Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane 1)

"I would have pegged you for a romance reader. "

"That, too. Now tell me something that matters. Why did you quit reporting?"

"You always go right for deep water, dont you?" He sighed. "I think youve figured it out anyway. El Salvador. I went down there like some kind of white knight, ready to shine my light on the truth. And then I saw what was happening . . . "

She said nothing, just kissed the curl of his shoulder.

"My folks had hidden so much from me. I thought I was prepared, but you cant be. Its blood and death and body parts being blown off. Its dead kids in the street and boys with machine guns. I got captured . . . " His voice faded away; he cleared his throat and reinforced it. "I dont know why they let me live, but they did. Lucky me. I tucked my tail between my legs and ran home. "

"You didnt do anything to be ashamed of. "

"I ran like a coward. And I failed. So now you know it all, why Im in Seattle. "

"Do you think it changes how I feel about you?"

It was a moment before he said, "We need to take this slow, Katie. "

"I know. " She rolled over, so that she was pressed against him. She tried to memorize everything about his face and how he looked first thing in the morning. She saw the shadow of a beard that had grown in their sleeping hours and thought: Already, changes.

He tucked the hair behind her ear. "I dont want to hurt you. "

She wanted to say simply, Then dont, but this wasnt a time for simple answers or pretense. Honesty mattered now. "Ill take the risk of getting hurt if you will," she said evenly.

A hint of a smile played at the edges of his mouth, but she didnt see it in his eyes. In fact, he looked more than a little worried. "I knew youd be dangerous. "

She didnt understand. "Me? You must be joking. No one has ever thought I was dangerous. "

"I do. "

"Why?"

He didnt answer; instead, he leaned forward just enough to kiss her. She closed her eyes, waiting for it. She wasnt sure, but maybe, just before his lips touched hers, he said, "Because youre the kind of girl a guy could fall in love with. "

He didnt sound particularly happy as he said it.

Outside her front door, Kate paused. Only moments before shed been flying high, reveling in the night spent in Johnnys arms, but now she was back in the real world, where shed just slept with a man her best friend had slept with first.

What would Tully say?

She opened the door and went inside. On this gray, rainy morning, the apartment was surprisingly quiet. She tossed her purse on the kitchen table and made herself a cup of tea.

"Where the hell have you been?"

She turned, flinched.

Tully stood there, her hair dripping wet, wearing nothing but a towel. "I almost called the cops last night. Where—Youre wearing the suit from yesterday. " A slow, knowing smile crept across her face. "Did you spend the night with someone? Oh, my God, you did. Youre blushing. " Tully laughed. "And I thought you were going to die a virgin. " She grabbed Kates arm and dragged her over to the sofa. "Talk. "

Kate stared at her best friend, wishing shed come home after Tully had left for work. This needed thought, planning. Tully could ruin it all with a word, a look. Hes mine, her friend could say, and what would Kate do?

"Talk," Tully said again, bumping her.

Kate took a deep breath. "Im in love. "

"Whoa there, Penelope Pitstop. Love? After one night?"

It was now or never, and though never sounded good, there was no point in putting off the inevitable. "No," she said. "Ive loved him for years. "

"Who?"