Before the Dawn

by Gail Chianese

  Shawn followed her in and locked the door behind him. He took a few minutes to check the windows, the bathroom (like really, did he expect to find Norman Bates in there?), and both bedrooms before he returned. Kat sat at the table and picked up another spelling test, trying to ignore her unwanted guest. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He was wanted, but not welcomed. Being alone with the man was not what her psyche ordered. It was what her libido craved.

  “Can we talk?” Shawn dropped into a chair across from her.

  She stared at him, unsure what to say. For once she was afraid, afraid that her resolve would break. At the same time, she didn’t like holding a grudge. Negative emotions ate a person up. Ate up their energy and stole the light from life.

  A cold breeze wrapped around her. “Come on, Kat. Give the guy a chance,” Vinnie whispered and then the cold was gone.

  Darn that ghost. He hadn’t really left. She’d bet her favorite pair of Jimmy Choo red suede sandals that Vinnie had set her up by rattling the window. “If it’ll help you sleep better, go ahead.”

  No one said she was going to make it easy on him.

  “There’s only one thing that will help me sleep better. Okay, two, but I don’t foresee solving the case happening anytime soon.” He dropped his gaze to take in her defensive stance and chuckled softly. “Somehow, I doubt the other is going to happen either.”

  Kat arched her brow, as she drilled her gaze right through his heart. Nope, that second item wasn’t happening. Now, if the first—catching their arsonist—would happen, they’d all sleep better.

  “Is that what you wanted to talk about? A cheap come-on? Because if it is, I’ve got papers to grade.” She gestured to the table behind her.

  He had to fight the grin, because she’d probably shove him outside and slam the door in his face if he propositioned her. But damn if he didn’t like her even more for not making this easy. He’d screwed up and in no way did he deserve a pass on being a jerk.

  “If I say I’m sorry would that make a difference?” He held his breath while she continued to stare. Her jaw went hard. Her gaze shifted to somewhere beyond him.

  He shoved his hands into his pockets, but refused to look away. Yes, he’d pulled a dick move, but he was here trying to do the right thing. Trying to atone.

  After what felt like forever, but could have only been a few seconds, she met his eyes. Her body softened a hair, but she didn’t smile. “It’s a start.”

  “I thought it would be easier to end things before they got complicated. Before we let our emotions get involved.”

  “Yeah?” She moved past him into the kitchen and set an old-fashioned teakettle on the stove. With an angry flick of her wrist she turned the stove on, then leaned against the counter. “How’s that working for you?”

  “Like crap.”

  “Good.” Now she smiled. And laughed, as she rolled her eyes at him. “Want some tea, coffee, a beer?”

  “I’d love a beer, but I think I better go with the coffee. Sleep has been an elusive bitch these past few nights. Beer would probably send me straight to la-la land, and I promised Rafe I’d take the night shift.”

  “About that, there’s really no need.” She shot him a look that locked his words deep in his throat. “No one knows I’m here, except the police, Lexie, and you. Even my parents don’t know. Plus, I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

  “I know.” He gestured toward the Keurig. When she nodded, he made a cup of strong, black, deep Italian roast. “Think of me as backup, like when we checked out that warehouse. You held your own, but we had each other’s backs.”

  “We did work well together that day.”

  “And that night.”

  She walked away with her teacup in her hand and dropped onto the overstuffed leather sofa. “Too soon.”

  “Maybe, but you can’t tell me that if I didn’t pull back, you wouldn’t have gotten emotionally involved.” Immediately he knew he’d said the exact wrong thing. Again.

  Her eyes sparked with a fury that could have set a city on fire. “News flash, Romeo. If I didn’t like you to start with, I wouldn’t have slept with you. However, that doesn’t mean I was expecting you to get down on bended knee before you headed west. You might want to dial that ego back a bit.”

  “You’re right. I read the situation wrong.” It pained him to admit it, not because it hurt his ego, but because he’d been feeling one way and hoped she had too. He was such an ass. That’s what he got for assuming. “Now I get to pay for that too.”

  Truth was, he liked Kat a lot. Too much for the short period of time that they’d known each other. If things were different, he could easily fall for her. Fall hard. And while he knew she wouldn’t do it on purpose, she’d end up breaking his heart.

  She drummed her fingers on the mug before setting it down on the side table, before jumping up and walking to the window. “Now, it’s my turn to apologize. I’m being bitchy.”

  “No, you’re not. I deserved it.”

  She had every right to be pissed at him. They’d gone into their weekend fling knowing the score. She’d been honest with him from the start, and he hadn’t been man enough to do the same.

  “There’s not much here in the way of food, but I’ve got the makings for breakfast burritos. You’re welcome to join me for dinner and you don’t need to spend the night in your truck. If you’re going to have my back, you should probably do it where it’s most effective.”

  His whole body relaxed at her offer. And yet, at the same time, he felt even more like a jerk. After ghosting her, she had the right to flay his balls and fry them over an open fire. He was glad she wasn’t, but he acknowledged that he deserved it. Taking the olive branch, Kat held out, he smiled.

  “Sounds good. What can I do to help with dinner?” They’d taken a step forward. If he couldn’t be Kat’s lover, he’d be her friend.

  She put him to work chopping veggies while she whipped up eggs and dropped a few slices of bacon into a pan. “You know what you said earlier, that I wasn’t being mean? You’re wrong, I was. The thing is, I do like you, Shawn.”

  “Me too.”

  “It’s always good to like yourself.” She flashed him a killer thousand-watt smile. “As I was saying . . . I like you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for anything other than a fun fling. Even if you were Mr. Right, and that’s a big if, I don’t think I could commit to anything other than what we agreed to at the start.”

  He got it. They’d both had their hearts broken over the last year. They needed time to heal. Time to drop the baggage they were carrying and not be each other’s rebound relationship. “It’s been one heck of a year.”

  “That it has, but it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

  “Everyone needs a friend.”

  “It’s a shame you have such a delicate ego though.” She removed the bacon from the pan, flipped off the burner, and raked her gaze over him.

  Everything inside his body turned to molten lava, making him ache to hold her. To feel her cool body against his heat. “Why’s that?” he asked, barely able to control his voice.

  “Because friends with benefits would have been so much more fun.”

  Shawn pulled her against him, loving the way they fit together. “I think my ego can take the hit when you don’t fall hopelessly in love with me.” Half lie. It wasn’t his ego that was involved, but it was too late to disengage.

  “You promise you won’t turn into some clingy, mushy, love-stricken puppy when it’s time to say goodbye?” She bit down on her bottom lip as her gaze landed on his mouth.

  “Boy Scout’s honor.”

  “I doubt you were ever a Boy Scout.”

  “Yep, all the way to sixth grade. Me and my ‘cuz.”

  She wound her arms around his neck, playing with the ends of his hair.

  “I find I’m not really in the mood for breakfast at the moment.” She leaned into him, kissed the hollow at his throat. His pulse sped up, and his cock went roc
k hard.

  “What are you in the mood for?” The words came out in a rasp.

  “Dessert.” She looked up at him, eyes dark and filled with a fire he didn’t want to extinguish, and a smile that promised if he took her up on the offer, he was sure to get burned.

  Game on. Shawn hefted her up into his arms and over his shoulder in a classic fireman’s hold. “Bedroom.”

  “Second door on the left down the hallway.” She tried to wiggle her way out of his hold, but a swift, soft slap on her ass had her holding still, but not for long. As soon as he set her down, she grabbed his shirt, spun them around, and pushed him back on the bed.

  Kat straddled his lap, all laughter and playfulness gone. “I just want to forget the last couple of days. Can you make that happen?”

  He slipped his hand behind Kat’s neck and guided her mouth to his, then he proceeded to try to empty her mind of everything but this moment. All thoughts of right and wrong, of leaving, of heartbreak slipped away as he focused on the woman over him. They didn’t murmur words of love. There were no promises of forever. There was just him and her and intense moments of passion. Of desire. Two people becoming one as their instincts took over, as they followed their hearts instead of their heads.

  When it was over and they lay entwined amidst the twisted bed sheets, he allowed himself to acknowledge—internally—he was a fool. Even if they’d never slept together, when it was time to head home, his heart was going to stay in Connecticut.

  Kat was everything he could ask for in a partner. Wicked smart, as they said in New England. Perceptive, strong, and brave as any firefighter he’d ever known.

  But she was also compassionate, caring, funny, and when he was with her, he felt completely at peace. Despite what he’d said earlier, he didn’t want to leave. He didn’t want to say goodbye and never find out what they could have been. But his wants didn’t matter. He had a family that needed him. And while Kat may have needed him to forget a couple of bad days, she didn’t need or want him for the long haul.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked quietly, almost like she didn’t want him to hear, much less answer.

  “Nothing really.” He wasn’t about to tell her the truth. “Other than if you’re going to demand my services again tonight, I’m going to need food first.”

  Kat laughed, a sweet, easy, musical sound of delight. “Services, huh?” She pushed up and pulled the sheet around her. “I’m making no promises, but . . . based on past experience, I better go make those breakfast burritos.”

  Her hips swayed as she crossed the room, exchanged the sheet for a robe and disappeared into the master bathroom. Damn if he didn’t want to pull her back down to join him in bed again. To avoid temptation, and put them at risk—again—he grabbed his discarded clothes and headed to the other bathroom. With a quick shower to clean up, he was standing in the kitchen before Kat emerged, fully dressed.

  Her gaze dropped to his shoes. She crossed her arms and started toward the refrigerator. “Are you leaving?”

  He heard the hurt in her voice.

  “Not unless you make me.” He reached out, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her back against his front, enjoying the way they fit together. “I thought I’d better go take a look around outside. I’d prefer to keep this one-on-one.”

  “Well, damn. There went my surprise.”

  Shawn chuckled, kissed her and headed outside. “Lock up behind me.”

  Kat followed him to the door, but the fear on her face stopped him. “Be careful. He’s got to know you’re the fire marshal, which means he’s probably figured out we’ve been working together. You’re just as much a target as me.”

  “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” He kissed her hard, then stepped outside. He proceeded to scan the area once he heard the lock click into place. He had no intention of missing his next meal, not when he had such delectable company and the prospect of spending the night in Kat’s arms.

  Since she’d forgiven him, he planned to make the most of this second chance. He didn’t expect her to pack up and move across the country with a guy she’d been involved with for less than two weeks. But he had four days, six if he pushed it on the drive, to spend with the woman of his dreams. To see if what they had was somehow worth fighting for.

  Chapter 16

  Tuesday afternoon, Kat exited the elementary school to find Shawn waiting for her once again. She fought the smile as she made her way over to him. While they’d made up and made the most of last night together, she knew their time was coming to an end. She also knew that it didn’t matter if they had four days or four months, so why deny herself a little happiness. A piece of her heart would be heading to the Pacific Northwest.

  “Don’t you have a job to do, Marshal?”

  “Yep, I’m doing it now.”

  “And what job would that be?”

  “Guarding your body.” The smile he flashed was full of charm, humor, and hunger.

  “I wasn’t aware that being a fire marshal was so all-encompassing.”

  “I’m off duty from the day job. I talked with Rafe and Detective Daines. They both feel you’re still in danger. The news reported there were no fatalities in the fire.” He took a step closer. “For now, you’re on a 24-hour watch. I volunteered for the night shift.”

  Of course he had. She let out a long, drawn-out, dramatic sigh. “If you insist. I mean, you did an okay job last night.”

  “Just okay?” His hazel eyes turned a dark green with flecks of gold at the challenge. At her nonanswer, he reached out and pulled her to him. “If we weren’t standing in a school parking lot, I’d prove how wrong you are. Even now, just being in my arms, your breathing has changed with anticipation of what’s to come. Tell me I’m lying.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Hunger.” She half lied. “It’s been a long day and I skipped lunch.” That part was true, but the minute his arms wrapped around her flashes of last night flooded her brain. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Those soft, wonderful, skilled lips. If Shawn hadn’t reminded her of where they stood, she would have tasted him, tempted him, teased him, until he lost that satisfied smirk.

  He let her go and walked to the passenger side of the truck, opening the door for her. “Then we’d better feed you.”

  “There’s no food at Rafe’s place.” She tossed her bag onto the seat between them and climbed in.

  “We can do a drive-through or delivery.”

  “I don’t want fast food, Shawn. I want real food. I want Miss Elsie’s Monte Cristo.” And her chocolate cream pie. It had been a long day, one that tested Kat’s patience and sanity. Who knew a seven-year-old could scream so loud . . . and long? Right then she wanted comfort food and a handful of ibuprofen for the pounding at her temples. Being a private detective was a cakewalk compared to teaching. Bad guys included.

  “Kat, it’s not safe for you to be out and about. What if the arsonist is looking for you? He could follow you back to Rafe’s house.”

  She didn’t care. The arsonist didn’t have anything on twenty second-graders with boundless stores of energy. “You’ll have to make sure we don’t have a tail when we leave.” She looked up at him from under her lashes before dropping her gaze to his mouth again. “Besides, I’m going to need fuel for this body if you plan on guarding it again tonight.”

  He scrubbed his hands over his face, swore under his breath, and put the truck in drive. It only took her a second to realize he was heading into town and to Miss Elsie’s.

  “If anything happens to you, your friend Lexie is going to kill me.”

  A cool breeze wrapped around Kat and she glanced over her shoulder to see Vinnie in the back seat.

  “If anything happens to you, Lexie will have to get in line,” Vinnie said.

  “Nothing’s going to happen. I’ll be perfectly safe at Elsie’s. If, and that’s a big if, the arsonist is watching for me, he’s not going to think to look
there at this hour. It’s too late for lunch and too early for dinner.”

  “You’re killing me, kid.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Shawn drove past the diner, scanning people and cars. After the second trip around the town square he pulled into a parking space a few feet from the front door. He refused to let her get out until he was on her side of the vehicle and he’d taken another scan of the area. Then he rushed her into the restaurant like a celebrity avoiding the paparazzi.

  “Kat, how are you doing?” Miss Elsie grabbed a couple of menus and started leading them to a table by the window.

  “I’d kill for a slice of your chocolate cream pie,” she said.

  Miss Elsie laughed. “No need to go that far.”

  “Can we take that back booth?” Shawn asked and pulled her toward the far end of the dining room to a table without windows. He nodded for her to take the seat facing away from the door.

  “Whatever floats your boat, kiddo,” Miss Elsie said as she followed behind them. “You need a menu?”

  “Not me.” Kat put in her order and looked to Shawn. He ordered without the menu too. Miss Elsie stood there for a minute after writing down what they wanted. A frown pulled at the corners of her mouth as her eyes darted back and forth across the table.

  “You need to tell her what’s going on, Kat,” Vinnie said. “She knows everything that happens around here and she’d spot a stranger a mile away.”

  Kat ignored her ghostly guardian’s suggestion. After a few moments, Miss Elsie stomped off to put in their order. Thankfully the diner was mostly empty and Kat could sit back and relax. Or she could have if Vinnie would shut up and stop complaining, and if Shawn would stop scanning the room like he was waiting for a bomb to go off.

  She had to change the vibe. “Tell me about your day?” she asked Shawn.

  “Marilyn wants me to move in with her,” Vinnie said. He’d positioned himself in the space between Kat and Shawn. Her gaze shot to him and back to Shawn in a split second. Long enough to really take in today’s outfit: white skinny jeans, a black-and-white striped shirt with a black jacket and a hat that looked like it belonged in the 1940s or a Bruno Mars video. Somehow, she’d managed not to let her jaw drop or ask him if he was crazy.