Long, Lonely Nights (13 page)

“Please, don’t leave me.” Tina wrapped her arms around him and it hit her. He didn’t have on a shirt. He was wearing a pair of jeans that weren’t fastened at the top, and that was all.

The warmth she felt turned out to be his skin against hers. Her black negligee left quite a bit of her uncovered. She buried her face in her hands suddenly embarrassed that she had all but attacked the man.

“I’m sorry. I woke you up, and I should have called the police instead of coming over here,” Tina said.

“You did the right thing,” Logan said. He pulled her into his arms and caressed her shoulders. “I’ll call them for you. Sit here on the couch and relax.”

Tina nodded her head a little too rapidly and hugged herself. She watched Logan pick up a phone and dial the police. Someone had been in her house while she had been asleep. The thought of it sent her heart pounding all over again. She buried her face in her hands trying to keep from crying. She wasn’t going to lose it again.

“They are on their way, Tina. Let me get my robe for you.” Logan turned to go, but she grabbed his arm.

“I’ll go with you.” She stood up, holding on to his arm with both hands.

“Okay.”

He led her down to the end of the hall into a large bedroom decorated in warm browns and blacks. A giant four-poster bed with a dark rich brown comforter folded at the end of the bed. The hardwood floor gave the room a homey comfortable feel. He grabbed a robe off the back of a chair and wrapped it around her. Then he buttoned his jeans and pulled a T-shirt over his head. He slipped his feet into a pair of sandals before leading her back to the living room.

“Sit down before you fall down.”

Tina sat down on the couch and hugged the robe around her. It smelled of him, woodsy and male. She closed her eyes imagining it was his body enveloping her instead of merely his robe. Thinking about him holding her close almost erased the events of the evening from her mind, but not quite.

“How did he get in my house without setting off the alarms?” she finally asked.

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.” He ran his hand down her back.

There was a knock on the door and she jerked.

“Easy. It’s probably the police. I’m going to let them in.”

A few seconds later, Tina heard voices from the front of the house. Then Logan reappeared with two officers behind him.

“Tina, they want you to take them over there so they can see what you found. They’ve already made sure there isn’t anyone in the house.” Logan held his hand out to her.

“You’ll go with me?” she asked.

“I’ll come with you.”

She took his hand and let him help her to her feet. They walked over to her house. When they were about to walk through the door, one of the officers warned them not to touch anything. She gripped Logan’s hand and entered the kitchen. The package sat on the counter just as it had been when she ran out the door. Nothing had changed.

“The crime scene techs will be here in a few minutes to dust for prints before you open it up,” one of the officers said.

“I have to open it? Can’t one of you do it?”

“Ma’am, it would be better if you do so we can see what your reaction is. That may mean just as much as whatever is in it.”

“Why don’t you walk us through what happened while we wait on them?”

Tina swallowed and nodded. She explained about being asleep and how something woke her. By the time she finished with how she had run over to Logan’s house, the techs were there and had begun dusting for fingerprints all over her kitchen. There would be print dust all over the place for her to clean up, she thought absently.

Thirty minutes later, they announced that the box and counter around it were clean. They needed her to open the package. She drew in a deep breath and nodded.

The colorful paper appeared to be birthday paper. The package wasn’t in a box, but loosely wrapped. She carefully slid her finger under the wrapping paper to slip the tape loose. She finally had it all unfastened, but stopped before she opened the paper. Whatever lay beneath the paper would be something to frighten her she was sure. Otherwise, what was the reason behind it? She mentally prepared herself for the worse, whatever that would be.

She moistened her lips and glanced up at Logan who nodded at her to go on. Tina pulled back the paper and groaned. Inside was a navy blue negligee nestled within white tissue paper. On top lay a card. She hoped they wouldn’t make her read the card. She didn’t think she could take much more.

One of the techs used a pair of tweezers to open the card. He held it for her to read. She closed her eyes then opened them again and read.

Wear this for me. I will come for you soon.

“Son of a bitch.” Logan snatched her back from the package. “How did the bastard get past her security system?”

“Looks like he must have had the codes. There isn’t any sign of a forced entry or even tampering with the system at all. He knew the code.” One of the techs continued to fiddle with the security panel.

“How can he know my codes? No one has them. Only me.” Tina turned to face Logan.

“What about your friend, Jenna?” He asked.

“She doesn’t even have them. I have never told a soul my codes.”

“What about the security company? Do they have them?” One of the officers asked.

“Yes, they set them up for me.”

Logan and the officer exchanged looks.

“Okay, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to change your codes every few days until they’ve caught this guy,” Logan said. “We’ll have the locks re-keyed as well.”

It was nearly five o’clock in the morning by the time the police and crime scene techs left her house. She sat on the couch with her legs curled beneath her. Logan walked back inside from talking with the officers and stood in front of her.

“You need some rest. Why don’t you grab some stuff and come over to my place and catch a nap.”

“Thanks, that’s really nice of you, but I need to stay here and get the locksmith over here as soon as I can catch him. I’m not going to sleep right now anyway. I’m too keyed up.”

“You need some sleep. You haven’t been sleeping much anyway from the looks of your eyes.”

“Look, thanks for helping me. I really do appreciate it, but I need to handle this now. I have to deal with it.”

“Fine.” He turned to walk out but stopped and turned back around. “First, we need to change the codes on your alarm system.

“I’ll get the security company to come help me with it.”

“No, I don’t want anyone to know the codes except you.” Logan walked over to the security panel by the back door and waited for her to join him.

She stood up and followed him over to the panel and waited for him to get to work. Instead, he shoved her forward and began issuing orders on how to change the codes. It took her several tries, but she finally managed to clear the system and set up a new set of codes. Logan made her repeat the process twice before he said it would do.

“Don’t give the codes to anyone. Not even the police. Okay?”

“I won’t.”

“Good. Call in sick and get some rest. You’re going to need it. I have a feeling you won’t sleep much at night anymore. Not that I think you’ve been sleeping anyway,” he said.

“How would you know if I’ve been sleeping or not?”

“I’ve seen your light on in your bedroom window at all hours of the night.”

“You’re still watching me?”

“I never stopped,” he said.

Chapter Seven

He pulled off his jeans and T-shirt and stepped into the shower. He didn’t even wait for it to warm up before he did. A little cold water might help him cool off, he hoped. Just being around Tina kept him hot and horny. Arguing with her only made it worse. He had to quit lusting after his neighbor. She was off limits. Convincing his cock of that was the problem.

He dried off and dressed, thinking about how she looked in his robe. The dark maroon color of the robe had complimented her deep blue eyes and long auburn hair. He was sure he would be able to smell her on the robe when he held it up to his nose. That subtle scent of honey and fresh air would stick with him for a long time.

He avoided picking up the robe to test his theory right away. He had enough will power to hold off, he told himself. His resolve held up for all of thirty minutes.

One hour and one cup of coffee later, the sound of Riley’s bike jerked him back to the present. It wouldn’t do for his friend to find out he’d been mooning over Tina. It wouldn’t do at all. Besides, he needed to think about how to protect her, and not how to fuck her.

Riley knocked on the door facing of the living room door before walking in.

“You’re door was unlocked. What’s up with that?”

“Long story. I’m fixing coffee. Want some?”

“If you’re telling a long story, then yeah, I’ll probably need it.” Riley laughed when Logan scowled at him.

Once the coffee was done and both men had their respective mugs, Logan filled Riley in on the events of the night before.

“You’ve gotten a taste of her haven’t you?” Riley finally said.

“None of your damn business,” Logan growled.

“Man, she’s trouble. You don’t have any business mixing it up with her. The first time you get a little bit rough, she’s going to scream rape, and there you’ll be.”

“I don’t have any intentions of doing anything with her. I told you before, she’s off limits.”

Riley shook his head. “Man, I hope you’re living it.”

“What did you come over here for anyway?”

“I was thinking about a road trip, but it looks like you have business here to take care of.”

“Yeah, I plan to stick around while she has her locks rekeyed. I don’t trust that whoever is stalking her isn’t a locksmith, too. I don’t know how in the hell he got into her house,” Logan said.

He got up, poured another cup of coffee, and indicated Riley’s with the pot. Riley held his up for more.

“If he knew her security code and didn’t crack it, then he could work for the security company.” Riley took a sip of the coffee.

“Police are checking that angle already.”

“They’re all sure it’s the same guy who attacked her last year. Thing is, why did he wait so long to try again?” Logan asked

“Only reason I can think of is he was inside somewhere. Picked up on another charge or maybe even in a psych hospital. Never know with these types. Crazy or sane, he’s dangerous though.” Riley leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. “You know if you want help, you got it.”

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll let you know. Right now, I’m just watching the house. Although a lot of good that did last night,” he said.

“You can’t watch the place twenty-four-seven,” Riley pointed out.

“Yeah. I was going to try to get her to let me sleep on her couch, but I kinda doubt that is gonna happen.”

“I’m sure, I don’t want to know why. Fuck, Logan. You’re going to end up getting in trouble with her.” Riley stood up and carried his cup to the sink. He rinsed it out and left it.

“You have my number. Call me if you want some help. I’m going to make a quick trip over to Fort Worth area. Got a friend there.” He knocked knuckles with Logan and left.