Page 50 of Renewal After Dark

“I know. I’ve got to call the coroner to come over from the mainland.”

While he made that call, she thought of Tiffany getting that news and having to tell her sweet little girl that her daddy had died in the storm.

After he ended the call, Jack leaned over to kiss her. “One of these mornings, we’re going to loll about in bed and have coffee and breakfast and more of the fun we had last night.”

“That sounds like something to look forward to.”

“Yes, it does.”

“Don’t you have to get going?”

“I do, but I don’t want to.” He kissed her again. “In case I forget to tell you, this last week has been a very big deal for me, as you know. Because it was you, it was perfect. You’re perfect.” He left her with one last kiss. “This time, I’m really going.”

While he showered in her tiny bathroom, Piper got out of bed and put on her robe.

Ten minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, wearing his sexy state police uniform, kissed her one last time and was gone, promising to text her later. The door had almost closed behind him when he turned around and came back into the room.

“Forget something?”

“Yeah.” He kissed her again. “I mean it this time. I’m going.”

She released the handful of uniform she’d grabbed while he kissed her. “Good luck with everything today.”

He grimaced as he remembered the grim task that awaited his attention. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I’ll be here.”

“I can’t wait.”

Chapter11

It took Piper a full minute after he left to catch the breath he’d stolen from her lungs with his sweetness. She might want to tell herself this wasn’t about love, but with every minute she spent with him, it was getting harder to deny that’s where it was headed.

Half an hour later, showered and dressed for work, she went downstairs to check in with Laura at the hotel’s reception desk.

“Funniest thing just happened,” Laura said.

“What’s that?”

“A sexy state trooper came down my stairs in full uniform. I said, ‘Officer, is something amiss in my hotel?’ He just grinned and said everything is just dandy. Do you know anything about what that hot cop was doing in my hotel first thing in the morning, young lady?”

Piper was trying her best not to bust up with laughter at Laura’s teasing. “I’ve got to move out of here ASAP.”

“Don’t do that! How will I know that Hot Cop spent the night—again—if you leave?”

“I feel like my mom is catching me doing the walk of shame.”

“So was it shameful, then?”

“Laura!”

She lost it laughing. “You’re so cute when you’re mortified.”

“I must be flat-out adorable right now,” she muttered.

“You are! You’re glowing. So things are going well, I take it?”

“Duh.”

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