Page 79 of Refuge for Flora

“You could never be disrespectful of me. You don’t have the capacity to be disrespectful of me. No matter what happens, I believe we’re supposed to be together.” She was opening her heart to him, and for the first time in her life, she felt safe with a man. “Do you?”

“I do.” She let him roll her to her back and opened her legs for him to slip between them. His hands cradled her cheeks and Flora wanted to stay like that forever, looking deep into each other’s eyes, that sweetness and fullness of their feelings filling the room. “I will kill that bastard before I’ll ever let him hurt you again. You’re mine, and you’re safe now. I’ll see to it. You never have to be afraid again, Flora. Never.”

When his hardness filled her, Flora knew for the first time in her life that she was exactly where she was supposed to be. In that shabby little room filled with seventies girly junk, on that silly little twin bed with pale candy stripes on the dust ruffle, she was home in the arms of a man who loved her so much that it flowed from his heart into hers. He bent to kiss her as he stroked into her, and she pressed her hands to his cheeks. “I love you, Barrett,” she whispered as he drew back.

“I love you too, baby girl. I’ve never held anything as precious as you in my arms before.”

Ten minutes later, his stickiness inside her and her cheek resting on his chest as his arms closed around her, Flora sighed and smiled. Her fingers dawdled along the hair on his chest and down his abs, around his navel, and back up again until her hand rested on his chest. “I guess you need to go home, huh?”

“I wish I didn’t have to. I mean, Conor would understand if I didn’t come back, but?”

“No, he’s here to help us and he’s your house guest. You should be there. It’s fine. It’s not like you’re leaving and I’m wondering where you’re going or who you’ll be with. I know what’s going on. And tell them… Please tell them that I appreciate everything they’re doing to try to keep me safe. I really do.”

He kissed her forehead and cuddled her closer. “I’ll tell them. I…” He stopped.

“What?”

“I called a cousin of mine in Arkansas and I’m thinking about driving you down there. You’d be safe and?”

“No. I can’t leave Mrs.Murphy. I just can’t. She needs me, Barrett. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“I know, I know.” He kissed her forehead again. “I’m just trying to find ways to keep you safe, that’s all. I’m… I’m scared, Flora.”

“That scares me.”

His chin rested on the top of her head as they lay there and he sighed before he spoke. “Good. You need to be scared enough to do what will keep you safe. I’d stay here with you all day every day if I could, but I can’t, so it’s important that you do what you can to stay safe. Promise me you will, babe. I can’t lose you.”

“I will. I promise.” It was a promise she hoped she could keep.

* * *

Something had flittedthrough Barrett’s mind the next day and he made a phone call. Ten minutes later, his phone rang. “What are you up to, young’un?”

“I wondered how much latitude you had to work on something with us?”

“Quite a bit. What’s up?”

By the time Barrett had finished briefing his friend, Bud was on board. “Are you sure you can do this?”

The older detective snorted. “Well, hell yeah. You’re in our KDFWR district, so we’re required to help you if you need it. We’re both state agencies. That trumps county and city?always.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate that. I’m trying to think of people I know who aren’t in this area so I know these guys will not have seen them. Conor’s laying low, and you’re not here, so you’re both good candidates.”

“If I can help, I will. You’ve helped me out a few times, and I really appreciated it. It’s my turn.” When Bud had asked people to assist in the search for Renita, Barrett hadn’t hesitated, even though it meant camping out in somebody’s spare room for a few days. He knew how to search on a grid and had assisted in enough rescues and recoveries to be a good bit of help, and he never wanted to lose his ability to say yes when someone needed an extra pair of hands or feet.

“So I’ve got an idea of something you can do. Let me talk to the other guys and see if we can arrange it. Might have to do some digging, but I think we can pull it off.”

“Okay. You just tell me where, when, and what I have to do, and I’ll be there. And Barrett?”

“Yeah?”

“You take care of that girl. She’s a wonderful person and the two of you can be very happy together once this is all behind you.”

“Thanks. I’m trying.” Barrett hoped his friend was right. Flora was the woman he’d been waiting for. He never thought he’d wind up with a girlfriend who needed someone to keep her alive, but it looked like that was exactly what he’d found. And that was okay, as long as he could pull off the Hail Mary they needed.

* * *

“So how long now?”

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