Childfinders, Inc.: An Uncommon Hero by Marie Ferrarella

Childfinders, Inc.: An Uncommon Hero by Marie Ferrarella

Author:Marie Ferrarella
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2001-10-15T00:00:00+00:00


Chapter 12

For a fleeting moment, Ben thought of pressing his advantage. Instinct told him he definitely had one and that he could.

All he had to do was reach for her again.

Somewhere in his mind, the phrase about discretion being the better part of valor surfaced.

With a smile, Ben lightly touched her cheek with the back of his hand again. “All right, I’ll go. Thanks for the list.” He touched his shirt pocket. “Tell Jesse I’m sorry I missed him.”

She was getting a reprieve. From what, she wasn’t sure, but the feeling was there nonetheless. Pulling herself together, Gina nodded as she accompanied him to the front door.

“He’ll be sorry he missed you, too.” Maybe because she still hadn’t gotten her complete bearings, she admitted a little more to him than she ordinarily would have. “He’s always been a friendly kid, but I’ve never seen him take to anyone as quickly as he has to you.” That goes for Jesse’s mother, too, she thought, except that in her case, she was doing her best to block out her response to Ben.

He flashed a grin. “He’s a great kid.”

She touched his cheek, tempted, yearning, then let her hand drop. “Thank you, I think so.”

A gust of wind assaulted her, ushering in rain the second she opened the door for him. Reflexes had her pulling the door shut.

Gina blew out a breath in surprise, then looked at Ben. “Wow, they didn’t say it was going to turn into a storm. Maybe you’d better wait it out.” She didn’t want to send him out when it was coming down like this. It was close to flash-flood conditions. “It can’t last this way all night.”

Temptation reared its head. Temptation that had nothing to do with furthering the case. Ben hesitated, then made a decision that was based on nothing that remotely had to do with common sense or his work ethic. Just his sense of decency.

“That’s all right, I think maybe it’s better if I do go now.” He looked out the narrow window next to the front door. “Does look pretty bad out there, though. Want me to go pick up Jesse for you?”

“No.” The answer was immediate. She knew it had come out too emphatic, too loud. The next moment, she tempered her tone. “That’s very nice of you to offer, but I’d really prefer to get him myself.” She added a coda to make it sound more believable. “I have something I need to drop off with Kyle’s mother.”

Maybe it was just his nature, making him suspicious, but he had a feeling she was making the last part up. Something had her nervous and it wasn’t just him.

“Thanks, anyway,” Gina said.

“Well if I can’t be of any use, I might as well leave.” He turned up his collar, then picked up the umbrella he’d left standing in the corner, a small pool of water gathered at its tip where the rain had dripped down.

Ben paused just before opening the door. “Would you



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