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Then there was the personal angle. The Ben part. That was what had Jocelyn sitting at her laptop and searching for more information for two weeks before she said yes to a date. “The murders and the deputy...something. I can’t remember his title but it’s the case where Ben testified against his boss about the corruption.”
Lara frowned. “Did he tell you about it?”
“He didn’t really have to. His name was all over the papers.” The boss was an accomplice in an old murder, and the boss and his connected friends had tried to cover up a leak of information, leading to a long line of deaths and Ben leaving NCIS under a cloud of suspicion. “It’s not very attractive, I know, but I started with the scandal, then did a few more searches under his name.”
“Sounds smart to me.”
Maybe it was the way she said things or how genuine she came off, but something about Lara had Jocelyn wanting to open up. She’d hidden parts of herself away for so long. After being scared and having no one believe her, fighting off a policeman stalker with all the power and reputation on his side, she had stopped reaching out for help.
After it all blew up and she changed her life around, the anxiety remained. She battled it by limiting contact and coming up with routines that comforted her. A few times the other nurses insisted she come out with them and she did, but she barely knew Lara.
Still, the words flowed and Jocelyn was helpless to stop them. “When Ben started asking me out, I thought I should figure out if the man I met at the hospital as a guard was as decent as he appeared to be, because I’ve met some who aren’t.”
“We all have, but he is. I knew it from the second he walked into Corcoran headquarters. Not that much later, without even thinking about it, he put his body in front of mine and saved me from being shot.”
Apparently that sort of thing was a habit with Ben. “Sounds familiar.”
Lara’s smile came back, more subtle this time but definitely there. The kind that said she was about to go on an information-fishing expedition. “So, he started asking you out?”
“I made him work for it.” Jocelyn ran her fingers over the outline of the flower print on the comforter.
“Good for you. When it’s easy for them, their egos are unbearable.” Lara got up and went to the dresser. She turned around with shampoo and other bathroom essentials in each hand. “Since I’m a bit of a bath-gel collector, we have a lot of choices, but you might like a few of these.”
Figuring out which fragrance to use seemed so mundane after seeing a dead man on her floor. Jocelyn didn’t know how to switch the fear off and go back to regular conversations. The idea of sleeping in a strange bed already had her insides jumping around.
She rubbed her hands together but stopped when she felt a burn on her skin and saw how red they were turning. “So, at some point I’ll go back to not being terrified of being attacked again?”
Lara’s arms dropped. “I won’t lie to you. It will creep up on you now and then, but you’ll get through it. And you’re safe here.”
“I can’t exactly live in your guest room.” Though Jocelyn had to admit she didn’t hate the thought.
She winced at the idea of returning to her apartment. She’d considered it a safe place, her sanctuary. An easy walk to the water and a few miles from the heavy traffic of the touristy historic district and the Naval Academy. But no way could she stay there now.
“You’re welcome to live here as long as you need.” Lara handed her two bottles.
Jocelyn took them without reading the labels. “Aren’t you guys newlyweds?”
“Almost three months, but we’ve known each other a long time. We were engaged before.” Lara held up a hand as she rolled her eyes. “Long story.”
That sounded better than talking about murder. “Apparently I’ve got time.”
“Right now you need sleep.”
She made it sound so easy. Jocelyn knew from experience it wouldn’t be. “I’ll never be able to drift off.”
“I’ll bet you a doughnut tomorrow morning that you will.”
* * *
BEN SAT AT Davis’s dining-room table and spun a water bottle around, watching it tip and using his palms to make sure it didn’t fall over. The edges thudded until it came to a stop. Then he started again.
Davis reached over Ben’s shoulder and snagged the bottle-turned-toy. “So you and the nurse are dating, huh? A guy goes on his honeymoon, misses one case and comes back to all sorts of changes.”
Skipping the groan, Ben wiped his hands over his face then let his arms fall against the table with a slap. “You held that in longer than I expected.”
