24. Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Four
HATTIE
After finally convincing Tyler to go home, that we were fine, Dylan locked the front door of The Dock. A few weeks ago, Rhett had asked me if I could close up the restaurant for him. At that time, I obviously hadn’t realized that I would have a stalker, so I’d agreed.
Dylan turned and stalked across the dining room toward me, his intent clear in his heated gaze.
My stomach flipped, and the closer he got, the louder my pulse pounded in my ears.
Since Monday, when things had finally changed between us, I’d found myself the focus of that intense look every time we were together. While we made dinner on Monday night and waking up in his arms yesterday morning. Even when he stopped by yesterday to pick up lunch.
Although we hadn’t really talked about what we were doing, he’d said he wouldn’t lie to Rhett. But did that mean he wanted a relationship with me? I doubted he was keen on telling his best friend that he was casually hooking up with his sister, so I assumed he wanted a more long-term situation.
I sure did. Though I didn’t need a label, I was eager to find out exactly where this was going. It had only been two days, though, so my stupid insecurities needed to quiet down.
The stalker hadn’t texted since I’d blocked the new number, so it was hard not to hope that he’d moved on. Dylan was beyond frustrated that they still had no leads or breaks in the case, and I couldn’t blame him. I wanted the whole thing to be over.
“I never thought I’d be happy to discover a place didn’t have cameras,” he said as he quickly closed the rest of the space between us. “Come here, baby.” He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer.
Why did I smile like an idiot any time he used that term?
Probably because the affection in his tone each time he spoke that word, baby , made me feel special.
Jesus, I was already falling for this man, and it had been less than two weeks. Was that even possible?
With a smirk, I pressed a hand to his chest. “You promised you’d help unbox the wine that came in today, remember?”
“I promise I’ll help you with the wine when I drop you off in the morning.” He leaned forward, his lips close to my ear. “Right now, I’m desperate to feel your lips and then get you home so I can spend all night inside you.”
My core throbbed with so much anticipation I had to squeeze my legs together to relieve some of the tension.
He trailed his lips along my jaw and claimed my mouth, coaxing me to open as he backed me up against the table. I gripped the back of his head, holding him to me as our tongues tangled with desperation.
Damn, I could curse myself for wearing pants today. There was too much material between us as I ground against his leg.
As if he could read my mind, he dug his fingers into my hips and pulled back.
“To your office.”
I blinked. “My office?”
“If you want my mouth on your pussy, then go to your office and wait for me.” Giving me a dark smile, he turned me that way and swatted my ass. “Preferably naked and spread across your desk.”
The way he took charge and talked filthy to me sent a thrill through my body. It wasn’t something I’d ever thought I’d need, but his confidence totally did it for me.
“What are you going to do?”
“Double-check the side and patio doors.”
Nodding, I headed for my office. I hadn’t made it more than two steps before a loud crash came from the patio seating area at the back of the restaurant. We both froze and turned that way.
Between the lights in the dining room and the darkened sky, I couldn’t really see anything.
“Fuck, someone’s out there.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the hallway that led to the offices.
“I didn’t see anyone. Are you sure?” I slowed my feet, making him turn to me. “It was probably just the wind or an animal.”
With a shake of his head, he turned and tugged me forward again. “No, I definitely saw someone.” He pulled out his phone and swiped the screen before dropping the device back into his pocket. “Hey, you outside?”
I tilted my head, confused, until I noticed a small earbud in his ear.
Waving me into my office, he stood in the doorway, gaze focused down the hallway that led back out to the dining room. “Yeah, we’re fine. But do me a favor. Check the back. Someone was looking in the window.”
DYLAN
The five minutes before my phone rang felt like an eternity. Fuck, I hoped Ethan was calling to tell me he’d caught the guy. But if that were the case, it would have taken a whole lot longer. When Aiden had suggested putting a patrol car out front tonight, I’d argued at first. Once he’d mentioned yet another complaint he’d received regarding someone lurking around my neighborhood, I’d given in, though, agreeing that it was better to be safe. She was never the first person here or the last. Until tonight. A closing shift was a totally different ballgame, since it was almost eleven now.
I tapped my ear, answering Ethan’s call. “Whatcha got?”
“No one’s out here.”
“I definitely saw someone.”
“Sorry, sir. He must have gone into the water. Otherwise he would have had to come past me.”
That was exactly what I figured too. The building backed up to the water, and since there was a fence separating the marina area from the restaurant, there really was only one way in and out from the back. Unless he jumped into the water to get around.
“He could have gone out in the water, I guess. Or maybe he disappeared into the woods on the far side before I got back there. But I didn’t see anything disturbed or tracks leading to or from the back patio.”
I locked my jaw. If he knocked over a chair, he could have had time to pick it up before fleeing. Regardless, I knew what I’d seen. Although I had been in a lust-induced haze. Could I have been so hyper focused on getting Hattie out of her clothes that I imagined someone watching us through the back window?
This was exactly why I’d wanted to avoid crossing the line with her. How could I remain focused on the investigation when all I thought about was touching her, tasting her, feeling her grip my dick?
The answer to my question was obvious. I couldn’t do my best to find her stalker while thoughts of her constantly plagued me. Maybe I should’ve let her go stay with her parents until we’d caught this guy.
“Sir, you there?”
“Yeah. We’re heading out now. Meet me at the front door.” I hung up and turned to look at Hattie. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was wearing a soft but worried smile.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep doing this. I needed to focus on catching this guy. My gut was saying someone was out there, and there was no way I could let anything happen to her.