AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I nodded, glancing down at the bed, unable to meet his stare, nibbling on my bottom lip. “Everything’s fine.”
“Seems like you had a good dream.” His voice sounded rich with amusement. “Do you wanna share?”
Oh yes, I’d been way too obvious that my dream was sex related. Kipp knocked me off my game. For years, I prided myself on the ability to show nothing on my face. But with him, it’d been impossible to do so. I needed to correct the problem. I lifted my chin and glared at him. “I dreamed about my ex-boyfriend.”
His expression said he didn’t believe me. He gestured toward the door. “Just meet us out there once you’ve dressed, we have to get going to the station.”
“Yeah, okay, be right out.”
His cold presence left the room and I glanced at the clock. Eight a.m. I fell back on the bed and drew the covers over my head. What the hell just happened?
It hadn’t only been the hot and heavy sex which left me winded. I would expect to have naughty dreams while sleeping in his bed, especially since his pillow smelled like him—or what I thought he’d smell like—soap and hunky man.
What bothered me most were the words I said. “Make me forget why it’s wrong to love you.”
I was attracted to him as I had never been to anyone else, experienced little flutters whenever he came near me and the man held the ability to make me blush with a few short words. All these things made me believe I’d formed a serious attraction, but one realization I couldn’t push away became a hard cold truth.
I didn’t want him to leave.
Damn it all to hell! I’m in love with a ghost!
The thought stayed on my mind as I hurried and got dressed. After I stepped out of Kipp’s bedroom to join them, I kept my eyes on the ground beneath my feet. Even as we made a quick trip to my condominium to gather some of my things, and even now as I walked toward the entrance of the police station, I never looked up. The dream and feelings were all too real. If I made eye contact with Kipp, I doubted I could hide the emotions that swelled in my heart.
“Are you sure everything is all right?” Kipp asked for the twentieth time as I followed Zach in through the main door of the police station.
“Mmm hmm.” I inspected the dirt on the tiled floor. How had I allowed this to happen? I never got personal, let alone allowed myself to open my heart to a ghost.
Zach muttered hellos to the officers around him as we walked through the station. I focused on the back of Zach’s heels, which slowed. I stopped behind him, glancing up just enough to see him open the door to the interview room.
When I cleared the door, Max sat at the table with at least ten banker boxes stacked on top. He had one open with a pile of files spread out in front of him.
He looked up from the notes to me. “I talked to Mr. Cobb this morning. He has granted your request for an extended leave of absence.”
“Did he sound angry?” I asked.
“He wasn’t thrilled.” Max grinned. “But what choice did he have?”
“Wonderful.” I sighed. “He’ll be a real joy to be around when I get back.” He’d have to do some of the legwork himself.
“Just shake your spectacular ass at him,” Kipp said, stepping in next to me, “and I doubt he’ll stay angry for long.”
“Thank you for calling him,” I said to Max, flatly ignoring Kipp’s comment, which made him chuckle. I gave no thought to that either.
Max nodded and held a card out. “You’re a grievance specialist from here on out. Welcome to the team.”
I laughed, took the card and studied the visitor’s pass. “I’m a what?”
“As far as the department knows, I’ve brought you on to help Kipp’s fellow officers deal with their loss.”
“But I have no experience with that,” I retorted.
Max’s eyebrows rose. “Don’t you?”
A wave of uncomfortable heat washed across my body. “I-I…” I sucked in a deep breath to hold myself together. I’d learned long ago to hide my feelings involving my family’s deaths, but whenever someone brought the situation up and I didn’t expect it, the pain pushed its way to the surface. “Sorry.” I shook my head to shed the sadness. “Sorry, you surprised me. You’re right, I do.”
“What surprised you?” Kipp’s tone sounded tight. “What’s wrong?”
I glanced at him, straightened my shoulders and demanded my voice to not waver. “My family died.”
