Page 15 of Taken by the Ripper (Time for Monsters #9)

“Umm,” she said to break the silence in the room. “These are for you.”

She lifted the corners of a cloth from her basket, which harbored a dozen biscuits within, and placed them on top of the desk, making sure to leave the remaining cloth inside for when she would need it soon.

“Biscuits?” His eyebrows lifted nearly to his hairline. “I didn’t know you baked.”

“I don’t.” She laughed and shook her head in a self-deprecating manner. “Norma made these. I hardly have extra time to visit you here, let alone stand in front of the kitchen for hours on end.”

“Then I feel very fortunate, indeed, that you chose to spend what little time you have by paying me a visit.”

“Ah, well, you’ve taken time out of your busy day to stop by the infirmary. I could at least show a little appreciation for the flowers.” She smiled as she took another sip from the mug. “And for the coffee.”

He shifted a little closer, and she swore he would be able to hear the way her heart pounded should he only lean forward the slightest bit.

“I can now see that flowers were not the right gift for you.” He smirked, his gaze flickering to the mug in her hands. “Seeing as you do enjoy hoarding my coffee.”

She laughed and shook her head sadly. “Coffee has turned into a want rather than a need. I cannot purchase it any longer. So, I will take yours any chance I get.”

Oh no. Was she flirting back?

Not at all. This was necessary for her task for the Ripper. It meant nothing. Therefore, she could either distract him or seek a reason for him to leave her alone with the documents. But she must make a quick choice.

However, she realized the choice was already made for her when Claude took another step toward her until his tall frame towered over her, highlighting the amusement shining in the blue of his eyes. Amusement and…

Something else.

Interest. Passion. She wasn’t sure. But did she really want to find out?

“Now I see the real reason you visit me,” he jested. “You only like me for my coffee.”

“You caught me,” she replied, but the sudden frog in her throat caused the words to escape as a rasp.

This was a terrible idea, getting caught up in this. By going out that night and getting cornered by vampires, she had involved herself in something big and could do nothing other than see it through.

Even if it meant deceiving a detective with her less-than-wily charms. She’d never had to attempt to charm a man, but it appeared as if she hardly needed to make the effort with Claude.

He leaned closer until his fingers skimmed over the fabric of her sleeve. Momentary panic crashed into her when she realized exactly what she’d encouraged. Not only that, but what must be done.

She cared for Jack. He was not the monster everyone thought he was. He deserved a chance to accomplish his admirable goals without the risk of a knife to his throat no matter which way he turned.

Therefore, she would help give him whatever chance he needed to succeed.

She set the mostly empty coffee mug aside and focused her attention on Claude.

Her fingers ceased trembling. Her pounding heart stilled.

Calm replaced her previous fear and uncertainty as she responded to his hesitant touch by leaning against the corner of his desk and moving her foot to rest against his.

As if bolstered by the action, he more daringly cupped her elbow. His thumb caressed her arm. “Am I in the wrong to believe you stopped by because…well…because I hold some form of your affection?”

Her throat seemed to close up, making speaking difficult when he looked at her like that . With hopeful eyes and a hesitant twist of his mouth. Like he would be absolutely crushed should she reject him.

“You don’t skirt around, do you?” she whispered.

“Not one bit.”

He stepped impossibly closer, his hand now resting on her waist rather than her arm. But he stopped advancing and tipped his head to the side as if in question. Giving her a chance to push him away, to reject him and slip out of the room.

If this was the only way to help Jack and Claude, then she refused to stop now.

In a quick movement, she wrapped her leg around his and pulled him closer. He gasped in surprise moments before their lips collided in a kiss.

What she hadn’t expected were the accompanying emotions.

They flashed past so quickly that it was difficult to grasp onto one long enough to make sense of any of it. All she knew was she hadn’t expected to kiss him. And she hadn’t expected to want more.

Her grip on his leg tightened as she pulled him even closer, sparking an unexpected passion growing wild between them.

His arms looped around her until one of his hands held the back of her neck and the other cupped behind her knee.

A whirlwind of heat and joy and panic consumed her until she might as well have forgotten her own name when her mind momentarily refused to work.

She had to stop this. She had to get out of there.

With what little remained of her self-control, she shifted on the desk, purposefully knocking files and folders to the floor.

“Sorry,” she gasped.

“I don’t care.”

More parchment fell to the floor, his doing this time, as he swiped a hand across the surface to make room for her to sit more fully on the desk. Her stomach fluttered. Her blood burned. And for a moment, she wanted to throw everything to the ground to make room for both of them.

At least until the muffled laughter down the corridor reminded her of where they were, and that they weren’t alone.

She pushed him away and gasped, her face flaming with the heat of fluster. “I can’t… This is not the best… Someone will see…” She shook her head and stooped down to where the piles of folders and parchment lay scattered across the ground. “I’ll help you clean this up.”

“No, no, no. It’s not necessary.” He stooped next to her and gathered papers into his hands. “I can do it.”

He turned his back for the briefest moment, and she took that opportunity to snatch the Ripper files, stuff them into her basket, and cover them with the extra cloth she’d brought. She had to make a timely escape before he noticed.

“I-I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered, unable to look at him without her cheeks burning. She didn’t even have to feign fluster, unfortunately. “I-I-I have to go. My patients… And Norma…”

Not giving him a chance to reply, she spun on her heel and walked quickly out of the room and down the empty corridor. As she entered the main room, she was sure everyone must have noticed her flushed face and the way she smoothed down her hair as dozens of eyes trailed her departure.

She had not expected this to happen. This was not good. Not good at all.

Gasping in a breath of fresh air the moment she stepped outside, she leaned against the cold bricks of the building as she tried to catch her breath. Because Claude had stolen it. And she didn’t know if she could get it back.

She paused, doubting herself as she glanced down at the basket in her hands.

Claude was a good man. Deceiving him like this tore her heart in several different directions.

This was wrong. But what about Jack? She had growing feelings for the ghoul.

He and Claude could get hurt if she didn’t help and do what he’d asked of her.

But Claude…

Indecision warred within her as she bit her knuckle. She liked both Jack and Claude. It was impossible not to. She could not be courting two men. What would Jack do when he found out what happened today?

First things first. She had to burn the documents. And then she would figure out what to do from there.