Page 59 of Recklessly Yours

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.

Chapter Twenty-Five

HATTIE

When we got homelast night, Dylan insisted I sleep in his bed like I had the two nights prior, and though he joined me, he sat up against the headboard and focused on his phone, essentially shutting me out. It was awkward, to say the least. At the restaurant, he had been desperate for me, but once we were in bed, it was almost like he didn’t even want me there.

Maybe I was reading too deeply into things. He’d sworn he saw someone out back, and I believed it, so maybe the issue was that he was frustrated with how the night had gone. And he did make a point to rub my shoulder and brush his hand along my thigh once or twice before I finally rolled over and went to sleep.

Yeah, I must have been reading into things that weren’t there.

I stepped into the kitchen, and when I wasn’t hit with the familiar scents of fresh-cooked bacon and coffee, I froze.

I was surveying the kitchen, confused about the change in routine, when a hand landed on my shoulder. Startling, I whipped around, only to find Dylan standing close.

“Good morning.” He hurried past me toward the kitchen table, where he grabbed his laptop bag and threw it over his shoulder.

“I’m heading into the station early today,” he said. “Ethan’s outside. He’s going to drive you to work today.”

“Okay…” I ran my hand up my arm and clutched my bicep. “I could get ready really quick and ride in with you.”

He shook his head, attention averted. “No. It’s fine. Ethan can take you.”

I refused to be the whiny, clingy girlfriend, no matter how badly I wanted to scream outno, I want you to take me.

“I’ll stop by to pick up lunch again today.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against my temple.

“Alright. See you later.”

Without a backward glance, he strode to the front door and closed it firmly behind him.

What the hell? Had he changed his mind? After last night, had he realized that being with me wasn’t worth the drama? If that were the case, I couldn’t blame him. Even though I tried not to harp on that thought while I got ready for the day, I failedmiserably. The first thing I encountered at work were the cases of wine that he’d promised to help with.

I sighed. He was busy. That was all. At least that’s what I tried to convince myself of for the millionth time. He was busy, and he didn’t need a clingy, overbearing girlfriend.

I’d almost believed it until I pulled out my phone a few hours later and clicked on his text message.

Dylan: Hey, I can’t make it over to grab lunch. Could you send someone over with it?

Weird. But again, he was busy.

Me: Sure, no problem.

Dylan: Thanks.

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