He turned his attention to Clyde and watched him run laps inside his exercise wheel in an attempt to burn off some of that excess steam. “Ease up there, little buddy, before you hurt yourself.”
Reaching into a nearby cage, he gathered Bonnie into his hands and brought her close to his face. He murmured into her ear. “Hopefully the potion works this time and Clyde will give you a break.” Bonnie’s nose twitched as she wiggled to free herself.
He placed Bonnie into the far side of the cage and waited. Clyde stopped spinning his wheel, went up on his hind legs, and sniffed the air.
Jay scrubbed his hand over the prickly growth speckling his chin and observed Clyde’s actions. He glanced at the clock and yawned. What was taking Laura so long?
Clyde stopped sniffing, climbed from the wheel, circled like a cat, and then curled up in the fetal position. In no time at all he fell fast asleep. A wide grin split across Jay’s face, but he was too damn tired to jump up and down with excitement. In an automatic reaction, he turned to tell Laura the good news but quickly realized she wasn’t there. A sense of loneliness enveloped him. It surprised him how he’d grown so accustomed to having her at his side.
As he made his way over to his desk to note his findings, his cell phone vibrated and began ringing.
Who would be calling at this time of night? He dug into his pocket and flipped open his phone. Perhaps it was Laura letting him know she was running late.
“Hello.”
“Jay, it’s Erin.” She sounded anxious.
He froze midstride. “What’s up?”
“You better get to Laura’s place right away. Her apartment’s been broken into and she’s hurt.”
His whole body stiffened. Laura was hurt. How? Where? Who? Before he had time to ask any of those questions, Erin hung up.
Dropping everything, Jay bolted out of the building and hopped into his car. At breakneck speed he flew down the freeway and made it to Laura’s apartment in record time.
A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he pulled in behind two police cruisers. Their rotating lights lit up the tree-lined walkway. He climbed from his car, dashed into the building, and hurried up the stairs.
He burst through Laura’s door and spotted her sitting on the sofa, an ice pack pressed to the side of her head. Erin sat with her while the officers, the same ones he’d encountered at the lab the previous night, muddled through the disorder and dusted for prints.
With determined strides, he stepped over a smashed lamp and crossed the room. He took one look at her ashen face and felt his blood run cold. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable. He wanted to take her into his arms and soothe away her troubles.
“God, Laura, are you okay?” He gestured for Erin to shove aside so he could sit next to her.
Laura forced a smile. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.” Mumbling curses under his breath, he placed his hand over the ice pack and held it in position for her. She looked exhausted and her body felt chilled. He glanced at Erin. “Would you mind grabbing a blanket?”
“Sure.” Erin stood and disappeared down the hallway.
He turned his attention to Detective Doyle. “Who did this?”
“We’re working on it,” he assured him.
Jay gathered Laura into his arms and offered his warmth. Christ, he should have driven her home. If he’d been here for her, this never would have happened. Erin came back with a blanket. He took it from her and draped it over Laura’s shoulders.
He felt his anger rising. “I assume it’s connected to the lab break-in,” he bit out.
The detective nodded. “Appears that way.”
Laura’s voice piped up. “He was after our files, but I came home before he found them.”
She seemed so pleased by that fact. Jay carefully lifted the ice pack off her head and examined the bump. He winced. “The files don’t matter, Laura. All that matters is that you’re safe.” His voice was tight with emotion. Oh God, what would he have done if something had happened to her? A sliver of unease made him flinch.
Her brow puckered in a frown. “Of course the files matter,” she argued.
He placed the ice pack back over the lump. “I think you should see a doctor.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “I’m fine,” she insisted. “I don’t need a doctor.”
Jay glanced at the mess in her living room and drew a heavy breath. “You’re coming to my place.”
“No, I’m not,” she said with certainty.
He wasn’t about to take no for an answer. “Yes, you are, Laura.”
“But—”
He interrupted her. “Don’t argue with me. You’re not staying here. Until they catch whoever did this you’re not safe.”
“I know it’s not safe, Jay. Erin already said I could stay with her,” she countered.
Jay twisted sideways and glared at Erin. He gave her a look that suggested it would be in her best interests to change Laura’s mind.
Erin quickly caught on. She slapped her hand to her forehead. “Oh, I just remembered, you can’t stay at my place after all. My spare room is being painted.”
“There, that settles it. You’re staying with me,” Jay insisted.
She tensed against him. “Erin…” Laura’s voice grated in warning.
Erin threw her hands up in the air and shrugged. “You know me and my forgetful memory.”
Laura slumped back; her shoulders dropped. He felt her body relax against his and sensed her resolve was softening around the edges.
She gave a resigned groan. “Fine.”
Jay rose from the couch and eased Laura to her feet. “Let me take you home and get you to bed.”
As she stood, her curvy body collided with his. He splayed his hand on her back to anchor her to him. When her hips molded against his thighs, her breath seemed to hitch in her throat.
He watched the play of emotions cross her face and wondered what she was
