Sea Haven 01 - Water Bound

and white.”
    “Good colors,” he commented. “Not sea colors, but cheese colors. I suppose next time you might consider injecting blue dye into the cheese, Blythe.”
    Blythe nodded. “I will. I hadn’t thought of that.”
    “Very funny, you two. Now who’re the comedians?”
    Lev pulled her plate over to him and cut the cheese-stuffed potato into small bites. “There’s nothing green in this. Just cheese and potatoes.”
    Rikki inspected the contents carefully before taking a small portion onto her fork.
    “I wouldn’t poison you,” Blythe assured.
    “You might try to poison Levi,” Rikki pointed out, “and I might have accidently gotten the potato with arsenic in it.”
    “You do have a point,” Blythe agreed cheerfully.
    Lev found himself laughing, comfortable now with Blythe. They’d come to an understanding. Maybe she could see—or feel—that what he felt for Rikki was genuine. He found himself including Blythe in the very small circle of people he was allowing to enter into his life. She was a good person, with good motives. And he loved how she loved Rikki.
    “It would have served you right had I brought home that enormous and very ugly fish for dinner,” Lev said.
    Rikki put a small bite of the potato in her mouth and chewed, swallowed and flashed a quick, teasing grin at him. “That thing was never going to make it into this kitchen.” She took another forkful of potatoes.
    “These aren’t half bad, Blythe.”
    Blythe pressed a hand to her heart. “Such praise.”
    “The highest,” Rikki admitted, chewing another mouthful. “I think I like this.”
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    “I’ll definitely need the recipe,” Lev said. “I’m collecting as many as possible. I’ve gotten her to eat only two of the dishes all of you sent over.
    Mostly it’s peanut butter.”
    “Hey!” Rikki protested, shooting a quick, almost guilty look at Blythe.
    “I eat that broccoli every single night.”
    Lev nodded, affirming it was true. “She dips it raw into peanut butter.”
    Blythe shuddered. “Whatever works. At least you’re eating something healthy.”
    They finished the meal with Rikki trying to explain the wonders of peanut butter nutrition and how the calorie intake was just what she needed when she was diving. She actually ate the entire potato, one green bean and a small portion of chicken before she pushed the plate away and indulged in a handful of peanut butter cookies.
    They threw away the paper plates and restored the kitchen to the pristine order Rikki needed to feel comfortable in her home. They were wiping every smudge from the counters, when Lev’s radar went off. An owl hooted twice, calling from the trees. The bird took flight, passing silently by the kitchen window.
    I see them. Lev sent the reassurance to his sentinel. “We have company,” he said aloud.
    Rikki stiffened, her expression stricken. Lev softened the lighting in the living room, ensuring there were plenty of shadows for him to slide into.
    The car came around to the front drive, the first time Lev had ever seen anyone doing that, signaling to him that these visitors were first timers. The sheriff was a tall, well-built man. He parked the car close to the front door and immediately went around to aid his passenger. He stood for a moment looking around carefully, studying the wide moat, the blackened grass shriveled beneath the dark layer of oily water.
    The sheriff took the arm of the woman as they walked to the door. He moved with fluid grace, his gaze shifting around the property, although he gave the appearance of giving his full attention to the woman. Lev slipped back to allow Blythe and Rikki to greet them first, wanting to assess the pair before they were fully aware of him.
    The woman coming through the door was shockingly beautiful and very pregnant. She smiled shyly at Rikki and hugged her cousin. “Blythe.
    It’s been too long since we’ve had a good visit. You should drop by more often.” Her voice was musical. Soft like a warm breeze.
    Lev recognized power when it walked into the room. Hannah Drake Harrington had been a supermodel for some years, appearing on magazine covers and walking the runways all over the world, yet for all her 258

    composure, she seemed just a little hesitant. He read people easily, one of his own gifts, and she was very uncomfortable, although it didn’t show on her face.
    The man coming in behind her, one hand on her waist, his face strong, eyes taking in everything, saw Lev