie with mere speculation.
Coop glanced at his watch, surprised by the time. Three hours had whizzed by. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been able to get lost in his writing and research for so long. He knew he had Lexie to thank for igniting his muse, which led to more guilt over where his research might lead.
Coop groaned and headed for bed. He had to be at the paper early tomorrow and knew he’d have a fitful sleep as it was.
He managed to grab a few hours and woke up with the same renewed energy he’d had last night. But he didn’t have time for personal research. The news never stopped and once at work, he checked the police blotter, noting that last night there had been a benefit for an AIDS charity with local bigwigs. A bracelet had been stolen, at least according to the owner. According to the police, however, a broken clasp or another accident might have been at play, since there was no way the item could have been taken off the victim’s wrist. Coop eliminated the item from the news of the day. There were more valid thefts overnight that would make the paper.