Ava’s face broke into a wide grin. “Where do you get all your information, Granny? You should totally be a private investigator.”
Granny waggled her eyebrows. “I keep my ear to the ground. Nobody expects an old lady to be listening. They always underestimate us geriatrics.”
Ava stood and pulled Granny into a hug. “I don’t underestimate you. I think you’re wonderful.”
“Well, thank you, dear.” Granny smirked. “Don’t think you’re going to that bed and breakfast by yourself.”
CHAPTER NINE
“Don’t leave me alone with them,” Damon said as soon as Braxton walked in the back door.
Braxton had gone into town to see if he could find anything out about the murder. Although he couldn’t prove it, he had a feeling that his father’s murder was somehow connected.
“With who? The scary writers?” Braxton smirked. He couldn’t help it. Damon was built to intimidate, but once those writers cornered him in the living room to ask him questions it was like someone asked him to skin his granny.
“Keep laughing, pretty boy. They’ll be on you next.”
“I doubt that. They know I’m with Kate.” Braxton slid onto the stool at the kitchen island and reached for a cookie. The oatmeal raisin sugary confection melted in his mouth.
Damon’s lip quirked up. “They actually have a topic that is right up your alley.”
Braxton sat up. “What?”
“The women were discussing alcohol and roofies.”
“Jesus. Why?”
Damon shrugged and pulled the cookie platter closer. “They said it’s for their book.” Damon took a bite and lowered his voice. “But I don’t think so. I think they’re planning to roofie my ass.”
Braxton choked back a laugh. “Don’t be so paranoid. They’re writers. It’s their job to make shit up.”
“Yeah, well. Just so you know, I had to throw you under the bus.”
Braxton leaned closer. “What do you mean, Damon?”
“I told them you were a bartender and could answer all their alcohol questions.”
Braxton closed his eyes and slowly let out a breath. “You think maybe I could get them drunk until they pass out?”
Damon gave a thoughtful look. “I don’t know, man. That one woman, Myrtis? She’s mean as a snake and looks pretty hardy. Think it’ll take a lot of alcohol to take that one out.”
“What are you two talking about?” Kate scowled at Damon and pulled the plate away. “These are for my paying guests.”
“I am a paying guest,” Damon argued.
“Yeah, but you’ve already eaten two plates today.” Kate frowned. “You don’t happen to have a tapeworm, do you?”
Braxton snorted.
Damon’s expression grew somber. “Nope. No tapeworm.”
Kate nodded as some unspoken communication passed between her and Damon. Kate gave Damon’s arm a squeeze before heading outside.
Envy pinged Braxton in the gut. He glared at Damon, but Damon was too busy staring into his glass of soda. What the hell was that about? Pushing off the island, he went in search of Kate.
His heart warmed when he spotted her dragging heavy limbs from the woods toward the backyard.
“Here, let me. It’s too heavy for you.” Braxton hefted the limb over his shoulder. “Where do you want this?”
“Over there. It’s for the fire pit.” Kate picked up the ax off the ground to cut the limb into manageable firewood.
Braxton shook his head. Positioning the limb between his hands, he brought it down on his leg and snapped the wood in half.
Her eyes widened at his strength.
Damn. He kept forgetting she wasn’t like him. She wasn’t a werewolf. She wasn’t used to seeing physical strength like his.
He cast a quick glance at her and froze.
Her gaze dilated as her lips parted. Her tongue swiped across her beautiful lips in a slow, torturous motion.
She wasn’t looking at him in fear. She was looking at him like she wanted to rip his clothes off and fuck him to death.
His cock hardened.
Dropping the wood, he yanked her against him. Despite the heavy coat she wore, he could feel her body yielding to him. He growled before bending his head. Her cold lips quivered and opened under his mouth. His tongue tangled with hers, tasting her sweet mouth until he was dizzy with lust.
Her hands slid down his back to cup his ass and squeeze. He groaned.
She was going to fucking kill him.
They couldn’t do this right now. The guests were probably standing at the window, gawking and taking notes. He pulled away, brushing his knuckles across the cold satin of her cheeks as he stared into her dewy gaze.
“What was that back there?” He nodded across his shoulder.
“My hand on your ass.”
He grinned. “No, I mean back in the kitchen. That interchange with Damon.”
Kate blushed. “Oh.” She shook her head, her blonde hair brushing the soft curve of her breasts. “Damon’s missing Ava. I feel bad for him.” She shrugged. “I know how he feels.”
He stiffened under the assault of the words. “Are you missing your ex?”