Disclaimer: I do not own Avenger or any of its characters.
A/N: OMG! It's been toooo looong! Sorry about that. Anyhow, here's a new chap! Enjoy ;]
Chapter 4
Okay, my hormones were thrilled to have such a fantastic looking man standing in my office, but not one is that good looking, and I'm not such a wimp that I cave to my body's hormones. I put on an indignant face and started to get up. The idiotic chair seized the moment of inattention and rolled backward. My head met the wall with an audible thunk.
I lunged forward out of the miserable piece of junk to avoid falling flat on my back along with the chair. Somehow I managed to land on my feet and, with great restraint, kept my hand from rubbing the sore spot on the back of my head. Thank God he did not laugh.
"Tasha, call the authority."
He turned to give Natasha a cold look. "I would not dare if I were you," he said with a quiet firmness that sort of frightened even me.
"Fine," I said with false bravado. "Then, I will call them myself."
His hand covered mine as I reached for the old black rotary dial phone on my desk. Sexual chemistry was well and good, however this was the sort of man I had feel a whole lot safer adoring from afar. With that warm, firm hand swallowing mine, I felt the surge of attraction clear to my toes. A tingle worked its way up my arm from the point of contact and short-circuited my brain.
"You followed us last night," he stated.
The closet-size office shrank away until there was nothing but him and I. My stomach did one of those quick roller coaster dips, and somehow I found my voice even, I pulled my hand out from under his.
"That is quite an ego you carry around," I managed. "But as a pick up line, it is quite original."
I would not have thought his eye could harden any further. I would have been wrong. Adrenaline was sending me all sort of mixed messages. Chief among them was the urge to flee.
He rocked back on his heels to study me. I was suddenly all too conscious that my hair was in its messy curly black hair and both my navy jeans and long light green shirt could have used the help of an iron this morning.
Not that I own an iron or would have been inclined to used it if I had one, but this man made me abruptly, stunningly aware that I was facing the mot fascinating man I had ever seen.
"You told Thanos where she was," he added without inflection.
I wanted to deny that charge, but of course I could not—any more than I could admit that was both drawn to and intimidated by this gorgeous male.
"Go away."
"How does it feel to know you conspired to murder?"
That sent a punch of a whole new sort to my insides.
"Whoa! What do you mean murder? Who is been murdered?" My intestines did a quick roll while my heart rhythm went staccato.
"That is what I'm trying to find out."
Perhaps the bump on my head had scrambled my hearing. I shook my head and focused on his lips.
"Okay, I think we need to back up here," I told him. "Who are you?"
He looked genuinely surprised. "You do not even know that?"
Now that really stung. "I did not bother to run your plate," I admitted. "And that really is some ego you have got."
He might be great eye candy, but I had about it with him and his gibes. He shook his head.
"Thanos must have adored your report if you left my name out. Unless… Of course. You abduct her–convinced her to return back with you as soon as I left."
He had pushed all the right buttons. Now I was furious, as well.
"Get out!"
He placed his hands flat on the desk and leaned in toward me. "Nay, I would not do such thing Mr. Laufeyson. You are to tell me exactly what you have said to Freyja."
I came around the desk to get in his face. Unfortunately I had not taken into consideration the difference in our height. He straightened up. At six feet and four inch, he towered over my six feet one inch frame, giving him the advantage. Unfortunately I was angry enough now not to care. I jabbed a finger in his chest, taking him by surprise.
"You do not come waltzing into my office throwing your weight around. I'm not afraid of you," I lied. "You want to have sex with a married woman, you take the consequences, you oaf."
"Sex? You think we were . . ." He swore.
"Right back at you, brute."
I was quaking inside, but I would die before admitting it. Though I'm licensed to carry a gun, I never do. Guns frightened me – but not nearly as much as he did.
He looked down at my hand, and I realized my finger was still pressed against his crisp white linen shirt. Aware of the scratches, I dropped my hand and fought an urge to take a quick step back. Instead I opened my mouth and more words came tumbling out.
"Why would I think the two of you were having adventurous endeavor?" I asked to cover the flush I could feel stealing up my neck. "Oh, wait. Could it be because you drove the very married Freyja across the state line to some sleazy motel? So sorry. I'm sure it was for an innocent, if illegal, poker game."
His eyes went flat. There was something very scary about the banked anger I read in his expression. I found myself taking that step back after all until my posterior came up against the edge of the desk.
In an instant all that scary anger disappeared. He regarded me with something that looked suspiciously like grudging respect mingled with humor.
"My brother will not be happy to hear you think his motel is sleazy."
My knee felt disturbingly wobbly.
"Your brother?"
"Balder and his wife spend their life's savings into building that 'sleazy' motel."
Oh, boy.
"You are not that least bit frightened of me, are you?"
If he only knew. I swallowed, grateful for thee acting classes I had taken in high school, and tried for a sneer.
"I did not know fear was a requirement."
More of his tension eased. He tipped his hear to regard me. It was all I could do to keep my hand from straying to my hair in a vain attempt to smooth the curls. If only I had gotten up when the alarm clock went off so I could have put gel on, like I usually do when I'm working. It makes me look older and presentable.
He definitely seemed amused now, and I did not like this reaction any better than his anger. Having a gorgeous man regard me with humor is not my idea of a compliment.
"We have strayed from the point," I told him in annoyance. "I would like you to leave."
"Alright. I heard you. Did you talk to Freyja and convince her to leave or did Thanos send someone after her?"
"I'm a private investigator you oaf. People pay me for information."
He reached in his hip pocket and produced a leather wallet. Taking some bills from inside, he laid them on the desk and stared at me with a questioning lift of his brows.
That fanned the flames of more anger. "You arrogant –"
I was so furious, I was starting to shake.
"You do not have enough money. Get out of here. I will see you in divorce court. I will be the one pointing a finger at you and telling the judge you are the man who was having the affair with Freya."
"Then you will be lying." He said calmly. "Freya is not my lover, she is my client."
That pricked my anger and filled me with confusion.
"Client?"
He reached into his wallet once more. This time he handed me a small white business card. Not the type I pull off my printer – this one was embossed in bold script. Heat, then cold, swept me as I stared at the name on the card.
"You're Thor Odinson?"
"You're not what I expected either," he admitted, "I assumed D. L Laufeyson was an old man."
We stared at each other.
"What is the D. L stand for anyhow?"
"Dangerous when Lied." I was still fuming with anger despite the hollow feeling in my belly.
He grinned. The man was gorgeous even when he was angry, however when he smiled, he was downright lethal. Oh those dimple.. Loki! Stop this instant!
"More like Dumb Loony to me," he said.
My teeth came together with a snap. "I'm not a loony, you imbecile! And absolutely not dumb."
He stared at me. "Looks more like a Liar, then."
My tummy quivered. The desire to melt was incredibly strong. Sternly I took control. This man had taken my client's wife to a motel room only the night before.
"I bet you get far with that puppy-dog look, are you not, Mr. Odinson? Hm.."
His smile invited me to share the humor.
"Generally speaking, yes. It does not seem to work on you though."
If he only knew.
"Everything all right, Lok?" Natasha asked.
I had forgotten all about Natasha and Clint. Apparently they decided I could handle the man and were just checking to be sure their assumption had been correct.
"Fine, Tash. Mr. Odinson was just leaving."
"Lok and I are just getting to know each other," he said at the same time.
"We are not," I said sharply. "I have no desire to know you. And do not call me Lok! It's Loki, you bit dumb oaf!"
Ignoring my insult, he said, "Why not? I'm a nice person and we have many things in common."
"We have nothing in common."
"We are both in the same profession, and this is a small community, after all."
"That is correct, so stay on your side of the river and we will get along just fine."
"Nay, I cannot do that. It appears we're on opposite sides of more than the river at the moment."
"There are no sides. I was hired to do a job and –"
"So was I," he interjected quickly. His features grew serious. "Freyja hired me to protect her from her husband. She has reason to believe he plans to kill her."
The matter-of-fact way he said that sent an icy chill straight up my spine.
"Listen, Loki, you seem like a nice child. I doubt you want something that on your conscience."
Child? He thought I was a child?
I pictured Hogan Delvecchi and tried not to shudder. Was it possible? Had I been used to set the woman up to be killed?
"She was not at the motel when I went to pick her up this morning." Thor continued. "No one saw her leave and she is not answering her call phone. What happened?"
"Look, Mr. Odinson –"
"Thor."
"Mr. Odinson," I said firmly, "I do not know what sort of ethics you have, but my job demands client confidentiality."
His expression hardened once more.
"I hope your ethics give you comfort when they find her body."
"You are not laying that at my door. I'm not the one she hired for protection. You are the one who left her alone in the middle of nowhere without a car."
He turned without a word and strode through the door.
"I will tell you this much," I called after his back, "I never spoke with Freya."
He did not break stride or say a word, but I gave him points for inclining his head to acknowledge Natasha and Clint as he passed. Clint gaped, standing there holding a tulip in one hand. Neither of them spoke as he strode out of the shop.
"Well," Clint said after a minute, sticking the flower into the arrangement in front of him. "Who's the stud?"
I leaned back against the door frame. My knees threatened to buckle at any moment.
"Thor Odinson."
"Oh, my," Natasha murmured.
Clint grinned. "Cool. I didn't realize he was such a looker. That one is definitely a keeper. Much better than your usual sort."
"Are you out of your mind?" I demanded. "I do not even like him."
He raised a single eyebrow. "Loki, all those sparks flying around in that itty-bitty office practically blinded me."
"What you saw was sheer rage on his part," I told him.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, and certainly not on your part," he said provocatively.
"Clint," Natasha chastised.
Clint looked unrepentant. "Tash, even you have to admit that man could inspire sparks in any human corpse."
"If he was not such a jerk and a moron," I inserted. "Emphasis on the jerk, Clint. He has an ego the size of Colorado. Besides, pretty boy are not my type."
"Loki, that was no boy, and I'd say he's every breathing human being's type."
"Clint!" Natasha protested. "Leave Loki alone. We need to get this arrangement finished. Lok, we have five orders that have to go out this afternoon – are you free to make deliveries?"
"Of course," I said absently, still fretting over my conversation with Thor. "I'm not in the mood to hunt cats again in this heat."
"Now, Lok, you mustn't give up. You'll find him," she replied. "I have faith. And I wouldn't worry about what that Mr. Odinson told you. I'm sure Mr. Thanos isn't going to kill his wife."
No, he had probably have Delvecchi take care of that detail for him, I thought sourly.
"Are you kidding?" Clint exclaimed. "I keep telling you that man has mob ties. If he wants her dead, she's dead."
"No one is going to die," I said with more force than it felt.
"Of course not," Natasha agreed. "And anyhow, it wouldn't be your fault. Like you told Mr. Odinson, if anyone screwed up, it was him. He's the one she hired for protection."
That did not make me feel any better.
I knew when I had decided to use the flower shop as my base that privacy was something I have little of, but while Natasha and Clint loved to gossip, we had an agreement that my cases were to stay private. I sincerely hoped they had honor that promise.
I stewed over the scene with the sexy Thor Odinson all afternoon as I delivered flowers to business offices and happy homemakers. Normally I enjoy seeing a person's reaction to receiving flowers, but today was hardly normal.
Once I finished my deliveries, I drove up and down the side streets near Tony's looking for cats. They, however, were not stupid enough to be wandering around in this heat. I did not blame them, but I was starting to worry about Mr. Jarvis. Tony had said the cat was old. It was really, really hot outside and we did not have rain in weeks. Would the poor little thing be able to find water? Would he be able to find food? I know hunting is supposed to be a natural instinct, but if the poor old feline was used to humans providing everything in a dish, how would he manage? Do cats get Alzheimer's? While I was heartily sick of looking for the little beast, I had felt awful if something bad happened before I found him.
Reluctantly I stopped at the park and got out for a quick look around. The only animal in sight was the flock of geese that had taken over the ball field. As they were bigger than most cats, I figured wandering in that direction was a waste of time and a pair of good shoes. Other than some small children playing on the playground under the weary eyes of their mothers, the rest of Lakewood was crammed into the sun baked pool, noisily trying to cool off.
By the time I got back to the shop, my shirt clung like an unpleasant additional layer of skin and my forehead was dripping sweat. For some stupid reason I could not stop thinking about a pair of flashing blue eyes and the gorgeous face that went with them. Why could not Thor Odinson have been some seedy middle-aged man with a receding hairline and love handles?
Clint was waiting on a customer. Natasha was in the office, on the telephone, with the shop ledger spread in front of her. I scooped up my portable computer and wiggled my fingers to let her know I was leaving when my cell phone rang. Setting the computer on the workstation, I answered the summons, half hoping it would not be another job. I was tired. But at the same time, for the sake of my bank account, I half hoped it would be a new client. Even an old one.
"D. L Laufeyson."
"Mr. Laufeyson, this is Thanos. I wanted to thank you personally for a job well done."
"Uh –"
"You may be called on to testify on my behalf in the divorce settlement. If that happens, suitable recompense will, of course, be given. I was foolish not to insist on a prenuptial agreement. I'm afraid it's going to be an ugly divorce. My wife appeared in my office this afternoon and created a most embarrassing scene in front of my staff over those photographs you took."
"She did?"
Freya was not dead. She was not even hurt. And instead of sounding angry, her husband sounded genuinely embarrassed. My relief was amazing.
"She claims she's been trying to break off her relationship with Mr. Odinson for weeks now," he went on.
Shocked, I stared at an African violet sitting out on the counter in the back room for some reason. Thanos knew who Thor was. And Freyja had admitted to have an affair with him. I pushed aside a pang of regret. The pretty boy had lied to me.
"Freya claims Odinson threatened her," Thanos continued. "I don't believe that, of course, but it makes no difference. The point is, thanks to you, I have sufficient physical proof to meet with my lawyer this evening. I want you to know I appreciate your diligence. I will be happy to pass your name along to my colleagues, should they ever require the services of an investigator."
"Thank –"
"And, of course, there will be an additional bonus for you once the divorce goes through. Again thank you."
"Oh, it was my . . . pleasure," I added to the dead line.
Mr. Tanos had said his piece and disconnected. Okay by me. His wife was alive. He was pleased with my work. He had offered to pass along my name to his wealthy friends. Life was good.
Something brushed against my leg. Startled, I yelped out loud as I looked down to find the small gray cat rubbing up against me. I was in such a good mood, I even bent down to stroke her furry head. Instantly she began to purr.
"You have a loud purr for such a little thing, you know that, cat?"
"Hey Lok, I'm glad you're still here," Natasha said. "Did you remember to hang the Found signs for Annabelle?"
I blinked at my friend in surprise. "You name the cat Annabelle? You do know that there is a movie that called Annabelle, correct? And it is creepy for a name, if you asked me."
"Loki, it's just a name and besides we can't just call her 'cat'."
"Why not?"
Natasha gave me one of those speaking looks, and I managed a meek shrug.
"You could keep her," I suggested.
"Absolutely not. Clem would not take kindly to a cat. Besides, someone must be missing this sweet little girl, right, Belle?"
Annabelle immediately left my side to rub against my friend. Natasha opened the workstation drawer and pulled out a bag of kitty treats. Annabelle scarfed down the offering as if she was starving.
"Your young man was in again while you were out."
"Thor came back?"
Natasha got a peculiar look on her face.
"No. I believe his name is Tony. A very bright, polite young man, but he's quite discouraged. I do hope you'll find his cat soon."
I did not like the newly speculative look on my friend's face. I had just made a big blunder and I knew it. What on earth had made me think she was talking about Thor? It was understandable that the big idiotic man would be on my mind after the way he had scared me with that drivel about being responsible for the woman's death but nevertheless. . .
"I'm trying to find Tony's cat, Tash. I just came back from looking at the park some more. Do you think one of these miserable animals would be the right one? I mean, how many gray cats can be running around loose in Lakewood? The place is not big enough."
She handed me the leaflets with Annabelle's picture. "Here. Just post it. Okay."
One does not argue with Natasha when she gets that expression. I was hot and sweaty all over again by the time I finished hanging the signs around the neighborhood where I had picked up Annabelle. When I finished, I thought about stopping by my dad's place and sharing a meal with him, but frankly I was too hot to eat. I decided to go home, pop some microwave popcorn, open a cola and try to figure out how to remove the other two animals from my apartment without getting caught.
Since I was pretty sure the animal shelter closed by six that meant they have to spend another night in my apartment. The thought was depressing. Perhaps that is why my subconscious decided I should drop by Thor Odinson's office on my way home.
I found myself crossing the bridge into Rocky River before I could really think things through. Still, why not? Turn about only seemed fair. If he could burst into my office, I could reciprocate to let him know his client was not dead and I knew him for a fast-talking liar. Besides, I was dying to see his office.
I hate to admit I'm so mean spirited, but I was glad I made the decision. His office was a small hole-in-the-wall squished between storefronts – much smaller than Natasha's flower shop. On the other hand, he did not have to share space with anyone, so his name was prominently displayed on the front door.
No one sat at the scuffed teak desk in what proved be outer office. A phone, a pad of paper, some pens, and an older model computer were the desk's only adornment. There were four mismatched chairs scattered around, but no plants, no photographs – nothing t break up the plain, bare, institutional white walls.
Thor emerged from the inner office almost immediately and filled the doorway between the two rooms. Seeing him again, my stomach took on a funny fluttery feeling I have not had since the first time a boy asked me out.
"You could use a decorator," I told him.
He did not smile. "My sister-in-law agrees with you."
So much for small talk. "She is not dead," I told him without further preamble.
He leaned back against the door frame and crossed his legs at the ankle. The casual pose should not have troubled me in any way at all.
"And you know this because . . . ?"
"Thanos phoned to thank me. Your client made a big scene in his office this afternoon. She claims you threatened her when she tried to break off your affair."
"What!"
He came off the door frame so fast, I did not have time to do more than flinch. For a big guy he can move so swiftly. Fear sent my heart slamming against my rib cage as he spanned the distance between us to loom over me with a ferocious look that left me quaking inside. Why had I thought coming here to gloat was a good idea?
"Tell me exactly what he said," Thor demanded from between clenched teeth.
I took a step back and wondered if I could reach the door before he did.
"Every word, Loki."
I tried not to let him see I was intimidated even as I proceeded to tell him what Thanos had said. Because I was watching him the way a mouse watches a bird of prey, I saw the shock and anger in his expression before his face turned impassive.
"He lied," Thor said flatly.
At least he had not said I was lying.
"No, his not lying."
His eyes narrowed.
"Listen, he sounded pretty embarrassed by the whole situation."
"Then why would he tell you about it?"
"He was upset. I think he was sort of thinking out loud. Perhaps he was trying to warn me."
"About what?"
I shrugged and shifted, trying to inch my way toward the door without being obvious. "That it's going to be a messy divorce?" I replied, not liking the uncertain tone in my voice.
Thor shook his head. "Nay, a man like Thanos does not marry a much younger woman like Freyja without ulterior motives. He is setting you up."
I blinked at his flat tone. "How?" I asked, truly curious.
Thor rubbed a hand across his jaw. "I do not know. This makes no sense. Why would Freyja lie?" he enunciated carefully.
Perhaps it was naïve, but I wanted to believe him.
"In that case, you are the one who is being set up. Has it occurred to you that maybe there is a boyfriend? Perhaps Freyja wanted her husband to go after someone else in his place?"
He exhaled through his nose as he thought about that.
"According to you," he said slowly, "Thanos is not coming after me. He is filing for divorce."
"And if she is using you to obtain it, there must be a reason."
We both fell silent. He looked tired, I realized, as he rubbed absently at his left shoulder. Those striking blue eyes were clouded in thought. Frown line marred his forehead. And why was I noticing he had the sort of long, curling eyelashes I'd kill for?
"Have you eaten dinner yet?"
His question caught me unprepared. My heart stuttered with a flash of instant excitement that I quickly suppressed.
"No."
"The Aesir is only a couple doors away. The place has decent food. I missed lunch and breakfast and I think we need to talk."
I had to quell a sure of inappropriate disappointment. He was not asking me on a date. He just wanted to pump me for information while he ate.
So what? Sitting across from Thor Odinson beat eating popcorn in front of the television set, no matter what questions he wanted to ask. Nothing said I had to answer those questions.
"All right."
"Let me shut down my computer."
I followed him into his inner sanctum without an invitation. Like the outer office, the room was starkly impersonal but a whole lot messier. Papers and files covered his desk. Empty Styrofoam cups that had once held coffee were interspersed with fast-food wrappers and an old pizza box.
As if embarrassed, he gathered up the trash quickly and tossed it out of sight in a wastebasket next to his desk. I knew he had been here seven months at least, but the room felt so bare other than the clutter that it looked as if he had just moved in.
His desk was twin to the one in the outer office and looked well used. A pair of slightly battered, matching teak filing cabinets rested against a blank wall while one of those all-in-one-printer-fax-copier machines perched on a bookcase beside them. Another older-model computer sat on a stand beside his desk, but it was not even plugged in. he had a slim portable computer open on his desk. I had the exact same model out in my car.
From my angle I could not see what was on the screen, so I scanned the papers spread across his desk. When he saw me craning to look, he immediately scooped them into a folder. But not before I saw that they were official police reports.
What was Thor Odinson doing with official reports on what appeared to be a murder investigation?
"Big case?" I asked, trying for nonchalance.
"No, it's personal." He said, without even using the Nay word.
Had I not known he had got all the good cases because he was the son of some known Detective? Life was not fair. At all.
Not surprisingly, they knew him at the restaurant. He flirted easily with the pretty hostess and greeted the young waiter by name. Thor ordered mead and a steak dinner. Wait! A mead? Is this even possible? Who order mead in this kind of year? Does he think he's some sort of a Viking or Norse god? Anyway, since this was not a date and whatever I ate I have to pay for, I settled for a glass of water and a grilled chicken salad.
Walking to the restaurant with him, I had time to think. Despite his assertions, Thor and Freyja had seemed pretty cozy inside that piano bar. They had also been inside that motel room long enough to be a lot closer than a client and her protector, even if it had been a quickie. Still, somehow it did not add up.
"I'm not what you are thinking," he said as he raised his mead to take a sip of the foamy brew.
I had no trouble following that statement. "Reading minds now? In a way, that is too bad. If you are going to have to face the consequences, you should at least have had the fun of an affair."
He set the mead down carefully. I could see I had shocked him. That made me feels better and settled back into the booth more comfortably.
"She is an attractive woman," I added.
"And you are an attractive man, but I do not sleep with any human being just because they are attractive."
My stomach leaped into free fall. He thought I was attractive?
"Your business," I said, trying to sound blasé, "but if I were you. I'd watching over my shoulder. Based on the rumors I have heard, Thanos is not the type to sit back and let the world know he is been cuckolded without getting a little of his own back. It does not matter if you are innocent if he believes you are guilty. There is a man who works for him that looks like he could break you in half without even working up a sweat."
"Hogan Delvecchi," he said with a scowl.
"You have met him?"
"Not yet."
"Trust me, you do not want to. The way I figure it, if you two were not having a go, the only reason Freyja would name you her lover is so her husband would not damage the real one."
"Pleasant thought."
A slight tic near his left temple was the only sign he was actually worried.
"Whose idea was it to drive all the way into Pennsylvania?" I asked.
"Mine. Freyja told me she was afraid of her husband. She wanted a place to hide where he would not find her. How sure are you that Thanos told you the truth?"
I had time to mull that over as our food arrived. I waited for the waiter to leave before I answered him.
"Why would Thanos lie to me? His story would be easy enough to check out. He said his staff heard the whole thing. Be pretty hard to get an entire group of people to lie about something like that, don't you agree?"
He cut into his steak. The aroma made me drool, so I plunged my fork into my generous salad.
"You said you tried calling her?" I added.
"She is not answering her phones and she has not returned any of my messages."
"Big surprise there," I said, forking up a large piece of lightly breaded chicken. "If I was setting some guy up to take a pounding, I would not be answering his call either."
The round of dark rye bread they had brought with the meal was fresh and warm and perfect, I discovered after cutting off a generous hunk. I'm a confirmed carbohydrate junkie, and that bread was worth every calorie.
As I chewed blissfully, I realized Thor was watching me with the sort of fascination that made me aware of just how much I savored every bite. I set the bread down self-consciously.
"Would you like to try a bit of my steak?" he offered.
There was nothing sensual in the question, but the low voiced delivery left me quivering on the inside.
"No, thank you." I could feel the pink staining my cheeks. "I enjoy fresh bread."
"Yes, you do. I will have to remember that."
I tamped down a rolling surge of lust, wishing I could control my blush as easily.
"What are you doing here, Thor?" asked the women with blond hair.
"Having dinner with an enchanting man." He replied.
"Right. So, see you around." The women leave with a wink.
So much for warm fuzzies.
"You can't help yourself, can you? You have to flirt with every living thing you meet."
"Not every living thing."
I set down my fork with more of a clatter than was really necessary.
"Stick a sock in it, Odinson. I'm not interested in being part of a crowd. Did you ever think perhaps that is why Freyja chose you?"
All hint of humor fled those brilliant blue eyes. I will give him credit—Thor did not let a little thing like hurt pride stop him from thinking through what I had said. He set his own knife and fork down more carefully and regarded me.
"You could be right."
All right, so perhaps the words did not give me warm fuzzies, but his response was not what I would have expected and I found myself warming to him all over again.
"One of them was lying to us," he said.
"Really, that's what you think?"
He ignored the sarcasm. "I will check it out—see if that scene really did take place in his office."
"And you will watch your back?"
"Unless you are offering to do it for me."
I sucked in a breath as another wave of instant lust hit me. Watching his back or any other part of him would be no hardship at all.
"Sure. For a fee," I said primly. "I do not normally take on bodyguard cases, but it never hurts to diversify."
His grin melted my socks.
"Your looks really are deceiving."
I bristled. "How am I supposed to take that comment?"
"As a compliment, Loki. You look about twenty. Bright, cheerful—"
"If you say bubbly I'm going to have to stab you with your steak knife."
I felt his laughter like warm brandy sliding across my skin. Two women turned to look our way. I tried not to appear self-satisfied, but I did want to preen a bit. After all, it was not every day I sat down with a man who looked as gorgeous as Thor Odinson.
"Listen," he said turning serious. "You have live around here most of your life, right? If you will ask around, I will do the same and we will compare our information before one of us ends in deep pop tart."
"Is that a real word?"
"Pop Tart? Of course. Actually it is a sweet treat snacks. My friend, give some of it and it was very deli—"
"Hold it. That is more than I want to know. You have actually liked it?"
He shrugged lightly. "My friend introduces it to me. Well, I cannot refuse such blessing."
I picked up my fork and plowed back into my salad wondering who the "we" referred to and whether I had look too interested in him personally if I asked.
"Well, pop tart is a sort of sweet, and I'm a big fan of sweet treats." I said around of mouthful of raw lettuce.
He lifted his fork and steak knife and smiled. "Something else we have in common. Do we have a deal?"
I could not see how asking Natasha and Clint a few questions about Thanos and his wife and relaying there answers to Thor could hurt, so I nodded and reached for another slice of bread.
We finished the meal in companionable silence and both opted to pass on dessert and coffee. When the check came, I pulled out my wallet.
"It's my treat," Thor offered.
Given the current state of my bank balance, I was sorely tempted, however, this had not been a date and I really did not want to find myself in debt to him, even over something as simple as a meal. I handed him a twenty, and after a second, he took it, checked the bill and made change from a wallet a whole lot thicker than mine.
"Come now, I will walk you to your car," he offered.
"I can make it across the parking lot."
"You are a prickly little thing, are you not?"
"I'm not little. You are just supersized. What I am is careful," I corrected. "If I'm right, Delvecchi or someone like him is out there somewhere just waiting for a chance to beat you to a pulp."
"Then perhaps you should walk me to my car—for a fee, of course."
My stomach took a quick dip at the intense way he was looking at me.
"How much?" he demanded.
"What?"
"How much would you charge to walk me to my car?"
My heart started hammering way too fast. He was teasing of course, but there was an intensity in his expression that was making it hard to think of anything beyond the fact that I had give quite a lot to find out what it was like to kiss that tempting mouth.
"What are you doing a week form Saturday?"
I heard the question tumbling past my lips too late to call the words back. His eyes sort of darkened before humor set them to sparkling again.
"What is a week from Saturday?"
There was no way out now. I had to tell him the rest.
"A friend of mine is getting married."
"You need a date?"
The way he phrased it went a long way toward salving my pride. Not You need a date because you are too unattractive to get one? But Why on earth would someone like you need a date? He was good. Better than good.
"I'd prefer not spending the entire evening listening to a discourse on the Browns' chances for next season."
I had put off asking my ex to take me for that very reason. Thor laughed out loud. Someone should bottle that laugh. They would make a fortune selling that rich sound.
"You would rather hear about the Pittsburgh Steelers' chances?"
"Only if you have a death wish," I told him smartly.
His chuckle was almost as good as his laugh.
"Look, there is another reason I brought it up. A lot of people will be there. It's an opportunity for us to ask some discreet questions. People in this town talk, and the Thanos generate a lot of gossip. One of the bride's sisters knows a clerk in the mayor's office. Thanos got connections there."
It sounded weak even to me, but Thor nodded seriously.
"Then it's a deal. Come guard my back," he invited. "My car's over here."
I manage to keep pace with his much longer legs only because he shortened his stride to accommodate me. I found myself actually peering around the parking lot as evening stole across the sky. His burgundy Honda was only a few rows away from where I had left my car.
"Thank you," he said seriously.
"I should be probably follow you home."
What was I saying?
His smile did warm, disturbing things to my nerve endings.
"I do not think that will be necessary. I will give you a call later."
"You do not have my number."
His easy grin warmed my insides.
"I'm a detective. I will find it."
For one very brief second I thought he was going to lean down and kiss me. The bump to my heart rate and the roll in my abdomen left me breathless, but he just squeezed my upper arm gently and climbed into his car.
I'm not sure, but I think I floated the rest of the way home. The most gorgeous man in Ohio was taking me to my friend's wedding. My friends would die.
I was practically giddy—until I saw what was waiting for me inside my apartment.
TBC…