by RJ Nolan
“Proving to you that he didn’t really hurt me.” Sam pushed her jeans down, baring her thigh.
Riley scooted closer and gently skated her fingers over the fist-sized bruise above Sam’s knee.
“See? Just a bruise.”
Gazing at Sam’s thigh, Riley moved her fingers higher to the reddened scars marring the pale skin. She lightly traced the healing flesh and peered up at Sam though half-lidded eyes. “What about these?”
Goosebumps erupted in the wake of Riley’s touch. Sam resisted the urge to pull away. “They’re fine too.” She stepped back and reached for her pants.
“Wait. Please put the ice on it. Just for a little while.”
Sam sighed, powerless to resist the entreaty in Riley’s voice. “Okay.”
* * *
“Dinner should be here in thirty minutes,” Riley said.
Sam shifted, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard sofa. She couldn’t help wondering why anyone would buy a piece of furniture like that. Riley had insisted she stretch out her legs on the couch while icing her thigh. Sam laughed to herself. If Marina could see you now—in a woman’s apartment, on her couch, with your pants off, and all you get out of it is a frozen thigh.
Riley tugged over the tubular steel-and-leather chair and sank into it with ease.
The silence stretched out, eventually becoming uncomfortable.
Where’s Izzy when I need her? The thought of the bear reminded Sam just where she was sitting. Allowing a half smirk to appear, she twisted and turned as if she were inspecting the couch.
Riley scowled, but there was no hiding the sparkle in her eyes. “What?”
Oh. She’s on to you already. “Is it safe to sit here? Or do I need a big…” Sam drew out the word, “…book?”
“Very funny.” Riley’s eyes went wide. “Oh. No. It’s back. There.” She pointed over Sam’s shoulder.
Sam jumped, whipping her head around before she could stifle the reaction.
“Gotcha.” Riley burst out laughing.
Sam was relieved to see the last trace of guilt leave Riley’s face. “Okay. I deserved that.”
“Oh no. You’re not getting off that easily. You owe me an embarrassing story in return.”
“I owe you, huh?”
“Absolutely.”
Sam bit her lip. You’ve already seen me at my weakest.
Riley’s brilliant green eyes twinkled as she leaned forward in her chair. “Please.”
Damn. No fair. Why do I have such a hard time saying no to this woman? “Okay.” Considering Riley’s petite size, Sam figured she’d get a laugh out of a woman not much bigger than she was taking Davidson down. She grinned just thinking about it. “A month or so ago—”
“Hold it. I said an embarrassing story about you, not about someone else.”
What the…? “How did you know the story wasn’t about—”
“No stalling. Story, please.”
Sam couldn’t resist the eager anticipation on Riley’s face. After adjusting the ice on her thigh, she settled in to tell her story. “I was just a rookie. I’d only been on the force a few weeks when some of the female officers from different precincts got together and invited the women rookies out. Sort of a welcome-to-the-club thing.” It had actually been a gathering of lesbian officers, but now wasn’t the best time to bring that up since she was lying on Riley’s couch with her pants off. “We went to a local barbecue restaurant.”
“Get to the embarrassing part,” Riley said.
Remembering she had said the same thing to Riley, Sam laughed. “Hold your horses. I’m getting there. Who’s telling this story?”
“Sorry. You were saying?”
“This particular place is an old Victorian home they converted to a restaurant. So there are lots of small dining rooms instead of one big one. We walked through several rooms. As I came around the corner into the last room, I got distracted.” She left out exactly what had distracted her since she’d been staring at the ass of the woman in front of her. “I didn’t see the old man sitting just inside the doorway until it was too late. I ran right into him. Before I could grab him, he collapsed on the floor. I felt terrible, but I didn’t start to panic until I realized he wasn’t moving.”
Riley’s eyes went wide.
“There I was, a newly minted police officer, sworn to protect, and what’s the first thing I do—knock down some helpless old man. I dropped to my knees next to him, then shouted for someone call nine-one-one.” She shook her head at the memory. “I rolled him onto his back, all ready to save the day and do CPR if necessary… And it was a damn mannequin.”
Riley’s face twitched as she struggled not to laugh. She finally lost the battle, and gales of laughter poured forth.
“It was a really realistic mannequin.” Sam crossed her arms over her chest, working hard to keep a straight face. “Could’ve been in a movie it was so real.” It hadn’t been funny at the time, but now, years later, she could laugh about it.
Clutching her sides, Riley continued to laugh.
Sam gave up the fight and joined her laughter. “Was that embarrassing enough for you?”
Riley wiped tears from her eyes. “Perfect.”
* * *
“More shrimp lo mein?” Riley asked.
“No. I’m good. Thanks.”
“How about some more tea? Or would you rather have water now?” Riley jumped up from her chair.
How the heck does she get out of that contraption like that? “I’m fine. Relax. Please.” Riley had been catering to her every need since getting her situated on the couch. “You’ve gone to more than enough trouble. I’m not hurt. I can take care of myself.”
Riley flushed and ducked her head. “I know. I just…” She began to gather up the remains of their dinner.
After making sure the sheet was securely wrapped around her hips, Sam swung her legs off the couch and reached for her jeans. “Let me help you.”
“I’ve got it.” Riley grabbed the containers and fled into the kitchen.
Taking the opportunity to get dressed without having to bare her injured thigh to Riley again, Sam quickly pulled on her jeans. After a rocky start, the evening had turned out to be all that she had hoped for. They had eaten and laughed together. It helped ease Sam’s worries about the lingering effects the attack and shooting had on Riley.
Riley stifled a yawn as she came back into the room.
Sam glanced at her watch. It was later than she’d thought. She knew Riley had worked a twelve-hour shift before meeting her for dinner. “I should get out of your hair and let you get some rest. Thanks for dinner.” She gestured toward the discarded sheet. “And for taking such good care of me.”
“My pleasure.”
“So when can we do this again?” Sam laughed. “Minus the whole Karate Joe thing.”
The smile dropped from Riley’s face, and her eyes went dark. “I’m so sorry about you getting hurt. I—”
“No. I’m sorry.” Sam rested her hand gently on Riley’s shoulder. The muscles were stiff under her hand. Good going, twit. You and your big mouth. “I shouldn’t have joked about that. It truly wasn’t your fault. Let it go.”
Looking skeptical, Riley nodded.
“You’ve fed me three times now. I really would like to buy you dinner. You pick the place.” Sam smiled down at her. “What do you say?”
“I’ll have to see what my schedule looks like.” Riley broke eye contact and looked down. “I’ll…I’ll call you.”
“Okay.” Sam worked to hide her disappointment. Regardless of her words, Riley’s body language told a different story. As Sam limped to the door, she wondered whether she would ever hear from her again.
Chapter 19
Sam shook out her arms, then picked up the dumbbell. “Just one more.” Now I sound like Tony. As she started her reps, her gaze lit on the phone lying on the end table. Forget her. She went back to her workout.
Despite her best intentions, she fou
nd herself glancing at the phone, willing it to ring. It’s been a week. She’s not going to call. Sam wasn’t sure why she felt compelled to pursue a friendship with Riley. It wasn’t as if Riley was the first person she had ever saved, although she was the only person she had taken a bullet for. What do you care anyway? But she did care, no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise. It hurt that Riley had just written her off. The dumbbell banged against her thigh. Dammit.
Sam grabbed the phone and limped into her bedroom, where she chucked it toward the bed, then cursed when it bounced onto the floor. Screw it. She nabbed her mp3 player, jammed the earbuds in place, and cranked up the volume. After returning to the living room, she resumed her workout. The pulsing beat of the music drove everything else from her mind.
Her sweat-soaked T-shirt clung to her torso; her arm and shoulder muscles burned. After shaking out her arms, she dropped onto the couch to catch her breath and grimaced when pain shot down her leg. Her head dropped back against the cushion, and she lost herself in the music, enjoying the rush of endorphins coursing through her system.
What was that? Sam lifted her head but couldn’t hear anything except the pounding beat of the music. She glanced at the clock, surprised to see how much time had passed. In the next break between songs, she again thought she heard a noise. She pulled the earbuds out and was assaulted with sound of another type.
Bang! Bang! Something slammed against her front door. “McKenna, open this fucking door before I kick it in.”
What the…? Marina? Sam jerked open the door. “What the hell are—?”
Marina, still dressed in her uniform and gear, rushed forward and grabbed her in a crushing bear hug.
The breath whooshed from Sam’s lungs. “What’s wrong?” She tried to squirm out of the viselike hold.
Marina released her and stepped back. “Thank God.” Tears glimmered at the corners of her eyes.
“Get in here and tell me why the hell you’re trying to knock down my front door.”
Marina surveyed the room. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“I was working out. I didn’t hear it.”
“For three hours?”
“Of course not. I was listening to music.” Sam dangled one of the earbuds between her fingers.
Marina eyed the free weights and strength bands lying on the floor. “Are you even supposed to be working out?”
“Therapist didn’t say I couldn’t. I was just working my arms. Now, what’s going on?”
“Your car’s in the lot. When you didn’t answer your phone, I freaked out a little.” A blush dusted Marina’s cheeks. She scrubbed her hands over her face, then flopped down onto the couch. “Guess I overreacted. It’s just that since you got shot, I’ve been worried…” She shook her head sharply as if unwilling to give voice to her fears.
Sam eased herself down on the couch close to her. “You’ve been worried about what? I don’t understand. You haven’t mentioned anything bothering you, then you show up here like a raging bull when I don’t answer the phone for a couple of hours? What’s this all about?”
Marina cupped Sam’s face in her hand, her thumb softly stroking her cheek.
Sam smiled and leaned into the familiar touch. “Tell me what’s got you so upset.”
“You’ve been different since you got hurt. I mean that’s expected, but…” Marina blew out a breath. “You haven’t been to a single Friday night bull session since you got home. You haven’t been by the station. You haven’t come to watch any of our softball games.” She held up her hand to keep Sam from interrupting. “It’s not just that. I’ve asked you quite a few times to go out with me, and you’ve turned me down every time. You’re distancing yourself from everyone.” Her dark eyes bore into Sam’s. “That worries me.”
Guilt stabbed at Sam. She had been avoiding people from work. She hadn’t stopped to think that Marina, of all people, might feel shut out. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve been focusing on my therapy and trying to get back into shape. I just haven’t felt like socializing.” Except with Riley. Sam snorted to herself. Who doesn’t want anything to do with you. It was hard to miss the irony in that.
“See, that’s just what I mean,” Marina said.
Sam jumped, startled from her thoughts. “What?”
“I’m sitting right here, and you just disappeared inside yourself.”
Meeting Marina’s gaze, Sam smiled. “I’m here. I’m fine.”
Marina stared deeply into her eyes as if searching for something. “I hope so.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you were threatening to kick my door down.”
Ducking her head, Marina said, “I thought you were falling into a depression, and when I couldn’t reach you, I was afraid you’d…” Tears glimmering in her eyes, she looked away.
It took Sam a minute to get it. Shock ripped through her. “I would never—”
“That’s what I thought about Ray!” Pain twisted Marina’s face.
Jesus. Ray. It all suddenly made sense. The anniversary of Ray’s death was this week. She wasn’t sure Marina would ever truly recover from finding her older brother after he shot himself with his service pistol. Despite the tragedy, she had still gone on to become a police officer. Just like you did after Leslie. Sam ruthlessly slammed the door shut on those wrenching memories. She wrapped her arms around Marina and pulled her close. “I swear to you, the thought has never crossed my mind.”
Marina buried her face against Sam’s neck. “Promise me.”
“I promise. It wasn’t what you thought. I’m not depressed.” Sam sighed and after hesitating for a second, added, “I didn’t want everyone to see me while I was gimping around.”
Marina squeezed Sam’s waist, then pulled back. “No one would think any less of you. Jesus! You took a bullet to keep that woman from getting killed.” She poked Sam in the side. “It’s not like you let yourself go to pot and got fat and lazy or something.”
“Hey. Watch it.” Sam put on her best pitiful expression. “I’m hurt.”
“Oh. Poor baby.” Marina stood and offered Sam her hand. “Now get your butt off that couch and go take a shower. It’s Friday night, everyone will be at O’Grady’s.”
“Not tonight. I’m beat. How about we go to lunch tomorrow or dinner?”
“Good idea. But tonight we’re going to O’Grady’s.”
Sam allowed Marina to pull her off the couch.
“Go take a shower. You stink. I’ll wait for you, then we’ll head to my place so I can shower and change.”
“You could join me.” Sam stepped close, their breasts almost touching. During their time together, they had shared more than a few steamy showers. Dropping her voice to a husky purr, she said, “Wash my back for me?”
Marina gasped like a guppy out of water.
Gotcha! Sam burst out laughing. She knew there was no way in hell Marina would accept. She was devoted to Elisabeth. That didn’t make tweaking her friend any less fun.
Marina muttered something under her breath. Scowling, she pointed toward the bedroom. “Go.”
“You don’t have to wait. I’ll meet you at O’Grady’s.”
Marina searched her face. “You promise?”
“I promise.” Maybe this was just what she needed.
Chapter 20
A noise startled Riley awake. “Ow.” She rubbed at the crick in her neck.
A knock sounded on her office door.
Too tired to get up, she called out, “Come in.”
The door swung open, and Denny stepped inside. “Good afternoon. How’re you do—?” He pointed at her head.
Riley felt around and pulled off a sticky note that had stuck to her hair. Heat crept up her neck. “What’re you doing here, besides giving me a hard time? Shouldn’t you be with your wife and newborn son?”
“That’s what I came to tell you. Carol got released this morning. We spent some time with Jeremy, then I took her home and got her all sett
led.” Denny grinned. “Jeremy’s off the respirator and breathing great on his own.” He leaned against the corner of her desk. “I’m back to take over the rest of my shift and patients.”
“That’s great news.” It had been touch and go for Carol and the premature baby for several days. “I can finish out your shift tonight. Stay with Carol or in the NICU with Jeremy. I’ve got this covered.”
He shook his head “After being in-house six days straight with your own shifts and mine, you can’t tell me you’re not exhausted. I don’t think I’ve seen you asleep at your desk since you were a fellow.”
“It wasn’t that bad. I was happy to help out.”
“Go home, Riley. Get some sleep. I’ll spend time with Jeremy if things stay quiet.”
The offer was tempting. It felt as if she hadn’t had a moment to herself all week. “Are you sure?”
Denny smiled. “Positive. Now go.” He pulled her from the chair and gave her a one-armed hug. “We’re both really grateful for all you’ve done this week.”
“You’re welcome. Give Carol and Jeremy my love.”
* * *
Riley tugged her pillow closer. Her stomach rumbled. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and groaned. It was just after seven. I need sleep. But her body wasn’t cooperating. As she rolled back over, she caught sight of the latest addition to her bedroom. She smiled at Annie sitting on top of her dresser, keeping watch over her.
Seeing the bear turned her thoughts to Sam. Despite what had happened, she had thoroughly enjoyed their time together last Friday. She couldn’t remember when she had last laughed so freely. She wanted to call her, but she was torn. The homeless man’s attack had shaken her. Not the attack itself so much, but the fact that Sam had been injured trying to protect her. Riley had gone over and over the incident, sure there was something she could have done. Why hadn’t she pepper-sprayed him sooner?
She shoved back the covers, got out of bed, then stopped for a moment to stroke Annie’s silky fur before going to the kitchen. After making a cup of herbal tea, she retreated to the living room and gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window. The view of the boats in the harbor at night always soothed her.
