Midnight Shadows by Ella Grace Page B

her lack of anger, Ian didn’t question when she pulled him toward her closet. This woman continually surprised and intrigued him.  
    She opened the door and pushed her clothes aside, mostly jeans and t-shirts, which was her usual attire. Another surprise was the door she revealed behind the clothes.
    “What’s this?”
    “Our old playroom…when we were kids. Mama insisted our bedrooms be connected and Daddy insisted we had to have a private playroom where we could share secrets. He had this room built for us. We stopped using it when we got older, but I found a new purpose for it when I moved back.”
    Sabrina pushed open the door and they stepped inside. The room was about half the size of her bedroom. Shelves filled with books, dolls, Lego sets, puzzles, and board games covered one side of the wall. Normal playroom stuff. It was the rest of the room that blew Ian away.
    In silence, he stood before a wall filled with information on the very people he’d been investigating. Just at a glance, he could see she had found some things he hadn’t. But he had information she apparently hadn’t yet uncovered.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “I guess the same reason you didn’t tell me.”
    “No. I didn’t tell you because I figured you’d be angry that I was pursuing something you felt I should let go.”  
    Her green eyes skittered guiltily away and Ian felt the gut punch to his soul. “Dammit, when are you going to stop trying to protect the whole damned world?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    Ian grabbed her shoulders and pulled her around to face him. “Yes, you do. I know you, Sabrina Wilde. You’re worried that you might have attracted evil men to your town, but instead of involving people who care about you, can help you, you’re trying to do this alone. Why wouldn’t you let me help?”  
    But he already knew the answer to that. Not only was she trying to protect the whole damn town, she was trying to protect him, too.
    He shook her slightly. “Why do you protect everyone but yourself?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous, Ian. This isn’t about protecting anyone. I—”
    “It damn well is and you know it.”
    “I didn’t get angry when you told me you’d been working this case without me. Seems like the least you could do is extend the same courtesy.”
    Arguing would do no good. And she had a point. “You’re right.” He looked at the charts, similar to his own. “So, if I show you mine, will you show me yours?”
    “Why, Mr. Mackenzie.” She batted her eyes at him in exaggerated flirtation. “Are you propositioning me?”
    Pulling her close, he dropped a kiss on her forehead, her nose and then a long, lingering one on her soft lips. “You’re damned right.”
    She grinned. “Good. I’ll take you up on that proposition, both literally and figuratively.” She nodded at an overstuffed chair a few feet away. “But first, have a seat and let me wow you with my impressive investigative skills.”
    The anger and defensiveness were gone as if they never existed. He loved that about her. Loved her mercurial moods. Her easy ability to move on, focus on the bigger picture.
    Ian sprawled into the chair she’d pointed to, prepared to be wowed. She never disappointed.
    “I know we probably have a lot of the same information. I'll go over what I have. You can fill in any blanks.”  
    “Sounds good.”  
    As if she were teaching a class, Sabrina grabbed up a marker and using it as a pointer, shared with him what she had discovered.  
    As she went into detail, giving him information, much of it he’d already uncovered, he watched her. Green eyes glinting with excitement, beautiful mouth tilted upward. Her slender body practically vibrated with energy. He loved watching her work. Sabrina always approached a case like it was a puzzle to be unraveled, and when she found clues or connections, her delight in the discovery was like a kid at Christmas.
    “Cruz was born in Mexico.