Whispers from the Dead (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 2) by Karen Ann Hopkins

community.”
    “There’s the trundle bed in the cabin. Daniel can use it.” My words spilled from my mouth unexpectedly and after simultaneously seeing Rowan’s shocked look and Daniel’s huge grin, I instantly wanted to swallow them back down.
    “That would not be appropriate, Serenity,” Rowan admonished.
    I glanced at Anna who was staring at me with a look of understanding, and maybe a bit of envy, thrown in. I narrowed my eyes at all three of them. I was a grown woman and a sheriff to boot. I didn’t need to explain myself to these people.
    “Look, it might be inappropriate for your Amish sensibilities, but it isn’t for us. This will give Daniel and me the opportunity to discuss the case without interfering with your household,” I placed the plate that I had been holding onto the stack of other dishes with a clank .
    I walked to the door and plucked my jacket from the peg. Meeting Rowan’s gaze steadily, I added, “This isn’t going to be a problem, is it?”
    Rowan’s already dark eyes became black pools. There was an incredibly long pause before he said, “Of course not. I forgot my place. You aren’t one of us and you can do as you wish.” Rowan picked up his hat and told Anna, “I’ll get your horse hitched up.”
    After saying a quick goodbye to Anna, Daniel and I followed Rowan out the door. The rush of cold air was refreshing after leaving the overly warm confines of Rowan’s small kitchen. Daniel stopped at his Jeep just long enough to grab a duffle bag and then he met me at the cabin’s door. I glanced over at Rowan’s rigid form moving quickly towards the barn and shouted out, “Good night.”
    Rowan raised his hand and replied, “I’ll see you both in the morning.”
    Once we were inside the dark cabin, I stumbled over to the bed and flopped down on it.
    “The matches are in the basket on the counter,” I told Daniel.
    I hadn’t bothered to put the sleeper sofa back together that morning and with a sudden racing of my heart, I became aware of the possibilities of what might happen with Daniel and me spending a night alone together. As I waited for Daniel to light the three oil lamps in the room, I silently scolded myself for offering the trundle bed in the corner for Daniel’s use in the first place. I should have swallowed my pride and just listened to Rowan. It would have been a whole lot less complicated if Daniel was sleeping on the couch in the main house, instead of a few feet away from me.
    When the lamps were glowing, Daniel went to work on the wood stove, cleaning the ashes out and adding several logs. I watched him intently as he quietly went about his business, falling right into rhythm of his old Amish ways. I admired the calm and detached way that he prepared the cabin and was also blazingly irritated that he was so easily ignoring my existence in the room. It was as if he knew we had all night together and he wasn’t in any kind of a hurry.
    Finally, after a very long ten minutes or so, Daniel passed by me on the bed and sat down on the trundle. When he met my gaze, he smiled smugly and said, “Cozy little place isn’t it?”
    His suggestive tone set me off. “Don’t even think that the two of us sharing this cabin is going to lead to anything remotely romantic. We are here on business…and that’s it.”
    Daniel didn’t lose the smirk when he shrugged and said, “Trust me. I’m not delusional about our relationship in the least.” He leaned back leisurely and his brown eyes were sharp when he went on to say, “But we are two consenting adults who are highly attracted to each other. I’m happy to help you in any way you need on this trip.”
    Part of me wanted to pull out my gun and shoot him, and the other wanted to have my legs wrapped tightly around him. The warring sides battled within me as a frustrating tingle began to develop in my groin. I looked back at Daniel, feeling confused and angry. Why did this man have such an effect on me? A mere