High Stakes Gamble

Chapter Forty-Seven

Cory sat in Aurora’s office, smiling at the two lovebirds. All the while, like a pro, he held a drooling, thumb-sucking Lily. “Considering you only worked to help out over a bad stretch Rory, I think you can take whatever holidays you want now for a honeymoon.”

The blush settling on her cheeks pissed her off and made her voice gruff. “I only need a couple of weeks. And stop calling me Rory or I might forget to come back.”

Ham, who’d stepped into the room in time to hear her announcement let go a booming laugh and jokingly added, “She’s baaack!” He winked in Aurora’s direction and quickly aimed his way to Lily. Holding out his arms for his turn to hold her, he glowed when the little flirt arched his way and grabbed his fingers.

While cuddling Lily, Ham moved to the computer and set it up for them to see an incoming call. “I came to tell you that Lisa is skyping. Says she’ll be online in a few minutes and needs to talk with you, Rory.”

Moving fast behind her, Kai enfolded her in his arms and took the opportunity to press his body up against hers for a hug. “No bloodshed, Tiger. I want Ham to be healthy enough to attend the wedding.”

“Well he’ll be in the hospital if he keeps bugging me with that stupid nickname.” On purpose she growled the words to add emphasis to her statement.

Of course it did no good, since the Irish crooner was too busy singing a childish limerick to an entranced Lily.

Cory was no help. He leaned back and smirked. “So when’s the big day?”

“Soon,” Kai said.

“We don’t know for sure,” Aurora added.

“Real soon!” Kai reiterated to the amused smiles from the two men who chuckled in male sympathy.

Aurora scoffed, but softly. The man couldn’t seem to step a foot out of place with her. Even though she knew it went against her grain, she wanted to please him more than a puppy with a new master.

She should’ve been ashamed of herself, but she was too frigging happy. Kai was the only man she’d ever wanted to spend her life with. Knowing he wanted her in the same way made every nerve in her body quiver with pure mush.

His devilish blue eyes smiled at her as he asked, “Is Lisa your partner?”

“Uh huh. Didn’t want to work with anyone else after you left but she gets to a person. Doesn’t she, guys?” Aurora aimed her remark at the two hardened cops still fawning over a contented Lily.

Both nodded in agreement. But Cory spoke. “She’s a hoot, a damn good cop and Rory’s right, she gets to you.”

Kai had to ask. “How do mean she gets to you?”

Playfully, Aurora stuck her rude finger up at Cory but turned to Kai and answered. “She babbles all the time. Takes four sentences to describe something where anyone else would use one. And she knows things. I can’t explain but she comes out with the weirdest shit she collects in her head. And it doesn’t matter who you are, she’ll talk your ears off. Drives me batty—”

The call on the computer interrupted and they all watched as Lisa’s beautiful face appeared. Tiredness showed instantly and so did the lingering sadness. Her soft brown hair curled in crazed ringlets all around her face, broken loose from a ponytail she’d formed. Her brown eyes sent messages of love and kindness to everyone who automatically smiled their pleasure at seeing the girl.

“Aurora, I can’t tell you how relieved I am that Lily is safe. I’ve worried myself sick about not being able to work with you. I’ve sent countless prayers into the universe so the energy would help to find her and it obviously worked. Hi Cory. Hey Ham! I’ve missed you all like hell and… Aurora, who’s the bald-headed, good-looker with his arms around you? If it’s that Kai Lawson, you tell him I’ve got a few chosen words to say when we finally meet. Bastard’s got some nerve—”

Aurora couldn’t take any more. “Lisa, what’s going on there in Seattle? Did you get all the arrangements made?” She had to interrupt or the babbling could go on and on and…

“Almost. We held the ceremony for my sister yesterday, everything’s packed, and I’m making plans to bus it home tomorrow.”

“Bus it? Didn’t my friend Jeff find you? I sent you the e-mail telling you he’d be arriving and would act proxy for me and help you move back with Noel.”

“You didn’t tell me he’d be flying his own plane. And you didn’t tell me the man is stinking rich and is the owner of Cascades. I’m making my own way home on the bus. I can’t stand being in the same room with that guy.”

“Are you crazy?!” For the first time since Aurora met Lisa, the girl had truly stunned her. “Lisa, he’s a nice man.”

“Maybe to you he seems nice. I don’t like him.”

“Why the hell not?”

Lisa spit out the words, embarrassment obvious in her expression. “Because! The dude makes me tongue-tied.”