Page 267 of Things Left Unsaid

“Sorry to disappoint.”

“You’re not sorry. If you were, you’d have spoken to the very nice man behind the desk.” She beams a smile at him. “Gary, did anyone ever tell you you grew into that chin?”

‘Gary,’ aka Officer Yardley, snorts. “My mom. Every time she sees me.”

“You married?”

He doesn’t glance away from his computer but holds up his hand and flashes his decorated ring finger at her.

“You’re not trying to pick up a guy, are you?” I groan.

“Gotta make it more exciting around here,” she drawls. “This won’t be a totally wasted trip if you decide to chicken out.”

I glower at her, but before I can utter a word, Colt clucks his tongue. “Tee.”

My best friend sniffsandshuts up.

As she studies her nails, I study the desk.

My throat grows thick with an emotion I can’t describe. It’s not sorrow or anger. It’s like all the years of repressed sentiment is suddenly blocking it.

Not that it’s stopping me from breathing, but it’s there.

Making it hard to focus on anything else.

“I don’t know why you’re scared,” Tee grouses a few minutes later. “He’s already behind bars. What can he do to you?”

And there we have it.

In that uncanny ability of hers, she hits the nail on the head.

Colt, seemingly aware that my batty best friend has indeed picked up on something, zooms in on me. His cell phone gets shoved in his pocket and he turns to face me, blocking my view of the desk.

His free hand cups my chin, and his thumb swoops over my cheek as he tips my head back so we’re looking square at one another. “Is that what has you so anxious?”

I swallow. And it’s hard. Enough that my throat aches. “Maybe,” I manage to croak.

“Baby, don’t you know you’re untouchable now?”

My eyes flare wide. “Huh?”

Those same half-grinning lips press against my forehead, but Tee interrupts whatever he’s about to say with, “You’re a Korhonen, babe. I mean, come on.”

“So’s Clyde! There’s no type of legal defense he can’t afford. He’ll end up serving two months on probation or something,” I squeak. “Then he’ll come for me?—”

“You. Are. Safe,” Colt assures me, his voice tender and calm in the face of my fears. “I will never let him hurt you.Ever. I’ve spent years watching that man hurt the people I love most. My hands were always tied. But he’s the one who unknotted that tie?—”

“He could run me over like he did Lydia,” I burst out. “Retaliation. Revenge. You name it—he’s capable of it.”

“Yes, he is,” Colt agrees, but his thumb brushes over my mouth. “If you think I’ll let him get anywhere near you, you’re seriously underestimating what I feel for you.”

“What exactly do you feel for me?” I whisper.

His grin is confident but warm. Not cocky, justhappy. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Swiping at the tears that are suddenly pouring down my cheeks, I mumble, “I can’t believe I said that for the first time in the RCMP detachment.”

“Doesn’t matter where it’s said so long as we mean it.”

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