I pressed myself to him to get more of him, more of his kiss and his arm at my waist slid down, his hand curling around my hip and, thankfully, he pulled me into him. This made me make a noise in the back of my throat, my other hand went down to press under his arm to wrap my arm around him and my fingers encountered the hard muscle of his back. At the feel of it, which I liked a lot, I pressed deeper. My chest into his, my h*ps into his and my tongue tangled with his as my hand held his head to mine and our heads moved. Switching position, then back, then again, and again, our lips locked, our tongues dancing, drinking, our bodies pressed deep, our arms caging each other in.

It was the best kiss I’d ever had, it could have been the best kiss in history and I never wanted it to end.

But everything ended, though the way our kiss did rocked my world.

Mitch tore his mouth from mine but I felt his forehead rest against mine before I heard him growl on an arm squeeze that took what little breath I had left, “Jesus f**kin’ Christ, baby, you can kiss.”

My eyes opened slowly to see his right there and I didn’t think because I couldn’t think and therefore I didn’t stop myself before I blurted stupidly and breathlessly, “Oh my God, that was the best kiss I’ve ever had.”

His fingers tensed against my scalp and his shocking reply was, “Damn straight.”

It was then I noticed we were both breathing heavily. Our breaths mingled against our lips which were still close. We were looking into each other’s eyes and neither of us had moved even a smidgeon away so we were pressed deep and wrapped in each other’s arms.

“Yeah,” he whispered, his arms going tighter, one side of his mouth inching up and his eyes going warm. “I could work with this Mara.”

I closed my eyes slowly.

Oh God. Now what had I done?

I opened my eyes and whispered back, “Mitch –”

Before I could say another word, there was a pounding at the door.

Then I heard my mother shout, “Marabelle Jolene Hanover! Open this f**kin’ door!”

That was when my body and face froze in terror.

Chapter Ten

Mom and Lulamae

I was frozen in Mitch’s arms. I felt his body go solid against me, his head jerking up and everything left my head as I heard the pounding at the door, my Mom shouting, my Aunt Lulamae, Bill’s Mom shouting with her.

Aunt Lulamae, arguably crazier and meaner than Mom. Double trouble.

I hadn’t seen them since I left home. I hadn’t seen them in nearly thirteen years.

God! What were they doing at my door after ten at night? In fact, why were they here at all?

“Open this goddamned, f**kin’ door!” Mom screeched.

“Fuck me,” Mitch muttered, his eyes looking over my shoulder at the door. He let me go and started moving that way.

I came unstuck, focused and sprung forward, grabbing his hand, tugging back hard and desperate. His neck twisted and he looked down at me.

“Don’t,” I begged on a whisper and my face must have expressed exactly the panic I was feeling because his fingers flexed around mine and his eyes narrowed on me.

“Marabelle!” Aunt Lulamae shrieked. “We’re not leavin’ until you open this door and give me my goddamned grandbabies.”

At her words, I instantly let Mitch go, retreated with quick steps, running into the coffee table and stopping as my terrified eyes shot to the door.

Bill. Bill had called them. Fucking, f**king Bill!

“Open the door!” Mom screamed but suddenly Mitch was in my space and in my face.

“Talk to me fast,” he whispered.

“My Mom and Bill’s Mom. Aunt Lulamae.”

“Bad news?” he asked.

I nodded. “The worst.”

“I thought you said you were the only relative local,” Mitch observed.

“They’re not local. They live in Iowa. I haven’t seen them since I left. It’s been thirteen years.”

His eyes flashed. “That assclown called them,” he muttered.

I nodded again.

“Marabelle!” Mom screeched.

“Seriously, keep it down or I’m callin’ the cops.” I heard Derek’s voice enter the cacophony.

“Fuck you!” Aunt Lulamae shot back.

“You’re not close,” Mitch noted, and my gaze went from his shoulder to him to see his eyes looking deep into mine.

“Things weren’t good at home,” I whispered and Mitch’s jaw went hard.

More pounding on the door then Aunt Lulamae, “Get your fat ass outta bed and open this door!”

“Stop shouting!” Derek shouted.

“The kids?” Mitch asked.

I shook my head. “Bill hates them just as much as me. The kids have never met either one of them.”

“Marabelle!” Mom shrieked.

“Get outta sight,” Mitch ordered and I blinked up at him.

“What?” I asked.

“Right, I’m callin’ the cops,” Derek stated.

“Go right ahead! I hope you do. You live next to a f**kin’ kidnapper!” Aunt Lulamae shouted.

“Mara, now,” Mitch clipped urgently, “outta sight.”

“I don’t –”

His hand came up to cup my cheek. “Now, baby.”

I nodded. Then I raced to the end of the hall where the door to the kids’ room was. I pressed against the side wall, prayed they slept deep and didn’t wake to hear this.

I knew this was wussy behavior but I didn’t care. There were reasons I left Iowa and both of them were standing at my door. Mitch was a big guy and he was a cop. I didn’t want him to be confronted with what he’d be confronted with but in that moment of sheer panic, all I could think was that it was better him than me. He could walk away from it. It was in my blood. It lived latent in me and I didn’t need that part of me waking up.

Therefore, I watched Mitch open the door just enough so he could stand in its frame but not enough for them to see me.

Then I heard my Mom say, “Well fina…who the f**k are you?”

“I’m Detective Mitch Lawson,” Mitch replied.

Silence then, Aunt Lulamae, “I thought Mara lived here.”

“Mara does live here,” Mitch stated very unwisely then, equally unwisely, he went on to lie. “We’re seein’ each other.”

“Mara’s seein’ a cop?” Mom asked, voice filled with shock, disbelief and revulsion like he’d said I was seeing a serial ra**st.

“Yeah, she is and she’s explained you’re estranged so I think maybe it’s best that you go,” Mitch explained.