Ghost Mortem (Ghost Detective #1) - Jane Hinchey Page 0,34

heart fluttered at the sight. Why did my one weakness have to be currently adorning a cop? So unfair.

"Miss Fitzgerald." He nodded his head in greeting and I squinted, imagining him in a cowboy hat. Yep, that was all that was missing from my little fantasy.

"Call me Audrey," I said. "Only my bosses call me Miss Fitzgerald and it's usually when I'm being fired."

"Bosses? As in...plural?"

I shrugged, leading the way up the garden path. "I'm a temp. Hence I have a lot of temporary bosses."

"Word on the street is you're now the owner of Delaney Investigations?" He rapped a knuckle on the sign that was attached to the wall by the front door.

"Word on the street?" I snorted. "You mean the Firefly Bay Police Department received the news that Ben's will has been read. I'm sure you have a copy of it and you're here now to see if I had motive for wanting my best friend dead." Sliding the key into the lock, the door swung open and I ushered him inside, not missing the hint of color in his cheeks. Yeah, that's why he was here all right.

"Almost, but no cigar," he said, coming to a halt in the living room and standing with hands on hips, legs planted. My eyes traveled the length of him, from the corded thighs to the chiseled chest and broad shoulders. His face was easy on the eyes too, the five o'clock shadow dusting a strong jaw, up to his stormy grey eyes that were currently giving me an equally thorough inspection. Heat rushed to my face and it was my turn to blush.

"Are you..?" Ben danced in front of me, peering closely at my face. "You are!" he crowed. "You're blushing!" He laughed, then laughed some more. It was incredibly difficult to ignore him with Detective Galloway standing a few feet away. "Oh this is priceless." Ben's mirth continued unabated. "Audrey has the hots for a cop! If this doesn't take the cake!" He doubled over, holding his belly.

"Will you quit it?" I grumbled.

Galloway blinked in surprise. "Quit what?"

"Not you." I dismissed him with a wave of my hand and hurried toward the kitchen. Distract him was my one thought, or he was going to think I was an absolute loon.

"Who then?" he pressed, following me.

"I was talking to myself." I fiddled with the coffee machine like I knew what I was doing. Lord, but this thing was complicated. Why couldn't Ben have a simple old Keurig like I did? Pop in a pod and boom, you're done. "Coffee?" I offered, trying to get Ben's attention so he could do something useful like instruct me how to use the damn machine.

"Sure."

"Please." I indicated a stool at the breakfast bar. "Make yourself comfortable. Would you excuse me just one second?" My need for the bathroom hadn't been a lie at Brett Baxter's apartment and the need was becoming quite urgent. I clamped my knees together, concentrated on my kegels and shot off toward the guest bathroom without waiting for a reply.

Ben followed me in, but I shooed him out. "Seriously? I need to pee!" I whispered, waving my arms to shoo him back through the wall he'd appeared from. He must have been waiting outside, because as soon as he heard the toilet flush he was back.

"Jesus Christ, Ben," I complained, washing my hands, "can I not have two minutes to myself?"

"What? You're decent."

"And can you not cackle like a hyena when I have company?"

"I'm just sorry I didn't get to see this while I was alive," he replied with a grin.

"See what?"

"You. All flustered and fluttering your eyelashes at a man."

"I did not!" I protested.

He laughed. "Oh, you did. I have to admit, with all the boyfriends I've seen you with, I've never seen you act like this...with any of them. Maybe Galloway's the one."

"All the boyfriends?" I snorted. "You make it sound like I've had hundreds. And Galloway is not the one."

"Ahhh, you are aware you treat boyfriends like your career? Temporary."

"What!" I was shocked. "I do not."

"Lemme see…never make plans beyond two weeks." He ticked off on one finger. "Never let them meet the family." He ticked off on another finger. "Never give them a drawer at your place—or vice versa." He paused in ticking the list off. "Actually I'm not sure you ever fully spent the night. Didn't you used to kick them out, no sleepovers?"

I narrowed my eyes, hating that he was right. "What? I don't sleep