Page 15 of One Night Entanglement
Jenna's sitting alone at a table for two, but she's not eating. She's watching us. Not even trying to be subtle about it. The look on her face could kill, and all of it's directed at Cecily.
"She's staring," Cecily says quietly.
"I see that."
"You think she's going to cause a scene?"
I consider it. Jenna's the type who thrives on drama, always has been. But this is a public place, and she's alone. "Nah. She's all bark, no bite. Besides, what's she gonna do? Make a scene because her boyfriend got arrested for being a piece-of-shit drug dealer?"
Cecily flinches slightly at my bluntness. "Quinn..."
"What? You did the right thing, reporting him. The fact that he was trafficking fentanyl and meth just proves you were right to be suspicious. He's a fuckin' dumbass and you finished what he started." I reach across the table and cover her hand with mine. "You probably saved lives, you know that?"
"Tell that to her."
"I will if she gives me the chance."
But Jenna doesn't approach us. She just sits there, nursing what looks like a drink she's not actually drinking, shooting daggers in our direction. It's making Cecily uncomfortable, I can tell. Her shoulders are tense, and she keeps glancing over like she's waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Hey," I say, squeezing her hand, forcing her attention away from Jenna. "Look at me."
She does, those green eyes that have been haunting my dreams focusing on my face.
"She can't hurt you. You know that, right? Whatever bullshit she's got brewing in her head, it doesn't matter. You're safe."
"I know you think that…" She swallows loudly.
"It's not what I think, it's what I know. I'm a cop, Cec. Ex-military. I know how to handle myself, and I sure as hell know how to protect the people I care about." I lean forward, lowering my voice, cupping her cheek in the palm of my hand. "Nobody's going to hurt you while I'm around. Not her, not her piece-of-shit boyfriend if he gets out of jail, not anybody. You understand me?"
She nods, but I can see she's still scared. The rest of dinner passes quietly, both of us aware of Jenna's presence even though she never says a word. When we finally leave, I notice she's gone. Probably got up right after we did, which doesn't sit right with me.
"You know," I say as we walk to the truck, "I saw her earlier today. At the gas station on Third Street."
Cecily stops walking. "What?"
"Yeah, when I was getting coffee before work. Didn't think much of it at the time, but now..." I open the passenger door for her. "Could be a coincidence."
"Or she could be following us."
"Maybe. If she is, she's not very good at it." I wait for her to get in before closing the door and walking around to my side. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, I can handle whatever comes our way."
The drive home starts quiet, both of us lost in our own thoughts. But about halfway there, Cecily does something that catches me completely off guard. She reaches over and flips up the center console, creating one long bench seat.
"What are you doing?" I ask, even though the answer becomes obvious when she slides across the seat until she's pressed against my side.
"Getting comfortable," she says, like it's the most natural thing in the world. "This is how we used to ride, remember? Before everything got so complicated."
I remember. I remember the weight of her against my side, the way she'd curl into me like she belonged there. I remember thinking that if I could just keep driving forever, with her tucked against me like this, everything would be perfect.
"Cecily—"
"Shh." Her hand lands on my thigh, and I have to fight to keep my focus on the road. "Just drive."
For a few minutes, that's all there is. The hum of the engine, the occasional car passing in the other direction, and the warmth of her body pressed against mine. It's peaceful in a way I haven't felt since I got back. Maybe longer than that.
Then her hand starts moving.
It's subtle at first, just her thumb tracing small circles on my jeans. But then her palm flattens against my thigh, her fingers spreading wide, and I know we're heading into dangerous territory.
