Safe Haven

by Lisa Mondello

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “You heard it, too?”

  She nodded and walked to the window.

  “Wait,” he said, reaching for her arm to hold her back.

  A movement outside must have caught Daria’s attention and startled her. She took a quick step back, dropping the plate and beer bottle to the floor. Kevin quickly grabbed her arm and forced her away from the window just in time before a large object flew through the glass and into the center of the room.

  He grabbed her and instinctively pulled her down to the floor by the sofa. “Stay down,” he ordered.

  After running to the window, he carefully peered outside and asked, “Did you see who it was?”

  Blood pumped through his veins as he took in what had just happened. When Daria didn’t answer, he turned to look at her.

  She was clearly shaken, but managed to shake her head. “It was a shadow. I thought I saw something moving outside. And then something came at the window fast and I reacted.”

  Kevin grabbed his jacket from the back of the sofa and shrugged into it on his way toward the front door.

  Daria followed him and placed her hand on his arm. “No, don’t go.”

  He saw her lips tremble. “Why?”

  “I…don’t want to be in here by myself.”

  He needed to go outside to see if whoever had done this was still here. Brushing her hair away from her face with his fingers, he said quietly but firmly, “Stay away from the windows and don’t touch anything. I’ll be right back. I promise you. I’m only going outside to check.”

  *

  The front door opened and brought a gust of cold night air into the foyer as Kevin ran outside. Then it closed again, leaving her alone. Ignoring his request, Daria peered through the gaping hole in her window and watched Kevin walk around the front yard slowly. The beam of light from the flashlight he’d just put on made the shadows look more ominous.

  She pulled herself away from the window and glanced at the floor. The brick that had shattered her window was now lying on the floor next to the coffee table. It was filled dirt, as if someone had dug it up from her front yard.

  She couldn’t sit still. She needed to do something. So Daria went to the kitchen and grabbed the broom and dustpan from the cabinet. She swept the floor, careful not to disturb the brick in case there was a way to get evidence off it. She didn’t see any writing on the outside.

  As she dropped the shards of glass from the plate and beer bottle into the garbage can in the kitchen, she decided she’d seen too many movies. Her heart was pounding like a child who’d been frightened by a barking dog. Whoever did this was probably the same person who’d left that bird on her door coming back to get another thrill. It was probably kids upset that Daria had taken over their old hangout. They probably saw her and Kevin in the window and thought they’d get a good laugh for themselves.

  But their thrill had left a gaping hole in her living room window that made her immensely uncomfortable. And if she was going to get to work on time, Daria was going to have to get up early to fix that window before she left for work. It was nearly eleven o’clock already and she knew she didn’t have glazing or a window pane left at the house. She’d have to stop by the home improvement store tomorrow.

  Daria had a scrap piece of plywood in the basement that she thought would be big enough to cover the hole for now. Even though it was going to be an ugly reminder of what had just happened, it was better than nothing.

  She quickly ran to the basement to retrieve the plywood and then brought it to the living room. When she looked outside again she couldn’t see Kevin out front.

  The door opened and closed, jarring her.

  “So? What did you see?”

  “Nothing much. Someone pulled a brick from your walkway.” He glanced at the brick on the floor. “That would be what came through the window. There are definitely tracks in the front yard from a male-sized foot in that area.”

  She held up the piece of wood she’d retrieved from the basement. “I brought up a piece of plywood to cover the hole. I think it will fit.”

  Kevin was still standing by the doorway. “I’ll help you nail it up.”

  She waved him off and took a step toward him. “Nah, I can do it. I’ve nailed everything else into this house. What’s one more board?”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. Will you be okay tonight?”

  He was acting strange, not at all like the man who’d been sharing childhood memories with her earlier.

  “You’re here,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

  Their gazes locked for a short moment. Daria wasn’t a stupid woman. She knew the look of a man who wanted a woman. The heat in Kevin’s eyes was unmistakable and matched the desire coursing through her body at that moment. It had been there earlier before the brick had flown through her window.

  The lines between them had somewhat blurred over the last few days. She wondered if they’d ever been there.

  She watched the rise and fall of Kevin’s chest beneath his jacket, saw his lips part ever so slightly as he took another step toward her. He was going to kiss her. She was sure of it. She wanted nothing more.

  But when he bent his head and she lifted her face to him, he surprised her yet again by kissing her on the forehead.

  “Thank you for dinner. It was really good,” he said quietly. “Good night, Daria.”

  Her eyes widened. “You mean you’re leaving? Just like that? “

  “Yeah. If you don’t mind, I’m going to hang on to that blanket you gave me last night. It did a lot to help ward off the cold last night. It made last night bearable.”

  “Sure. But I thought you wanted to talk.”

  Kevin already had his hand on the doorknob. “I did. But it’s been a long day and I want to give Ski a call to see if your ex has settled in for the night. As soon as I know that, I’ll feel better and maybe get a little more sleep in the car. Goodnight, Daria.”

  Her heart pounded in her chest. Before he could open the door, she blurted out, “Stay the night.”

  Kevin half turned at the door, his eyes seeming to blaze with fire.

  “I…mean, there’s no reason to sleep in the car when I have a perfectly good sofa right in the living room. It doesn’t look like much, I know, but you managed to catch a nap.”

  Daria didn’t know if it was relief or disappointment that crossed his face.

  “Thanks for the offer. But the blanket will work just fine.” He was out the door and on her porch in a heartbeat as if he couldn’t get away from her fast enough. Disappointment flooded her until she felt stuck where she stood.

  “You’ll get much better sleep on the sofa than in that cold car,” she said, pushing through the screen door behind him.

  God, it felt like she was begging and she hated it. When had she sunk this low?

  “No, I won’t.”

  Daria groaned with frustration born from this insane situation they were in and her own personal struggle. Tonight had not gone at all as she’d planned. Although, she wasn’t exactly sure how the night was supposed to go, she definitely imagined there being more time for them to get to know each other.

  “Is this what you really want, Kevin? To sleep in a cold car for the rest of your life just to keep me safe?”

  “No. But what I want I can’t have,” he said, his voice low and thick with desire.

  “What makes you so sure?”

  She was playing with fire. Daria knew that. But this was the first time any man had stirred such wild desire in her that she wasn’t willing to back down. Not yet. Even if all it meant was that Detective Kevin Gordon was going to sleep on her sofa tonight.

  “I’ll see you in the morning, Daria.”

  “It’s cold out there.”

  Kevin turned back to her and chuckled low. It did things to her.

  “That’s
a good thing,” he said. “Cold is good. It shocks the hell out of your senses and it’s a lot safer than the heat burning between us right now. Don’t you think?”

  She sucked in a breath. It hadn’t been her imagination. The way he looked at her, the heat in his eyes, it was all real.

  “You can’t be serious, Kevin. I’m not asking you to sleep in my bed with me. My offer was for the sofa.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  Sputtering, she said, “We’re not sex-starved teenagers. We’re both adults.”

  “Yes, we are. And because of that you know what will happen if I stay in this house with you tonight. That sofa will stay empty and neither one of us will get any sleep at all.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re awfully sure of yourself.”

  “Are you telling me I’m wrong?”

  “No,” she said quietly, letting her hands fall to her side again. And then she thought about it. “You’re right.”

  Kevin appeared momentarily shocked by how easily Daria admitted it.

  “And that can’t happen,” he forced out.

  She jutted out her chin, forcing herself not to be disappointed by his rejection. “Why not? We’ve established the fact that we’re both adults. We both…feel what we feel. There’s nothing wrong with it. What are you so afraid of?”

  It was a challenge. Stupid as it was, she did it anyway. She needed to know. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of one solid reason why they both shouldn’t give in to these feelings pulling at them. Sex was sex and hadn’t she gone long enough without it? Kevin was a good man. No one could argue that when he was determined to sleep in a vehicle just to keep her safe.

  But Kevin was silent for a long time. His jaw was tight and his mouth, oh, those kissable lips, teased her. He lifted his hand and rested it on the doorjamb forcing her to move back to the door so he wouldn’t collide with her. He moved in ever so closely until his face was just inches from hers.

  “I’m supposed to be protecting you, Daria,” he said. “Keeping you safe from your psychotic ex-husband.”

  “I’m safer with you here in the house than when you’re parked at the curb asleep,” she argued.

  “You think so?”

  She licked her lips and nodded. He was so close, she swore she could hear his heart racing, and the blood pumping wildly through his veins with every beat. The night peepers had begun their chorus and still she could hear it. On a hint of breeze, his scent drifted to her, making her dizzy.

  “Okay, let’s talk about how safe you really are right now. When I look at you in the moonlight like this, when your hair in slightly messed and your lips are bare because you chewed off most of the lipstick you wore today, and you’re wearing this incredible ugly, paint splattered jersey that’s five sizes too big, you look like the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. All I want to do is take you in my arms. All I can think of are the things I want to do to you, with you, with my mouth, my body, feeling you. And the idea of you, your mouth on me, feeling me until I can’t think is driving me insane. And the thing is, I want to go there. I don’t want to think about sleeping in my car or my job or this case or anything else but what we’re both feeling.”

  He ran a finger down her cheek and her head floated.

  “Tell me, Daria. Does that make you feel safe?”

  She couldn’t move, or breathe or even think enough to utter a response. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  “I didn’t think so,” he said, pushing away from the doorjamb, leaving her stranded under the lamp.

  His laugh was rough as he pulled himself away from her on the porch. He spun around and glanced back at her. Everything in him, the way he stood, the dark, raw edges of passion flooding his eyes, told her he was as deeply affected as she was.

  He saluted her in mock military style. “Goodnight, Daria. Sweet dreams.”

  It wasn’t going to be a good night. With all the pent up energy flying through her, she doubted she’d get a moments sleep.

  Chapter Ten

  Daria needed a little more than just a dab of makeup to hide the dark circles under her eyes. Sweet dreams, my foot. The entire night she’d watched the shadows the moon made dancing across her wall as the night journeyed toward morning. She needed to release all the pent-up energy from last night.

  Knowing there was no way she was going to be able to sit in her office today and concentrate on work, she called in and told Marla she was taking a long weekend. It had been on the tip of her tongue to say something about what was going on, and warn Marla she could be in danger by associating with George. She should. But George’s every move was being monitored. Surely Marla would be safe. And maybe, just maybe this infatuation Marla had with George would die out quickly and that little lunch they’d shared yesterday would be their last.

  Daria could only hope. The last thing she wanted to do was drag everyone around her into her own personal nightmare.

  She could do plenty today while Kevin was working. She’d tear out plasterboard, put a little extra oomph into it with the hammer and maybe she’d feel better.

  She’d expected Kevin to look as bad as she felt when she met him on the walk to her truck. To her utter dismay, he looked fabulous, refreshed even, as if he’d slept a million years.

  His hair was wet and slicked back, void of the ponytail he usually wore. Reading the obvious surprise on her face, he said, “Jake stayed here last night. I felt bad about falling asleep on you and realized you were right. My body was ready to quit. Sorry about that.”

  She was sorry too. For all the restlessness she went through last night, she hadn’t realized there’d been a changing of the guards. Officer Santos had been at her curb and Kevin had gone home to his own bed and slept like a baby.

  Daria fought the irrational irritation consuming her. Kevin could have slept like a baby in her arms last night. Instead, he’d chosen to call a friend and call in a favor to have someone else babysit her.

  “I’m glad you got some rest,” she said, looking away.

  Kevin glanced at her clothing. “Sneakers and jeans today? Dress down day at work?”

  “I’m not going to work. You might as well get going yourself or you’ll be late again.”

  “I like that you worry about me,” he said with a smile.

  Wrong answer. She hadn’t wanted him to turn things around on her. She wanted to brush him off the way he’d brushed her off last night. Instead, he seemed pleased. Damn him.

  “Here, let me help you with that.” He reached for the box of wallpaper samples in her arms.

  “There’s no need,” she said, moving past him toward the truck. “Don’t you have something to do today? Like go arrest someone?”

  “I tried that. But it didn’t work.”

  She sighed. “I didn’t mean George.”

  “I did. But it’s your lucky day. I took the next couple of days off. My day is free and I’m all yours.”

  Daria glared at Kevin. She was sure he wasn’t thinking about the same thoughts that were swirling around in her head. I’m all yours.

  “That’s not what you said the last night.”

  He cleared his throat. “That was last night. Things were a little crazy then, and I apologize for coming on so strong. I’ve had some sleep, and now I have a clear head. It won’t happen again. Anyway, I thought we handled things…good last night.”

  “Not to my liking.”

  She dropped the box of samples she was bringing back to the home improvement store on the ground next to the truck and dropped her day planner with her to-do list inside. Positioning her hands to open the tailgate, she gave it a yank, but it didn’t budge. Kevin reached across her, placing his arms in front of hers.

  “I can do it,” she said, her voice a little too breathless with his close proximity.

  “I know you can. You don’t have to.” With one quick yank, the tailgate dropped.

  Daria took a wide
step back, needing the distance. But it did no good. She was still reeling inside from the contact.

  “Looks like you need a new vehicle.” Oblivious to her reaction, Kevin ran his hand alongside of the truck and let his fingers test the spot of rust bubbling up over the wheel well. “This one has seen better days.”

  She’d had seen better days herself, but small talk about the truck was good, Daria realized. It kept the focus off them and on something mundane. She could handle that. Needed it even.

  “Someday, but not for a while. It may look like hell, but it’s practical and dependable. Given the neighborhood, the insurance is cheap. Just my price.”

  “I guess it’s more practical than a car too, especially since you’re fixing up the house.”

  She smiled. “Exactly.”

  Kevin grabbed her day planner out of the box and pulled the paper with her to-do list out of the pages. He ran a finger down the list of to-do items she’d written out for the day.

  He whistled. “Wow, you’re organized. I noticed you using this at the market. List of groceries, things to get done at work, at home. You’ve even penciled in your favorite TV show.”

  “It’s easy for me to lose track of time when I’m working on the house. I have a DVR now so I can watch them whenever I have time. I’m behind.”

  “This is quite a list of chores.”

  She grabbed the heavy box from the ground and dropped it onto the bed of the truck. There hadn’t been any samples there that had caught her interest. And she still wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do with the bathroom. She had time.

  She wasn’t going anywhere.

  Daria slammed the gate of the truck into place until she heard it lock, pulling at it to make sure it was secure.

  “Yes, it is. I’m very busy. Don’t you have something to do for the next few hours,” she said. “I probably won’t be home until at least early afternoon.”

  Kevin smiled sweetly. Almost too sweetly. “Like I said, I’m all yours. You don’t expect to get all that done by yourself, do you?”