Free Beatrice and Douglas by Kelly Lucille Page B

official
like, unless you think this blessed détente will have a short shelf
life?”  Again, not subtle.
    “We’ll be there.  All official like.”
    Beatrice rolled her eyes at that, poking him in the chest
hard.  Keeping her mouth shut was almost too much for her.  He
smiled, then leaned down and kissed her pursed lips, quickly before she could
bite him.
    “You do that.”  With another laugh, Jack hung up.
    “What was that?”  Beatrice had her eyes narrowed
dangerously.
    “He wanted to make sure we were coming for the barbeque.”
    “I got that.  What was that other thing? 
‘Together . . . All official like’ . . . what does that even mean?”
    “Means the family will be seeing us as an official couple.”
    Beatrice lost the ability to speak briefly.  Then her
voice rose a little too high.  “When did that happen?”
    Douglas Bruce canted his head a little to the side and
studied her calmly.  “You appear to be panicking.  Are you saying we
aren’t going steady?”
    Beatrice opened her mouth and then closed it again; finally,
there was nothing to do but laugh.  “You’re enjoying this a little too
much.”
    Instead of answering right away, he plucked her off her feet
first, making her gasp in surprise.  One arm behind her back, the other
under her knees, he carried her up the stairs and through the doors of the
B&B.  “I’m going to be enjoying it a whole hell of a lot more as soon
as I get you to a bed.”
    Beatrice crossed her arms over her chest and fought to keep
a straight face.  “I don’t know.  I’m kinda out of the mood.”
    “No problem.  We’ll work on your inability to recognize
a dick, and go from there.”

Chapter 9
     
    Unfortunately, their plans lasted about a minute.  As
they walked into the lobby, Mrs. Peal was dithering at the counter, and when
she saw them, she threw her hands up most dramatically.
    “Oh, I am so sorry.  There has been a break in and the
police are requesting we stay in the lobby until they get here.”
    Douglas put Beatrice back on her feet.  She walked
forward until she could take Mrs. Peal’s hand.
    “Are you all right?”
    “I am so sorry.  This has never happened here
before.  This is a small town.  Nothing ever happens here.  I
think I’m in shock.”
    “Just breathe.  You’ll be fine.  No one was hurt?”
    “Goodness no.  I was in the back.  Usually people just
ring the bell if they need help during the day, and I was watching my morning
shows and I didn’t hear anything.  I’m so sorry.”
    “You weren’t hurt.  That’s what’s important.”  She
looked at Douglas and he stepped forward.  “Really Mrs. Peal.  No
worries.  Other than my cell phone, all of our important stuff is locked
up securely at the site.  All I had here was a few clothes and a
toothbrush.”
    “Beatrice is right.  Don’t worry on our account,”
Douglas said as the door opened behind him.  He turned in time to see a
pair of uniformed officials come inside.
    There were two of them.  They were both skinny with
brown hair and receding hairlines.  Both sets of brown eyes studied the
scene with mild suspicion.  One was older and wearing a sheriff’s badge.
They looked enough alike to be related.
    “Ruth?” The older version looked from her to the woman
holding her hand and the man standing so close beside her. “Everything all
right here?”
    “Of course not.  I was robbed!”
    “Right.”  He looked them over carefully.  Mostly
he was studying Douglas.  “These your guests?”
    “Yes.  It was their rooms that were ransacked.”
    “You two been up there since it happened?”
    “No.”  Douglas leaned back against the counter going
for casual, in the hopes that it would ease the suspicion vibes coming from the
sheriff. “We were at breakfast and then exploring your lovely shops.”  He
jingled the bags in his hand.  Though why they might think he would
ransack his own room he didn’t bother to ask.  He just tried