Mickey was waiting for Luci when she started back downstairs, her nose presumably powdered. Delaney had spotted Gracie and abandoned Mickey to Luci’s caprice. Halfway down, Luci stopped, her brows rising in a question.
“Delaney made other arrangements for lunch. So he won’t be here to protect you if you annoy me again,” he informed her. He’d used the time she was gone to lecture himself into a more rational frame of mind. It was ridiculous to let her keep pulling his chain. He was a trained officer of the law. A highly trained officer of the law. So she was annoying—and unexpected. He could handle both of those things. All he had to do was keep his cool. Think before he spoke—and after she spoke. Count to ten if he must. Or a million. Whatever it took.
Luci nodded, but a wary light crept
