Page 64 of Dark Memories
“When did that happen?” Nate asked.
“She let a man near her without punching him in the nose?” Mason said.
“All of you can bite me.” She left them to their gossip, saving her grin until she had her back to them. They were idiots, but they were her idiots. And yeah, even she was tempted to sayhuh?at the thought of wanting to be called Delaney and being in love.
At her captain’s door she paused, wishing she could avoid this conversation.
“You going to come in or just stand there, staring at me,” Eve said.
“I figured if I don’t come in, I won’t have to hear you officially assign me to desk duty.”
“Sorry, but it is what it is.” Eve laughed at the sour expression Delaney knew was on her face. “You’ll survive it.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” She sighed as she took a seat. “How long will it be before I’m cleared, do you think?”
“Shouldn’t be more than a week, maybe only a few days. Everyone knows it was a righteous shoot. It’s really just a matter of going through the motions. How are you?”
“I’m good. It wasn’t the outcome I wanted, but Davidson didn’t give me a choice.” She wasn’t about to admit that the only reason she’d been able to sleep last night was because Zach had held her in his arms.
“No, he didn’t, so remember that when the doubts surface. And don’t miss your appointments with the head doc.”
“I was hoping you’d forget about that.”
“Not a chance. Now go pretend you’re doing something productive.”
Back at her cubicle, she paused and shook her head at seeing the blue stress ball that got passed around, usually dressed up as something silly, sitting on her desk. There was a little blonde wig on it, and it was sitting on a sign. ‘“Hi. I’m Delaney, and I’m in lurve,”’ she read aloud. She couldn’t help grinning at the stupid thing.
Nate popped up, resting his chin on the divider. “She’s smiling again, Gabe. Make her stop. It’s freaking me out.”
“I’m surrounded by twelve-year-olds.” And wouldn’t change a thing about them, but she’d never admit that.
She picked up the ball and threw it at Nate. “You’re forgetting I’m on desk duty, which means I get to pass out the assignments.”
“Shit, I’m screwed,” he said. “Goodbye.” He disappeared from sight.
Desk duty might be fun after all.
* * *
“Where are my clothes?”
When Zach grinned, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him before she realized she was trying to intimidate him while naked. That obviously wasn’t working so well.
They’d gone out for dinner—her, Zach, and Kali—and then returned to their house and watchedFinding Dory, apparently Kali’s favorite movie. After they’d gotten her to bed, Delaney had quickly found herself in Zach’s bed. Not that she’d put up much of a fight.
His gaze roamed over her. “Why do you need your clothes? I like you just the way you are.”
“Of course you do. You’re a man.”
He lifted the sheet, peering under it. “Appears so.”
She snorted. “Were you in doubt?”
“Not after the hour I just spent loving on you, no.”
Yeah, that had been a pretty spectacular hour. “I’m not spending the night.”
“And that’s why you can’t find your clothes. You can’t drive home naked.”
