Chapter 14
Boone
“You don’t play fair.”
“I’m not nice,” she concedes, and I kiss her again, but there’s no holding back this time.
I may regret this later. Lie. I already know regretting this is the last thing I’ll do.
I may feel remorse though, especially when I know I won’t be able to do it again freely until the fucker hunting her is gone.
Harlyn melts for me, taking my pent-up frustration. I kiss her harder, deeper, and she meets me with every stroke of her tongue. When I feel her fingers begin to explore my shoulders and chest before venturing lower to my stomach, I break off the kiss, breathing heavily into her neck.
I have to stop myself now before it goes any further, but she smells so fucking good, and I can feel the thrum of her pulse, hard and fast, racing against my lips.
The urge to explore her jaw with my teeth and tongue is nearly enough to undo me, but her fingernails, which dig into my side as if she’s struggling just as much as I am, is the wake-up call I need.
Not only is her hand dangerously close to my weapon, but what we are doing right now is far more unsafe.
I wasn’t lying when I told her I’m worried what my presence might mean to the man stalking her.
If I was smart, I would have called Mickey this morning and told my boss everything that was happening, but my selfishness wouldn’t allow it.
I know the minute Mickey finds out how truly dangerous this is and how close I’ve gotten to Harlyn, my boss will pull me off the case.
It’s protocol, and I couldn’t handle the thought, so I foolishly wanted to see things through myself.
I realize now how stupid that was. I don’t know how I’m going to convince Mickey to let me stay with Harlyn when I do tell her, but I will.
“This is so stupid. I don’t have the right to put you at risk like this. ”
“How about you let me worry about what risks I want to take?”
“It’s not that simple.” I give her the truth she deserves, even if she doesn’t like my answer.
The sound of the door thudding against the wall has me springing up from the seat and facing the door. My hand is on my holster when a teen boy steps into the aisle and looks directly into the last row where we’re sitting.
“Is there a problem?” I make my voice loud enough to be heard over the film.
He blinks a few times as his eyes rise to meet mine. He seems a little surprised to find me standing. “No, sir, just making the rounds.” He backs out the way he came without another word.
“Oh, good lord.” Harlyn lets out a nervous laugh when I retake my seat. “Do you think he made all that racket so we would know he was coming in case we were… you know?”
“Probably, I’m just grateful he couldn’t see where my hand was.”
She laughs again, this time harder. “That sounded so dirty.”
I groan. She really does have a filthy mind.
I blink a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust to the bright afternoon sunlight before pushing out into the vestibule. I need to be able to see clearly when we leave, so I can assess the nearby vehicles. Just because I’m saying fuck it to some of the rules doesn’t mean I’m sloppy.
Harlyn pushes her palms against the bar on the door as if to leave ahead of me.
“If this is going to work at all, you’re going to have to follow my lead.
” I place my hand over hers, stalling her exit.
She looks over her shoulder, and our eyes meet.
Not kissing her again is going to be damn near impossible, especially when she’s looking at me as if she’s expecting it.
I avert my eyes and scan what I can see of the parking lot. My view isn’t perfect, but I don’t see anyone sitting in any of the nearby cars. “Stay close,” I warn her, feeling exposed.
“You’re making me nervous.” She fiddles with the sleeves of her shirt and bounces her gaze all around when we hit the sidewalk. I try to be less conspicuous, but I’m doing the same.
“Good, if you’re nervous, your guard will be up.”
“I feel like that’s how I’ve been living,” she grumbles.
I open her car door and close it as soon as she’s seated before jogging around to my side.
I haven’t been this tense about an operation in years.
I’m not sure I’m going to be able to pull this off.
The last place I want to take her is back to her house, but it’s exactly where she needs to be if we have any hope of this guy exposing himself.
I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.
Harlyn
Boone darts a look in my direction. I’m even more aware of him than I was before our kiss, and damn, what a kiss. If he hadn’t pulled away, I wouldn’t have. I nearly giggle, thinking about the usher entering the theater and how much worse it could have been.
“We need to set some rules.” His voice is serious, bringing me back to the moment.
“Okay,” I agree. It’s a relief to think I wouldn’t be all on my own.
“From here on out, until this guy is no longer a risk to you, we keep things…”
He pauses as if he doesn’t know what to say, so I chime in, “No kissing. I got it.”
Boone clicks his tongue and gives me the side-eye. “Not just no kissing. After we do a full sweep of your place, it’s going to need to look like I’m gone.”
“Look like?” I question.
“Yeah, and that’s not all. I have to report this to my team. There’s a good chance—no, not a chance, a definite possibility they will come, and if it looks like—” He pauses again to look over at me. “If it looks like I’m too invested, then they will pull me no matter what I say.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the words don’t come.
I want to ask him not to tell anyone, to just handle it himself, but that isn’t only selfish beyond measure, it’s stupid.
All this time, I’ve wanted this kind of attention from the police, and here he is, willing to give it, and even from a higher office, and all I have to do is ignore how badly I want to be close to him.
“What about after?” My voice is small. I feel vulnerable and greedy for even admitting my thoughts, considering how much he’s offering.
“After is different,” he answers noncommittally, not making any promises.
I nod, thinking I was dumb for allowing myself to have hope for something more.
A date isn’t the promise of a future. Besides, I shouldn’t be surprised, since the man who took my sister from me appears to be determined to take everything.
“My intent from the beginning was to find the person who murdered my sister and make them pay. I’ll do whatever you say if you’re willing to help me do that.”
Boone’s brow furrows, causing the delicate skin near the corner of his eye to crinkle. My fingers twitch to smooth the lines of tension, but I turn to face the side window instead.
The silence in the car is heavy, but thankfully short-lived. “I need to make a call, and I’d rather do that here where there’s no chance I’ll be overheard.”
“You want me to stay quiet,” I state.
He shakes his head in denial. “I’m not worried about them knowing you’re with me. It’s more to let you know I’m going to have to explain the situation, and it will probably be best if I leave some things out.”
“Okay,” I agree, because there’s nothing else I can do, not that I would anyway.
“I haven’t caught sight of a tail, and this may take a while, so I’m going to pull over.” His turn signal is already on as he glides into the middle lane to turn into a 7-Eleven.
As much as I would like to sit and listen to his call, I would rather he not worry about me so he can speak freely. “I’m going to run in. Would you like anything?”
Boone looks around as if he’s searching for the killer in the cars parked next to us. “I can go in with you when I’m done,” he offers.
“I’m fine, and besides, I need to use the bathroom again, and I draw the line at you listening to me pee.”
“Try to stay where I can see you,” he concedes.
“Before or after I pee?”
That makes him crack a smile. “Since you were the one to draw the line, I suppose I will have to accept it for now.”
“Right on. Want anything?”
“No thanks.” He’s already concentrating on his phone, so I take it as my cue to leave.
The moment I close the car door and shut myself away from Boone, the same old intrusive thoughts that have been my life since losing Hayzel return with a vengeance.
I glance over my shoulder then scan the parking lot for the mystery man I’m convinced I would sense if he were near, and I find everyone going about their business, ignoring me.
A sensor at the door chimes as I enter the convenience store.
The aroma of coffee and fried foods fills the air, and even though I’m not hungry, a snack suddenly sounds appealing.
It only takes a moment to scan the ceiling area for the sign that points to the restrooms. The clerk doesn’t even look in my direction as I pass in front of the counter, choosing to stare down at his phone instead.
When I reach the hallway, I contemplate just standing here for a minute to make it seem like I used the bathroom instead of actually opening the door.
In my experience, convenience store restrooms are only an emergency use situation.
The problem is, now that I’ve been thinking about going, I need to.
I spend so much time deciding what to do, I miss my chance when a woman walks up and says, “Are you waiting?”
“Oh, go ahead.” I motion for her to enter before me.
When I hear the click of the lock behind her, I realize it’s a single use.
By the time she comes out, I’m swaying from side to side.
She gives me a funny look when she finds me still waiting in the hall, but I ignore her and hold my breath as I enter the tiny room.
As quickly as I can, I use the bathroom and wash my hands, keeping a hold of the paper towel to open the door.
Boone’s hand is raised to knock just as I exit. I blush profusely and blurt, “I had to wait to get in.”
“I couldn’t see you.”
“I was just waiting.”