Vigilant

by Sara Davison

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Gage pulled open the door of her apartment as she reached for the knob. “Finally. I thought you would never get home.” Grabbing her hand, he pulled her inside and pushed the door shut with his foot. “Come here.” He drew her close and pressed his lips to hers.

  Nicole held herself back for a few seconds, the image of blue eyes locked on hers still shimmering in her head. Then fury flooded through her, at Daniel, for causing such upheaval in her life, but mostly at herself, for letting it happen. Wrapping her arms around Gage’s neck, she deepened their kiss. He stepped toward her, guiding her against the door. His hands moved to the sides of her face. Knees weak, Nicole buried her fingers in his hair, desperate to draw him closer, to convince him—and herself—that he was the only man in the world for her, the only one she wanted to be with.

  When he finally pulled away, she was breathless, her cheeks burning. She laid her head on his chest as the room swirled around her. Gage tightened his arms around her and held her close, his breath warming the top of her head. Gradually, her heart rate slowed and she could open her eyes without feeling as though she would drop to the ground if he let her go.

  Light glowed in his eyes when Gage stepped back and smiled at her. “Well. That was worth the wait.”

  Without his arms around her, holding her close, a coolness shivered over her skin. “I’m sorry I was gone so long.”

  “What were you doing?” He took her hand and led her over to the couch. Red and gold flames flickered behind the glass doors of the wood stove.

  Nicole resisted the urge to hold her suddenly ice-cold hands toward the blaze. She turned and pulled her legs up underneath her, facing him. “Checking out everything at the diner. Trying to envision myself there, running the place by myself.”

  “Could you?”

  She thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know. There are so many memories there. Every time I open the kitchen door, I expect to see Joe standing at the grill.”

  Gage took her hands in his, squeezing them tightly. “You don’t have to decide right away. You need to take time to deal with Joe’s loss before you even consider what you should do with the diner.”

  “You’re right. I can’t think about that tonight.”

  “Good.” He kissed her forehead. “All I want you to think about is me. And possibly dinner. Are you hungry?”

  She thought about it. With everything that had happened that evening, food had been the last thing on her mind. The confusion that still clouded her thinking, despite her best efforts, dulled her appetite until she wasn’t sure she could eat, but Gage had brought dinner and she didn’t want to disappoint him. “If you are, I could eat something.”

  His eyes gleamed in the firelight. “We don’t have to eat yet, if there’s something you would rather do.” He let go of one hand and trailed his fingers along her jaw line.

  Her stomach tightened. Gage’s mouth followed his fingers, moving lightly over her face and down to her neck. Nicole struggled to breathe. A tiny dart of guilt shot through her, the sense that she was being unfaithful, somehow. Now she felt that? What is the matter with you? Everything suddenly felt twisted around and backwards. A desperate need to do something to make it right again welled up in her.

  She stiffened. Gage lifted his head and met her gaze. “What is it? You look serious. Is everything okay?”

  “I am serious.” Nicole framed his face with her hands. “I love you, Gage.”

  A quizzical look drew lines across his forehead. “That sounded a little more like a question than a statement.”

  “It wasn’t. I do love you. I’m trying to find a way to tell you how much.”

  “You’ve never had trouble with that before.” Gage ran his fingers idly up and down her arms and tilted his head. “Hey, has that guy ever been back to the diner?”

  Suddenly weary, Nicole dropped her hands. “He’s been in a couple of times. It’s a public place, Gage. I can’t stop him from eating there.”

  “Of course not.” Something flickered in his eyes that she couldn’t quite identify.

  A tiny flame of anger re-ignited inside her, but she fought to keep her voice level. “This has nothing to do with him. Why would you even bring it up? Don’t you trust me?” Of course he doesn’t trust you. Why should he? No one knows you better than Gage. He must sense that you just lied to him. For at least the second time tonight.

  He searched her face. Like she often did under his intense gaze, Nicole felt completely exposed. She struggled to keep her eyes on his, to not look away. After a few seconds, his face softened. “I’m sorry I asked. Of course, I trust you. In fact …” he linked his fingers through hers. “I trust you with my life. That’s why I want you to share it with me.”

  She started. “What?”

  Gage brought her fingers up to his lips and kissed them. “Marry me, Nic. Please. I love you too, and I desperately want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Her lips parted in surprise. Those were the last words she’d expected to hear tonight. Why now? Did he know, somehow, that she had been with Daniel that evening? Had come close to betraying him by kissing another man? Was this a desperate attempt to hold on to her because he felt her slipping away from him? She pressed her lips together. No, he couldn’t. In spite of what he had asked her, the eyes that searched hers were calm and trusting and filled with love. Any lingering doubts lurked inside of her, not him.

  What if she said yes? A thrill of happiness leaped inside her chest. Committing herself to Gage would drive the last of those doubts away. Daniel’s role in her life would become crystal clear, to both of them. If he was in her life at all, it would be as a co-worker, someone helping her to clear the name of the man she was bound to for life. Together they would prove once and for all that Gage had nothing to do with those missing children. If he did, he wouldn’t ask her to marry him, would he? He’d never put her in that kind of danger.

  If she married him, she’d have someone. Together they could create the kind of home, the kind of family, she’d always wanted but had never known. Was it possible the life she’d dreamt of since she was a little girl could be within her grasp? Could someone actually care enough about her to make a vow before God to never leave her?

  A warm flush of hope flowed through her. Marrying Gage would put to rest all the fear and confusion she’d been wrestling with since Daniel Grey had walked into her life.

  Daniel … The happiness faded. Her chest ached at the thought of hurting him, but from what she had seen in his eyes tonight, there was almost no way to avoid that. Nicole lifted her chin. She had never lied to him. He’d known from the beginning that she was with someone, and she had always been honest about the fact that she loved Gage. She’d tell him herself, explain everything, and hope he understood. He’d have to understand.

  “Yes.”

  Gage blinked. “Yes?”

  Nicole laughed. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  “You thought about it so long, I was starting to worry.”

  “You took me by surprise, that’s all. I’m sorry.” Nicole caught his face in her hands and kissed him. Rising up on her knees, she drew him closer, desperately wanting to show him that he was everything to her, all that mattered.

  Gage wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. She ran her fingers through his long, dark hair. The feel of it, soft beneath her fingers, the warmth of his lips on hers, and the pleasure of being held tightly in his arms, drove every other thought from her head for several minutes. The desperate need to take more of him, feel more of him, be closer to him filled her. A faint, far-off warning bell sounded in her head, the distant and unwelcome realization that they were driving hard toward the edges of the boundaries they had set for themselves. It took her several more seconds to summon the strength, but she finally broke off the kiss and rested her forehead on his.

  Neither of them spoke until she edged away on the couch and his hands slid from her waist. She reach
ed out and brushed her fingertips across his cheek, and he lifted his eyes, dark and liquid, to hers. A small smile crossed his face. “I think we should get married sooner than later, what do you think?”

  “I’ve always wanted a June wedding. How about this weekend?” Nicole laughed weakly.

  His expression sobered. “We could, you know. I looked into getting a license. It takes about twenty minutes.”

  Twenty minutes. She’d been half-joking when she suggested this weekend, but really, what reason did they have to wait? It wasn’t like they had family to notify. Even if her parents did agree to come, she wasn’t sure she wanted them there now. Not after so much time had passed. And not when she wanted to focus only on Gage. There was enough going on in her life to threaten that focus already, she didn’t need any more distractions. And she didn’t need any more time. Lately time had proven itself to be the enemy, systematically attacking and undermining her stable, peaceful life with each passing day. With each visit from Detective Daniel Grey. She’d had enough.

  Besides, she loved Gage and wanted to be with him.

  Who are you trying to convince?

  The words drifted around in her mind for a few seconds, haunting her, before Nicole raised her head and shocked herself—and Gage, from the look on his face—with the words that came out of her mouth. “Let’s do it. Let’s get married on Saturday.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Daniel pointed his remote in the direction of his car and pushed the lock button. When he heard the confirming beep, he shoved his keys into the pocket of his jacket and strode toward the bank of parking garage elevators beneath the police station.

  The number above the elevator door had settled at four and wasn’t moving. He bounced impatiently on the balls of his feet. Calm down, Grey. He forced himself to stop moving and try to use the time to plan out his strategy for the day, the next step they should take in this investigation. His mind whirled with thoughts of the evening before. Although it was far from evidence—barely even a hunch at this point—it was interesting that Gage might have been preoccupied the evenings preceding an abduction. And even more interesting that Nicole appeared to be opening her mind, even slightly, to the fact that he could be involved.

  Nicole. His jaw tightened. The woman infuriated him like no one he had ever met. She knew how to push buttons he didn’t even realize he had. Like a little sister.

  Except that he didn’t think of her as a sister.

  With a low groan, Daniel pressed his hands to the wall beside the elevators and banged his head softly against the cold cement. What a mess. He’d never allowed his emotions to interfere with his job before, and he’d picked the worst possible time to do so. He had to get her out of his head. And he would. Not that he had done anything wrong, necessarily. It wasn’t like Gage had put a ring on her finger.

  Daniel straightened up. The fact that Nicole wasn’t married wasn’t really the issue. The issue was that she was possibly involved in crimes he was investigating. Or was involved with someone who might be involved. Either way, there were more than enough reasons for him to exercise a little self-control. This was the biggest case of his career and he wouldn’t blow it because—

  “Grey?”

  Daniel drew in a deep, steadying breath before swinging around to face his partner, praying she wouldn’t see the angst he was drowning in written all across his face.

  He might as well have prayed that she wouldn’t notice the sun shining in the sky.

  Sharleen’s eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

  “What are you talking about?” He shifted around and banged the up button a few times. Come on. Come on.

  When he turned back, his partner had planted both fists firmly on her hips.

  Uh oh.

  “Don’t pull that innocent act on me, Grey. I’ve witnessed you messing up often enough to recognize that guilty look when I see it.” Tilting her head, she studied his face for a few seconds, and then drew in a sharp breath. “You kissed her.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  She raised both eyebrows.

  “I didn’t kiss her, all right? I … almost kissed her.” Daniel frowned. Somehow that distinction had seemed bigger in his head.

  Sharleen stared at him for a moment before spinning on her heel and heading into the garage. “Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Starbucks. We both need something extra tall if we’re going to get through today.” He couldn’t argue with that. He shuffled behind her as she stalked to her burgundy Sonata.

  Neither spoke the entire seven minutes it took to get to the coffee shop, which was fine with Daniel. Heat shimmered off his partner, though. He was going to get an earful at some point. Exhaling loudly, he rested his head against the window and shut his eyes. When she pulled into a parking spot and screeched to a stop, he jerked upright. By the time he had undone his seatbelt and climbed out of the car, Sharleen had jumped out and slammed the door behind her.

  Daniel shook his head. At least he never had any trouble figuring out what his partner was thinking, or whether or not she was upset. The woman could say more with body language in five minutes than Leo Tolstoy ever had in a novel.

  They carried their drinks to a table. Daniel had kind of been hoping for more of the silent treatment, but Sharleen launched into her interrogation before he even had a chance to pull back the tab on his black coffee.

  “Tell me exactly what happened.”

  Daniel sighed. “I did see Nicole Hunter yesterday.” He held up one hand. “And before you say anything, I didn’t plan it. The diner’s been closed since the owner died, and I’ve been driving by once in a while to check on it. I saw the lights come on last night and went to see who it was. I didn’t really think about her being there that late by herself.”

  “Hmm. If only there was some kind of portable communication device you could carry around in your pocket and use to get in touch with me when something like that happens so I could join you.”

  Daniel gave her a dark look. “You do realize that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, don’t you? And I didn’t want to call you and ask you to come way over to the other side of the city late at night.”

  “Very thoughtful.”

  Daniel drew in a deep breath. “Look, I know you don’t like it, but it might have been better that I was alone. The last couple of times we’ve talked, I’ve gotten the sense that Nicole is starting to question her belief in Gage’s innocence. I’ve been trying to capitalize on that, see if I can get her to commit to letting me know if he does anything unusual. If you’d come with me, we would have been back to square one with building a relationship with her.”

  “You have a relationship with her?”

  “Shh.” Alarmed at her climbing decibel level, Daniel glanced around the crowded coffee shop. He glared at Sharleen. “Not that kind of relationship, a working one.”

  “As far as I know there’s only one type of working relationship that involves kissing, so do not give me that, Daniel.”

  “Almost kissing.”

  “What does that mean anyway? How could you almost kiss her?”

  Daniel slid off his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair, suddenly feeling very warm. “It means that, while discussing the case…” he emphasized that last part, hoping to drive home the fact that at least at some point he had been on the right track, “…we had a moment. We almost kissed and then her phone rang and we didn’t. End of story.” He tipped his cup and downed a huge mouthful of the hot liquid. Maybe the burning sensation in his throat would distract him from the pang of that lost moment.

  Sharleen shook her head. “Wow. I think that might be the first time you have ever broken a promise to me.”

  He set his cup down so hard some of the coffee sloshed onto the table. “What are you talking about? I never promised you I wouldn’t kiss her, or almost kiss her, or anything to do with kissing, that I can recall. And speaking of which, if we could switch to a topic
of conversation that doesn’t involve the word kissing, that would be really great.”

  “I’m talking about your promise to be professional. Almost kissing someone you are attempting to get information from for an investigation might not be specifically mentioned in the code of conduct, but I think we both know there is nothing professional about it.”

  His surge of righteous indignation evaporated. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “Who was on the phone?”

  Daniel shut his eyes for a couple of seconds. No wonder he was feeling so warm. He was rapidly descending through Dante’s nine rings of hell, each one worse than the last. He opened his eyes and focused on his half-empty cup. “Gage.”

  “So the subject of a criminal investigation calls as you are about to make out with his girlfriend.”

  “What is this, tenth grade? We weren’t about to make out, we …” He looked up in time to catch her withering glare. “All right, not the point, I know.”

  “You’re in big trouble, Grey. You know that, don’t you?”

  Daniel started to deny it but realized he didn’t have the heart. “I know.” He blew out a deep breath as he met her gaze. “Should I take myself off this case?”

  “Yes. You definitely should.”

  He nodded.

  “But I don’t want you to.”

  “You don’t?”

  “No.” Sharleen leaned in close to him. “We’re so close, Daniel. I can feel it. In spite of one wildly questionable judgment call after another on your part.”

  “That’s a little harsh, don’t you …?”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  Daniel slumped in his chair. “Yeah, okay,” he conceded.

  “Even so, I firmly believe that somehow you have managed to lead us down the right path here. I know that either Gage or Holden Kelly is involved in these abductions. In fact, if we had the manpower to watch them both 24/7, I’m sure we’d have something concrete on one of them by now. You can’t quit. Not when we’re so—”

  Daniel sucked in a quick breath. As hot as he’d become during this conversation, he suddenly went ice cold.