Page 46 of Mr. Dangerous

"What's the last good book you read? I'm always looked forrecommendations."

Naomi smiled slightly. "I don't know if you'd like the same genresIdo."

"I'm an open minded guy,"Mitchsaid.

"I like romances," Naomi said. "I just started a new one that's great. Set inNantucket."

"Oh yeah?" I asked. "Are you reading that on yourKindle?"

"I am." Her eyes flickered up to mine, bright with a glint of humor. "I can't believe someone gave me such athoughtfulgift."

"Have you ever been to Nantucket?" Iaskedher.

Naomi shookherhead.

"You should fix that sometime," I said, meaningweshould fix it. "I know this great bed andbreakfast."

"Your mother and I loved this bed and breakfast on Cape Cod," Mitch said. "Kelly's. You should go there if you ever need togetaway."

What the hell was wrong with Mitch today? Maybe he missed Mom? The whole time I was growing up, he hadn’t been willing to talk about her; it had felt like she blinked out of existence when Nicky was just a baby, just like all the other women in Mitch’s life did sooner orlater.

I nodded at Naomi. "You need a getaway. I hear your job is awfullystressful."

"Just because the messes I clean up with are so...extensive."

Mitch glanced over at Naomi again, his eyes sweeping slowly over her, assessing. "Rob said you're a problem solver. What kind ofproblems?"

Naomi's lips parted, looking momentarily stricken – I felt an ache that she was embarrassed to admit her occupation – and then her lips curled up into a smile. "I'm a housekeeper, Mr. Delaney. I'm yourhousekeeper."

"Oh," Mitch said. Instead of disapproving, his tone seemed light as he went on. "I thought perhaps you werein security. As Rob likes to say when some poor polite stranger asks hisoccupation."

"No," Naomi said, "Nothinglikethat."

I felt a constant temptation to touch Naomi, and now I took the faint excuse to squeeze her bicep. Her upper arm was slender, but hard with muscle, and I caught the faintest whiff of a bright floral perfume. "Not security. Although she does have some guns... must be all that vacuuming andmopping."

"Cleaning up after you guys takes some heavy lifting,"Naomisaid.

"That it certainly does," I said. Mitch’s answering smile waspained.

Naomi excused herself to use the bathroom, dropping her napkin on her chair as she pushed back from the table. I wondered if she needed a break from Delaney family tension. I wouldn’t blame her. I could use a breakmyself.

"So that's one of the Pop girls, right?" Mitch asked, his eyesfollowingher.

"Popadopolous,"Isaid.

"Yes, Rob, I know. I know their last name; they've worked for us for twentyyears."

"I wasn't sure. You didn'trecognizeher."

"I haven't been back to the Rhode Island house in a few years." Mitch half-shrugged. "We should do Christmas in Rhode Island this year, if I'm stillaround."

"If you're still around?" I gave my father the same kind of obvious once-over that he had given Naomi. "Look at you, tan and fit... you're not going anywhere. You still playtennis?Golf?"

"A bit of both," Mitch said, "When I make it out of thehouse."

Mitch had never been a homebody, that wasforsure.

"Rob," Mitch said. "Listen to me. I have to tell you somethingimportant."

---