Fortunately, both their phones buzzed at just the right time.
She went for hers. He went for his.
They each took a minute and read the messages sent. Then, their eyes met again.
“I know what you’re thinking,” she said.
“You couldn’t possibly know what I’m thinking.”
“You want to—”
“That’s an understatement.”
She laughed. “You didn’t let me finish.”
He cupped her face and slid his fingers into her hair, pulling the strands, tugging at them without regard to her pain, or maybe it was pleasure. He yanked her head back and stared at her as if he were longing for her as much as she longed for him.
“I don’t need to hear the rest of it.” He stared at her lips as if he planned to devour them again and while she wanted that kiss, perhaps even needed another brief connection, she also needed to go home and sleep.
She was a woman who knew what she wanted and didn’t care to go after it, but at the same time, casual sex didn’t have a place in her life. It complicated the hell out of a job and with the recent mass murders, she couldn’t fuck up. People were counting on her. Families were broken, ripped apart by a deadly force that needed to be stopped. This man, while pitching his willingness to help, was also a suspect.
“I should probably text my boss.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
“You have a boss?” She was a little shocked.
“Even vigilantes answer to someone.”
“You’re part of some sort of government agency. Aren’t you?”
He dropped his hand to her waist and guided her to the door. “Come on. Let me give you a ride.”
“So now you offer to see me home?” She made a mental note to press for answers since he’d deliberately dodged her question.
“My offer was a loaded one, Detective.” He shot her a wink. “Please try to pay attention. I asked if you wanted a ride, but I didn’t specify who or what would carry you to your final destination or the pleasures you’d enjoy before we arrive there.”
Chapter Seven
“Whatever you do, don’t leave her alone.” Kurt met him outside the sheriff’s office. “Our boys have been tracking him and he keeps circling back here.”
“You think he’s waiting for her?” Randon asked.
Kurt yanked his phone from his pocket and tapped the text message from Blaez, an Alpha tracker from the Bold and Free Memphis charter. “He stopped moving once she arrived.”
“I see that,” Randon said, zeroing in on the messages exchanged before studying Pageant. He took a deep breath. “Damn it.”
“You’re toast, brother.”
“I’m beginning to think so.” Drawn to Pageant even more since he’d held her in his arms and kissed her, Randon watched her tuck a stray blonde lock behind her ear. Unable to secure the strand, she finally let it fall free in front of her face as she fiddled with a remote control device.
The sheriff appeared and handed her a plastic container. “I think the batteries are dead. Try those.”
After dumping the old batteries in the trash and securing the new ones, she pointed the handheld remote at a large projector screen. A dark picture appeared before them.
Kurt leaned sideways and said, “If your woman isn’t running scared by the time this is over, there’s something wrong with her.”
“Why’s that?” Randon kept his voice low.