Page 80 of James

They made their way to James's condo, and he carried their bags inside while Laura said goodbye to Paula. Expressing her heartfelt appreciation, Laura grabbed the other woman’s hands.

“Thank you so much for all your help. I’m really glad you were part of our protection. I’m not sure I would have survived if it had been all male detectives. I know I spent most of my time working, but I really enjoyed the time we did have together.”

Paula chuckled, her voice lighthearted, and squeezed Laura’s fingers. “You’re welcome. ‘I was just doing my job, ma’am, just doing my job,’” she replied, adding a touch of humor. “On a more serious note, where do things stand between you and James? You seem to have relaxed a lot with him since the window was broken.”

Laura's smile faltered and she couldn’t maintain eye contact. “Yeah, I have. I don’t know where we stand, to be perfectly honest. James hasn’t said anything about us this whole time. I’m not sure he would take me back if I asked him to.”

Paula shook her head, her eyes gleaming with insight. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you, Laura. You didn’t see all the times he looked toward the door of your room back at the hotel when you were working. Sometimes it seemed like he was about to go in and drag you out. He still wants you. I think he’s waiting for you to make the first move at this point. Just my two cents.Take care, and if you ever need a cop again, you know who to call.”

Laura couldn't help but laugh, appreciating Paula's candid perspective. With a nod, she bid her farewell, and Paula left.

That night, Laura curled up in a ball on the bed in James’s spare bedroom. Sleep eluded her as thoughts of him consumed her mind. Contemplating their connection, her thoughts wandered into the realms of dominance and submission. Unsure of her own desires, she couldn't arrive at any clear conclusions. One thing, however, became abundantly clear — she didn’t want to lose James.

In the darkened room, her mind painted vivid pictures of their shared moments, their stolen glances, and the unspoken words that lingered between them. Images of James's strong arms wrapped around her, his touch igniting a fire deep within her, flashed through her mind, causing her heart to ache with a mix of yearning and apprehension.

As she lay there, the silence of the night enveloping her, Laura clung to the hope that their paths would once again intersect, and that she would find the courage and clarity to navigate the intricate labyrinth of their emotions. Her heart whispered of a future where their souls would intertwine, where they would rediscover the depth of their connection and find solace in each other's arms.

She barely slept and woke bleary-eyed and ill-tempered when loud knocking disturbed the morning stillness. The incessant tapping on her bedroom door only served to deepen her fatigue, and she groggily stumbled to answer it. To her surprise, James stood on the other side, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. The aroma waftedthrough the air, momentarily jolting her senses awake. Laura's bleary-eyed gaze met James's.

His brows furrowed with worry. “Didn’t you sleep last night?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.

“Not a lot,” Laura admitted. The exhaustion seemed to drag on her limbs and the coffee mug seemed to weigh a ton. She put up a brave front, saying, “I’ll be okay once I’ve had a couple of cups of coffee. I called my boss yesterday, and he said I could take today off. With nothing to do in that stupid hotel but work, I'm now ahead of schedule.” She cocked her head.He doesn’t look much better than I feel. “How about you? Did you sleep well back in your own bed?”

A soft chuckle escaped James's lips as he took a sip of his own coffee. “It was actually kind of odd. I’d finally gotten used to the bed at the hotel, but I think I did better than you did.” His gaze wandered over her, curiosity evident in his expression. “What kept you up?”

Laura waved off his question, attempting to downplay her restless night. She focused on her coffee, savoring its warmth. “Oh, this and that,” she replied evasively.

A flicker of disappointment crossed James's face. “I would have liked to offer you breakfast, but...” He let the sentence trail off, a touch of regret in his voice.

She finished his thought, her voice full of understanding. “Your fridge is empty.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can take you to a diner. There's a good one a few blocks from here.”

“Nah.” Self-consciously, Laura picked at her fingernails. “I’m rather anxious to get the window fixed.”

They finished their coffee, and he drove them to Home Depot for the window and then back toher duplex. He was done with the installation in less than an hour.

Laura's eyes met James's, filled with genuine appreciation. A soft smile graced her lips as she reached out to lightly touch his arm. “Thank you, James, for everything. I'm truly grateful for your help with the window and for letting me stay in your guest room. It meant a lot to me.”

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and her uncertainty reflected in his gaze. The unspoken words lingered between them, forming an invisible barrier that she didn’t dare to breach.

With a tentative smile, Laura said goodbye and went inside.

With nothing much to do and not ready to face her full-of-advice family, Laura stayed home, cleaned, and stewed.

Thoughts swirled in Laura's mind as she wrestled with her emotions throughout the day. The concept of commitment danced on the edge of her thoughts, beckoning her to explore its possibilities. She questioned herself, wondering if taking a chance on love would truly be such a terrible thing. After countless cycles of contemplation, she finally reached a resolution.

Determined, she decided to take the initiative. As the day wore on, anticipation grew within her, urging her to act. With a surge of courage, Laura picked up her phone and dialed James's number. Her heart raced as she listened to the ringing tone, waiting for him to answer.

Laura's gaze flickered nervously between James and the table, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the surface. Theambiance of Club Indigo's bar provided a muted backdrop to their conversation. With a deep breath, she mustered the courage to speak her truth. But no words came.

“Why did you want to meet me here, Laura?” James questioned, his brow furrowing with curiosity.

Swallowing her nerves, Laura began, “Well.” The words came out slower than a computer out of RAM. “We’ve been through a lot lately.” She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing, “I’m not proud of how I acted.”

James’s eyebrows flew upwards. “What? Honey, you were amazing. So strong and courageous.”

“Well, maybe I was with those criminals. I wasn’t with our relationship or the lifestyle.” Laura swallowed hard and made herself go on. “James, the truth is, I couldn’t have done it without you. Even when we were apart, I got the strength to face John Smith from you. I wouldn’t have been able to cope with the rest without you by my side guiding and helping me, making me stronger. You made me believe in myself. But seeing Jake after all this time, it rattled me. It made me realize I’m not ready to commit.”

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