Page 53 of Breathe Me In

“Damn, Sherry has been blowing up his phone continuously. Sometimes I think she totally forgets we have a job to do,” Kennedy muttered. “So how was your date with Hayne?” He grinned.

“It was far from a date. Did Brad tell you that?”

“No, I was there when Hayne made sure Brad knew.”

“Shit, Bree, I have to go.” Brad slipped his phone into his pocket. “Here.” He pulled out a set of keys. “Sleep at my place—you’re too tired to drive home.”

All I could picture was him and Sherry coming back to his place with me there. No way. “I’m fine. I’ll text you when I get home. I need a shower, change of clothes, and a large pizza all to myself.” I pushed off the wall and gave my neck a stretch.

“I have a shower, I have clothes, and I can have a pizza sent to my house before you even get there.”

He walked me outside, and I shrugged off his coat, and he hesitated. “Brad, let’s not poke the bear. Clearly, Sherry needs you right now, and I’m fine.” When he huffed out an exasperated breath, I raised a brow. “Thank you, but I’m good.” I handed his coat to him.

His mouth pursed as he studied my outfit again, then he brushed his hair back from his eyes. “I’m sorry. Okay, let me deal with her, and I’ll check in on you later. Ray!” he called out to the older detective. “I want you to walk Bree to her truck.”

“All right.” Ray didn’t look pleased, but he just shrugged.

I shot Brad a slit-eyed look.

“My place or you let him walk you to the truck.”

“I don’t think he likes me,” I said quietly as I pulled my purse over my arm.

He checked the time. “You’ll be fine. Just call me when you get home. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.” I rolled my eyes, then he leaned in with a grin.

He let his lips linger at my jawbone, but to anyone else, it would look like he was speaking to me quietly. “That’s my girl.”

His three simple words sent my libido into overdrive. My skin heated, my chest heaved, and my thighs clenched together. I felt sixteen again. But as quickly as the thrill went through me, flickers of Sophia’s lifeless body pushed through, and our moment quickly faded.

“Call me later.” He tapped my bare thigh as he pulled back. I blinked and tried to gather myself from the grief that had taken over me. “Night.”

I watched him race off in the opposite direction of my truck with the phone to his ear. “Night,” I managed to whisper as I clung to the thrill that ran through me.

Ray walked over to join me, and I took a deep breath of chilly air and folded my arms. I wished I’d kept Brad’s jacket. Mine was in the truck along with my warm boots.

I fought for something to say. “I forgot how quickly the sun drops this time of year.” Ray wasn’t good at small talk. He barely got words out before he questioned someone.

“So, you think you saw him?” Ray grunted in the normal cranky voice he used with me.

I nodded. “Yes, I do, which is why I want to see all the footage, not just what the owner offered us.”

“There’re protocols in place.”

“And I understand that,” I said and tried to curb my frustration. “I’m just saying I hope that something shows itself before anyone else dies.”

“Does this mean you’ll be sticking around town?”

I looked over at him. “Would that bother you?”

“What bothers me is Cap bringing in someone with no experience and no education or understanding of the justice system just so we can bend the rules a little.” He made no move to start walking.

“My truck isn’t far. Can we go?” I was frozen, and now he’d pissed me off. “And to address your comment, first, I am educated and have a very good understanding of the justice system. Second, from what I hear, you have quite the reputation for bending the rules from time to time as well.”

“Stone tell you that?”

“No.” I would never toss Brad under the bus. “But people talk.”