Page 46 of Bachelor Cop Finally Caught? (Hot off the Press! 2)

Oblivious to whatever aches and pains lingered from her mishap, she threw her arms around him and returned the kiss with all the enthusiasm she’d been holding back for so very long. There might have been twinges of physical discomfort, but they were far overshadowed by pleasure. As many times as she had fantasized about kissing Dan, reality was even better than imagination.

A small shift on his part had her sitting in his lap, her arms locked around his neck, his hands sliding down her back in a preliminary foray of exploration. She almost purred.

His mouth was firm, warm, so very clever. He kissed her deeply, softly. And then he tilted his head to try a different angle, this time more firmly.

She could have happily kept trying variations of that kiss for hours.

And then Dan’s phone buzzed.

Both of them groaned simultaneously. Reluctantly releasing her mouth, Dan rested his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry.”

“I’ve known all along that this came with the territory.” She wanted to make it very clear that she was no Melanie, competing with his job for his attention. “Answer your call.”

He did, and it took her only a moment to realize from his tone that he was going to have to leave again. The hardness of his lap beneath her was ample proof that he would like to stay; she somewhat wistfully told herself she should be content with that. At least she knew now that he did want her.

That was a good deal further along than they’d been yesterday.

“I have to go,” he said when he disconnected, confirming what she’d already guessed. “I can’t say how long I’ll be gone this time.”

“There’s really no need for you to come back this evening,” she assured him. “I’m perfectly all right. I’ve got plenty to eat and pain pills if I need them—which I don’t think I will. You do what you have to do—and, yes, I’ll call if I need you,” she added, anticipating his next words.

He hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll call you later.”

“Do that. I’ll be curious about what’s going on.”

He brushed a kiss over the end of her nose and set her off his lap. “When are you not curious?”

She stood and followed him to the door. As reluctant as she was to see him leave, she decided it wasn’t such a bad thing to spend a few hours apart now. She wanted to think about some of the things they’d said—well, actually, he hadn’t said much; she needed to think about what that meant, too. They had plenty of time now. There was no need to ruin everything by rushing.

“I’m sure Marjorie invited you to her party at the diner tomorrow evening,” Dan said at the door.

“Of course. She’s very excited about it. Are you going?”

“Probably—unless something comes up, of course.”

“Marjorie understands about the demands of your job.”

He stood still for a moment, one hand on the door-knob, then suddenly blurted, “So you’re planning to be there? If you’re up to it, I mean?”

She was finding it very interesting that this man who was so firm and decisive in every other aspect of his life was displaying such awkward hesitation when it came to their evolving relationship. “I’ll be there.”

For a moment she thought he might suggest they go together. A date—a first real, public date. Maybe he’d intended to ask, but changed his mind. Or got cold feet. All he actually said was, “I’ll see you there.”

“All right.” Don’t push him, Lindsey.

There was plenty of time—now that they had taken that first, tentative step forward.

Judging from the crowd in the Rainbow Café Saturday evening, Marjorie’s casual reception for her daughter and her fiancé was quite a success. Festively decorated with balloons and sparkling cardboard-and-glitter music notes hanging from the ceiling, and a large banner congratulating Pierce Vanness on his new record deal, the diner was crowded with chattering friends and well-wishers.

“Look at Lindsey, will you?” Riley O’Neal shook his head in indulgent amusement as he spoke to Dan. “She’s eating up all this attention.”

Standing on one side of the diner with a glass of Marjorie’s fruit punch in one hand, Dan didn’t need Riley to point in Lindsey’s direction. He’d already been watching her.

From the time he’d arrived at the diner half an hour earlier, Lindsey had been completely surrounded. Everyone there had heard about the explosion, of course, and they wanted all the juicy details. He was relieved to see that the color had returned to her face, and her eyes were bright and clear again. She still wore the neat white bandag

e at her temple, but she’d covered most of her bruises with makeup and a long-sleeved, brightly striped sweater that was short enough to reveal just a glimpse of firm midriff above her jeans when she moved.

She looked great. And he wasn’t the only man who noticed, he realized, scowling toward Virginia Porter’s grandson, Dr. Scott McAdoo, who was chatting animatedly with Lindsey at that very moment. The doctor seemed quite taken.

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