Damn, that felt good. No, Aspen. Focus.
“Aspen, spill.” Juno demanded. “What’s going on?”
The three of them moved closer.
“Stop.” I held up a hand. “I… I…” Come on, I was a PI. I was usually quick on my feet.
Liam rose. “I found my contact lens.”
My gut coiled into a teeny, tiny ball.
My mom and sisters froze like statues. They didn’t move, except that their eyes widened.
“Um…” I pushed my hair back. “This is…”
“Liam Kensington,” Briar breathed.
There went my slim hope that they wouldn’t recognize him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet Aspen’s family.” He shot them his million-dollar smile.
Briar made a sound. My mother gave a little sigh. Juno just stared, mouth hanging open.
“Liam and I are working together,” I said.
“Uh-huh,” Juno drawled.
“Holy shitballs,” Briar murmured.
Liam winked at them and I slapped his chest.
“Cool it, darling, they aren’t stupid.”
“He called her darling,” Briar breathed.
“Oh, my God,” Juno shrieked. “My sister is banging Liam Kensington.”
“Juno!” I cried.
The door buzzer rang.
“That’s our Chinese takeout. Briar, can you grab it, please?” I pushed Liam ahead of me. “We’ve got to get going.”
“Oh, you should stay,” my mom said, a little breathlessly.
“Can’t. Work.” I shoved Liam into my bedroom.
The damn man was still smiling.
I shut the door. “This is a disaster.”
“I beg to differ.”
No, he wouldn’t have to endure the teasing and ribbing, followed by the sympathetic looks once he was gone.
“Put some clothes on—”
He grabbed me and kissed me. “Everything is going to be okay, Aspen.”
I really wanted to believe him.
But I knew better than anyone that things didn’t always work out.
17
From Different Planets
Liam
“This is your idea of blending in?”
Liam looked at Aspen across the hood of the big, black, decked-out Dodge Ram.
“It’s a solid American truck. We’ll be totally incognito.”
She rolled her eyes and climbed in.
Liam did the same. They were both dressed in black. He wore cargo pants, black Henley, and a leather jacket. Her black jeans hugged her ass, and the sight made his cock twitch.
He remembered very well how it felt to be inside her. He knew he was gone over his tough, smart, private investigator.
He drove them toward the Bronx. The truck handled horribly, and he missed the Aston. “I’m glad I got to meet your family.”
She made a noncommittal sound.
He felt a sting of annoyance. “I won’t be your dirty, little secret, Aspen.”
“What?” She swiveled in her seat. “You’re Liam Kensington. You’re nobody’s dirty, little anything. You’re smart, gorgeous, slightly stuck-up, but a good guy. Any woman would shout it from the rooftops, if you were hers.”
His hands flexed on the wheel. He noticed that she didn’t mention rich.
“Except you,” he said.
“You aren’t mine.” She looked away. “You’ll be gone, and my family will pepper me with questions—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said darkly.
She made a scoffing sound. “Liam, you’re a billionaire, and I’m a private investigator. We aren’t just from different stratospheres, we’re from different planets.”
Not this again. “Fuck that. I’m just a man who likes you. You’re a woman I like, admire, and who I’m totally falling for.”
“What?” She blinked, and held up her hand. “No.”
“You can’t tell me what I feel. And what I feel is more than just lust for your delectable, athletic body.”
She swiveled back to face the front. “Be quiet.”
“No, no I don’t think I will. Be warned, Ms. Chandler, I’m going to lavish you with my attention until it gets through your thick skull.”
Her head turned and she shot him with a piercing look. “I’m going to punch you.”
“I like it when you’re a little rough.”
She huffed out a breath. “You’re impossible.”
They were quiet after that, and it wasn’t long before they turned onto the street where the warehouse was located. Liam parked on a side street, and they quietly slipped out of the truck.
They walked down the shadowed street. One of the shadows detached itself from the others.
Liam froze and grabbed Aspen’s arm.
Boone materialized. “Hey.”
“You ready?” Aspen asked.
The former soldier hefted a heavy-duty flashlight and nodded at his black backpack. “Ready.”
“Here.” Liam held out some small earpieces. “So we can all keep in touch.”
They all put the earpieces in, then the three of them slipped into the warehouse. It was silent, and all Liam could hear was the drip of water somewhere in the building.
“Let’s start with where Nexus poked holes in the wall,” she said.
“I’ll scout around.” Boone was gone like a ghost.
“He’s spooky,” she murmured.
He was. “Agreed.”
They checked the old brick walls where Nexus had been digging, but didn’t see anything.
“Let’s try upstairs,” Liam said.
They both headed up the rickety stairs. They were halfway up, when suddenly, Aspen gasped. There was a crack, and her foot went straight through the rotted wood.
“You okay?” Liam gripped her shoulders.
“Yeah.” She yanked her foot free. They carefully navigated to the top. He waved the flashlight around, and illuminated an old filing cabinet, its drawers pulled out. There were some old, sagging tables, as well.
“I was thinking about Helen’s diary and Dutch’s deathbed ramblings,” Aspen said.
“Yes?” Liam aimed the flashlight at the rest of the floor. Rows of support pillars disappeared into the black.
“Chimney sweeps. Dutch said something about chimney sweeps.”
Liam considered, nodded. “Chimneys.” He looked up.
“Yes. The roof.”
He gripped her lapels, and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Let’s get to the roof.”
She touched her earpiece. “Boone, we think it might be on the roof. Meet us up there.”
“Acknowledged.”
Liam and Aspen headed up the stairs. When he pushed open the door at the top, a stiff wind ruffled his hair.
“Be careful where you step,” he warned. “The roof looks rotten in places, as well.”
“Let’s check all the chimneys,” she said.
Boone appeared out of the darkness. “This roof is shit. Be careful.”
They spread out, checking each of the chimneys. Liam saw Aspen blow out a breath and rest her hands on her hips.