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His intense expression radiates questions.
I catch my breath, regain my bearings. This is John. Mine was only a kneejerk response, a holdover from the past. “I-I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to apologize for.” He stares at his hands resting on the wheel’s crossbar before zinging me with fresh intensity. “May I kiss you, Hollie?”
Ohh. Right, the zinging energy. I nod slowly, welcoming with my eyes.
As the fragrance of his cologne sweeps me up, his fingertips skim along my temple, his mocha eyes tracing the trail and roaming my face. They slip to my chin, nudging. Our lips touch. His mouth tenderly urges me on, deeper, until the kiss becomes a dance to a new and precious rhythm.
Wandering through a new realm, I linger in a haze of cologne and zesty soap, the aromas their own sort of background melody.
Our lips slowly drift apart. John’s warm breath slides to my hairline.“Hollie.”My whispered name fills my ear.
I answer with an airy sigh, even as my heart wonders. What are we doing here?
I wait for him to hear the unvoiced question. When he doesn’t, I ask it aloud.
Night air swooshes into the yawning cavern spreading between us. His eyes find mine—but with no answers to give.
Chapter 31
John
One arm across my middle, I plant my chin in my palm. On the other side of the two-way glass, Hollie, Jacob, and Ben await the return of the investigator who led them into the tiny room nearly ten minutes ago. Hollie wrings her hands and Jacob can’t find one position and stick with it. Ben? Ben is cool, as would be expected for a guy who’s got no personal stake.
Nothing my old friend said during our five-minute phone call this morning put my mind at ease. He’s convinced new information has come to light, detrimental information yet to be shared with him. On top of that, I’m less than comforted by Jacob’s attitude. His sullen edginess was a real mood-kill on the drive in to the police station. After the weekend, I’d thought our relationship had achieved a level nearing camaraderie. Today he griped that Hollie asked me along.
He's scared, and it’s about time. However, I remain unconvinced that the whole truth is his plan—particularly since overhearing a snippet of a phone call. I wandered into the hallway after midnight and heard Jacob’s voice. In the seconds before I realized I didn’t have the excuse of being on the job, I brazenly eavesdropped, coming away with the distinct impression that Reagan was laying some kind of guilt trip on the guy.
That tidbit I omitted from the pep talk I gave Hollie this morning. The boy’s going to do what the boy is going to do. She’s tried. Others have tried. It’s up to Jacob now.
The door to the observation room opens. Tripp closes it behind him and hands me a cup of coffee. Bad coffee, I imagine, considering our location. He glances to the glass pane. “Making them wait, huh? That’s never a good sign.”
“Nope.” We’re guilty of the strategy ourselves.
I bring the cup to my nose. Yep. One whiff and I can tell it’s hardly more than water and is going to let me down. I need something withoomph. Since Hollie and Jacob returned to my place, my nights have been worse, not better. Sawing logs is tough when the beautiful woman you’re, well, thinking about—All. The. Time—is sleeping under your roof.
Tripp shifts his stance. “So, what do you need me here for?”
Ben gave permission for me and Walker to listen in. Hollie wanted me with her and Jacob, but the detective wouldn’t allow it. I angle Tripp a look. “A second set of ears. You might pick up on something I won’t.”
His foot taps. “Doubt it.”
My hand at my waist shoves aside my blazer. “Feel free to leave if you’ve got somewhere better to be.”
And Hollie said I should make nice with myfriends. Hmph. Sorry. He isn’t playing the friend game today either.
I take a second look. “Everything alright in your world, Walker?”
His eyes bore holes through the glass. “Just peachy.”
Peachy?I’ll write that one down and remind him of it sometime when we both need a good laugh.
∞∞∞
Thirty minutes lost forever, Detective Little, a misnomer if ever there was one, finally pulls up to the table across from Jacob and crew, his knees jamming into the table leg. Steam wafts from the cup he sets down, while I know Hollie’s and Ben’s coffees have grown stone cold.
The guy is about my age and similar in height, but with a gut that precedes him by a second or two whenever he enters a room.
