Page 45 of Merrick

“Yes. The way you charged out of my office led me to believe that you went straight to the commander.” She automatically jerked her arm when he gripped it and steered her into a storage room.

“What are you doing?”

“How long have we known each other?” He asked tightly, dropping her arm, and taking a step back.

“It doesn’t matter…”

“Haven’t I always had your back? I care about you a hell of a lot, not just as a partner and you damn well know it.”

Blowing out her breath, she sat on a crate of disinfectant. “I know, but you were so angry – I thought…”

“Can you blame me?” He hissed. “You’re sleeping with a suspect and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

“I know what I’m doing,” she said defensively.

“Do you?”

“Yes.” She insisted. “He’s innocent, Brad.”

He simply stared at her.

“And if he’s not, I will personally put the cuffs on.”

“You’d better hope he is.” With that, he turned around and jerked the door open, leaving her sitting there.

*****

She was quiet and he wondered what she was thinking. The workout session between them had been intense. Afterwards they had taken a shower and now they were having a meal in the living room with the fire glowing in the hearth. He was not accustomed to her silence and was concerned, and she was picking at her meal.

“The lobster is not to your liking?”

He noticed the tiny jolt when he spoke as if she had been immersed in her own world.

“It’s delicious.” To prove it, she scooped up a forkful.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Please tell me.”

She shrugged. “This is a mistake.”

He willed himself to be calm. All day he had been in meetings, sitting behind his desk plowing through several complicated contracts and all the while he had been thinking of her.

Her smile, her witty and sharp humor, the way she carries herself, the way she fitted him like a glove and the excitement and anticipation of tonight. And under all of that was the fear that she would decide she did not want to stay with him.

“You have to see that I’m right.”

“Do I?” They had showered together in the gym bathroom, and she was wearing one of his shirts, which looked as sexy as hell on her. Her face was scrubbed clean, and he had a challenging time remembering that she was in her fifties. Shoving off the sofa, he went to stoke the fire and had sparks flying up.

She bit her lip as she watched his controlled angry movement. The conversation with Brad had nettled her and the call to the commander’s office had been disturbing. Brad was right. She should not have gotten involved. And when they find the real culprit, the man standing by the fire was going to hate her. And she could not bear it.

She should end this now before it was too late. But wasn’t it already too late?

“What the hell are you afraid of?” He came back around and sat at her feet.

“I am not afraid of anything. I am just being practical. This …,” she flung a hand at him first and then at herself. “We are polar opposites.” Putting her utensils down, she sat back and closed her eyes briefly. “I cannot give you what you want.”

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