Page 28 of You Can Make Me (Carnival of Mysteries #28)

“I’m just so glad you’re okay and you’re back. I missed you.”

I squeezed her arm and sat on one of the island stools. “What’s up?”

Her smile flickered, and she took in a breath.“First, I think you should change your codes. There was a guy snooping around your place yesterday. I talked to Audra, and she checked her camera. We don’t think he lives here.”

“That blows.” Audra Diaz was in the unit next door, and she worked for my agent. She and I had become besties since she moved in. Shit. Another person I’d been hiding from. I hoped she would forgive me.

“He was apparently looking at some packages you’d had delivered—we never canceled your coffee subscription or your Grove cleaning supplies, sorry. I forgot to even mention them. Audra has just been holding them at her place until I come over.”

I’d have to let Denny know. I hated to think of there being a creepy guy around the women in my life. Especially now that I was less able to protect them.

“Guess it’s a good thing we have a hunky ex-cop moving in.”

She beamed. “I’m so happy for you two!” Then she whispered, “He was so businesslike on the phone. I’ve been dying to see him in person. He’s so hot! Look at you with your silver fox.”

We were doing a celebration bump-slash-“Vogue” dance when Denny came back in with more bags. He stopped, frowned a little, then sighed as he dropped them in the foyer before heading back downstairs.

“Listen, I won’t stay long. I’ve stocked your fridge and put out fresh towels for you. I remade the bed. I hated the idea that things might have gotten dusty?—”

“Please, doll. Dust mites have no hope of survival with you around. You are truly the best. I can’t thank you enough. What I can do, however, is get you tickets to Gaga, and you can expect a hefty raise.”

She started to protest but I wouldn’t hear it.

Despite the fact I hadn’t been working, the network had been quite generous since I’d technically been injured on the job.

They’d covered my medical bills and continued paying my base salary.

I had a meeting scheduled with my producer in a week, which she said could be in person or via Zoom, if I preferred, and then I’d know more about what my future career path would be.

“You know that doesn’t matter to me, Cooper. I’m just glad…”

She burst into tears, and then I burst into tears. We were holding each other and sobbing when Denny came back in. He simply picked up a Kleenex box, walked over to us, and handed it to me.

“Thanks, Den.”

Ginny and I cleaned ourselves up while Denny stood there calmly, his expression amused.

“I’m just going to,” he said, gesturing to the bathroom, “and then we’re getting you lunch.”

“Yes, sir,” I murmured, giving him a salute, which had him grumbling as he left the room. I turned to grin at Ginny. “I’m in so much trouble.” I sighed happily. Having Denny here made this all a little less scary.

“I want to be in trouble, too. Can we clone him?”

That night, Denny and I were curled up in the lounger on our rooftop deck—fully clothed—looking out over the lights of the city with full bellies.

We’d opted to order meals in that day so we could get Denny’s things moved into my closet, which meant moving some stuff around.

I wasn’t a total clothes whore, but I had way more than him.

He really didn’t have much stuff at all, which made me want to wrap my life around him like a blanket and fill it with love, memories, and pampering.

He’d worked so hard for years, and most of it had been thankless.

Whoever his ex-wives were, they hadn’t taken care of him like he deserved.

I intended to correct that every day for the rest of our lives.

“I don’t want you to go back to work, Den. I want you to be my kept man. Let me spoil you.”

He chuckled. “I appreciate that, baby, but I’ve never not worked. I don’t think I’d do well being idle.”

I rested my chin on my hand on his chest. “What about that project you and Gene talked about? Consulting on missing persons cases? Or…ooo! We could work together! Maybe I pitch a new segment, we find a pretty face to do the screenwork, but we do all the legwork. You’re great at research too.

We can tell stories that need to be told. ”

“No one is prettier than you.” Denny smiled and brushed my hair out of my eyes. “Do you know how happy it makes me to see you excited again?”

I waggled my eyebrows and tiptoed my fingers down his stomach. “I’ll show you excited.”

“I mean it, baby. You glow when you get talking about your work. You’re amazing, you know that? I’m…is it weird if I say I’m proud of you?”

I blinked at him and felt myself getting teary again. “God, I hate crying. Den, that’s…thank you. It’s not weird, it means a lot.”

Den kissed my forehead. “Cry all you want, all you need, and I’ll hold you. That’s what I’m here for.”

I patted his chest. “But I want you to be happy?—”

“I am. Let me take care of you and I’ll be happy.”

I’d had wealthy men who wanted to “take care of me,” but that was code for spend lots of money on me so they could have a booty call whenever they wanted, or a trophy on their arm. I knew when Denny said it, he meant it. He’d proven it over and over again.

“You know what would make me happy right now?” I rolled off him and stretched my arms over my head. “Some of that ice cream. Want some?”

“I’ll get it,” he said, but then his phone buzzed. He frowned at it and sat up.

“Everything okay?”

“It’s Walt.”

“I got this. You take care of Walter.”

I went inside, leaning heavily on my cane, tired from the day’s work. After we’d had lunch, Denny led me through some thorough stretches, and after my nap, I felt much better. A bit like a cranky toddler does after resting, but I’d take it.

Ginny had left several tubs of ice cream from my favorite local place, so I scooped two bowls and turned to head back outside.

“Jesus!”

I nearly dropped the bowls. Denny was standing at the counter with a scowl on his face. I hadn’t heard him come in.

“What’s wrong?” I set the bowls down and walked around the counter to stand beside him.

“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about, but Walter said he wants us to come over after he gets home from work tomorrow. Dee Dee wants to see you.”

I stood a little taller. “Oh. Well, that’s good, right? Sam said you told Gene you wanted me to talk to him.”

Denny nodded. “Yeah, I think it would be good. I guess…I wanted you to be more settled before we dive into all this?—”

“But that’s why we came back, isn’t it? To start the process of reclaiming my life now that I’m physically improved?”

He slid his arms around my waist, his expression serious.

Before he could speak, I held up a spoonful of ice cream. “Try this first.”

He opened his mouth, and mine fell open as I watched him close his lips over the spoon and pull back, swiping at it with his tongue.

“That’s good,” he said, but I was captivated by his mouth. I reached up to touch his lips and moaned.

“God, I love your mouth.” I couldn’t help it.

I know he wanted to talk, but all I could think of was how delicious he’d taste after consuming mint chocolate chip.

”I have an idea,” I said, leaning over to grab Denny’s silly Magic 8 Ball, which he’d set on the kitchen counter.

“Let’s consult the oracle. Oh, Magic 8 Ball, is it time to get back to business? ”

I shook the plastic sphere as he slid his hand in the front of my pants, making me groan.

He stopped fondling me long enough to look at the triangle. “ Outlook Good . Fake fucking fortune teller. What kind of bullshit answer is that?”

“See?” I said, as he stroked me. I spread my legs to give him a little more access. “I can handle it.”

I fed him some more ice cream and kissed him in between bites, until he stepped back with a growl and pulled off his shirt. I yanked his sweats down, and he kicked them off, then he went to work on my clothes.

“Cooper, baby. Are you sure?—”

“I am. We’ll go. But right now, I want?—”

He grabbed handfuls of my ass and went to work on my neck, his cool mouth giving me the best kind of chills.

“Yeah, that. We can talk tomorrow.” I ate a couple bites of my ice cream while he continued working me with his eager hands. When my knees buckled, he carried me into the bedroom and set me gently in the middle of my king-sized bed.

“I missed your bed,” he said, reminding me of the weekend we’d spent here so long ago. “It’s nice and big.” He stroked himself as I spread my legs for him and ran a hand along the juncture of my thigh.

“It’s your bed now. Come get reacquainted.”