Excerpt: The Renaissance Cypher

Ned had seen her through a lot. She'd known him almost as long as she had Frank and Joe. He'd been there to help solve her first mysteries, stood beside her as she gained recognition for the same and only once had questionned her loyalty when he'd caught her and Frank in a warm embrace. She'd told him he had nothing to worry about but, even then, she'd known it was a lie. When her and Frank were together sparks flew and everyone was in danger from the fall out. But today, standing in the drizzling rain as she, Bess, Frank and Joe watched her father being driven away in an ambulance after two terrifying weeks being held captive, Ned was nowhere to be found. The longest, most heart wrenching and personal case she'd ever been on and Ned had told her he was just "too busy" with his internship to be able to help.

She wanted to blame him - to hold him responsible for her actions - but even in her grief she was too level headed for that. Stolen kisses when the others weren't around, tender touches in the dead of night that spoke only of further exploration, whispered words of comfort that she had so desperately needed to hear....all things that she had not only allowed Frank to provide her but had welcomed more and more with each passing day. Frank knew her like no one else. He knew her fears and her frustrations, her heartache and shared in the guilt each kiss brough knowing they both had significant others at home. But where did that leave them now? When the case was over and it was time to go back to reality and face the worlds they had left behind?

The gentle weight of his hand landed on her waist and she came out of her reverie, noticing that Bess and Joe had already flittered off somewhere. Dark brown eyes, worried and yet joyful for her father's rescue, were intent on hers and he brushed a strand of windswept hair off her cheek.

"No apologies," he warned her.
"No regrets," she murmured, smiling.

His lips ghosted across hers, pulling her body close against his to meld them together. Despite the cold St. Petersberg rain it's warm here, she thought. The warmest place I've ever known. How do you possibly say goodbye to something like that?

"We don't have to," he breathed in her ear, reading her thoughts. "See you soon, Drew."
"Yeah, see you soon."