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“You could’ve kept it if you—well—if you wanted to. I don’t mind.”
My heart raced as I fought to keep a silly smile off my face. “You already want me to have a key to your place?”
“Sure, why not? I have a room for Silas. What’s mine is yours … If you want.”
I stared at him, forgetting for a moment my reality. It was too easy to do this around Beau—act like I didn’t have a boatload of problems hiding behind me, ready to spill over the first chance they got.
“Thank you, that is the kindest thing a man has ever done for me.” His eyebrows rose, and I saw that look on his face again. The one saying he was desperately curious but wouldn’t ask. Tonight, it would be my turn to share.
“Why don’t you bring some stuff by tonight after work? That way, if we have a night like last night, you have stuff there?”
“We don’t really have much to split up.”
He nodded his head, keeping his expression impassive. “Yeah, I noticed. Why don’t we go shopping after my shift, then? I’ll buy you more things, toothbrushes, and whatnot.”
“You don’t need to do that, Beau. You’ve done enough. Thank you, though.”
“I don’tneedto, but I want to, Rose. I want to take care of you like you deserve to be. I don’t know what’s got you so nervous, but I know whoever it was didn’t treat you right. If we’re going to be together, I want to make sure you know how a woman ought to be treated, and I’m going to work damn hard to make sure you are—and then some.”
That out-of-control smile of mine spread again as I leaned in and kissed him once more. “Thank you. That’s…” But the words didn’t come because there was only one thing I wanted to say, and yet, it felt crazy to do so. “I love you,” I whispered, unable to stop it from tumbling off my lips.
But Beau didn’t seem to mind as a grin of his own appeared. “I love you too.” He leaned in, brushing my nose with his before kissing me deeply in front of the whole squad.
My cell rang, breaking the moment, and I pulled back with a jump.
“That’s probably Hayes. I should get to work.”
“Yes, I don’t want to make you late.” He grinned brightly and tipped his head toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“You will. Bye, Beau.”
“Bye, Rosie.” I turned and hurried toward the door, avoiding the looks people shot my way as I did, and when I was out of the station, I pulled my phone out of my purse, flipping it open.
“Hello?”
“Did you really think you could run and hide, Abigail?”
11
Beau
I knew it.I fucking knew there was something wrong. I’d been a cop long enough that I could see the red flags. But my damn heart was too busy falling in damn love to bother looking for any flags besides a checkered one.
However, I knew Rosie. Iknewher. There had to be more to the story than this single printout, set on my desk by my secretary. And I was going to find out the full story.
Shutting my squad car off, I grabbed the flyer and pushed the car door open, heading for the front door. Light drifted out from behind the closed curtains as I approached the door, rapping twice before stepping back on the concrete platform.
Behind the door came the sounds of ruffling and a thud before the curtain covering the door’s window pulled slightly to the side, and a single, wide, terrified eye appeared. Rose exhaled when she saw me and pulled the door open as her eyes scanned me.
“Your shift isn’t over yet,” she commented, trying to put on a brave face, but I could see the fear lingering on her features. And if that wasn’t a dead giveaway, then the haphazardly packed bags behind her were.
“Going somewhere?” I quirked an eyebrow, instinctively setting my hands on my hips like I’d done a million times before when speaking to suspects.But she’s not a suspect. She’s my Rose.
I shifted my posture, trying to appear casual and less intimidating. She was scared, and scaring her further was the last thing I wanted.
“I, uh, got a call from a family member who said they fell, and uh—” Her eyes shifted, watching the space behind me as she spoke. “I’m going to head back and take care of them for a bit.” She finished, slurring her words together before forcing herself to smile as if I was going to believe this bullshit.
“Do you want to try again, Rose? Whatever it is, I believe you. But you have to tell me the truth first.”
