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material help Chloe Lissander had given Nikki, her life had been an inspiration to help Nikki forgive her parents for emotional scars that couldn’t compare to what her mentor had endured.
    â€œYet she inherited the house over her stepbrothers?”
    â€œApparently Chloe’s mother paid for the house. Giving it to her daughter after the stepfather’s death was his way to make amends, perhaps.” Nikki shrugged, never having been able to wade through the family politics effectively. The Ralston family was well known in this part of Virginia, with Harold the patriarch a longtime councilman and active member of every local club and volunteer organization. He was staid and somber to Chloe’s wild and unconventional. The two had never seen eye to eye.
    â€œAnd you think these stepbrothers could have reasons for not wanting you here beyond the obvious land grab?” He cleaned his plate and shoved it aside, giving her his undivided attention.
    The effect of those eyes probing hers was unnerving. Or, if she was honest with herself, exciting. Swallowing hard, she reached for her iced tea before she answered.
    â€œI think they fear the unexpurgated version of her diaries for some reason.” Them and half the county. “I’ve been waiting to read them all as a set once I find the two that are missing. But supposition says they’ll be as racy as the fictional erotica.”
    His eyes glowed a warmer shade of blue at the mention of the sexual content.
    â€œUnexpurgated?”
    â€œUnabridged. You know, the original version before the author and the publisher scrub out parts that could be libelous. It’s common knowledge that Chloe gave her permission for all the original, unedited diaries to be published after her death.”
    â€œAnd how would vandalizing the house prevent that? Are you in charge of those diaries?” The methodical mind was at work again, she could hear it in his tone.
    She should be relieved he wasn’t thinking about the heat that lurked between them, but she missed the warmth of that knowing gaze of his. She was playing with fire to have him here, close enough to touch, all the while knowing she shouldn’t get involved.
    â€œSome of them. But even I don’t know the location of the two that went missing long ago. Chloe hid them at some point, then apparently forgot their location as dementia set in.” She gestured toward the dilapidated house with a sweeping arm. “She asked me to do everything possible to be sure all the diaries are found and released as she promised her fans. I mean to do everything in my power to make sure that happens.”
    A cool breeze chilled her skin as the torches died down.
    â€œSo maybe your vandal doesn’t want you to find those diaries.” He reached across the table and laid a warm hand on her arm. “Are you cold?”
    From anyone else, the gesture would have been harmless enough. But she’d been attracted from the first moment she’d seen him half-naked. The tug of sensualinterest had been confirmed in no uncertain terms this morning when he’d introduced himself. And any defense against the attraction had been sandblasted away by his help and thoughtfulness throughout this draining day.
    She wanted Lieutenant Brad Riddock. Badly.
    â€œI’m okay,” she managed, her voice cracking on a dry note while his palm made her heartbeat flutter like a sixteen-year-old girl’s.
    She would have eased out from under that touch if she could have, but her body scoffed at the very idea. Besides, he would move his hand of his own accord any second now. Right?
    But the moment drew out. They sat motionless, touching without speaking, until it became a grown-up game of chicken. Who would draw away first?
    â€œI want you to feel safe here,” he said finally, sliding his palm down her forearm toward her hand.
    Stroking her? Or taking the scenic route away from her body?
    She tracked