The Toast of the Town (Fox & Oakby Murder Mysteries Book III)

The Mayor Burns

Author's Note:

My darlings,

I apologise for my long absence from this story. I was having trouble pulling all the plot lines together - but all the pieces of the puzzle have finally clicked in place in my brain this morning! I promise to work industriously on this story in the upcoming weeks, so you can expect a sure supply of new chapters. 

Admittedly, I was also distracted by my traditional annual Christmas story. I always start a new one at the beginning of November, and last year it was Sweetly Isolated, the story that started all the Holyoake madness. This year's Christmas romance fluff is titled The On-Screen Marquess & I - and I would appreciate if you read, voted, and commented on it, if it's your sort of reading material. I'm updating it almost every day, and I'd LOVE to see you all in that story too.

Thank you to all of you, my long-term and new readers! <3

Love,

Katya Kolmakov xx

***

The next day Imogen ended up so busy with her actual work responsibilities that she didn't find time to talk to either Andrew, or the Mayor about the latest developments in her and Viola's investigation. She ate her lunch at her desk, and so did the Mayor. They even had to stay after hours, which was quite a rare occasion - but this year's flood had caused quite a chaos and destruction in the county, and there were renovations, and permits, and contracts to organise, review, and approve.

Mrs. Harris had already gone home, when Imogen stretched up in her chair, arching her tired back. She looked down at her watch and decided both she and the Mayor could go home now. Most of the work had been completed, just a few bits and bobs remained but could be easily finished the next day. The door to the Mayor's office wasn't closed fully, so Imogen pushed it without knocking.

The Mayor was asleep. It must have happened just a few minutes ago, because he was still sitting upright, his chin resting on his hand, his elbow on his writing table. Imogen's heart filled with so much adoration and tenderness that if she were a cartoon character, she'd have hearts for eyes right now. His hair was dishevelled, probably due to the ruffling he tended to do when especially preoccupied and focused, and his long, fluffy lashes lay under his eyes like shadows.

Imogen slowly approached him and whispered 'John' not to startle him.

He made a quiet noise in his throat, and his eyelashes fluttered.

"What– Where–" he mumbled and rubbed his face with his right hand. "I've fallen asleep."

"Yes, you have," Imogen said tenderly. "We should be going home. I'm sure we can finish everything tomorrow."

"Yeah, there's just–" The Mayor yawned. "Just a few contracts. I'll put them away. Do you mind locking the front?"

Imogen nodded and leaned to kiss his cheek. The Mayor quickly turned his head and caught her mouth. Imogen softly laughed into his lips and cupped his jaw, and then stroked the side of his neck. His skin was scorching! He normally had high body temperature, but at the moment he felt like a frying pan. Imogen tried to move away.

"John, I think–"

His palm - also unhealthily scorching - lay on her nape, and he pulled her closer. His lips opened, and she felt his tongue trace her upper lip. Imogen tingled head to toe. His touch and his movements became increasingly more heated - but so was the whole Mayor!

"John, I think–" Imogen tried again, but he once again swallowed her next words.

Imogen tended to have very little self-control when it came to mayoral kisses, but it was the matter of his well-being, so she decisively pressed her hand into his shoulder and winced away. She was right, it seemed: his eyes were almost ultramarine, instead of their usual cerulean, and the pupils were dilated frantically.