Our Little Secret by Starr Ambrose Page B

habit?”

    “I know it looks awful. I’m trying to stop, but I’ve had a relapse ever since all this with Meg.”

    He ran a finger over the short pink nails. He could have sworn a small quiver trembled through her hand just before she jerked it away and shoved both hands behind her back. “D-don’t do that,” she stammered. “I’m self-conscious about how they look.”

    “Then stop biting them.”

    Her smile lacked sincerity. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

    She seemed a little more unnerved than what simple embarrassment called for, which he found fascinating. He wanted to take her hand again, maybe massage his thumb along her wrist, just to see how she reacted.

    “Where else can we look for their marriage certificate?” she asked, apparently intent on following up this new concern.

    “I don’t know.” He stood and ran a hand through his hair as he turned in a slow circle, scanning his father’s den. Lauren stood, too, rocking on her toes impatiently while he thought. “I’ve checked everything here,” he mused. “Maybe his bedroom.”

    She perked up. “Good idea. Meg might have left her briefcase there.”

    Unless she had a file of threatening notes from her would-be abductors, Drew wasn’t sure what helpful information might be in Meg’s briefcase. Or, for that matter, in her underwear drawer. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for at all, since the police were already following up with his dad’s appointment logs and address books. But he couldn’t just sit and wait.

    He led the way upstairs, aware that Lauren walkeda few feet behind him, hands tucked firmly in her pockets. Self-conscious about her nails, or simply avoiding his touch? Not that he had any reason to reach for her, but she’d turned skittish again since he’d held her hand. He wished he didn’t find that attractive, but skittish looked irresistible on her.

    He stopped at the bedroom door, forcing her to stand beside him to look into the room. He didn’t move, enjoying her nearness and refusing to examine his feelings further.

    The bedroom was still very much his father’s, masculine in furnishings and decoration. He supposed that would change, now that his father shared his space with a woman. Those fancy perfume bottles would appear on the dresser, along with family pictures in pretty frames, or flowery pillows and curtains. All things that weren’t evident yet.

    “That’s odd. It doesn’t even look like Meg’s been here,” Lauren said, obviously thinking along the same lines.

    “Maybe she hasn’t. They just got married a few days ago, right?”

    She rolled her eyes at him in an expression of disbelief that he might be naïve enough to think Meg and his dad hadn’t shared a bed until then. He smiled and shrugged. He had no doubts about his father’s over-active libido; he just didn’t know if Lauren had been deceiving herself about Meg’s sex life. Apparently not.

    “Meg made it sound like they’d just been married,” Lauren told him. “And Gerald said she left here Tuesday morning, so she must have spent at least one night here recently.” She crossed the room as she talked,heading for the closet. “Maybe Harlan is a good influence on her. Meg usually has clothes and shoes lying around, and half the time her bed isn’t made…” Her voice trailed off as she entered the walk-in closet. He heard clothes rustle, then hangers being forcefully shoved aside. After several seconds of furious activity, she appeared, frowning. “Something’s wrong here.”

    “What?” He joined her as Lauren marched back inside and grabbed a random handful of shirt sleeves, shaking it at him. “This. Nothing in here belongs to my sister. No business suits, no blouses, no shoes, not even a bathrobe. This doesn’t make sense. Check the drawers.”

    They opened every drawer, including the nightstand beside the bed that held tissues, a box of condoms, and a bottle of Viagra. Lauren lifted the tissue box,