Page 112 of Fire Dancer

“Or three,” my mother murmured, licking her lips. Was she thinking of coffee, Conrad the cute waiter, or Captain Edwards? Maybe all three?

I cut off the thought. I really, really didn’t need to go there.

Ingo nodded curtly. “Yes, sir.”

Edwards stepped to the door, nodding absently.

I ushered them outside. “The brunch place — the Chinchilla — is right in the middle of town. You can’t miss it.”

They stopped on the porch, sizing each other up. Then Edwards stuck out an elbow in a shy, hopeful gesture. My mother sighed — so much suffering, all before ten in the morning — but finally wound her arm through his and sashayed away. And — double shocker — I even saw her flash Edwards a coy smile when he opened his car door for her.

Dashing little bastard, wasn’t he?

“Wow. That went well,” I murmured as they drove off.

Ingo grinned, sliding an arm over my shoulders. “It did. Though, the last thing I want to do now is write a report.”

I looped my arms around him, coming face-to-face. “Ah, but when you’re done, you can take a few days off…”

He smiled ruefully. “True. I have accumulated a lot of vacation time…”

A lot? He probably hadmonths. But I vowed to help him work that down in the near future.

I grinned, studying his lips. “You think you can survive a whole day off?”

He slid his hands up my sides. “Oh, I think we can find some way to fill the time.”

“Like helping me at the shop?”

He laughed. “If you need it, yes.”

“Or lending a hand around the ranch?”

He looked around, smiling at what he saw. “Just what I need for a little work-life balance.” Then he went all serious. “I swear, I’ll work on that.”

I smiled. “I swear, I’ll help you.”

We hugged, rocking back and forth slightly. Then we drew apart, and I walked him to his car, sending him off with a pat on his perfect ass.

“Go get that report written, mister.”

“And the request for vacation time filed,” he added, sliding into the Jeep. “See you later?”

I nodded firmly. “The sooner, the better.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

INGO

In the end, Captain Edwards let me off lightly. He was more focused on the demise of Gregor Hadik than my involvement, for one thing — and even more focused on Pippa’s mother. When I’d headed over to the Chinchilla to deliver my report, I found them deep in…well, not exactly conversation. More like a cross-fire of lusty, heated looks.

The Chinchilla also offered a couple of hotel rooms, and I couldn’t help but wonder if they offered day rates.

I also submitted a request for time off, but after two days of radio silence from Edwards — who might have claimed his own days off — I called in to the head office and made my request a statement of intent. Not,Can I take time off?butI am now taking time off.

And for the first time ever, I did. And I truly turned work off.

Pippa turned everything else on, and we spent the next couple of blissful days in bed or in slow, lazy meanderings around the ranch.