After a couple more licks and a nibble or two on his finger, she released it from her mouth and smiled. “Your offer is mighty tempting, but—”
“But?”
“You know, I wish I would have met you sooner. I have a very important appointment in the morning in Boise, with my doctor.”
“Doctor?” he asked, frowning.
“Yeah. You see I’m going in for a sex change operation next week.” She slid out of the booth and left him sitting there with his mouth hanging open.
* * * *
Laurel reached her car and glanced back through the window to see Kale still sitting where she left him. The roar of laughter coming from her mouth, bounced off the building and she couldn’t help but shake her head. If he really believed that, she had some ocean front property in Arizona for him. She rolled her eyes and chuckled as she started her car and backed out of the parking spot.
“Men are so gullible some times.”
The drive back to her apartment gave her time to think. This thing with Elizabeth and Jeff was problem and she wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. The cop in her wanted to turn him in and make him do time, but she also knew the system. A slap on the wrist, a fine, and nothing more, would be his punishment. If Elizabeth didn’t press charges, nothing would happen at all and it sure didn’t appear her sister had any inclination of going through with prosecution.
Her thoughts drifted back to the disturbingly sexy, Kale Dunn. The inky black hair curling around his ears and against the back of his neck made her shiver and her fingertips tingle. His black Stetson blended with those curls, giving him a mystifying and mysterious look. His chocolate colored eyes melted her insides like butter under the hot June sun the moment she had locked gazes with him at the bar. Dark-haired, dark-eyed men always got to her in a special way. The steel band of his arm around her waist when he stopped her from going after Jeff again made her think of a horse being corralled. Tied and bound to the hard body behind her, she could only wiggle and squirm in his embrace. His words about doing a dance in the front seat of his truck brought imagines better left hidden in her soul.
She pulled into the apartment complex and looked up at her apartment window. Darkness shrouded the front of the building, but the lone light in the small window made her smile. If anything could make her feel better, it had to be the thought of her daughter. Kimberly, or Kimmy as she called her, was two-feet of bouncing blonde curls, big blue eyes and the sweetest dimples any mother could ask for. At three years old her daughter could wrap any person, man or woman, around her little finger with nothing more than those dimples. Laurel frowned. Unfortunately, the same trait making her daughter so cute came with the reminder of Kimmy’s father, Dennis Morgan. The one mistake she would admit to—falling in love with another woman’s husband.
Laurel pulled her gun out of the glove box, popped out the clip, and pushed the door open on her car. A quick glance around told her the parking lot seemed quiet and deserted, but it didn’t mean she let her guard down. Too many times, she had seen the same scenario. A dark parking lot, a woman alone, and a man who wanted something she wouldn’t be willing to give.
Grabbing the leather jacket she'd left in the car, she slipped over her arms and onto her shoulders, concealing the weapon in the back waistband of her jeans. It bothered her to be unarmed. Being a detective in Los Angeles brought out the wariness in her nature. There, no one seemed safe even with someone you knew. She’d always had to be on her toes, aware of everything around her, but here? Things seem slow, laid back, and peaceful. Boring.
“Why the hell did I ever leave?” she grumbled as she made her way up the two flights of stairs to her apartment door. Keys in hand, she slipped one into the lock, pushed the door open and called, “Teresa?”
“Hey, Laurel. You’re home early. When you told me you were going to the Saddle Club, I figured you would probably be gone all night,” Teresa replied from her spot on the sofa. The elderly woman reminded her of her grandmother, with her graying hair, and small reading glasses perched on the edge of her nose. A huge ball of yarn sat in the small bag at Teresa’s feet while her fingers worked the crochet hook in and out of the wad she cradled in her hands.
Laurel wasn’t one to knit, crochet or any of the other womanly things. The hard edge to her personality came from growing up fast and taking life by the horns. Never mind the standoffish way her parents raised her and her sister.
Her keys slid across the smooth surface of the coffee table when she tossed them and rid herself of her jacket. She walked down the hall to her room to store her weapon as she called over her shoulder, “I wasn’t there to socialize.” Once the gun was tucked into her nightstand drawer, she ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. Her shoulders knotted with tension, she rolled her head from side to side to relieve some of the pressure. The knuckles on her right hand burned. Glancing at the torn skin, she knew she’d have to take Kale’s advice and clean them up. Ice would be in order, too.
“Did Kimmy behave?” she asked when she made it back into the living room. The place would do for now, but if she planned on staying in Red Rock for any length of time she would need a bigger one. A yard, a dog, white picket fence—Laurel snorted. Yeah, like that would ever happen especially in this podunk town with nothing but cowboys and jerks. Cowboys aren’t bad. Kale is obviously a cowboy. Laurel jerked her head from side to side to dislodge the thoughts of the distracting man.
“She was a doll, of course.”
“Got you fooled too, does she?” she asked with a chuckle. She knew her daughter well. The little pixie of a girl turned into a hellion when she didn’t get what she wanted.
“You’re her mother. You know her better than everyone else, but she’s a little angel when she’s with me.”
Laurel shook her head and looked at the toe of her boots. Kimberly might be blonde and blue-eyed, but she had her mother’s red-headed temper. It was one of the reasons she became a cop. She needed something to tame the temper that ran hot at times, like tonight when she’d decked Jeff. Not that he didn’t deserve it, the fucking asshole.
Her mind wandered back to the other unnerving man she’d met tonight and she felt her temper calm. Odd. Very few things cool my temper.
Red, he’d called her. The nickname drove her crazy normally, but somehow when he’d said it, her body went on high alert. The rock hard bulk of his chest pressed against her back when he had grabbed her made her thoughts go haywire for a moment. Those kinds of muscles and the rough calluses on his hands didn’t come from a gym. A man only got those from hard physical labor. At the time, she could have taken him down too, if she had wanted to, but he wasn’t her target. The asshole of a brother-in-law made her temper burn and rational thought disappear.
“Thanks for watching her for me, Teresa. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothin’, honey. You can buy me lunch one day. You weren’t gone more than a couple of hours.”
“Are you sure?” Laurel asked. Taking advantage of her neighbors didn’t sit well with her.
“Positive,” Teresa replied and then kissed Laurel on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Are you working?”
“Yeah. I’m on the midnight shift. I hate changing jobs for that reason alone. Starting at the bottom of the seniority rung sucks.”
“I’m sure you’ll be up on day shift in no time.”
Laurel didn’t think so. Usually, in these small towns like this, no one ever left the police force, which meant she would be on the night shift until she died if she stayed here. “Yeah, well, we shall see. Thanks again for watching Kimmy,” she said when Teresa opened the door to leave.
“No problem, honey. Is your sister watching her while you work?”
Fuck! I totally forgot about Elizabeth watching Kimmy. There is no way in hell I’ll leave my daughter over there with them. “Yeah, she was, but I can’t take her over there anymore. Would you mind watching her for me tomorrow night? I swear I’ll find a regular sitter, but I can’t on
short notice especially working nights.”
Teresa patted her arm and said, “Of course, Laurel. Knock on my door about fifteen minutes before you leave, and I’ll sleep over here on your couch. No need for her to be taken out of her bed.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Teresa. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Laurel closed the door behind her friend and dead-bolted it. A hot bath sounds wonderful right now. Kimmy’s asleep, thank goodness. I can relax amongst some bubbles and let my mind wander a bit. A pair of dark, yummy chocolate brown eyes flashed in her mind and she grumbled under her breath. I do not need to be thinking about Kale Dunn even if he is downright gorgeous.
The light flipped on with the pressure of her fingers on the switch. Florescent lighting glared from the cheap fixture over the mirror and she wished she had some candles to burn. A bath with candlelight always made her feel more relaxed. “Oh well.”
Hot water sprayed from the spigot in a rush. She plugged the tub, sprinkled in some bath bubbles and stripped out of her clothing. With her long, thick, red hair twisted into a bun behind her head and secured with a clip, she slipped beneath the water with a heavy sigh. Water continued to run, slowly creeping up over her flat stomach and encircling her breasts, leaving only the barest peek of her nipples exposed. The handles shut off with a little heaviness from her toes. Rarely did she get a moment alone with a young daughter to support and no husband around.
Her thoughts drifted to Kimberly’s father. Their first meeting came back so clear, her heart ached and tears burned her eyes at the sorrow and grief still holding her in its claws years later. Would she ever be able to move beyond her love for Dennis? She didn’t know, but she hadn’t so far.
“Cadet Hayes?” he snapped, going through the roll call.
“Yes?”
His gaze drilled into her when it stopped on her face. “You will answer yes sir when spoken to, cadet.” One eyebrow shot up as his gaze swept over her from head to toe.
“Yes, sir,” she replied, unnerved by the heat of his perusal.
He continued calling off names, but his attention returned to her time and time again during the first day and every day afterwards.
Later in the evening he’d been checking the barracks and passed her in the hall. Without turning around, she kept moving until he barked, “Cadet?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I suggest you learn quickly who to trust and who not to trust in this academy.”
“Sir?”
“There are those inside who would love to see you drown, Miss Hayes. Take heed of my warning,” he said and then disappeared.
The days drew on and as a raw police academy cadet, she tried damned hard to make it through the school to prove to her parents she could do it. Dennis had been an instructor at the academy and when she had started to falter on the physical fitness part of the training, he bolstered her courage and became her mentor. They had spent hours together after the regular day, jogging, doing pushups and pull-ups, and running the obstacle course over and over until her time surpassed anyone else in the class. Their relationship became personal once she graduated and was assigned to the same precinct he transferred to after their class made it through.
Tears slid down her cheek as she continued into the past to the day her world stopped.
The call came in bank robbery in progress and she’d been one of the first on the scene. Moments later, several more police cars arrived including Dennis, while she ducked behind the door of her cruiser. “Dennis!” she screamed when the bullets pinged against the metal of her car. Her gaze continued to search for her lover and a moment of panic ran through her. Please let him be okay. Please, please, please.
“Stay down, Laurel!” he yelled back from two cars away.
Ten cop cars surrounded the building, but nothing seemed to be able to stop the two bank robbers as they continued the barrage of bullets.
Laurel didn’t realize her left shoulder was visible to the men shooting until she felt the searing heat of a bullet when it passed through the muscle. Blood oozed from the wound in her upper arm and rolled down her blue uniform. “Fuck!” she yelled and ducked back behind the car.
“Laurel?”
“I’m hit,” she called.
“Damn it!” she heard moments before she saw Dennis scramble out from behind his car and try to work toward her.
“No! Stay there!”
A choking sob broke from her lips as the vision of Dennis’ eyes widening when the stray slug hit him on the left side of his head and he slumped to the ground in an ever widening pool of blood.
“Dennis! Oh, my God, Dennis!”
The SWAT team arrived and the bombardment of bullets from the gunman ceased. The robbers were apprehended and the moment she could safely leave her hiding spot, she dropped to her knees next to Dennis and cradled his head on her lap. Tears scorched a path down her cheeks while she sobbed and stroked his hair. She refused to let go until the paramedics and her fellow officers peeled her away from his side.
Her life had come to a screeching halt with the death of her lover. However, nothing prepared for the funeral and coming face to face with Mrs. Dennis Morgan or the realization she now carried a married man's child.
Chapter Two
“Mommy?” Kimberly’s small voice brought Laurel back from the crushing sorrow she felt. Dennis’ death three years prior still hurt. Nothing had been the same since. Her parents turned their back on her when they found out she was pregnant with his child and the fact of his marriage came to light. Dennis kept the details of his marriage well hidden and no one believed she didn’t have a clue.
“Come on in, baby. I’m in the bathroom.” Kimberly’s light blue eyes peeked around the edge of the doorframe. “What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”
Kimberly’s blonde curls bounced as she nodded and her bottom lip stuck out.
“Hang on, sweetie, and mommy will get out of the bathtub. Okay?”
The little girl nodded again and her thumb disappeared between her little pouty lips.
Laurel drug her body out of the tub and dried off quickly. Once she tugged it on, the threadbare T-shirt floated over her head and covered her body to upper thighs. Her boxer shorts covered all the essential parts down below. Man. Is this sexy or what? If only Kale could see me now, he’d run for the nearest door.
“Can I seep wif you?” Kimmy whined.
“Sure pumpkin. Let’s get this bathwater emptied.”
The slow sucking sounds of the water disappearing down the drain reminded Laurel of how her life had went from bad to worse. After Dennis’ death and the particulars of her torrid affair were made public, Laurel had transferred to the homicide department and made detective. With no one to support her and her parents disowning her, she fought for everything she had and then some. Los Angeles was a rough town and being a homicide detective in Pasadena, kept her busy, until she got the call from Elizabeth.
“Come on sweetie. Let’s hit the hay.” Normally, she didn’t let Kimberly sleep in the same bed, but tonight she needed the comfort of her little body snuggled up against her. Her child's limitless love and soft, warm hugs, kept her sane.
Laurel flipped the comforter down toward the bottom of the bed and set Kimberly on the bottom sheet. Her daughter scooted to the middle and Laurel took her spot as the little girl curled into her side and sighed.
“I wuv you, Mommy.”
“I love you too, baby girl,” Laurel whispered and then kissed the top of Kimmy’s head. “Go to sleep.” Kimmy’s soft breathing and the occasional sucking sound lulled Laurel into a dreamy state. Moonlight bounced on the ceiling with every rustle of the curtains on the window as they moved back and forth in the breeze. She trailed her fingers through her daughter’s curls, but she frowned when her thoughts drifted to Elizabeth.
After her sister’s call and the subsequent visit to her home, Laurel’s anger spiked high at the bruises already formi
ng on Elizabeth’s cheek. She had taken off to the bar to face down her brother-in-law and give him a little of the treatment he’d inflicted on her sister. The plan hadn’t included running into the devilishly handsome Kale Dunn, owner of the Bar KD and Jeff’s boss.
“Former boss,” she murmured out loud. “And too damned handsome for my sanity.”
The exchange in the diner came back to her mind and she smiled. Lust burned bright in his eyes when she sucked his finger into her mouth. Desire ran hot and explosive between them. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything to do about it. Finding a bedmate, lover, husband or whatever, wasn’t in the cards for her. The love she carried for Dennis still burned in her soul, but he was gone and had never really been available in the first place.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Dennis?” she asked the empty room. “I loved you.” Burning pain seared her heart and a tear slid from the corner of her eye into the hair at her temple. Grief had been her constant companion over the last three years, but now she angrily wiped the tears away. “No more. I’m done with all of this. I don’t need a man in my life other than an occasional romp between the sheets. I’ll take care of Kimberly on my own.”
She sighed, closed her eyes, and abandoned the thoughts running through her mind and let sleep overcome her body. Tomorrow would be a long day.
* * * *
Kale wasn’t looking forward to dealing with Jeff this morning, but it had to be done. A man who abused his wife wasn’t welcome on his place. Drunk or just stupid—it didn’t matter. The man had struck a woman.
Before The Night Is Over Page 2
