How to Kill Your Boss (31 page)

I rifled through my handbag to find my phone and pushed number one on my speed dial. Eddie Vedder’s haunting voice rose from Franklin’s derrière.

Franklin shook his head. “It’s just getting old now. The first twenty times, it was funny. Now? Not so much.”

I sauntered across the cherry wood floor humming the tune to my new favorite song, Pearl Jam’s “You Are,” and locked my arms around his waist. “You have got to be the hottest barista, ever. It’s gonna suck for me when you go back to work.” My babies roared to life against the hard muscle of his back. This man of mine was deadly sexy and the ultimate aphrodisiac.

He set his cup down, turned, and hooked a finger under my chin. “I don’t have to go back, you know. We could leave, travel the world until we find some place to call home.”

Oh, my. Talk about tempting. “But you love your job.”

Franklin gripped the sides of my head and tilted my face up to meet his. “I do. But you’re my life. You come first.”

I closed my eyes to absorb his words. They nourished me. “I won’t lie. Your profession scares the shit out of me, but I could never ask you to quit.”

He released me and walked around the counter to pull three coffee mugs from the cupboard. “Killer, you don’t know how happy I am to hear that.”

“Are we expecting company?”

“We are.” He poured cream and coffee into my favorite mug. “They’ll be here any minute.” His smile could’ve powered the entire city of Seattle for a week.

I quirked my brow at him. “What’re you up to?”

“Business.” He scooted the cup my way.

“Have you been wheeling and dealing behind my back?” I asked, wondering when he’d found time to talk to anyone. We’d been inseparable since he left the hospital.

“I had a feeling you’d want to distance yourself from Cruse Investigations. I wanted to make the decision a little easier for you. If you want to sell, it’s a done deal. If you decide to stay, no hard feelings.”

I looked up to find his eyes burning bright with amusement. “You do know me better than I know myself.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Well….”

The doorbell chimed. “They’re here.” Franklin slapped my ass and jogged to the panel to buzz the mystery guests in. He opened the door and waited, leaning against the jam. I stole that moment to admire him and enjoy a few sips of caffeine bliss.

A couple of minutes later, Lizzie burst into the room, all sunshine and positive energy. She engulfed me in her skinny arms, then leaned back to study my face. “Hi, Beautiful. You look so much better. The bruises have faded.”

I didn’t realize how much I had missed her until she stood before me, bright smile, eyes gleaming. Leland followed her through the door, stopping to chat with Franklin. He smiled bigger than I’d ever seen. Except for when he talked about, or to, my mother, which happened quite frequently.

Leland came my way and I jumped in for a bear hug. I could do that now. I was no longer under investigation. He didn’t seem to mind too much. Everybody needed hugs. Even rough, gruff detectives.

“Shall we get to it?” Franklin clapped his hands together and rubbed.

Lizzie squealed and bounced up and down on her toes. “Yes. I can’t wait to see the look on her face.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Franklin hooked my waist and pulled me to the counter. “Come here.” He lifted me onto the barstool, planted a kiss on my cheek, then poured coffee for our guests.

Lizzie claimed the stool next to mine. “Let me go first.” She turned to face me. “The Malted Maven is up for sale. Well, the whole building, actually. The owners want to retire and move to a drier climate.” She reached over and squeezed my arm. “I want to buy it.”

“That’s great Lizzie! You should.”

“I want you to be my partner.”

“Me? I don’t know.”

“Oh, shush. Listen, I have a business degree but no cash. That’s where you come in. You’ve got it coming out your ears and don’t know what to do with it. And get this, the vacant space next to the bar is perfect for a coffee shop. You could be surrounded by coffee all day long. Imagine that!”

I was speechless. But damn, she was right. I would love to run a small cafe. Why had I never thought of that before? “What about Cruse Investigations?” I glanced at Franklin like he would have the answer.

“I want to take that off your hands,” Leland chimed in.

“But, your job?” I squeaked.

He chuckled. “I retire in two years. Nan’s settled in as CEO. She can run the place, and I’ll learn the ropes in my spare time. I’m old, but not dead. Need something to fall back on.”

Wow. Just. Holy crap. “How can I say no?” I threw my hands in the air.

Lizzie jumped from her chair and hugged me hard. “You can’t say no. You love me too much. Oh, my God, Tate. We’re going to be kick-ass partners. Watch out Seattle! Wine, where’s the wine, or hard alcohol. Where you hiding it? We need to celebrate.”

Franklin showed her to the liquor cabinet and pulled down the glasses. Leland sat next to me. “How you holding up?”

I glanced to Franklin. He stood by the sink, hip against the counter, opening a bottle of Chopin Vodka. “I’ve never been better.”

“You’re a damn lucky woman, Miss Wood. Things could’ve ended on a very unpleasant note.”

I shook my head. “Nah, not lucky. I have a Franklin and a Leland fighting for me.” I winked at him. “I hear you’re going on vacation.”

“Yeah, I’ve never been to Florida. Thought I’d give it a whirl.” He smiled and patted my shoulder. “There’s a pretty lady down there I’d like to see.”

Oh jeez. Sappy. But it made me happy to think my mom might have a chance to experience mutual love. I couldn’t think of a better man for her.

As for me? I’d fallen and fallen hard. No going back to where I came from. No room for confusion or doubts about Franklin, and that was the one sure thing in my life. My job, my future—it was all up in the air. Franklin? He was for sure. He’d always be my home.

He always had been.

* * * *

After a week full of meetings with lawyers, bankers, and realtors, I was ecstatic to have a weekend alone. With Franklin. Who was soon to be my tenant.

He’d insisted I come to his place to help him with some things. On my way to meet him, I was shocked to find movers carting boxes into Jacob’s apartment. New neighbors. That was good. Maybe I’d bake some muffins for them when I got back. I couldn’t pass Jacob’s door without tearing up because I missed him, or fighting bouts of anger because I was still angry that he’d been forced into retirement and sent away somewhere top secret. I didn’t get to see him or say goodbye. Franklin assured me he was healing well and happy as a clam.

Although he’d stayed with me while recovering, I didn’t let Franklin move in. He’d put up one hell of a fight, but I held my ground. It was perfect. The man was still bossy and overprotective, it was his nature, but when it was too much, I merely had to show him to the door. And boy, was that fun.

“Thank you for letting me do this.” I hugged him for the third time and reached for the one remaining photo on the wall. He’d made me save that one for last. It was a photo of Mom, Dad and me on Easter Sunday when I was still in grade school. We were standing outside the church talking to some of their friends.

I brushed my fingers over the glossy five-by-seven. “That one has always been my favorite,” Franklin whispered. “You’re so sweet and innocent with your pigtails and frilly socks. I often pictured myself standing between you and Tony, like I was one of the family.”

His words tore a fissure through my heart. We had been his family, hadn’t we? From afar. I wanted to hate my father for what he’d introduced Franklin to at such a young, impressionable age. I couldn’t, though, because if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t know this beautiful, intense man.

Franklin cleared his throat. “Tate.”

I paused and glanced over my shoulder. Expectant delight danced through me at the sight of him rising from the bed and drawing close.

“I need to tell you one thing before you take that picture down.”

I turned and pulled his hips to mine. “Yeah?”

“The job can take me away at any time, for extended periods. I need you to know no matter what, I’ll always have your back. You’ll never be alone. Even when you can’t see or touch me. I’ll be there, keeping you safe.”

His words, the tone in which he spoke them, the penetrating gaze, made my heart palpitate. “You’re doing the creepy stalker thing again. Lighten up, will you?”

He smiled as he brushed his lips across mine. When I pulled the last picture off, there was a hole carved in the wall behind it. In the gap sat a crystal box.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Open it.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.

“Franklin.”

“Open it.”

I lifted the lid. The ring, perched in champagne silk, twinkled even under the dull light of the room. The delicate band, lined in two tiny rows of diamonds, met at each end to frame an octagon shaped, dark purple stone.

“What is it?” I asked with barely a whisper. I stroked the large rock.

“A purple diamond.” Franklin reached around me and pulled the ring from the box. “It’s incredibly rare. Like you.”

I turned to face him. My heart leapt through the roof when he lowered himself to one knee and captured my left hand. Tears blurred my vision. Emotion clogged my throat.

“Tatum Elizabeth Wood, I lived my whole life loving you from the shadows, never believing you’d be mine. By some miracle, you’re here with me. I hope you know I will never let you go. I’ll never leave you. Every day that passes, you’ll feel how much I love you. Will you please make my life complete and marry me?”

I dropped to my knees, because they were weak, because I needed to be closer to him. Just because.

I drew a long, deep breath. “Before I can even consider your proposal, there’s something I need. It’s something you stole from me, over and over. I want it back.”

“What, Killer?” he asked, fear settling across his face.

“A second date.”

His smile stretched from ear to ear. “I’ll give you a million second dates. Take you to the fucking moon if that’s what you want. Just say yes.”

“And a very long engagement. You’ve had years to get to know me. I need time to catch up.”

He blew out a nervous breath. “I can live with that.”

I wiggled my fingers, eager to feel the weight of his gift on my hand. He slipped it on, sealing my future. “I hate you Franklin Reed, with all my heart. I will continue to hate you with every breath I have until my dying day. Yes. Yes. Oh my God, yes.”

He kissed a tear from my face, groaned, and snuggled me tight between his arms.

“You don’t hate me,” he chuckled.

“I do. I really, really do.”

Krissy is a full time writer, reader and lover of all things romance.

Growing up surrounded by the great outdoors, life was full of adventure that fueled an overactive imagination and ignited a passion for storytelling. Whether it be dolls, or running free through the wooded areas surrounding her home, playtime always included a tormented villain, a damsel in distress and a larger than life hero.

After relentless encouragement from friends and family, she finally put the characters in her head to pen and paper. The only thing she loves more than curling up with a steamy romance novel, is cozying up to her desk and writing her own sexy adventures to share with others.

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Lyrical Press books are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018

Copyright © 2014 KRISSY DANIELS

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.

First Electronic Edition: JULY 2014

ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-623-0