Shot in the Dark (14 page)

Devan dipped his head and pressed his lips against hers. His mouth was warm and soft, inviting her to relax. Luci felt her vital signs stumble, as they always did when Devan touched her.

Her fingertips tingled as she trailed them over the corded muscles of his arms. A cool breeze blew through an open window making her nipples bead to tight peaks. Devan’s skin was always a few degrees warmer than hers; right now, he felt like a big warm blanket wrapped around her.

This had been another terrible night, but as she felt his hand cup the back of her head and pull her sweetly to him, it all disappeared.

Stepping back a few inches she whispered, “You’re like an amnesiac drug. When you kiss me, I forget all the bad things.”

He tugged her closer. “Good,” he said, a little breathless, “and ditto on that sentiment.”

From their first kiss, it had always felt deep and powerful with Devan. Whether the kiss was filled with passion, or feather-light like the way he was kissing her now, it always drove Luci to want more. With every caress, she felt another piece of her heart slip away to him.

She slowly turned in his arms, dropping her head against his chest. Hearing the steady beat of his heart against her ear, Luci pulled in a long breath. “Looks like you came to my rescue once again.”

Shaking his head, a dark chunk of hair tumbled onto his forehead. “If you stay over, you can make breakfast and I won’t have to eat peanut butter crackers.” He stopped, adding, “But only if you want to.” She was sure he added the last part so he wouldn’t sound chauvinistic.

Luci tried to smile. “He knows where I live. I know you weren’t telling the complete truth back at my apartment. You think it was the same guy. You don’t lie as well as you think you do.”

Devan kissed the rise of her cheekbone. “Don’t worry about it tonight. Mac’s wife, Michelle, will be here any minute. I have to drive into the station and run through the new data on this case.”

“You don’t need to set me up with a babysitter,” she said in an irritated tone of voice.

He eyed her, choosing his words carefully. “Michelle’s doing it as a favor to me…
not you
. Clear?” Motioning for her to sit on the couch, he joined her. “It’s for my peace of mind. You don’t want me worrying about you when I should be working, do you?”

He was a sneaky little devil. How was she supposed to answer that? The independent side of her wanted to prickle, but it was nice to have someone care about her well-being. Other than her brother Jon, Luci had never experienced that before.

There was a quiet rap on the door. Devan moved, tugging the door open. Cooler air from outside filled the room with the smell of roses.

A tall, slender woman stepped through. Looking at Devan, she dropped her oversized black bag next to the door, took a step toward him and pulled him into a bear hug. Devan stood with his arms at his sides, first only flexing his hands, before finally returning the embrace.

“Devan,” was all she said, rubbing tears from her eyes. “I’ve missed you. Mac’s missed you.”

Devan tried to smile, emotions flooded across his face. “You’re not going to get all sentimental on me, are you? You know I hate that.”

Michelle sniffed, brushing the length of her auburn hair over one shoulder. “I do know how much you hate that.”

Stepping back, he came toward Luci and extended his hand to pull her to her feet. “This is my friend, Luci.”

Luci brushed at her hair with the tips of her fingers. After trying not to cry for the last hour, and then having crazy sex in a pool with Devan, Luci knew she looked a mess.
Oh God
… worse yet, Michelle’s pool. Heat flushed into her cheeks.

Gripping her upper arm, Michelle said, “I know how scary it is when your place is broken into. It happened to me when I was in college. I’ve never forgotten the feeling of helplessness, but it goes away.” She sighed. “So, how do the two of you know each other?” she asked with a tip of her eyebrow.

“Luci can answer your questions.” He glanced at the grandfather clock that stood watch in the corner of the living room. “I’m going to let the two of you get to know each other, while I head down to the station.” He stroked a thumb down Luci’s cheek and dropped the volume of his voice, “I’ll be back in a couple hours. You have my cell number. Call me, but I need this extra time to track down this bastard.”

“Don’t go too far,” she said softly, closing her eyes. It was crazy how much in only a few days she’d grown accustomed to him being there. Holding her when she needed comforting, kissing her when she needed to feel loved.

Loved.
There was that word again that didn’t exist for either one of them. Again, she caught that look in Devan’s eyes, telling her that he was as confused by what he felt as she was.

“I don’t want to leave, but I have to. That’s part of being a cop.” He kissed her gently on the cheek and pulled in a deep breath.

As Devan grabbed his keys and cane and limped out the door, Luci caught Michelle watching her with intense interest.

Michelle didn’t speak until they heard the roar of the engine from the car as he left.

“Luci, I’ll make tea. I brought some with me. I knew there wouldn’t be anything here worth drinking. And then we can catch up on Dev, because I think Mac and I have missed out on something
really
big.” After patting her on the arm, Michelle grinned, and walked toward the kitchen.

Luci sat, and tucked her feet under her bottom. Had Michelle seen something pass between her and Devan, something that she’d missed? Did Devan feel he was still just the cop working her robbery case, or did he feel the same things she did?

She would love to confide in Michelle and tell her the truth, if she knew what that was. Was she really falling for Devan?

****

Dev stared at the data scrolling down the computer screen. Typing in the limited new information from the break-in at Luci’s place, he frowned. He knew it wouldn’t add much to the case.

“Hey partner,” a deep voice said.

His eyes flicked to the clock in the corner of the computer screen and then to the man who sat in the chair next to his desk. “Mac, what are you doing here?”

“Michelle called me, said you’d asked her to come over and stay with someone named Luci.” Mac stretched his long lean legs and linked hands under his blond hair at the back of his neck. “I came in for a few hours to get caught up, but her phone call sent up all kinds of red flags… along with the agreement to watch our place for the weekend.” Mac quirked a brow. “After all these months, has the pod in your basement finally made it to term and taken over your body?”

Lifting his stained coffee cup, Dev drew a long, deep sip of the bitter brew. His life was changing. He’d not only dragged his leg, but his soul, through the ringer. It wasn’t what he wanted anymore.

For some reason, when he was around Luci, he wanted his old life back. And that meant not isolating himself from the people around him who cared. Especially Mac and Michelle.

Dev ran his fingers over his chin, and pushed back from the desk. “It’s this robbery case. I can’t get on top of it,” he confessed.

  “You have fifty robbery cases on your desk.” Mac raised an eyebrow in question. “Is this one different because it has something to do with this mystery woman, Luci?”

He bobbed his head once. “I’ve known her for several months at the espresso bar where she works. She was robbed at knifepoint the other night. I’d been sitting at her drive-thru not five minutes before that.”

Mac’s dark green eyes watched him. “And you’re blaming yourself for her attack, just like you’re still blaming yourself for the robbery at the convenience store.”

Dammit, this was why he’d avoided Mac. The man read him with telepathic powers.

“Partner…” with one word Mac finished the sentence, closed his eyes and gazed at the ceiling.

“You transferred. I’m not your partner.” Dev kept his face composed.

“Bullshit.” Mac said through clenched teeth and leaned forward on his forearms. His eyes flashed with razor-sharp glints. “If you’d ever let me finish a sentence before you hung up your cell, or read the memo that is probably still here in a sealed envelope on this crap pile you call a desk….” He sighed deeply. “My current status in the other department is only temporary.”

Dev fought to control his emotions as his friend’s words sunk in.

“You didn’t read it did you?” Mac questioned. “You dumb prick,” he muttered. “So you’ve been slinking around down here like a dog with its tail between its legs thinking I dumped you and moved to a different division.” Mac rolled his eyes. “It’s
temporary
,” he accentuated the last word. “I’m just waiting for you to get rid of that cane, and get back on active duty where you belong. Then we’re back together as partners, capiche? Have you been going to physical therapy?”

“No.”

“Figures,” Mac said shortly.

“But I went to a chiropractor today and it helped. I’m also trying acupuncture and exercise.” Dev wanted him to know he’d made an effort.

Mac narrowed his gaze. “Now I know you’re bullshitting me.”

“I give up!” Dev threw his hands up in surrender. “Really, it’s the truth. Luci’s in college to be an acupuncturist.”

“
Ahhhh
.” Mac tapped his finger on the side of his nose, and grinned with a warm smile that lit up his face. “So it all comes back to this mystery woman, Luci. She was why you called me the other night.” You can’t put anything past a detective.

“I called you from the hospital because I wanted you to meet me and take her home.”

“But you never finished your sentence, so you got stuck taking her home. And now you’ve been seeing her the past few days and—”

Dev cut him off. “She needs someone to protect her.”

“As I just said, you’ve got fifty cases piled on your desk. What’s different about this case?”

“Nothing,” Dev grumbled.

“You called Michelle at nine on a work night to come to your house and watch over this Luci while you came in here. This woman’s gotten under those thick scales you call skin. How long have I known you? Eight years? Any woman I’ve seen you with, you screw them at their houses. You never take
any
woman back to your house; it’s like a shrine.” Mac rubbed a hand over his knee. “So don’t even start to give me this line that this woman is no different.”

He couldn’t hide from this man. Mac knew him inside and out. 

“Fine. You’re right. You happy?” Dev said blowing out a breath. “Luci’s great. I’ve never met another woman like her in my life. She was robbed by knifepoint the other night, because I didn’t spot her attacker waiting for her. That bastard was in her apartment tonight. He’s come back for her. I knew it in my gut. I’ve been over these files a hundred times, and I can’t find the connection.” Dev slammed his fist on the desk, almost knocking over his coffee.

Leaning forward, Mac slid the file across the desk and flipped it open. “I think maybe you need a fresh set of eyes on the case. I’m off duty, and it looks like I have some spare time, since
my
woman’s over at
your
house.” Mac grinned widely. “Well it’s about damn time you found a woman who could whip your ass into shape. I’ve been whipped for a long time by Michelle. But I like a little S&M when it comes to love.”

“I never said anything about being in love.”

Mac chuckled. “One day it sneaks up on you, and then it’s all over. And I think whoever this Luci is, she’s reeled you in hook, line, and sinker.”

Dev felt the corners of his mouth curl. “Listen to the expert on relationships. The man who’s terrified of asking the woman he loves to marry him.”

“You’ve lost your edge, partner. You used to notice so much more.”

Dev shrugged his shoulders. “I’m lost here.”

“Michelle has a rock on her hand. I asked her to marry me while we were in Frisco this weekend. So…” Mac’s words trailed, “I guess I need a best man AND a partner.”

Chapter Fifteen

When Dev pushed open the front door, he found Michelle tucked under a handmade quilt. She smiled, looked up from the book she was reading, and drew her finger to her mouth to silence him.

“Luci fell asleep about an hour ago,” Michelle whispered and pushed to her feet. “Let’s go out front so we don’t wake her. She’s had a long night.”

She followed him out the door and to the front lawn. Her shoes were looped over her thumb, and her purse was slung over one shoulder.

“How’s she doing?” Dev asked, leaning his weight on his cane. His leg was telling him he’d had a long night too.

“She’s fine, but she needs you.”

Dev looked at Michelle, surprised. “She told you that?”

She grinned. “She didn’t need to. That’s a great girl you have in there. How’d she end up with you?” Michelle punched him lightly on the arm.

Whacking her back in the butt with the top of his cane, he nodded in agreement, adding, “I’ve been asking Luci that since the first day. I keep expecting her to come to her senses and take off, but she’s still here.”

“Dev… what am I going to do with you?” Michelle smiled, and shook her head.

Cracking his neck to one side, he pulled in a deep breath. “I know what an ass I’ve been since the shooting.”

“You weren’t an ass, you were just invisible.”

“Same thing,” he paused. “I just want to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you guys like that. Mac was always there for support when I needed him. I shouldn’t have shut him out.”

“He’s missed you.” Her dark brown eyes met his. “He wishes that night never happened, just like you do. He blames himself for the kid’s death and letting you get shot.”

“
Letting
me get shot?”

“Dev, it was just a terrible accident. When you were so distant, Mac assumed you didn’t want him as your partner because you blamed him for what happened.”

Dev pulled in a shaky breath. “If I ever get back on active duty, Mac would be the only partner I’d ever want.” He tried to lighten the conversation by adding, “No one else would put up with me.”

“Or vice versa with Mac. Luci’s hoping that after a few weeks of therapy, you can get rid of the cane and back on active duty.”

Dev looked at the glow of the lights through the living room window. “She has a lot of faith in me.”

  “She has more than that for you.” Michelle patted his arm. When he looked at her, she just smiled. “Did Mac come into the station?”

“I couldn’t get rid of him.” Dev grinned. “It must have been the great coffee.”

“Any leads on Luci’s break-in?” Michelle asked.

Dev shook his head, and then added, “We’ll find him.” Dev reached for Michelle’s hand. Lifting it, he inspected the ring on her left hand. “Mac told me he finally got the nerve to pop the question.”

“He’s such a romantic!” Her cheeks glowed pink in the dim overhead streetlights.

  “I don’t think we’re talking about the same guy. Are you sure it was
Mac
who proposed, and not some other guy?” Dev laughed. It felt good.

“It looked like him. The lights were pretty low in the restaurant. I’ll double check when I get home.” Michelle tipped her hand from side to side, surveying the stone on her finger. “Did he ask you about being his best-man?”

“Yeah. I said I’d do it.” Dev pulled her in for a hug. “I’m really happy for the two of you. And thanks for coming over here at the last minute.”

Michelle pushed a tumbled lock of his hair off his forehead. “Anytime. Really, I mean, anytime. I hope now that the water’s been smoothed over we see you much more often… and Luci.”