Page 56 of The Secrets She Keeps

Heather had to have done something to Steve, and then that guy Kimball had just shot him like that. Brianna believed Jack when he said the TSP made up lies occasionally. Everyone knewhow dirty the TSP was—she half suspected they’d set her brother up before he’d been murdered.

The TSP were most likely lying now too. To protect Heather, and everything. Since her niece was married to the governor, and her nephew was Davis Lucas, that billionaire that was always with Powell’s cousin Houghton.

It didn’t make sense.

There wasHeather,talking to two of the Barratts right now. And laughing. Right in Mac’s face. And he wasn’t snarling at her like he had Brianna that time she’d made one little joke about Powell being androgynous or something. Brianna hadn’tmeantit to be mean or anything, but Powell had just said something that sounded like something a guy would say.

Mac had totally overreacted.

But now Mac was looking at Heather like he was hot for her or something. Of course, he probably was. Heather was aColeson.They got everything they wanted. Heather would probably get Mac someday. And be aBarratt,and rich and everything.

Well, Mac was the one Barratt Brianna didn’t like that much. He’d get exactly what he deserved with Heather. They were welcome to each other.

But Powell wasactually kissing Gunnar Ericksonright now. Like really kissing him. Brianna almost squealed when she saw that.

Go, Powell. Gunnar was just a cop and everything, but he was seriously hot. Powell could have an affair with him and marry someone from the right family later. Powell should have some fun while she still could, right?

“What?” Leena asked.

“My friend is kissing her new boyfriend. That’s all.” BriannalikedGunnar Erickson. He was nice and everything. And, well,Powell was her best friend. She was supposed to want Powell to be happy, right? And not alone.

But Brianna really wished she was seeing Jack tonight. She was feeling a little lonely. An eight-year-old little sister just wasn’t the same.

36

Powell livedin a house that made the entire apartment building Gunnar lived in look small. The first time he had driven her there while he had been guarding her, he had almost choked on his tongue. All of that house for one very small woman. But to her, it was normal. Maybe. She said she’d had a condo a few months before they’d met. This place was definitely no condo.

She opened the door. Stood there, staring at him. “Hey.”

“Hey.” She still had on the jeans and the thin littleEat at Flo’s Masterson DinerT-shirt she’d been wearing earlier. “How was dinner at the Colesons?”

“Chaos. Utter chaos. Like I have never seen before. But the fun kind. Heather acted completely different there. And Hope is doing well.”

“How does Heather act differently?”

“She looks like Zoey, yes, but she’s very outgoing. She is the center of everything. Spontaneous hugs for people, fussing over them all, cuddling the kids. She’s more people-oriented than she shows at the TSP, I think. Far, far more than Zoey. It surprised me. She acts very much like Zoey when she’s on the clock. Reserved, businesslike, almost abrupt and distant. Hell, it’s notthat surprising, is it? And she’s definitely one of the ones in charge in her family. She’s just…hurting now, I think. But that makes sense, considering what Wilson did to her.”

“I suppose it does. She’s really lucky. To have all those women around. Together. Sisters and everything.”

“I think so. Bonnie sent me home with leftovers.” He held out the pumpkin orange bowl in his hands. “It’s in vintage Tupperware or something. Are you hungry?”

“I could eat again, actually. Apparently, Baby likes food tonight. I had two plates of meat loaf at Mom’s. Totally insane. But really good meat loaf. Probably making up for the breakfast I couldn’t keep down this morning. I am blaming you, by the way. I figure that is only fair.”

And then he was inside the mansion that belonged to the mother of his child. He stood there, holding an orange Tupperware bowl of beef stew with dinner rolls wrapped in plastic wrap. Waiting.

He followed her into the kitchen. She reheated the leftovers, sending him little looks that drove him crazy. She was nervous. It was hard to miss.

Those little looks turned him on. She didn’t have a clue.

Hell, he wanted her far more than he wanted beef stew. He could just scoop her up and carry her off to her bed.Showher what she meant to him.

“I’m not going to bite you, you know.” Not that he didn’t want to put his mouth right there on the side of her neck. Taste her right there. She’d squealed when he’d done that before. She had been so responsive and loving, and he wanted to have her in his arms all over again. Then, he’d just hold her all night long. Again, like he had that one beautiful night before.

“I know.”

He waited, but that was all she said. Then she sighed. And turned to him. “I am so confused about everything right now.”

That was her. She’d be quiet for hours, mulling over things in that complex brain of hers. Then she’d just shoot from the hip. A smart man would have to run to keep up. “About the baby? Do you want the baby?”

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