Free What's a Ghoul to Do? by Victoria Laurie

business with pleasure."
    "Ah," Steven replied with a roll of his eyes. "More ground rules."
    "I'm a by-the-book kind of girl."
    "Yeah? Well, that makes one of us," Steven said as he got out of the car and held the door open for me as I exited.
    He walked me to the door and I inserted my key and opened it, then felt an arm snake around my waist and pull back me into his broad chest. A moment later we were kissing again, and I realized I'd just thrown the rule book out the window.

Chapter 4
    Gilley was sitting on the couch when I entered my condo. "I was wondering when you'd come home," he said, pointedly tapping his watch.
    "It's only eleven. What? You were thinking I'd be back by eight?"
    "Well, after I got out of Mama Dell who your date was with, I figured you'd be back about the time the wine was served."
    I gave him a look and crossed my arms. "I can be diplomatic, you know."
    Gilley snorted and pulled his legs up onto the cushion. Patting the space next to him he said, "Come, sit, and tell me everything!"
    I walked over to him and sat down with a sigh. "There's not a lot to tell," I began.
    "Is that why your lips are all red and swollen?" he asked me, cocking an eyebrow.
    I rubbed them subconsciously. "It's cold outside. They must be chapped."
    "Really?" he said.
    I widened my eyes innocently and changed the subject. "Anyway, Steven and I worked out an agreement. We've been hired to work on his grandfather's hunting lodge."
    "Good girl!" Gilley said, clapping his hands. "When do we start?"
    "Tomorrow."
    "What? Are you kidding me?"
    "What's the big deal?"
    "The big deal, M.J., is that my night-vision camera is still in the shop. And I think my spectrometer is on the fritz and needs a tune-up. The only things that are working with any sort of regularity are the thermometer and the monitors in the van."
    "Why can't you just go to the repair shop in the morning and see if they can hurry it up? Steven has some things to wrap up at the hospital, so we won't be leaving until late afternoon."
    "Fine," Gilley said moodily. "Give me the deposit check so we have some cash and I'll get it out of hock."
    Oops. "Uh … yeah, about that deposit check…"
    Gilley narrowed his eyes. "Please tell me you got a deposit check."
    "I got a deposit check."
    "Really?" he asked, his voice sounding hopeful.
    "No, Gil. I didn't. I forgot, and I'm sorry."
    My partner glared at me. "Maybe if you had your head on business rather than on playing tongue tag I'd have a check right now."
    "I'll call him in the morning and have him cut one right away, okay?" I said, exasperated.
    "Good for you. Now, how was dinner?"
    "It was good."
    "What'd you eat?"
    "Shrimp scampi over angel hair pasta."
    "Was there wine?"
    "Yes, a really good chardonnay."
    "Did he like your dress?"
    "The way he checked out my cleavage suggested he did."
    "Was there dessert?"
    "Nope. We talked business and I came straight home."
    "How was the kiss?"
    "Really good, he's got great li— Hey!"
    "Gotcha!" Gilley laughed.
    "I'm going to bed," I said, getting to my feet.
    "Good idea," Gilley said, standing up himself. "If we're going on this little excursion I might as well get in some nightlife."
    "You're going out? Now?"
    Gil gave me a winning smile. "A boy's gotta have his fun, sugar."
    "Fine. But I'm going to be in your kitchen expecting you to be ready to roll at nine a.m."
    "Oh, please," Gil said with a flip of his hand. "You'll be in my kitchen expecting coffee and cinnamon rolls."
    "Well, as long as you're baking," I said, smiling, then headed to my bedroom as Gil walked toward the door. Remembering something, I paused and turned back to Gilley. "Listen, can you do me a favor in the morning?"
    "What's that?"
    "Can you do your computer hacking thing and dig up any dirt you can find on Steven and his father? The one person he hasn't mentioned to me is his dad, and how he fits into all of this. See if you can find out anything about their relationship for me."
    "Father and son don't get