Simply Sensual (Simply 3)

she didn’t want to displace Grace and take her bed, but Grace sensed Logan and Cat needed time alone.

Grace was left on her own, feeling restless and jittery. Adrenaline from her night with Ben floated through her veins, and with a long day stretching ahead of her, Grace couldn’t sit still. Besides, she had to have a talk with little Kurt’s mother before the child followed in his big brother’s footsteps—if he hadn’t already. Grace didn’t know exactly what his brother was into or how deep, but she couldn’t worry about getting him into trouble. Nor could she worry about her own personal safety. Not when a still-innocent boy’s life was at stake.

Grabbing her camera, Grace headed downtown.

Chapter Ten

His cell rang the moment Ben walked into his apartment. Visiting his mother had lifted his spirits—how could it not when nothing got her down? Knowing it was probably Emma threatened his improved mood, but why put off the inevitable?

He grabbed for the cell phone in his pocket. “Callahan.”

“Good afternoon!” Emma’s cheery voice came through the line loud and too clear.

“Hi, Emma.” He deliberately omitted any sentence with good in the equation.

“Late night last night?”

“I take it you tried calling this morning?”

“Why, yes. I wanted to warn you Grace’s brother was coming for a surprise visit, but I assume you found out the hard way.”

“Excuse me?” Ben nearly choked with guilt. The older woman couldn’t possibly have known anything was going on between himself and Grace. If she did, she’d kick him off the case and out of this apartment so fast his head would spin. Of course, since Logan now knew of Ben’s overnight activities, there was a good chance Emma would, too. Unless Logan wanted to protect his grandmother’s delicate sensibilities and had remained silent. Ben swallowed a laugh. There wasn’t one thing delicate about Emma’s sensibilities—if she even had any.

“I’ve been calling since nine. Not home last night, not home first thing this morning, out all afternoon. You’ve been busy. So, you know Logan and Cat have made an appearance… because you’re watching Grace’s every move, I mean.”

“Of course.” He shook his head. “I mean, yes, I know your grandson is here.”

If nothing else, Ben had felt free to visit his mother knowing Logan and Cat would keep Grace busy for the day. He hadn’t had to worry about Grace making a solo trip to the park or getting into another tangle with Kurt’s big brother.

“Logan’s a wonderful man,” Emma mused. “Took a little doing to get him together with Catherine, but I was up to the challenge.”

“Of course, you were.” Why did Ben suspect Logan Montgomery would have had an easier time getting together with Catherine if the older woman had stayed out of things instead?

“And Grace?”

His gut clenched at the sound of her name. With need. With longing. With more guilt than he could have imagined just days earlier when he’d taken the case.

He had no desire to reveal any information about Grace’s life to her grandmother. His client. The person to whom he owed his loyalty. He didn’t want to inform Emma that Grace had friends from all walks of life or that she had a decent job taking pictures for a charity brochure, a job that was a stepping stone to bigger and better things. He didn’t even want to reveal that she was happy. Anything and everything felt like a betrayal of the worst kind.

But he’d already accepted money for expenses on this assignment, already lived in an apartment Emma paid rent on, already put his mother on a waiting list for the next available space in the assisted living facility of her choice—a place where she could be among friends and retain as much quality of life as possible.

On a professional level, he’d promised Emma his best. On a personal level, he’d promised his mother even more. He owed them both. Refusing to think about where that placed Grace in the scheme of his life, he refocused on the conversation with her grandmother.

“I’m nearly done here. I have all the information you need to rest easy where your granddaughter is concerned. I just need another day or two to wrap things up on my end.”

To check out the attacker at the park and to let the police in on the other guy’s extra-curricular activities. Once Ben knew the cops were watching the attacker and the neighborhood kids who lived on the courts were keeping an eye on Grace in the meantime, Ben’s job here would be finished. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to move on and I’ll send you a formal report.”

Emma made what sounded like a choking sound and began to cough heavily into the phone.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes.” A few seconds of silence followed, then Ben heard what sounded like water being swallowed. “Sorry. What I was trying to say was I’m impressed with how fast you work.”

He thought of Grace lying naked beneath him. The older lady didn’t know the half of it. “Thank you,” he somehow managed to answer.

“I don’t need a written report. Your word is fine with me.”

“I appreciate that, but it’s how I always close a case.” And that’s what Ben was hoping for this time, too.