Part 15 (1/2)

”A simple, happy life,” he remarked.

”Yes. I guess that's why I feel the need to hold on to Gran's house. I'm trying to find that happy family and that is so unrealistic.”

”But it's what you needed at the time.”

”Maybe,” she admitted, brus.h.i.+ng a speck of dust from her jeans. ”I can't afford to keep it much longer. Serena says I need to sell and move into something smaller, but I've been so undecided, so torn.”

”Because you don't want to disappoint your grandmother?”

”Yes,” she admitted again, and that forlorn voice got him. She was like a little girl lost, desperately trying to find her way home.

”Sarah, you do realize that if you sell the house, your grandmother will still love you.”

”I realized that for the first time last night when she offered to come with me.” She blinked back a tear.

They stared at each other. He tried to hide what was in his eyes, his heart, but he knew he'd failed.

Sarah lost herself in the warmth of his brown eyes. She'd never noticed that he had the most beautiful eyes-like dark chocolate-warm, inviting and irresistible. She saw something else, too. Daniel cared about her...and it didn't bother her. She rather liked it.

”Dan-” His name was cut off by a b.u.mping at the door. Before she could catch her breath, Daniel was on his feet, gun in his hand.

”Go to the bedroom,” he said in an urgent whisper. ”Close the door and get your gun.”

She rushed to do as she was told even though she was trembling uncontrollably. Picking up the gun, she tried to remember how Daniel had said to use it, but her mind was short-circuited by the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She peered through the slightly open door and saw Daniel pull the curtain back to look outside. He lowered his gun and she knew everything was okay.

She released a taut breath, laid her gun down and went back into the other room.

Daniel shoved his gun into his holster. ”It was the people next door. Must have been out partying and drinking because they couldn't find their room.”

She stood there staring at him and she had the same urge she had earlier, but this time, without a second thought, she acted on it.

She walked to him and slipped her arms around his waist. He stiffened and she whispered, ”Hold me.”

His arms tightened and she rested her head on his chest, listening to the staccato rhythm of his heart. In his arms she felt safe, secure and a lot of other things. She'd never met anyone like him before-willing to give so much of himself without asking anything in return. She'd been so confused about Daniel and their relations.h.i.+p. No. It wasn't that she was confused-she just hadn't wanted to admit that she felt anything for him. But when she'd looked into his eyes a moment ago and seen how deeply he felt for her, she couldn't deny any longer how he made her feel. Her arms crept up around his neck as she gave full rein to everything in her.

”It's okay, Sarah.” His voice was hoa.r.s.e.

She stood on tiptoes and kissed the throbbing pulse in his neck, feeling his tension, his shock, and it drove her on. Her lips trailed to his ear, across his cheek, then to his mouth. At the first tentative brush, he groaned and covered her lips with an explosion of senses. Her hands cradled his head and the kiss deepened, both giving, both taking, and Sarah let all that fire flow through her-Daniel's fire, warming the coldest part of her.

She pressed against him, needing to feel that closeness, that masculine body. The action didn't shock or repulse her and all she could think was that she wanted more.

Daniel's fantasies didn't measure up to the touch of Sarah's lips, her voluntary touch. He was drowning, going down so fast that he couldn't think-all he could do was feel and the feeling was everything he wanted it to be and more. He'd waited forever for a response from her and it had nothing to do with protection. It was all emotion and pa.s.sion.

You're too emotionally involved.

From out of nowhere Bill's words squeezed through the pa.s.sion and the cop in him quickly surfaced. He broke the kiss and stepped away, holding both hands up.

”I can't do this,” he said, his voice husky.

Her lips were moist from his and her blue eyes were almost purple from desire, which turned to humiliation at his obvious rejection.

”You're in my protection,” he hastened to explain. ”I can't take advantage of you.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear. ”I kissed you,” she reminded him.

He closed his eyes briefly to shut out her words and her beautiful face. ”I know and that makes this even harder. Please don't take this as a rejection. It isn't, but I have to keep my head clear-for you and your safety. So please go to bed and close the door.” Lock it. Bolt it. Put a chair under the doork.n.o.b.

Sarah turned and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Since her life was in danger, they couldn't get distracted by something so basic. She understood that. There would be time later to enjoy each other. Two days ago if a man looked at her, it upset her. If a man touched her, it paralyzed her. Now it excited her and she knew it was because the man was Daniel.

She sat on the bed and smiled. Finally she could see everything so clearly. For years she'd been yearning for love and with Greg she'd thought she'd found it. Then Greg had been killed and her nightmare began. She hadn't wanted to ever feel love again-that's why she had so many conflicting emotions about Gran and Celia. But they loved her and she could now accept their love wholeheartedly without resentment. That realization broke the lock from around her heart and she also could see Daniel more clearly. What she'd seen in his eyes over the years was a lot more than concern-that's what had really irritated her. She wasn't ready to accept anything on a personal level from him. She touched her lips. Now she was. Her smile broadened and she lay down, cheris.h.i.+ng this newfound freedom.

Daniel fell onto the sofa and buried his face in his hands, restraining himself from following her. His ethics kept him rooted to the spot. The needs of the man in him kept him bound in turmoil.

Fear, desire and pa.s.sion were closely entwined. He'd thought that many times in his career, but tonight for the first time he'd dealt with it in a way he never had before-personally. When they kissed again, he didn't want fear involved in any way. He wanted it all from the heart and he wanted all of Sarah.

As the darkness spread outside, he wasn't sure exactly when that would be. He stretched out on the sofa and soon ran through his mind like a repet.i.tive word in a nursery rhyme.

Soon. Soon. Soon.

CHAPTER TEN.

EARLY THE NEXT morning Daniel peered into Sarah's room and saw that she was sound asleep. Her red hair was splayed across the pillow and she looked lost in peaceful dreams. That's what he wanted for her-to find peace and happiness and that home she wanted. Maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to believe that he could be a part of it.

A knock at the door spun him around and he whispered outside the panel, ”Who is it?”

”Chad.”

Daniel undid the lock and let Chad in. He had a large bag of groceries.

”Did you get something she likes?”

”Yes, sir. Lots of fruit and yogurt?”

Daniel slipped into his jacket. ”Good. Like yesterday, just let her sleep and open this door to no one.”

”Yes, sir.”

”I'll call later.”

Daniel immediately drove to the police station and started the background check of each officer, sorting through their personal files. He learned more about the people he worked with than he'd ever imagined. He thought he knew them, but he didn't. Kevin had been married three times and paid child support for three kids to three different women. Lee's wife had been arrested for shoplifting years ago and Jack's wife had actually worked in one of Boyd's strip clubs as a waitress before Jack married her. That got his attention. Daniel didn't understand why none of this had been brought out five years ago. Evidently Internal Affairs didn't think it was relevant, or they'd checked it out and found nothing. This time, though, Daniel had to dig a little deeper.

Will knocked on the door and came in. ”We got Freddie,” he said.

”Really?” Daniel raised an eyebrow. ”That didn't take you long. Where did you find him?”

”That sleazy bar he always hangs out in. Bartender said he's been there every day. Don't understand why Jack and Tom couldn't find him.”