issues.”
Ryan held her chin. “Speaking of issues. Why didn’t you tell me about the obscene phone calls?” She stiffened in his arms like he thought she would. Fuck it, he wasn’t going to skirt around the topic. He’d left it alone for the night, but he didn’t care how uncomfortable the conversation made her feel, he wasn’t going to let it slip past. Forget the fact they were now lovers, he ran a security-system business—what the hell had she been thinking? “Hey, I’m not mad. Well, at least not at you.”
She wiggled to get off his lap and he let her go. Max dragged a hand through her hair, the tight curls bouncing everywhere as she paced the small kitchen. “I know, but it didn’t seem like a huge deal. It started shortly after I moved back in with the fax-machine calls, and I told you about them. Then this week on Tuesday the guy phoned. I contacted the police right away. They traced a couple of calls and discovered the prankster uses a disposable cell phone—there’s no way to track him.”
Maxine fidgeted with the dishes, stacking them as she spoke. “I didn’t know how to mention it to you. He called the last few days at dinnertime, and again around midnight. I’ve been turning off the phone so I can ignore him.”
Ryan reached to clasp her hand in midmotion. “Ignore him? Sweetheart, while I agree some things in life have to be accepted, others are warning signs of danger. This is one you don’t ignore, you fix.”
She pulled her hand away firmly and picked up the pile of dirty dishes. “Well, I’m not sure how you fix a person who’s got a juvenile sense of humor, when it’s impossible to track him. The police said they didn’t think there was any danger but they have been doing drive-bys every day since it started. I refuse to let some jerk chase me out of my home. Occasionally it just scares me a bit more, but that’s my imagination going overtime, not any real danger.” Maxine turned to the sink and started the water.
Ryan joined her at the counter, caging her in his arms and kissing her neckline. “Let me do some looking into it, okay?”
“But the police said nothing could been done.”
He laughed, nudging her out of the way to take over the dish washing. “Maybe the police can’t catch him, but let’s see if I can’t come up with a few other solutions. In the meantime, I’ve got my foreman completing the hookup for your system. Later today I’ll take you home and show you how it works.”
The musical notes of the “Ride of the Valkyries” rang through the room and Ryan searched for his cell phone.
“It’s not yours, it’s mine.” Maxine reached into her purse and checked the display. “Shit.” She made a face before answering it. “Hi, Auntie Maxena.” For the next five minutes, she barely got a word in edgewise. Ryan snorted as she rolled her eyes and attempted to rein in her aunt’s rambling discourse.
By the time Maxine broke free, the dishes were done and put away. Ryan looked at her expectantly from where he leaned on the counter.
“I have to go shopping to pick up some last-minute things for a surprise birthday party for my cousin. I’m sorry, Ryan, I…I just couldn’t say no.” She stepped between his legs and nestled into him.
“That’s fine. I told you I have to go out for a while myself.” He held her close and let her warmth soak into him. Oh God, he could get used to this. Maybe he was ready for more than he thought. He stared down at the top of her head. The urge to tell her about Carl rolled over him again. She’d understand if he explained how important it was to not upset the boy.
Maxine looked up at him, a curious light in her eyes before she grabbed him and pulled their mouths together. Her kiss was ferocious, almost desperate, and while he enjoyed it, he couldn’t stop from chuckling when she pulled away. Her hands clutched at his shoulders as she grinned back.
“What was that all about?” He squeezed her waist,
Ryan held her chin. “Speaking of issues. Why didn’t you tell me about the obscene phone calls?” She stiffened in his arms like he thought she would. Fuck it, he wasn’t going to skirt around the topic. He’d left it alone for the night, but he didn’t care how uncomfortable the conversation made her feel, he wasn’t going to let it slip past. Forget the fact they were now lovers, he ran a security-system business—what the hell had she been thinking? “Hey, I’m not mad. Well, at least not at you.”
She wiggled to get off his lap and he let her go. Max dragged a hand through her hair, the tight curls bouncing everywhere as she paced the small kitchen. “I know, but it didn’t seem like a huge deal. It started shortly after I moved back in with the fax-machine calls, and I told you about them. Then this week on Tuesday the guy phoned. I contacted the police right away. They traced a couple of calls and discovered the prankster uses a disposable cell phone—there’s no way to track him.”
Maxine fidgeted with the dishes, stacking them as she spoke. “I didn’t know how to mention it to you. He called the last few days at dinnertime, and again around midnight. I’ve been turning off the phone so I can ignore him.”
Ryan reached to clasp her hand in midmotion. “Ignore him? Sweetheart, while I agree some things in life have to be accepted, others are warning signs of danger. This is one you don’t ignore, you fix.”
She pulled her hand away firmly and picked up the pile of dirty dishes. “Well, I’m not sure how you fix a person who’s got a juvenile sense of humor, when it’s impossible to track him. The police said they didn’t think there was any danger but they have been doing drive-bys every day since it started. I refuse to let some jerk chase me out of my home. Occasionally it just scares me a bit more, but that’s my imagination going overtime, not any real danger.” Maxine turned to the sink and started the water.
Ryan joined her at the counter, caging her in his arms and kissing her neckline. “Let me do some looking into it, okay?”
“But the police said nothing could been done.”
He laughed, nudging her out of the way to take over the dish washing. “Maybe the police can’t catch him, but let’s see if I can’t come up with a few other solutions. In the meantime, I’ve got my foreman completing the hookup for your system. Later today I’ll take you home and show you how it works.”
The musical notes of the “Ride of the Valkyries” rang through the room and Ryan searched for his cell phone.
“It’s not yours, it’s mine.” Maxine reached into her purse and checked the display. “Shit.” She made a face before answering it. “Hi, Auntie Maxena.” For the next five minutes, she barely got a word in edgewise. Ryan snorted as she rolled her eyes and attempted to rein in her aunt’s rambling discourse.
By the time Maxine broke free, the dishes were done and put away. Ryan looked at her expectantly from where he leaned on the counter.
“I have to go shopping to pick up some last-minute things for a surprise birthday party for my cousin. I’m sorry, Ryan, I…I just couldn’t say no.” She stepped between his legs and nestled into him.
“That’s fine. I told you I have to go out for a while myself.” He held her close and let her warmth soak into him. Oh God, he could get used to this. Maybe he was ready for more than he thought. He stared down at the top of her head. The urge to tell her about Carl rolled over him again. She’d understand if he explained how important it was to not upset the boy.
Maxine looked up at him, a curious light in her eyes before she grabbed him and pulled their mouths together. Her kiss was ferocious, almost desperate, and while he enjoyed it, he couldn’t stop from chuckling when she pulled away. Her hands clutched at his shoulders as she grinned back.
“What was that all about?” He squeezed her waist,
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