Page 63 of Three Rules I'd Never Break

Eli tapped out his knock on the front door. Thank goodness! I peeked out just to make sure it was my favorite deputy before turning the bolt.

He burst in and clutched me to his chest. For several minutes he stayed quiet. When he pulled back, he cradled my face.

“Only a few more days. No more than a week.” I said that as much to reassure me as to reassure him.

Eli shook his head. “I won’t be able to sleep. Please, will you stay at my place overnight until the house is ready? Please. For me.”

“I don’t...” Only one room in his house had a bed. “There isn’t...”

“I’ll stay here.”

“Eli, I run a business here. You can’t sleep during the day or even walk to the shower without customers seeing. That won’t work.”

He lifted my chin. “Tonight is my last night shift for a month. The house will be ready before I have to work nights again. It’s just a week. Please.”

“You’ve said that a lot.”

“Is it working? I can beg.” He acted like he was going to drop to his knees.

I pulled him back up. “All right. I’ll pack a bag in the morning. Sherlock will be happy with the new arrangement, I’m sure.” I patted his chest, acting braver than I felt. “You probably need to get back to work.”

“I do. Tomorrow I’ll fill you in on what happened tonight.” He turned toward the door. “You okay?”

I nodded. “Thanks for looking out for me.” There was a chance I wouldn’t sleep the rest of the night, but he didn’t need to know that.

His gaze swept over me. “It’s kind of funny to me that you own a lingerie store but sleep in a flannel nightgown. It’s cute though.” He didn’t give me time to respond before slipping out the door.

It closed behind him, and I bolted the lock.

He waved as he walked toward the other officers.

I hadn’t even teased him about crossing in the middle of the street.

* * *

Every timeI closed my eyes, I saw the knob on the back door jiggling. It brought back the fear from the nights huddled in my mom’s back seat, hoping I wouldn’t be spotted.

Sleeping was a lost cause. Two hours after Eli left, I rolled out of bed and packed a bag.

It would be a little weird sleeping in Eli’s bed, but after all the commotion, I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay overnight at the store. The thought of someone breaking in while I slept made me cold.

After changing out of my flannel nightgown and into leggings and a baggy t-shirt, I knocked at the doughnut shop long before it opened.

Tessa shoved the door open. “What’s wrong? Why are you awake?”

“Someone tried to break into the store last night. I never got back to sleep.” I pulled my hair into a ponytail. “I’m going to go to Eli’s, but I didn’t want you to worry about me. Issa is covering the store today, so I can go sleep for a while.”

She hugged me. “I’m so sorry. Eli mentioned something had happened. He showed up right after I arrived to make sure nothing was out of place in the shop. He’s probably freaking out about what happened.”

“You think? Until the house is finished, I’m sleeping at his place.” I waggled a finger in her face before she could utter a word. “And he is sleeping in my store.”

Tessa laughed. “Eli staying in a lingerie store is kind of funny.”

“All kinds of funny, but I’m too tired to laugh about it right now.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “I should probably warn Eli that I’m going over there.”

I waved as I walked to my car, then texted Eli.Can’t sleep. Going to your house.

The phone rang as I started the car. “Hey. You got my message.”

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