Page 32 of Kane (Ghost Ops #4)

“Definitely a date,” Daphne said, turning to watch Alex again.

“How do you know?” Kane asked.

“Loose hair, red lips, and she’s wearing jeans. Fitted and dark, like a casual version of her pants suits, but still jeans.”

“Huh,” Kane said. “Guess you’re right.”

Alex picked up his beer and took a drink. “Good. Means she won’t be strutting over here to annoy us.”

Daphne bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. She was fairly certain Diana Corbin didn’t strut anywhere.

Amber arrived to take orders. Everyone ordered prime rib.

Daphne got a glass of white wine since she wasn’t driving.

For the first time in weeks, she felt as if the tension she’d been carrying like a weighted blanket had melted away, at least for a little while.

A good orgasm—two, in fact—could do that for a person.

Beneath the table, Kane’s leg brushed against hers. The first time it happened, she thought it was an accident. The third time, she turned her head casually to look at him. He did not stop talking to Ethan across the table, but he brushed her leg again and she knew he’d done it on purpose.

Which wasn’t a problem except that every time he did it, a bolt of electricity zapped along her nerve endings and into her core, leaving her aching and wanting.

Two could play that game.

She kicked out of her sandal and put the bottom of her foot on his leg, rubbed it casually. She felt his body tighten and she refrained from laughing.

“Oh look, there’s Paisley,” Callie said. “Paisley!”

The librarian turned. Her gaze skimmed over them and it seemed as if she looked pained for a moment, but she waved.

Daphne joined the other women in waving her over to join them, but Paisley shook her head apologetically and pointed at her wrist as if to lament the time.

Then she was gone, grabbing a To Go bag from the bar and heading for the door like there was a lion nipping at her heels.

Daphne frowned. Paisley had been so friendly and sweet when they’d had book club at the library a few nights ago.

She was new in town, learning her way around, and they’d asked her to join them permanently.

She’d explained she had a four-year-old daughter at home so she might have trouble with meetings sometimes, but they’d all agreed the book club was meant to be fun and they’d make it work. Paisley had said yes.

Could be a child care issue that had her running out without coming over to say hello but it seemed more abrupt than Daphne would have expected from someone as chatty as Paisley.

By the time they got their food, ate, and spent time talking, it was almost eight o’clock. A country band was coming on at nine and Rory tried to get everyone to stay for it, but Kane shook his head.

“Can’t. Gotta install Daphne’s security system.”

“Is that what they’re calling it now?” Rory said with a lift of her eyebrows.

“Cute. Daph, you coming to help?” he asked, giving her a significant look.

“I guess I have to since you’re doing me a favor.”

With many apologies to Rory for missing the band and lingering goodbyes because nobody in the south ever left the first time they said they were going, they finally walked out of the Dawg and over to Kane’s Yukon to get the equipment.

“Oh, I’m so glad I ran into you again,” Colleen Wright said as they walked past the back patio of her shop.

They stopped and she glided over in a cloud of incense and cigarette smoke. Reba was sitting at the small patio table, a mug in her hand. She waved and Daphne waved back.

“I wanted to give you this, my dear,” Colleen said, taking Daphne’s hand and pressing something hard into it.

Daphne looked at the object on her palm. It was a shiny black crystal with a silver chain.

Colleen explained. “I didn’t think you were going to come in for one of my protective crystals but I knew you needed one, so please accept this as a gift. Black tourmaline will help to keep you safe from negative energy.”

Daphne’s heart jumped into a higher gear. “Thank you. But why do you think I need it?”

“I don’t know, but my spirit guide tells me you do. And it’s my duty to provide that which I can.”

Kane slid an arm around her and anchored her to his side. Her body had become strangely cold but his warmth helped. “Daphne’s safe with me,” he said. “I won’t let her come to harm.”

Colleen smiled indulgently. “I know. But think of this as an extra layer. Nothing more. I’ll let you kids get on with whatever you were doing. Don’t forget the cemetery tour tomorrow night. We start at nine p.m. sharp. Reba’s testing the kombucha now. Free samples before the tour for all guests!”

Kane guided her toward the Yukon while Colleen returned to her patio and Reba.

Daphne clutched the black tourmaline in her hand, her mind throwing increasingly worrisome scenarios her way.

When they reached the Yukon and Kane unlocked it to retrieve the gear, Daphne slipped the necklace over her head.

The chain was longer than she’d thought and the crystal dangled almost between her breasts.

“Why do you think she’s so convinced I need a crystal?”

Kane sighed as he hefted the bag and shut the door.

“Honestly? She probably knows something happened because she watches everything that goes on in this parking lot. She might have seen Ethan arriving the other night, seen us leave soon after. The woman isn’t stupid and she can put two and two together.

As for why she gave you the crystal?” He shrugged.

“Maybe she wants you to pay for the cemetery tour, or tell people about it, or tell them about the crystal. I don’t know.

Or it could just be that she’s trying to be helpful and thinks this is the way. ”

Daphne took the crystal between her fingers and rubbed it. “Probably right. It’s pretty though. Could have been something huge and ugly, I guess.”

“Looks nice on you.”

“You’re just saying that because of where it lays.”

He put a hand to his chest and feigned shock. “Are you suggesting I like it because it’s nearly between those perfect breasts of yours?”

“Pretty much.”

He grinned. “Doesn’t hurt, I’ll admit.”

He lifted his head to look around the parking lot, and then bent and kissed her, his hand sliding around to cup her ass and give it a squeeze before he pulled away.

“C’mon, let’s get upstairs,” he said. “I need to get this system set up so I can get you naked again.”