Page 232 of Captive Omega

I glance at Garrison and Vaughn.

Our case load is light, so we can all throw ourselves into this case.

“So, where do we start?” I ask, as if I know the first thing about cracking a case. But I love what I do and who I get to do it with, so I’m getting there.

“We start at the last place she was seen,” Garrison says.

“And that place was?” Vaughn asks Blaine.

Blaine refers to his file. “According to Everleigh’s credit card statement, Della was spending two thousand dollars in a fragrance store.”

We all stare at him.

“Everleigh hinted Della might be into something worse than drugs, but perfume?” I frown. “Are you sure?”

Blaine nudges his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I’d say finding out why would be a good start to finding her. Wouldn’t you?”

Epilogue 2 – Resa

“Are we still having our self-defense lesson?” I ask Blaine.

Garrison and Vaughn are working on a case. We’re supposed to be having our twice weekly self-defense lesson, but when Blaine came to remind me of it, I said I needed to get changed and now we’re lying on my bed talking.

He nods. “If you want.”

Neither of us moves.

“Was there anywhere that didn’t hurt?” I suddenly ask.

He blinks at me. “What?”

“You once said that you didn’t like anyone touching you because touch equaled pain after the car crash. Was there anywhere that didn’t hurt? I’d like to try something.”

He points to his left elbow, his brow furrowed in a confused frown. “Here.”

“I’m going to kiss you there.” He stares at me. “Um. I mean, if you don’t mind.”

After a bemused look, he lifts his left arm. He’s wearing a T-shirt today, but he doesn’t every day.

I kiss his elbow very lightly and immediately pull back.

He’s holding his breath.

“Did that hurt?” I ask.

Slowly, he shakes his head. “It did not.”

We stare at each other.

He clears his throat. “Did you want to maybe try kissing me somewhere else?”

Okay, so maybe he liked it. “If you’re sure it won’t hurt. But you have to tell me if?—”

“I will,” he interrupts.

I shuffle a little closer to him and touch my lips to his jaw.

He releases a soft breath.

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