“Me too,” Sept said, then lowered her head again. They’d started dinner after they’d changed clothes, but it’d been a slow process in between kisses and caresses. As Sept allowed herself to enjoy Keegan’s company, she felt like someone who’d been sick for months and she’d discovered her cure to rejoin the living on Keegan’s lips. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

  “My sister’s right. You’re a cop who sounds like a poet.” Keegan molded herself to Sept’s body and moaned when Sept put her hand flat against the small of her back.

  “Where’s Jacqueline tonight?”

  “Working late, then grabbing dinner, probably at the restaurant.”

  “She’s doing that because of me?”

  “She volunteered to give us some privacy.” Keegan’s fingers scratched at the elastic of Sept’s shorts. “It’s not something she’s had to do in a long time, so she didn’t mind.”

  When Noel had gotten married and pregnant soon after, she’d quit school. She’d explained to Sept she’d made her decision because family was the most important thing to her, not to please Damien. In Noel’s mind, family was the one constant that filled the void caused by the pain life threw at you, and it made the celebrations of your happiness that much more special.

  Keegan obviously felt that way about Jacqueline, and Sept didn’t want to make her choose between them. “We have a lot of fish here. Why don’t you call her?”

  “She’s fine,” Keegan said.

  “I’m sure she is, but tonight isn’t a one-shot deal. And if it’s okay, I plan to spend a lot of time with you, so it’d be unfair to make her eat out that much.” Sept pressed Keegan closer. “When we move to the naked cooking lessons I’ll make her reservations myself.”

  “You’re too much, Seven.”

  Jacqueline arrived thirty minutes later and laughed at Sept’s total concentration when Keegan had her put kosher salt and cracked pepper on the fish so they could throw it on the indoor grill. “You should be ready for chef status at Blanchard’s by next week,” she told Sept.

  “I’ll leave that to the experts, since I doubt I could charge fifty a plate for this.” As Sept spoke she measured four minutes on her watch and flipped the pieces over.

  “I’m sure you could get away with it if it’s coming out of Keegan’s kitchen.” Jacqueline sipped her wine and winked at Keegan, who was making a salad. “Should we set a day aside every week to have pajama cooking night?”

  “Just as long as you actually wear some, you’re invited,” Keegan said, and threw a broccoli floret at her.

  Sept scooped their main course onto the platter Keegan had handed her and placed it in front of her teacher. “Does it look edible?”

  “You did great.” When Sept put her arms around her, Keegan dropped her salad tongs.

  “You’re a generous grader.” The next kiss was softer, but Sept squeezed Keegan’s butt, since it was well out of Jacqueline’s line of vision. “Let’s eat.”

  Before Sept could protest, Keegan served three plates, placing the food on them so they looked like they’d come from Blanchard’s. She squeezed a good amount of lemon on each piece of fish before she handed it over, and nodded as if approving when Sept carried them to the table.

  “I should’ve listened to my mother when she said cooking was fun.”

  “You can tell her that Sunday, and that I can teach you plenty more.”

  “I can’t wait to start,” Sept said, and Jacqueline rolled her eyes like she didn’t believe they were talking about food. “You’ll see what a quick study I am.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Surely he could find something in the damn place to use, Novice cursed in his head. He’d cruised the street for less than an hour before he found what he needed to prove himself both to Teacher and his hunter. Only one of them could win this battle, and it wouldn’t be Sept Savoie.

  Finally, in the stockroom, he found a roll of twine next to a roll of brown wrapping paper. It wasn’t as good as the cord in his kit, but it would work.

  When he returned to the front of the store he’d broken into, Frieda Hearn sat whimpering where he’d left her. Unlike with Tameka, he couldn’t afford to have someone interrupt him, so he’d gagged her, then checked her ID. It wouldn’t please the gods as much to not hear as her life left her body and to not know her name. When Tameka succumbed to the pain, certainly Teacher had heard, but the blood would have to do this time.

  Frieda kicked Novice’s cutting hand when he tried to straighten her out to tie her legs, and he panicked as his fingers momentarily went numb. He wanted to hit her but didn’t have time for pettiness, so he flicked his knife against her chin. She sounded like she was choking against the gag at the sudden pain of the deep cut, but she did stop struggling.

  “Like I told the others, you should be grateful I picked you. I’m offering you forgiveness for your life. Now you’re worthless, but when I’m done you’ll go to my gods wearing a cloak of redeeming blood,” he said as he tied her ankles to the counter legs.

  The knife cut easily through her clothes next, and he folded the remnants neatly and stacked them close to her feet. He made the necessary markings with the blood from her face, and only when he admired his artwork did he realize he was humming.

  “Before we start…” He put his hand on Frieda’s chest and closed his eyes. It had been a lifetime since he’d touched a woman, or at least that’s how it seemed. With his eyes shut he could almost pretend she was his wife, but the moaning behind the gag ruined it for him. “Tell them I’m trying my best to get to them. What happened,” he looked into Frieda’s panic-filled hazel eyes, “it was my fault, but I’m doing my best to do as I’m told so I’ll see them again.”

  He cupped her cheek with his hand and leaned closer to her face. “Remember what I said—it’s important.” The muffled crying ceased in one loud moan.

  Then only Teacher was in his brain. The way Teacher chuckled as he started his true work meant he’d made a good choice. That laugh combined with his humming made this one easy. Novice’s lack of nausea assured him that he was evolving and growing into his new life.

  Novice held Frieda’s heart in his hand and said his wishes aloud as he lit the white candle. “Remember what I told you,” he said to the bloody organ. “You hold my heart just like I do yours.” He laughed because the words struck him as funny. In his mind Teacher’s laughter mingled with his until it was almost the same voice.

  “Remember, because I’ve forgotten nothing, and I want it all back. I’m tired of paying for my own sins.”

  *

  “You have to get some sleep,” Keegan said, and pointed at Sept to drag her attention to her face. “I mean it. If tonight proved anything to me, it’s that you have to be sharp.” When Sept sucked her finger in to the knuckle, any other reprimand was impossible to deliver.

  “Then I guess I should get going,” Sept said when she let go, right after biting the tip of Keegan’s finger gently.

  Keegan nodded but didn’t move from her spot, and didn’t protest when Sept lifted her shirt off. The way Sept stared at her chest made her nipples pucker until she felt like they were truly connected to her groin. She was like a pot of water under a low flame. Instead of getting up to let Sept go, she tipped her hips forward to make more contact with Sept’s middle.

  After dinner Sept had helped her clean up the kitchen. Jacqueline had wished them good night and taken her dessert upstairs, and she wouldn’t bother them again unless they had to evacuate for a fire. Then Keegan had led Sept to the den, sat her down, and offered to feed her the coconut cream pie she’d brought home. And the easiest way to do that was to straddle her hips.

  “You want me to go?” Sept asked, and Keegan nodded. She ran her finger through the meringue of the pie and painted Keegan’s right nipple with it. The slight touch made Keegan hold her breath and stop nodding when her head fell back. “You don’t really want that, do you?” Sept painted the other nipple.

  “At this point I don’t see me ever winning an argument or saying no to anything you want,” Keegan said as she straightened up. The way Sept was looking at her made her feel desirable.

  “I’m only trying to thank you for making me a coconut cream pie. Did you guess it was my favorite? Or do you have special powers of divining what I like to eat?”

  Keegan brought her hips down harder, trying to make the contact bring some relief to the pulsing between her legs. “Desserts really aren’t my thing, so I’ll pass along your compliments to our new pastry chef.” She anchored her fingers in Sept’s hair while Sept thoroughly cleaned off a nipple.

  “Do that, but I’m sure they must have taught you in culinary school that presentation is ninety percent of any dish. At least it is in my opinion.” Sept cleaned the other nipple with the same slow dedication. “If coconut cream wasn’t my favorite, it would be now.”

  “Your mother told me.”

  There was still half of the large piece Keegan had cut for them to share, but Sept pushed it away. “Why would my mother tell you that?”

  “I asked,” Keegan said as she unbuttoned Sept’s shirt. She had it completely undone when Sept lifted her hand and placed her fingers in the hollow under her throat. “I want to feel you.”

  “I want that too, but we have time,” Sept said, and Keegan followed the trail of Sept’s fingers as they traced an invisible line down her chest and between her breasts to the slight swell of her belly. The path ended when Keegan grabbed her wrist and leaned forward to hide her body. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not the skinniest woman you’ve ever been with, am I?” The shape of her body never bothered her until times like these, when she secretly wished for Jacqueline’s tall, slender figure.

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  Keegan could tell Sept was confused, so she sat up again and retraced what Sept had done, only this time on Sept’s body. When she stopped right above the elastic band of the boxers, she couldn’t find any extra skin to pinch. Sept was in extraordinarily great shape.

  “Nothing, but I can try to lose weight if you find that more attractive.” The offer would be a sure mood killer, but Sept had penetrated some of her defenses built by experience, and the accumulation of those experiences made her ask before she got hurt.

  “You would lose weight for me?”

  And there it was in one simple, hopeful question. “Sure, I could try. If that’s important to you, though, I should warn you that I’m not great at it.” I will not cry, Keegan chanted in her head.

  “You’re a great chef,” Sept said, and sat up so she could hold her. “You run a successful business,” she kissed her forehead. “But you’re a certifiable but adorable idiot.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “Well, you are if you can sit on top of me and ask me that. Only an insane person would tell you they want you to lose weight.”

  “Are you only saying that so you won’t hurt my feelings?”

  “No. I happen to think you don’t need to change a thing about yourself.”

  Keegan rested her forearms on Sept’s shoulders and tried to laugh. “It’s a small hang-up of mine, so forget I said anything.”

  “I have a better idea,” Sept said, and helped Keegan stand up.

  Any worry on Keegan’s part that their night was over ended when Sept picked up the pie plate, put it on the coffee table, knocked some of the cushions to the floor to make room, and took her shirt off and lay down. She then opened her arms for Keegan to join her, and when she did Sept promptly rolled her over to her back.

  “My mother can tell you what my favorite pie is, as well as what she cooks every year for my birthday, since we all get to request something. But if you want the answer to what I find attractive in a woman, only I know that.” She placed her hand on Keegan’s hip as she spoke and left it there. “If you want to know, you have to ask me.”

  Keegan’s brain had kept a perfect score of the wounds she’d received in her life, but her heart spoke as she looked into Sept’s eyes and easily asked, “What do you like in a woman?”

  “I like a smart, funny, compassionate woman with rosy pink nipples and curves.” Sept started to move her hand, and her touch made her words believable. But the truth was in her eyes, not her fingers. “Believe what you want, but I found all that in you the moment I saw you.”

  “Now I know you’re lying.” Keegan covered Sept’s hand with hers when she reached her breast. “When we met, you thought I’d killed someone.”

  “You can’t hold that against me forever, and I worked to prove I was wrong.” Sept lifted her hand with Keegan’s and kissed Keegan’s palm. “Right now I don’t want to know that anyone has ever touched you before me. Not because I’m the crazed, jealous type, but because this time belongs to us.” She kissed Keegan’s lips next but didn’t let go of her hand. “But the day will come when I’ll ask you that, and I’ll be very interested in the answer.”

  “Why?” Keegan asked, and ran her fingers over the familiar territory of Sept’s brows. It still surprised her how dark they were compared to the hair on her head. “Are you the crazed, jealous type?”

  “I want to know so when the opportunity arises I can kick their ass for making you doubt yourself.” Sept kissed her on the chest right above her heart. “You’re beautiful on the inside,” she kissed lower, “and I realize that’s what you say when you want to make someone feel better.”

  “Don’t forget ‘you have a beautiful mind.’”

  “You’ve got your feel-good lines and I’ve got mine, so don’t interrupt me.” Sept licked Keegan’s nipple that was now so hard it was dark red. “You’re beautiful, Keegan, and I wouldn’t change anything about you.”

  “Another feel-good line?”

  “It’s a more dignified way to let you know I think you’re hot, and you turn me on.” Sept placed Keegan’s hand flat on her chest and covered it with her own. “I could tell you something to be nice, and fake it if I really tried, but you’d see through that.” She dragged their hands down until they went under the elastic of her shorts and didn’t stop until Keegan knew the truth of what she was trying to say. “Some things can’t be faked, and this is my usual reaction to hot women who turn me on.”

  “I’m not interested in hearing about any one woman who turned you on before me either, but I do want you to touch me,” Keegan said, and she shivered at how wet Sept was.

  “Like I said, we have all night,” Sept said, but to Keegan she sounded winded.

  “But I can tell you want to go faster.” Keegan teased her by applying more pressure to what felt like stone under her fingers.

  “You’re trying to rush me?”

  “Come on, baby, there’s slow and there’s excruciating.” Keegan almost came when Sept sucked her nipple in and impatiently tugged down her pants. Before Sept could get her hand anywhere near where Keegan wanted it, her cell phone started ringing. “Please tell me you don’t have to answer that.”

  “Think nasty thoughts and I’ll be right back.” Sept kissed the nipple she was headed to next before she got up.

  The phone was sitting next to the gun holster Sept had taken off when she arrived and Keegan had asked her to change, and she’d actually forgotten about it. Sept stood in only a pair of underwear and kept her eyes on Keegan as she spoke. It was like lying under a scorching sun. This tall, somewhat unpolished cop made Keegan want to sit with her legs spread apart and beg to be touched.

  “Gran would be so proud,” Keegan said quietly.

  “Rope it off, call Nathan, and give me twenty minutes,” Sept said, then listened. “Just keep the area clear and call me if you have any problems with anyone telling you otherwise.”

  “Do I have to put my nasty thoughts on hold?” Keegan asked as she sat up and tried to put her hair in order.

  “When I catch this asshole I’m going to kick his butt in repayment for tonight, and yes, put all those on hold.” Sept grabbed her shirt but her pants were upstairs. “Keep in mind I’m the crazed, jealous type.”

  “You don’t have to be—I’m enthralled with you now.” She slipped her T-shirt back on and led Sept upstairs. “That’s what I remember Della telling my grandfather all the time.”

  “If I had a choice, I wouldn’t pick work, since I’m more than enthralled with you.”

  Keegan kept going until they were in the bathroom. “A shower would be a good choice before you go.”

  “Great idea,” Sept said, and took Keegan’s shirt back off. “Join me.”

  “I do that and you’ll need more than twenty minutes.”

  It was the shortest but most erotic ten minutes of Keegan’s life and left her knowing she’d need another longer shower, only with cold water, when Sept left. She watched Sept dress, adding the last piece of her wardrobe downstairs when she strapped on her gun.

  “I’m sorry about this,” Sept said at the back door.

  “Don’t be, Seven, but I expect you to make it up to me. And I’d eventually like to hear about what drags you away in the middle of the night.”

  “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but because we both don’t need to know every vivid detail of some sick person’s fantasies.”

  Keegan held on to her jacket opening. “Ugly things are like big pieces of furniture, don’t you think?”

  “How so?”

  “They’re easier to carry if two people share the load,” Keegan said and kissed her. “Get to work, and be careful.”

  “Get some sleep and I’ll call you in the morning.” Sept put her arms around her and held her. “We’ll reschedule tonight, and I promise I’ll make sure I can turn my phone off.” Sept kissed her, stepped out, and motioned for Keegan to lock the door.

  “When you catch this guy I may kick his ass myself,” Keegan said as she watched Sept walk away. “And I won’t reconsider unless this guy left a note with a map to his house pinned to the body Sept’s going to investigate.”