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“There’s my girl,” Hayden said with an approving nod. “I know it’s easier said than done. But avoiding the issue will only make it fester. You’ve got this.”
Despite her lingering anxiety, Roseline gave her friend a small, grateful smile. Just vocalizing her jumbled thoughts out loud had helped calm the storm inside her. Hayden had a gift for seeing through the confusion to the heart of things.
“Thanks for talking me down from the ledge,” she said. “Don’t know what I’d do without our little therapy sessions.”
“Anytime. That’s what friends are for.” Glancing at her watch, Hayden grimaced. “Shoot. Looks like I need to run. But keep me posted, all right? I want to hear how things go with your detective.” She gave Roseline a playful wink.
With a roll of her eyes, Roseline laughed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep you in the loop. Stay out of trouble yourself, okay?”
“No promises there,” Hayden replied with a grin. Then her expression turned serious again. “Listen, be kind to yourself, Roseline. You’re stronger than you know. And you deserve to be happy.”
Roseline’s throat tightened with emotion. She gave a small nod, not yet believing the words but wanting to. “Thanks, Hayden. For everything.”
With a warm smile, her friend signed off. The video screen went black.
Alone with her thoughts once more, Roseline mulled over their conversation. Doubt still lingered, but Hayden’s perspective had cracked through her panicked haze. She didn’t regret kissing Callan because he was a bad man. Instead, she regretted it because of the job they had to do… and her own issues with trust and intimacy.
Maybe she did deserve a chance at happiness with someone who respected her. But first, she needed to have an honest dialogue to save their working relationship—before fear sabotaged this partnership like it had so many aspects of her romantic life.
CHAPTER TEN
Callan arrived at the station just as the first rays of dawn were peeking over the horizon with an armful of Grand Master files in his arms. Unable to sleep, he had tossed and turned all night, thoughts consumed with Roseline and that electrifying kiss they had shared, the one that had set his world on fire.
Sneaking glances at her soft mouth while they talked at the bar, he had fantasized about kissing her, wondering if she had ever noticed him admiring her from afar. He never imagined she would be the one to make the first move. The moment replayed in his mind, his heart quickening as he remembered the floral scent of her perfume, the warmth of her body as he pulled her against him, the exhilarating rush when their lips met…
Shaking his head, Callan tried to clear his mind as he entered the near-empty station. It wouldn’t do to be daydreaming about Roseline when they had a dangerous killer to catch. But the memory of that kiss lingered no matter how hard he tried to focus on work.
Arriving at his desk, Callan noticed his partner Brandon was already there, files spread haphazardly across the surface. Callen deposited his on his own desk.
“Well, hey there, early bird. You trying to make the rest of us look bad?” Brandon chuckled without glancing up.
Callan just grunted in reply as he set his coffee down.
Noticing his terse response, Brandon looked up curiously. “You okay, man? You’re looking kinda rough this morning.”
Callan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, sorry, just a long night…” His voice trailed off as he thought again of that electrifying kiss with Roseline, replaying every vivid detail.
“Everything all right with the big case?” Brandon asked. “I know this Game Master freak has you working round the clock lately. Word gets around here, you know.”
“It’s getting there. We’re making progress,” Callan replied vaguely, not ready to mention Roseline yet. He could feel Brandon’s perceptive gaze still studying him.
“You sure nothing else is up? I’m getting a weird vibe here…” Brandon leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his wide chest.
Callan busied himself organizing files, avoiding eye contact. “Nah, just exhausted trying to catch this psycho, you know? Lack of sleep has me out of it.”
“If you say so…” Brandon didn’t seem convinced, but he let it go for now, returning to his paperwork.
Callan breathed a small sigh, hoping his evasive answers were enough. Normally, he would confide in Brandon about anything big happening in his personal life. But for some reason, he wanted to keep the sparks with Roseline private for now, especially since Brandon’s girlfriend, Noelle, and Roseline were close friends. Conflict of interest and all that.
Sitting down, Callan’s leg bounced with nervous energy as he compulsively checked the door every few minutes. He kept expecting Roseline to walk in any second, heart leaping at the thought of seeing her again.
After about fifteen minutes of this, Brandon slapped his pen down in exasperation. “Okay, dude, you’re waiting for someone. What gives?”
Callan winced, knowing he’d been obvious. “It’s nothing, really.”
“Don’t give me that, I know you too well,” Brandon interjected. “Now spill it. What has you acting like a bomb is about to explode any minute?”
Callan hesitated, then relented with a sheepish grin. “All right, fine—I may have… kissed Roseline last night.”
