Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Luke
“MOMMY!”
Harriet’s shrill scream sent something primal racing through him, a shock of tingling nerves giving him the extra bit of strength to clip the damn bolt, unloop the padlock, and pry open the slightly bent door.
Inside the bin, he found Kylie covered in Amber’s old red poncho, with Harriet in her arms, screaming “Mommy! Mommy!” over and over again, a helpless look in Kylie’s eyes.
She held his daughter steadfastly, stroking her dark curls with a maternal touch.
It wasn’t Amber. His connection to reality was strong enough not to go where Harriet had gone.
But damn if his heart didn’t do a two-step on triple speed at the sight before him.
“Wait.” Harriet pulled back and put her little palms on either side of Kylie’s face, squeezing until Kylie looked like a pufferfish. “You’re not Mommy. You’re the trash lady. Why are you wearing Mommy’s poncho?”
Kylie looked at him for an answer.
Heck if he had one.
When in doubt, act.
“Hey, kiddo. Get out of there. Kylie needs some space and air.”
“Who’s Kylie?”
“Be. I’b Kydee,” Kylie said, face still smooshed. The confused look on Harriet’s face changed to sheer delight.
“Say it again!”
Luke crouched down and hooked one arm around his kid’s waist, backing out of the musty bin with her wiggling in his arms.
“Come on. Let Kylie out.”
The air in there was humid and a bit off, mustiness mingled with dirty plastic and the mixed scent of loads of people’s discards.
“Thank you,” Kylie said with so much gratitude in her voice as she shined the flashlight toward the small door, following him. As soon as he was out of the bin, Harriet got loose, stepping back to watch Kylie’s exit.
Out in the air, she held up her car keys in one hand, phone in the other, and before he knew it, she was hugging him, hot breath on his chest.
“You’re a godsend.”
“No, he’s not. He’s a police officer,” Harriet chirped, making Kylie laugh, her soft body against him stirring up pieces of himself he hadn’t let loose in two years.
His arms, held aloft in surprise, wrapped around her waist. The red poncho crossed all the wires between his heart, mind, and body, the last whiff of Amber in the cloth mixing with his memory of kissing Kylie fifteen years ago on that lake pier.
“Thank you so much, Luke,” she whispered breathlessly, waving to Harriet. “I appreciate your keeping this a secret.”
“You don’t look like a dog.”
Luke and Kylie looked down to see Harriet tapping her thigh, clearly confused, pointing at Kylie.
“Excuse me?”
“Daddy said you were a dog.”
Cold air entered the space between his body and Kylie's.
That was the quickest end to a hug he’d ever experienced.
“Excuse me?” This time, the words were pointed.
Pointed at him.
“I told her we were rescuing a stray. She made the leap.” Palms up, he surrendered. “I never called you a dog.” He couldn’t help but look her over. “And I never would.”
“Then what are you? A witch who lives in dumpsters?”
“Harriet,” he admonished.
Pressing her finger to her lips, she looked at Harriet, who mimicked the gesture.
“It’s a secret.”
Kylie bent toward her, little finger hooked. Harriet knew how to pinkie swear, eyes solemn as she did it.
“I’ll keep your secret, trash lady witch.”
Luke watched as Kylie laughed, then winced.
“You injured?” he asked.
“Only my bladder.” Self-deprecating laughter made him tilt his head, wondering what that meant, until he got it and smiled back, shooing her off with both hands.
“Go. I’ll clean up here. Get home. Get a shower and a good, stiff drink.”
“I owe you, Luke. Thank you so, so much.”
“Don’t owe me a thing.”
“You rescued me from this ridiculous situation. I have to return the favor somehow.”
One corner of his mouth went up as Harriet scampered into the car, clearly escaping the biting cold.
He pointed to the red poncho.
“Take that off and throw it back in the donation bin.”
“This?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
His arms crossed over his chest involuntarily, heart pounding against one wrist. “I’m asking for a favor.”
As she pulled up, peeling herself out of the huge blanket-like piece of clothing, her cute little body stretched up, curves on display in the moonlight. For a split second, he remembered he was a man, and not just a dad or a law enforcement officer.
A man.
With needs.
“Sure,” Kylie said, balling up Amber’s poncho, tossing it back in through the side door he’d just forced open. “Done. But that’s not enough.”
“Not enough for what?”
“I still owe you.”
“DADDDEEEEE! I’m cold! And Jester needs to go for his piddle.”
“Jester?”
“Our dog.”
“Piddle?” she asked Luke, who rolled his eyes as he closed the side door, giving the padlock a measured look, the pieces broken by the bolt cutters.
He shrugged, then turned to her and explained. “That’s what my mom calls it when you take the dog out to do its business.”
Kylie winced again. “Speaking of piddling…” Waving as she trotted off to her car, she turned away, keying into her car.
An overstuffed black trash bag rolled out onto the ground.
Grabbing it, she hauled it back to the bin, Luke politely pulling the handle down.
“Where are your keys and phone?” he asked, laughing.
She patted her back pocket. “Safely in here.”
Their eyes met, his filled with tempered amusement, hers so emotional, so overwhelmed. He wanted to help her to be calmer. More focused. Wanted her to really look at him and appreciate the moment, as weird as it was.
But she couldn’t.
And he respected that.
“Goodbye, Perry,” she muttered with a frustrated anger that made Luke want to find the guy himself and have a few words.
In two trips, she rid herself of the infernal Perry, at least in physical form, and scrambled into her car.
Then she stepped out of it, and threw herself into his arms. The unexpected shock of a woman’s soft, curvy body made electricity run through him, the chill disappearing as Kylie hugged him, her arms around his neck, his encircling her waist. Their thick coats meant they barely touched, and yet the connection was electric.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear, her lips so close, his body responding in ways he hadn’t felt in years.
“You’re very welcome,” he said as his arms tightened just as she let go.
And ran back to her car.
The engine started up easily and she backed out of the spot by Deke’s station building, then drove to the end of the parking lot, smoothly turning away from his town.
He watched until the red tail lights were gone.
And then the coyotes howled until he climbed into the cruiser and played “Let It Go” all the way home.