The back door of the house rattled.
Keri’s heart started pounding.
Her gaze went to the knife drawer and she pushed back her chair.
Just as she rushed to her feet, Fred bounded into the kitchen.
She had forgotten. Adam had taken Fred to the vet and she had told him to use the back door. Even after a week she was still so jumpy that she wasn’t thinking straight.
“Thank God it’s you, Fred.” Keri plopped down, then sagged against the back of the chair in relief. She laughed when Fred jumped up, put his paws on her leg, and gave her cheek a sloppy kiss. She hugged him to her, giving him a big squeeze. Her arm twinged a little when she did it, but the pain wasn’t too bad.
She raised her head and gave Fred a kiss on his muzzle. “What did the vet say about your leg?” she asked him, as if he could sit down and have a conversation with her.
The golden retriever sat back on his haunches and gave a “woof” along with a toss of his head and a doggy smile. It was as if he was saying he was perfectly fine and to stop worrying about him.
“Vet says Fred is healing amazingly well.” Adam came up to the doorway and hitched his shoulder against the doorframe. “How are you doing, Angel?”
Warmth flowed through Keri. She loved the way he called her “angel.” When she had been referred to as the “Angel of New York” she had found the society-appointed title a little embarrassing. But coming from Adam it felt entirely different.
“Feeling great,” she said with a smile. “My arm’s just a little sore, that’s all. How was work?”
She wanted to ask about Edward, but let that question hang in the air unspoken.
Adam shifted against the doorframe. “It looks like Carter is definitely in the process of moving to Florida. Surveillance reported that he’s having his belongings packed up in both his Manhattan apartment and the house he has in Jersey.”
“Do you think he’s really going to go and leave us alone?” Keri asked as she looked up at Adam. “Did he really give up that easy?”
Adam pulled out a chair at the table near her and sat. “There’s a lot I can’t tell you about what we’ve been doing, but all intel says he’s on his way out. Other than that, all we can do is be careful.”
Keri nodded, not quite knowing what to say.
Adam dragged his hand down his stubbled cheeks. “Just in case he is still a threat, I don’t like the idea of you putting yourself out in the open.”
“What am I supposed to do?” Keri raised her hands as she spoke. “I can’t hide forever.” It was a conversation they’d had before, but one that apparently bore repeating.
With a sigh he said, “I’m just concerned for your safety.”
“I know.” She offered him a smile. “And thank you for that. But I’ll be okay.”
He raised a pink duffel bag that she recognized as hers. “Stopped by your place and grabbed a little more of everything, like you wanted. Hope I got enough of what you need.”
“Thanks.” Keri took the duffel bag from him, unzipped it, and dug through the clothing to see if he had remembered to bring a set of pajamas for her. A little heat burned in her cheeks when she saw her zebra-striped, leopard-spotted, and red with black lace panties along with matching camisoles in with everything else.
“Well, I can see you don’t like pastels,” she said when she looked up at him. “A panty man?”
Adam winked and smiled, and she wanted to melt into a pool of sweet chocolate at the sight of his adorable dimple and the whole package that made up the incredibly sexy Detective Adam Boyd.
“Hold on a sec.” He scooted his chair back then and disappeared through the doorway. He reappeared again holding one of her little black dresses. “Feel like going out tonight? I promise not to spill any water on you. Maybe a drink, but no water.”
She laughed. “You would pick out the shortest LBD that I have,” she said. “Yes, I’d love to go out with you.”
“I’m guessing LBD is short for little black dress.” With a grin, Adam added, “Thought you might like the one with loose sleeves to cover up the bandage on your arm.”
“Smart man,” she said. “I’ll need help with the zipper.”
“Planned on that.” Adam took her pink duffel off of her lap and started up the stairs. “I’ll put these in your bedroom.”
Keri trailed him and Fred tagged along. When they reached the master bedroom, Adam placed her things on the bed and Fred curled up at the foot of the bed.
Adam faced her and settled his hands on her shoulders. He lightly squeezed before placing a kiss on her forehead.
“You smell so good.” Adam’s voice was husky when he drew away.
Keri’s pulse quickened and butterflies floated low in her belly.
Adam squeezed her shoulders again. “We’ll leave in an hour. Sound good to you?”
Putting aside the crazy feelings wreaking havoc on her, Keri nodded. “Sounds beyond great to me.”
Keri spent a good forty-five minutes getting ready to go out on the town with Adam. When she moved it, the ache in her arm made her slower than normal. It was healing well, but the wound would leave a nasty scar.
She left her hair down, loose around her shoulders, rather than make the effort it would have taken to put it up. When the only thing left to do was zip up the dress, she called to Adam.
“You are so gorgeous,” he said as he looked at her. “Now turn around so I can take care of that zipper.”
Keri moved so that she was in front of Adam. His
