Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

SETH WAITED IN his living room, doing his best not to pace a hole in the carpet. After stopping by Teagan's home to pick up what she needed following lunch today, he agreed to take a nap like some two-year-old kid. Much as he hated to admit it, the nap did him good. That aggravating headache he'd had since getting conked on the head at the running trail was finally gone, and he could think clearly again.

Lunch was interesting, to say the least. Maddox told them to make a splash in Ardmore. Noah asked the waitress to seat them in the center of the room and treated Violet as though she was the only woman alive. He stroked her hair, trailed his fingers over her cheek, kissed her palm several times, nibbled on her fingers, and leaned over to brush his mouth over hers repeatedly. He'd even fed Violet bites of her dessert. Seth wondered if Teagan would allow him the same privilege. A conversation for another time, though. Truthfully, he'd wanted to do that, and much more with Teagan.

"Wish you'd settle down," Noah said. "You're driving me nuts with all that pacing."

"Bite me."

"No, thanks, partner. Violet is more to my taste."

"You were laying it on pretty thick in the restaurant."

"Playing a role, remember? It's how we're supposed to act."

"Violet is Teagan's friend and teammate. Although we have a role to play, I don't want you to hurt her."

Noah turned away from the window and glared at Seth. "Since when have I ever hurt a woman, Dixon?"

He scowled. "You know what I mean. Putting on a show is one thing. Toying with her emotions is going too far."

"Who says I'm faking how I feel?" his partner muttered.

Seth stopped inches from Noah. "You know what these women do for a living."

"Yeah, so?"

"Can you handle that?"

"Can you?"

"I'll deal. To do otherwise means I'll lose Teagan. I can't lose her, Noah. She's everything." And still he was taking her into the lion's den. What kind of boyfriend did that make him? Seth wasn't sure he could keep her safe.

His partner stared at him a moment, then gave a bark of laughter. "Never thought I'd see the day when you fell to the wiles of a beautiful woman. Now, I've seen everything."

"This isn't about me," he muttered. "This is about Violet. Do what you have to do for this operation, but know if you hurt her, you'll deal with me."

"Noted."

A moment later, the women laughed as they descended the stairs. When Teagan stepped into view, Seth's heart skipped a beat. He longed to take her into his arms and steal a dozen kisses, but he was literally frozen in place.

In his eyes, Teagan was always beautiful when they met for runs. Now, though, her beauty was off the scale. She wore a purple sheath with killer heels, and she'd done something to her eyes to make them look smoky and mysterious.

Finally, his muscles unlocked and he met her at the bottom of the stairs, extending his hand to her. When she placed her hand on his, Seth kissed her knuckles. "You look edible, Teagan Paloni. It's a good thing I always carry a weapon because, baby, the way you look will make you irresistible to every male at The Ranch. I'll have to beat them off."

She laughed. "I only have eyes for you, Seth Dixon."

Thank God. He'd hate to miss out on the next few decades with this woman because he beat down the competition and ended up in jail.

Noah stopped near Violet, who had watched the interaction between Teagan and Seth play out. "You look gorgeous, Violet," he murmured. "Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me tonight." He winked. "Even if we have to put up with two chaperones."

She smiled. "My pleasure. I've always wanted to go to The Ranch. Now, I'll get to see what the fuss is all about."

"Although the food is excellent, I'm not comfortable in that setting."

"Is that why your relationship with the attorney petered out?"

"One reason." He led her and the others toward the front door. "By the way, the grapevine in town says one or two members of The Brotherhood usually appear at The Ranch."

Seth frowned. "Are you serious? How did they get memberships?"

"Money talks."

"Can't imagine what connection The Brotherhood has at The Ranch. Their operation is centered in another part of the state."

"You'd be surprised. Besides, the connection may be nothing more than the potential to raise money for the cause."

"I hope you're wrong."

"So do I. If I'm correct, though, catching the attention of The Brotherhood's top brass will be easier."

"All right." Seth rested his hand on Teagan's lower back. "Let's get this done."

Soon, he cranked the engine of Teagan's SUV and drove toward the other side of Ardmore and The Ranch.

Twenty minutes later, he bypassed the valet parking to choose a parking spot himself. The thought of a valet pilfering through Teagan's vehicle didn't sit right with Seth. Knowing her tendency to have weapons in abundance, he'd guess she had a small arsenal hidden in her ride. He didn't want her weapons to end up in the wrong hands.

Seth backed into a parking space and turned off the engine. He took his time scanning the area, searching for trouble lurking in the shadows. When he was satisfied all was as it should be, he glanced at Teagan. "Ready?"

She nodded.

"You're armed?"

A slow smile curved her mouth. "What do you think?"

"I want you to have every advantage possible in case anything happens tonight." He doubted The Brotherhood would make a move on them at the restaurant. However, speculation was already hitting the airwaves about him. Burnett had given him and Noah a heads up before they'd left the house with Teagan and Violet.

That meant his brothers and parents would get in touch with him soon. He'd yet to decide how to handle the situation. The last thing he wanted was to hurt his family.

In this case, however, Seth didn't have a choice. Burnett was right. His family's role in this charade was as vital as his and his team's roles. Their honest reaction would sell the story for Seth. Still didn't mean he enjoyed hurting them.

"I'm covered." Teagan glanced at her teammate. "Violet, are you set?"

"Armed, but I feel naked going into the restaurant without my mike bag."

"If you need it, I'll get the bag for you," Noah said.

Seth exited the vehicle and circled the nose to open Teagan's door. He bracketed her waist with his hands and helped Teagan to the asphalt. "We're on stage," he murmured. "Mind if I kiss you?"

"I'll be disappointed if you don't."

He chuckled as he leaned down and captured her lips with his own. Lightning bolts sizzled along his veins. Although he'd love to linger right here, Teagan's safety was at risk in this parking lot, exposed to anyone who wanted to get at them.

Seth broke the kiss and stared down into Teagan's beautiful eyes. "Lady, you're a serious distraction. I'll have to be on my toes from here on out, but I just couldn't resist another taste of your sweet mouth." He wrapped his arm around her waist and turned to see his partner doing the same with Violet.

They walked across the parking lot and along the sweeping sidewalk to the front door of the restaurant. Since Noah had the membership card, he took the lead.

He and Violet stepped inside the large mansion first. Seth and Teagan followed in their wake in time to hear Noah give his name to the hostess.

The young woman smiled. "Mr. Mann, nice to see you again. Please come with me. Your table is ready." She escorted them to a table in the corner of the main dining room. A large river stone fireplace filled half the wall near their table.

Seth's muscles relaxed. Nice. At least he wouldn't have to worry about having his back to the room. After he seated Teagan, Seth bent and kissed the side of her neck. Her shiver brought a smile to his lips.

As soon as they were seated, their waitress hustled to the table. "My name is Charlie. I'll be your server for this evening. What drinks may I bring you?"

Seth looked at Teagan. "Sweetheart?"

"Water with lemon."

"Same," Violet said.

"Make that four," Noah added.

The server blinked. "Water with lemon for the table. If you're ready when I return, I'll take your dinner orders." She hurried away.

Violet laughed. "I think Charlie is disappointed in us."

"She's probably expecting a terrible tip since we're not drinking something exotic from the bar." Noah wrapped his hand around Violet's.

"We won't stiff her," Seth said. "Servers work hard for little pay. Any idea what you'd like to order, Teagan?"

"I'm a woman with simple tastes. A six-ounce sirloin, baked potato, and a salad."

"Same for me," Violet said, closing her menu.

Charlie reappeared, carrying a tray with four large glasses of water and two small bowls of sliced lemons. After distributing them, she asked, "Are you ready to order or do you need a few minutes?"

"We're ready," Noah said. He placed Violet's order, then ordered the same for himself with a larger steak.

Seth followed suit as he placed his and Teagan's order. Once the server took their orders to the kitchen, he scanned the room, looking for patrons he recognized. He was surprised to find so many people he'd encountered enjoying meals here.

More than one pair of eyes met his and immediately glanced away. Some of them were filled with curiosity. Others were filled with disdain or disgust.

He sighed. Great. Looks like the Ardmore elite had already heard of his questionable tactics. Nice to know that the public believed everything they heard on the grapevine or read on the news sites.

"Seth."

He turned to Teagan.

"We'll set the record straight," she murmured.

But how much damage would be done before the department spread the news that he'd been working on an undercover mission?

She leaned close and brushed his mouth with hers. "I know this is hard. I've got your back, Seth."

He leaned in for a longer kiss, mindful of their audience. The last thing he wanted to do was be distracted enough to endanger the others, especially Teagan.

"So, since we'll probably be on an enforced vacation, what do you want to do tomorrow?" Noah asked, voice soft.

Seth gave a wry laugh. "I don't know. We haven't taken a vacation in years except for the occasional long weekend."

"We'll need to stay in the public eye as much as possible tomorrow," Violet murmured. "Otherwise, we'll have to do that much more work the rest of the week to raise our profile."

"Agreed," Teagan said. "Let's think about activities tonight, then make a plan after the meeting with your lieutenant."

The hostess seated two more parties at tables near Seth and Noah's. Time to start a new, neutral conversation. "What are your favorite movies and television shows?"

They were still discussing the merits of various television shows when the waitress returned to their table with their food. She distributed their meals, then asked, "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Noah shook his head. "Everything looks great, Charlie. Thanks."

"I'll be back to check on you soon. Enjoy your meals." She hurried off to a nearby table.

Violet cut into her steak. "Man, the chef did a perfect job preparing this steak."

The others chimed in their agreement.

After they'd finished part of their meal, Violet said, "I think we pretty well covered movies and television shows. What about your favorite books or book series? Hit me with your best recommendations."

That started another lively discussion. When they'd nearly finished their meals, raised voices caught Seth's attention. Their waitress, Charlie, was doing her best to calm an angry customer with little success. When the male diner grabbed the server's wrist, she flinched.

Seth was on his feet in an instant and heading toward the table with Noah on his heels.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Blankenship," Charlie said. "I'll take your meal back to the kitchen and have them prepare another steak." She tried to pull her wrist away.

Blankenship tightened his grip. "That's not good enough."

Charlie gasped. "Please, you're hurting me."

Seth wrapped his hand around Blankenship's wrist and squeezed hard. "Let go of the lady," he murmured as he applied more pressure.

The other man's friends rose to intervene until Noah flashed his badged. "Sit down unless you want trouble for yourselves," he snapped.

The other two men dropped back into their seats.

Blankenship released Charlie, glaring at Seth. "You have no right to interfere."

Seth pulled out his badge. "This gives me the right to stop you from hurting another person."

"My order is wrong. It's her fault."

"She doesn't cook the meals, dude. Charlie delivered the ticket with the food orders to the kitchen, then brought your meals when the chef finished preparing them. If you don't like the food, lodge a complaint with the chef, not the server."

"Is there a problem here?" A man dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and tie hurried up to the table.

Manager, Seth guessed. "Mr. Blankenship was just complimenting Charlie on her impeccable service, weren't you, Blankenship?" He glowered at the man, daring him to contradict Seth's statement.

Violet and Teagan flanked Charlie. The medic examined the server's red and swollen wrist, then said, "Charlie, would you mind showing me and my friend where the restrooms are located?"

Charlie glanced at her manager, who nodded. "Sure. Come with me."

Seth glanced at Noah and inclined his head toward the women. His partner left without a word.

"I hope your meal is satisfactory, Mr. Blankenship," the manager said.

When Blankenship scowled and opened his mouth, Seth edged closer, tapped his badge, and raised an eyebrow, daring him to cause more trouble for Charlie.

"Just drop this, Chad. We need to go," one of his companions muttered. "We're late as it is."

The three men rose and left.

The manager stared after them a moment before rounding on Seth. "What happened here? I know something more was going on than what you said when I asked. Blankenship has never complimented a server in his life. I'm sure he didn't buck the trend tonight."

He glanced at the man's name tag. "Blankenship was hurting Charlie when I insisted he release her, Stephano. He wasn't happy with me or his meal. He bruised her wrist."

Stephano sighed. "I knew something was wrong. That man is never satisfied, no matter what we do."

"He just left without paying his bill. Want me to track him down and book him?" It would be his pleasure to do so as one of his last acts as a police officer before resigning to go undercover.

The manager snorted. "I should. He's trying to wheedle another free meal from The Ranch."

"This behavior is a regular occurrence from him?"

"He and his pals come in at least twice a week, sometimes more often. They always complain about something, but two or three times a month, they pitch a fit over how the food is prepared and demand compensation. Usually, the only thing that will satisfy them is to have the meal comped."

"Do I have the pleasure of tracking him down, or do you have another method of dealing with deadbeat patrons like Blankenship and his buddies?"

"In this case, I'll add the meals to Blankenship's tab. He gets a bill at the end of every month."

"Do me a favor?"

"Anything. I owe you for getting rid of the guy before he could cause another scene."

"Add a very nice tip for Charlie onto his bill. If he gives you any trouble over it, call my cell." He handed the manager his card with his cell phone number scribbled on the back. "I might be out of pocket for a while and my schedule is pretty erratic, but I'll see that he pays the bill."

Stephano slipped the card into his shirt pocket. "I appreciate this more than you know. I'd love to comp your meals as a thank you."

Seth shook his head. "That's unnecessary. We like Charlie and were glad to step in."

"How about comping dessert for the ladies? At least let me do that. You're not taking advantage of Charlie's mistreatment. I'm glad to offer this as a token of my appreciation for your help."

"All right, but only for the ladies. Charlie really is an excellent server."

"She's the best we have."

"I'm sure she'd appreciate knowing that." Seth shook Stephano's hand. "I'm going to check on my girlfriend. We'll return to finish our meals."

"Desserts will be delivered to your table soon," the manager promised.

Seth tracked down his partner. Noah leaned against the wall across from the women's restroom, his gaze fixed on the closed door.

"Any problems with Blankenship and his posse?" Noah asked.

"None. He wasn't interested in tangling with two cops."

"Too bad. Some days, we don't get to have any fun."

"Any word about how Charlie is doing?"

"Violet sent me to the SUV for her mike bag. They've been holed up in there ever since I delivered it to her."

Five minutes later, Teagan opened the door and held it for Charlie and Violet to exit to the hallway.

"What's the verdict?" Noah asked Violet.

"Sprained wrist. I iced it, wrapped it for support, and gave her some OTC medicine to help with the pain. She's going to ice it after she goes home tonight. If it's not any better, Charlie is going to the doctor tomorrow. Right, Charlie?"

"I don't want to get into any trouble with my manager. I need this job to pay my school bill."

"You're not in trouble," Seth said. "Stephano knows exactly what went down at that table. If something comes of the interaction with Blankenship, call Noah. We'll set things straight."

Noah handed the girl his business card. "My cell number is on the back. Use that number if you need us. Our schedule is weird."

"Thank you for your help tonight. You were all so kind. I better go before Stephano worries." She hurried off.

Noah took Violet's mike bag and nudged her toward the dining room. "How long will it be before she recovers?"

"A few days. I told her to keep it wrapped while she's working for the next couple of weeks. Her wrist will need the support when she's delivering food and drinks to customers."

"I don't suppose the troublemaker and his pals are still here," Teagan murmured.

Seth wrapped his hand around hers. "No. Sorry."

"Too bad. I'd love to teach those jerks how to treat women."

"Seth and I will bring you and Violet back to The Ranch before my membership runs out. If your luck holds, your friend Blankenship will be here again."

Teagan inclined her head. "If we miss him, Violet and I might look him up later to have a chat."

"I'm not hearing that, babe," Seth murmured. "For the moment, I'm still a cop."

"Being a rule breaker is so much more fun." She winked at him.

He chuckled as he seated her at their table. Before returning to his seat, Seth bent and kissed the side of her neck. Another shiver from his lady.

As soon as he sat down, Charlie came to the table with four desserts resting on her tray. "These are the best desserts we have at The Ranch." She placed two large slices of chocolate cake surrounded by vanilla ice cream in front of the women, then set two big slices of apple pie with ice cream on top in front of Seth and Noah. "I thought y'all might enjoy apple pie better than chocolate cake. If you prefer something different, I'll be glad to bring it to you."

"This looks great," Noah said.

"Sorry, Charlie, but you're not getting any of these desserts back." Teagan smiled. "Although I'll have to run an extra mile tomorrow, it will be worth every bite."

Charlie beamed and hurried off to another table.

Teagan and Violet dipped their spoons into the desserts and moaned. "Man, this is amazing. No wonder this treat is so popular," Violet said.

Teagan picked up Seth's spoon. "Want to try a bite?"

His breath stalled in his lungs. Did she notice how much he'd longed to feed her bites of food during lunch, like his partner had been doing for Violet? "Sure."

She dug her spoon into the cake and ice cream before leaning close to slip the spoon into his mouth. The whole time he chewed, Teagan's gaze remained locked with his. "That's fantastic. Want to try the apple pie?"

When she nodded, Seth scooped a bite of apple pie and ice cream onto her fork and slipped the sweet treat into her mouth. Man, he wanted to kiss Teagan so much he had to force himself not to steal a kiss right there at the table. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop with just one kiss. "Which dessert is your favorite?"

A gorgeous smile curved her mouth. "Chocolate for the win every time." She winked. "Unless…."

"Unless what?"

"Unless your kisses are on the menu."

Holy smoke. "And if they are?"

"No contest. You win every round."

Oh, yeah. He needed to kiss Teagan Paloni more than he needed his next breath. "Teagan, you're killing me, babe."

"But what a way to go," Noah muttered as he fed Violet another bite of her dessert, then leaned close and stole a light kiss.

As they walked toward the front door a few minutes later, Seth casually scanned the room, noting several men keeping tabs on their progress. Those same men also watched Teagan and Violet with speculation and envy in their eyes.

He wrapped his arm around Teagan's waist, silently staking his claim. Yeah, it made him a Neanderthal, but that was tough. He didn't mind warning off the competition. Teagan was his unless she kicked him to the curb. Even then, he wouldn't give up without doing his best to win her heart. Early days yet, but he was crazy about this woman.

Noah escorted Violet out the front door, his hand resting on her lower back.

Seth stopped and spoke quietly to Stephano. "Do me another favor?"

"Anything."

"Make sure Charlie never waits on Blankenship's table again. She's worried."

"Already made a note of that for future reservations, but I appreciate you looking out for her welfare."

"Thanks, man." Seth slipped him a hundred dollar bill for his trouble and urged Teagan out the front door.

"Generous tip," she murmured once they were outside and out of earshot.

"Generous enough that he'll remember to assign Blankenship and his buddies to another server's section." He squeezed her hand as they lagged behind Noah and Violet. "Did you notice the tables of men near the front door?"

"Twelve men total, four at each table, each man wearing slacks and jackets of various shades of black, gray, or blue. While they were playing the roles of rich playboys, only two actually fit the part. They were the leaders of the group of men. The men seemed quite interested in you and your partner."

Seth chuckled. "Baby, they weren't watching me."

She glanced at him. "What?"

"They were watching you and Violet." He pulled her closer to his side, his large hand cradling her waist. "While I don't blame them, I didn't like it."

"You may have to get used to it."

He stopped and turned to face Teagan. "Why?"

She slipped her phone from her bag, tapped on her screen. After a moment, she turned it around so he could see two side-by-side photos of two men. "Meet Leon Peters and Boyd Richardson."