Page 15 of Conquer

Six

Sam

A week later, I was in my dining room going through the files like I did most evenings.

I was obsessed, had become even more so since Adrian had arrived. And even more, I was using the investigation, the files, to keep me distracted from him.

I’d spoken to the man twice, but he was at the center of my thoughts constantly. Not too out of ordinary on its face, but this was so different for me. He was so different from me.

I’d had my share of crushes and gone on a few dates with nice, respectable men that I had admired.

But my reaction to Adrian…

It was intense, deep, in a way that it shouldn’t have been after such a short period of time. Also uncalled for, because what did I know about the man?

He was state police officer.

He was deliciously intense.

We shared a habit of sticking our noses in places they didn’t necessarily belong.

Not the stuff obsession was built on, yet here I was.

I needed to get a grip, but I knew myself well enough to know that would be easier said than done. When something got into my mind, it was there until I solved it, understood everything there was to know about it.

And I suspected solving Adrian, working out my reaction to him, would take a lot longer. In the meantime, I kept myself busy with something I understood, or at least I thought I did.

It was almost a ritual, the way I worked those files over and over again. I’d been through them enough times that I knew them by heart. But I always hoped there would be something I’d overlooked, some spark that might change everything.

I jumped when my doorbell rang. I checked my watch and confirmed that my mother would be at salsa class, which left me no clue as to who it could be. I was both curious and nervous as I walked toward it. I looked through the peephole, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Adrian on the porch.

I ignored that reaction but paused a moment, wanting to put on my most professional face—something that would be tougher to do when I was wearing yoga pants and a tank top, but I did the best I could and opened the door.

“Adrian,” I said, standing in the entryway.

“Sam,” he said, his expression inscrutable.

He said nothing else, and we stood there. It took me several seconds to realize how rude I was being. I stepped aside. “Come in,” I said, gesturing toward the front room.

Adrian nodded, entered.

“Sorry about that,” I said. “And thanks for not scaring the crap out of me this time.”

He dropped his brows into a deep furrow. “I apologize for that. I wasn’t think—”

I smiled. “Adrian, I was joking,” I said.

“Joking. Yeah,” he said with a curt nod, though he didn’t smile or laugh.

I met his eyes and lifted my brows, looking at him expectantly. He looked back and seemed in no hurry to do anything at all.

“So…” I said a few moments later, “do you need something?”

“No,” he replied.

“Okay…” I said, letting the word drag, hoping he’d clue me in, but not at all certain that he would.

“I wanted to ask you question,” he said.

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