Page 15 of Shelter for Sharla

“Yes, ma’am. We’ll be back around midnight, I suppose. They want to have the service and then have a little reception. I’m sure there’ll be all kinds of food and all the teachers will want to talk to us, so it’ll be late.” Carter watched as Chelsea pulled on a thin cardigan while Lionel carried a lightweight jacket.

“That’s fine. Please call me when you’re on your way so I’ll know to be watching for you.”

“You don’t have to wait up, Mom. You need to go to bed. You’ve got work in the morning and?”

“I’m your mom. I’ll always worry?even more now. Go. Tell them I said thanks for doing this and I’d come but I’m just too tired. SheriffMelton wants to ask me some questions, so I’m just going to hang out here.”

“Okay. We’ll call on our way back. Bye,” Chelsea called back into the house.

“Bye, AuntieSharla. Thanks, SheriffMelton,” Lionel added.

“You’re welcome, son,” Carter replied. “Drive safely.” The door closed behind the kids and in a few seconds, Carter could hear the car start and the sound of its tires on the pavement as it pulled away from the curb. “That’s nice of the teachers to do that for them.”

“It is. We’ve got a great community here. Everybody’s taking this really hard.” Sharla took a sip of her coffee and set her mug down. “And there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

Please, god, let it be that she wants me to bang her, Carter’s brain whispered to him, hardening his cock even more. “Yeah?”

“I’m pretty sure somebody followed me home last night.”

That wasn’t at all what he’d thought she was going to say. “What? Are you sure?”

“No. Not a hundred percent. But I’m pretty sure. I took a couple of turns to see what would happen, and they stayed right on me.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” he whisper-shouted.

“Because I wasn’t totally positive and I didn’t want to be the boy who cried wolf. But it shook me up a bit.” She wasn’t lying?her face had paled enough that it was noticeable in the mediocre kitchen lighting.

“Can you think of a reason anybody would have to do that?”

“Like…”

“Like has anybody been harassing you at work? Creepy guy hanging around? Anything amiss around here, like graffiti on the house or car, or your garbage can being gone through? Anybody threatening you because of what Tamara did?”

“No. I can’t think of anything. There’s no reason for anybody to follow me.”

Carter stood there for a minute, trying to figure out what to do. He didn’t want to alarm her, but he wanted her safe. “If you notice anything like that again, call me while it’s happening and keep driving. I’ll get in touch with the Hopkinsville police and have them intercept you and follow them. I…” Did he want to say it? “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I’m sure I’m just being paranoid?”

“I don’t think so. If you think they were following you, they probably were. Promise me you’ll call me. Sharla? I mean it. Promise.”

“Okay! I will, I will!” Her voice softened as she said, “I just don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re no bother, you or the kids. I kinda want to see where this thing goes, okay?”

“Yeah. Me too.”

Go for broke, Carter, he told himself. “Look, I’d love to take you to dinner, but I don’t think that would be a good idea, at least not until the investigation is over. But when it is?”

A sly smile pulled up the corners of her mouth. “You don’t have to wine and dine me, Carter. That’s not necessary. We can skip the formalities. I’d be just as happy with an evening at your house.”

Carter gave a little chuckle. “I think that can be arranged! Let me know if you know when the kids will be gone. Maybe we can plan something.”

“They’re gone now…” There was no time to respond before she stepped up to him and pressed her lips to his.

That was all the invitation he needed, and he pressed his palms to her cheeks, holding her face to his, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. A sound rose from her throat, a low growl that made her lips vibrate against his and set him on fire. God, she was a vixen, slutty enough to excite him and sweet enough to make him want to protect her. When he broke the kiss and leaned back, he gave her a lazy smile that he hoped translated into lust. “Bedroom?”

“No. Here.” Sharla leaned in and her lips tickled his earlobe when she whispered, “Fuck me here.”

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