Page 48 of Stella
I shouldn’t be here
But it’s too late now. She’s on her way down.
One minute. Just a second, even.
I glance down at Calli, who’s staring up at me with a weird look on her face. “Don’t you start.”
She whines.
“I mean it, Dad is just getting his jacket, and that’s it. We’re still on the job.”
She whines again and my lips twitch. “Shh!”
She makes another noise that sounds a lot like a ‘you’re fucking fucked’ and I’m about to tell her she’s wrong when I hear the sounds of Stella running down the stairs. Fucking running.
Then the rattle of the handle as she unlatches it and swings the door wide open.
I don’t expect to see her standing there in a tank and little sleep shorts.Keep your eyes on hers, fuckface.
“Why,DetectiveCallaghan.” She folds her arms over her chest as she sasses her hips. “Whatever brings you to this neck of the woods?”
11
STELLA
Holy fuck.
Cale is standing there in his full patrol uniform, and he looks so delicious I could eat him like a big, juicy peach. His hair is perfectly styled, his face clean-shaved, and his eyes impossibly blue like all the other times I’ve seen them, but tonight they shine like diamonds.
“I was in the area.” His voice is gruff, and he glances down to Calli. “Plus, she was whining about seeing you again.”
I smile, clapping my hands together, looking down at the big, beautiful girl staring up at me. “May I?”
“Just for a second.”
“Because she’s working, right?”
“Yes, but when it comes to you, she seems to know that there’s a new rule.” Before I have time to answer, Cale glances at Calli and says; “Relax.”
Calli immediately stands and wags her tail as I bend to pat her. She nuzzles her nose up to my hand. I wobble backward because, well, Calli has a big head and while she’s gentle unless Cale commands otherwise, she really doesn’t know her own strength.
“Such a good girl, Calli, aren’t you?” I coo, scratching her behind the ears as Calli laps it up.
Cale watches on, that smile on his face getting wider as I smooch all over his dog. She’s such a sweet thing. “I think it’s safe to say she’d ditch me in a heartbeat for an ounce of your affection,” he laughs.
“She just needs this itty-bitty scratch behind those super cute adorable ears, don’t you, girl?” I continue to scratch her as she wiggles her butt.
Calli whines in agreement, and I stand. “Come inside, I’ll grab the jacket — I left it upstairs.”
Cale opens his mouth, his hand rising as he starts to say something, thumbing behind him, but he halts then says, “Just for a second.”
I smile coyly. “Always on duty,Detective?”
“Well, truthfully? What I really want is to get back to actual detective work, but since the team is down, and will be for the foreseeable future, we have to patrol for a couple more weeks.”
Is it just me, or is he palming the back of his neck and stammering his words for a reason?
“Where would this city be without your due diligence?” His eyes meet mine, but before he can respond, I add; “Before you come in, I owe you an apology.”
