“I’ll admit what I did with Jake might have been a little over the top.”
He arched a brow and took two small steps forward.
“Okay, it was over the top.”
He let the corners of his mouth tip upward. “Can we start over?”
“We can talk about it.”
He cringed, feeling his pager go off. “Shit. I’ve got to answer this.” He never liked seeing the word emergency on his pager. “I’ll come over when I get off duty?”
“If the light over the garage is on, I’m up.”
He had to get to his patrol car and find out what the hell happened to warrant the emergency page, but before he did, he had to touch her just one last time. “Lock all the doors, but keep the light on regardless. I’ve got the key your grandmother gave me. I’ll let myself in.” Quickly, he scooped her up in his arms, and kissed her good, hard, and wet. “See ya.” He wished he could let the kiss linger, but his pager continued to buzz.
“Chief McNally. Heading to my patrol car,” he said into the mic on his uniform.
“What if I don’t want you to let yourself in?” she asked.
He glanced over his shoulder. “Then wait up for me.”
Be safe.
I will.
He jogged to his patrol car feeling like his life was about to change once again, but this time for the better—as soon as he dealt with whatever Halloween just tossed his way. The engine to his patrol car sputtered to life as he reached for the microphone. “Chief McNally here. What’s the emergency?”
“Hey, Chief. Got a burglary at the Gilmore residence.”
Shit. “On my way.”
“Becky Hicks is already at the scene.”
“Any suspects?” he asked, already knowing the answer. So far, there were no clues left behind in any of the cases. Someone had targeted his neck of the woods, and he planned on putting an end to it once and for all.
“Nope. But we’re running the plates on a car that appears to be abandoned at the corner of Hanover and Willsport. Mr. Gilmore says the suspect fled on foot. We’re thinking into the woods by the park. State’s got a team over there now.”
Double shit. He yanked the gearshift into drive, turned on the siren, and put his foot on the gas pedal. The car was just a neighborhood away.
And those woods backed up to Courtney’s place.
Watch over her. She belongs to you now.
Courtney held her hand over the light for a good five minutes before she flicked it off, then on again. She knew him well enough that if she did indeed turn the light off, he wouldn’t just let himself in.
Don’t shut him out.
Why? He doesn’t believe we are meant to be together. Hell, I don’t even think he likes me.
He kissed you. That should say something.
Sure, he’s horny, and I’ve already given it to him. Easy lay. Courtney let out a long sigh.
Go make something with powdered sugar. It’s his favorite.
She wandered to the kitchen, trying desperately to figure out a way to make this right and it wasn’t through Owen’s stomach.
Nor through tricks. She’d finally learned. However, he did enjoy a good snickerdoodle, so she started baking. Besides, she needed something to do while she waited.
He loves you for you.
Right, Grandma. I wish I believed that.
You will. Make sure the doors are locked. He has a key.
While waiting for her cookies to come out of the oven, she raced through the house making sure all her doors and windows were shut tight and locked. Entering the kitchen, she checked the clock on the wall. “Well, I’m not waiting up all night for you.” She pulled out the last batch of cookies, slammed the oven door shut, and tossed the cookie sheet on the counter. Sure, the guy had a job to do, and his doohickey had gone off, so it must have been important, but that was hours ago. She closed her eyes, forcing the negative thoughts of something bad happening to him from her mind.
She put a kettle of water on the stove and turned up the gas. Green tea would make her feel better. Calm her nerves. Keep her awake until the big oaf showed up.
A nice, long hot bath certainly would feel good against her skin.
What if he didn’t have a key? Maybe he’d remember where her grandmother left the spare one. “He’s a smart man.” She smiled, feeling the heat flush to her cheeks as she opened the sliders to the back patio and checked under the third pot to the right. Yep, key’s still there.
So, she snagged her tea and headed up the stairs. Time for a nice, hot bath with loads of bubbles and a damn hot romance novel.
The mixture of hot steam and vanilla candles eased her mind and soul. The tingling of the bubbles against her skin soothed her body. She’d barely gotten settled when she heard the clickity clack of the back door. “Thank you, God.” Be careful, dear.
Since when do you tell me to take it slow when it comes to Owen.
Silence. Sometimes her grandmother really got on her nerves. Or maybe, she was just going to give them some time alone.
Feeling a tad lightheaded from the anticipation of wrapping her arms and legs around the only man who could properly love her, she barely dried her skin before slipping her arms through her robe.
Visions of an all-night lovemaking session filled her mind like moving pictures. Thoughts of a future with long, leisurely walks around the neighborhood sent a warm tingle up her spine. No more games. No more tricks. From this moment on, she’d be up front with him.
I love him, she thought to herself, pausing briefly at the top of the stairs. Love him? She did. She always had.
A thud echoed in her ears. He must have bumped into something in the dark, but why didn’t he
