She blinked as if coming out of a daze, and desire shimmered in those blue eyes. If she didn’t go now, all his good intentions to make being together again special would be tossed out the window. “Go to bed, Kendall.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Never. I’m hanging on to my control by a thread.” He took her hand, turned it over and dropped a kiss to her palm. “This is going to happen between us, but not tonight. Go.”
“Humph.” She pranced away with a teasing sway of her hips.
“Minx,” he muttered with a chuckle. He glanced down at his crotch. “Down boy. Not happening tonight.”Boywas not at all happy.
He was going to be up for however long it took to read all the emails that had been sent to Kendra Hartley and decided to make a cup of coffee. He’d just sat back down when his phone chimed, Grayson’s name on the screen.
“I’ve been expecting your call,” he said on answering. “You read the one Kendall sent you tonight, right?”
“Yeah. It’s him, and it’s troubling. I forwarded it on to the profiler. Hopefully, we’ll get something back from her soon.”
“Agree on the troubling,” Cooper said. “He’s taunting her, telling her that he knows her real name.”
“Yes, and I’d bet everything I own that this is the same bastard who took Livie.”
Cooper agreed. What if Kendall hadn’t called him? He didn’t even want to think of her and Livie unprotected while an overworked detective tried to identify Livie’s kidnapper. He made a mental note to call Rossi tomorrow, find out if he’d learned anything.
“I think the person who wrote that email is a very disturbed man,” Grayson said.
“My question at this point, does she do a podcast and talk about the missing children being in a better place? That ifanyone thinks that, they’re wrong, or something like that? The aim to goad him into keeping him communicating with her.” He wished to God there was a better way, and they didn’t have to ask her to respond to the man.
“It’s something to consider, and she did agree to do it, but first, I think she should answer his email. Open a line of communication with him. Of course, we’ll draft the response to him for her. We can discuss that when we meet tomorrow.”
“Okay, but if she doesn’t want to answer him or do the podcast, I won’t force her.”
“Agreed. It’s her decision.”
“I have a favor to ask. How would you feel about Livie and Ruby spending the night at your house tomorrow?”
“We’d love to have them. Tyler will be excited. Any particular reason?”
“Kendall’s stressed out and scared. I’d like to give her an evening away from worrying about what’s going to happen. A night just for her.”
“Say no more.”
“Thanks, brother.”
“No thanks necessary. Talk tomorrow.”
Now to plan for her adult evening without spoiling the surprise.
Chapter 18
“Tyler wants to have a slumber party with Livie and Ruby tonight,” Cooper said.
Kendall glanced at him over the rim of her coffee cup. “When did that come up?” She wasn’t sure about Livie being away from her overnight. What if she had a nightmare?
“When I talked to Grayson last night. I think it would be good for her. She loves playing with him, and she’ll have Ruby with her.”
Livie and Ruby had quickly become besties, the dog not letting her new friend out of her sight. “I’m not sure Livie’s ready to be away from us. What if she has a nightmare?”
“Believe me, Harlow and Grayson will be right there for her if that happens.”
“I don’t know.” She would be safe with the Montanas, Kendall knew that, but what if something happened and she wasn’t there?