Confused, almost certain she could feel heat pouring off Deo’s body, Nita said, “What? Why?”

“I’d like to take you out to dinner tonight.”

“No.”

“Why not?” Deo grinned, but she didn’t feel her usual confi dent self. Nita confused her. She couldn’t get a read on her—one second Nita looked at her as if she wanted to put her hands all over her, and in the next instant, her expression vacillated between fear and fury.

Deo never chased after women, because she didn’t want to spend time with anyone who wasn’t interested in exactly what she was interested in—pleasant company and shared pleasure. Women came to her for

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that and that was the way she liked it. So why the hell had she just asked Nita out for a…date?

Nita considered making an excuse, but then realized that she wasn’t the one pushing the issue. She had already told Deo the night before that she wasn’t interested, regardless of how her traitorous body might respond, and she didn’t appreciate being forced to do it again.

“You’re not my type.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?” Deo snapped. “Because I’m a construction worker? Or because I don’t have a college education?”

“No,” Nita said, trying unsuccessfully to curb her anger. She pressed her fi ngertip to the side of Deo’s neck. “Because you’ve got a lovely bite from whoever you took home last night. If you happen to remember.”

“I just asked you to dinner, not to go to bed with me.”

“When’s the last time you had dinner with a woman you didn’t take to bed?”

Deo hesitated.

“That’s what I thought. Like I said, I’m not interested.”

Deo caught Nita’s hand as she started to turn away. “That’s not what your eyes tell me.”

“You’re mistaken.”

“No I’m not,” Deo whispered, rubbing her thumb over the top of Nita’s hand. Reluctantly, she loosened her grip and Nita snatched her hand away. “Sooner or later, you’re going to admit that.”

“That is never going to happen.”

“I’m going to change your mi—”

Nita stepped into her offi ce and closed the door, cutting off the last of Deo’s sentence. She leaned her back against the solid oak, grateful for the barrier between them. Deo’s hand had been hot, her thumb a delicate tease as it swept back and forth over her skin. That brief caress had touched off an unwanted but undeniably pleasant spark within her. Apparently she was helpless to resist not just Deo’s beauty, but her touch. That was a terribly dangerous combination, and she had no intention of tempting herself any further. Not when she wanted very much to give in.

• 66 •

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CHAPTER SEVEN

Thanks, Nita,” Pia said, lingering in the hall outside the procedure room.

“No problem.” Nita smiled at Pia, but her gaze followed Deo and Joey as they disappeared through the door into the reception area. “He’s really a sweetie.”

“He’s the baby and everyone spoiled him. Sometimes he still thinks all it takes is a smile, and most of the time he’s right.”

“I imagine he’s going to break a few hearts,” Nita murmured, but she wasn’t thinking of Joey. His wasn’t the only smile that was irresistible. When she’d returned to the procedure room to discuss Joey’s physical therapy regimen with Pia, she’d been aware of Deo’s eyes on her the entire time. Part of her, the mindless id that ruled her body and some irrational part of her mind, reveled in the attention even as she chastised herself for responding. “Your family is captivating.”

Pia’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’ve got a couple of other brothers besides Joey who are still single if that’s your inclination.”

“Afraid not,” Nita said with a laugh. “Although if a beautiful face was my only criterion, I could be tempted.”

“Well, if it’s a beautiful face you want, Deo—”

“Deo’s gorgeous,” Nita said before she could catch back the words. She felt her face warm and added quickly, “But I’m sure she’s got a line outside her door already.”

“Not as long as you might think,” Pia said seriously.

“I’m not actually looking for anyone,” Nita said, hoping to derail the uncomfortable conversation.

“Left a girl back home? Providence, right?”

“Nope.” Nita struggled not to hear Sylvia’s laughter or see her taunting smile. Struggled and failed. Come on, honey, you know you want me. Why are you fi ghting me? “I’m just getting settled into this

• 67 •

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job and I’ll be starting the house renovations soon. Not much time for socializing.”

“Once in a while a girl has to have company.” Pia squeezed Nita’s arm. “It’s good for the disposition.”

Nita laughed. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.”

With a secret sigh of relief, Nita waved to Pia and returned to her patients. If she wanted company, it would not be for a casual night in bed with a woman who wouldn’t remember her name a week later.

❖

“I’ll be right back, sweetie,” Tory said, leaning down to kiss Bri on the cheek.

“Okay,” Bri said hoarsely, her eyes dry and hot.

Tory ached to scoop her into her arms and cradle her, but as Bri had proven when Reese had been missing, she was strong and brave.

And Caroline, who hadn’t let go of Bri’s hand for the last three hours, would provide all the comfort and support Bri needed.

“You want something? Coffee? Coke?”

Bri shook her head.

“Coke,” Caroline said immediately, countering Bri’s response.

“And some kind of sandwich.”

“I’m not hungry,” Bri insisted.

“I know you’re not, baby,” Caroline said, caressing Bri’s cheek.

“But you haven’t eaten anything all day. Don’t argue.”

Bri leaned her head against Caroline’s shoulder and shut her eyes.

“I’ll get you both something,” Tory said.

Not wanting to be gone too long lest she miss the cardiologist when he came out to report on Nelson’s status, she hurried to the elevators.

Once in the main lobby, she crossed quickly to the exit and scanned the circular drive that fronted the emergency entrance where Reese had parked her patrol car. Reese leaned against the front of the car, talking on her cell phone.

Tory waited. Watching her while she talked was no hardship. She had always loved to look at her. All too often the demands of daily living prevented them from eating dinner together or even going to sleep at the same time, but she had never been able to look at Reese

• 68 •

Winds of Fortune

without being grateful and just a little bit amazed to have her in her life.

She never felt it more acutely than now, after Reese had returned from duty overseas.

Reese hung up the phone and held out her hand to Tory. “Any word?”

“Not yet.” Tory pulled Reese’s arm around her and leaned into her for a quick kiss. Then she stepped back, mindful of emergency personnel coming and going through the ambulance bay doors. “It shouldn’t be long now. Is everything all right at the station?”

“Allie and Smith have things under control.” Reese hooked one hand around her gun belt. Her face was grim. “Is Nelson going to make it?”

“I don’t know,” Tory admitted. “He wouldn’t have any chance at all if you hadn’t been there. If you hadn’t—”

“Damn it, Tory. This must have been coming on for a while. He’s been complaining of stomach problems for months and I never gave it a thought. He wasn’t having indigestion, he was having chest pain.”

“Reese, you’re not a doctor. I see him practically as much as you do and I never paid any attention either.”

Reese’s jaw clenched and she looked away. She appreciated Tory trying to make her feel better, but she couldn’t help thinking that she was partly responsible. She’d been preoccupied ever since the war started, knowing that she’d be called up to serve in Iraq. And since she’d been back, she’d lost her focus and couldn’t concentrate. She saw Nelson every single day, and she should have known something was wrong.

“Nelson could have said something,” Tory said gently. “I’m not blaming him, but it’s certainly not your fault. You saved his life.”

“If he’s able to come back to work, how long do you think it will be?”

“God.” Tory brushed a hand through her hair, frustrated by Reese’s stubborn insistence on taking responsibility for things that couldn’t possibly be her fault. “At least six weeks, possibly more. Once he’s stabilized, the cardiologist will need to evaluate the extent of the cardiac damage.”

“I’ve talked to the mayor and the district commander. I’ll be acting chief until Nelson comes back to work.”

Tory took a slow breath. “Of course.” She chose her next words as

• 69 •

RADCLY fFE

carefully as she could. “Are you okay with that?”

Reese shrugged and smiled ruefully. “Paperwork. I hate it. I’d rather be in a patrol car, but there’s no one else with the experience to do it and bringing in someone new would disrupt the entire department during the busiest time of the year. It’s my responsibility. I’m fi ne.”

It wasn’t the boredom of administrative work that concerned Tory.

Reese would be in a command position—not that she wasn’t already, every day of her working life. But this would be slightly different, and she couldn’t imagine Reese being content sitting behind a desk. What it meant, she imagined, was that Reese would simply be doing two jobs when she was barely recovered enough to do one.

“I know you’re the only one for the job.” Tory skimmed her fi ngertips across the ridge of Reese’s collarbone. The irregularity from the healing fracture was still palpable. “You’re not quite a hundred percent yet, darling. You’ll be careful, won’t you?”

“Sure,” Reese said automatically. “We should get back upstairs, don’t you think?”

“Yes,” Tory said with a sigh, aware that Reese was naturally most comfortable doing something. Anything. Now more than ever, Reese used work as a panacea, or an escape. And once again, it wasn’t the time to deal with it. Certainly not today, not when Nelson was fi ghting for his life. “We should get back.”

When Reese took her hand, Tory laced her fi ngers through Reese’s, grateful for the brief connection. It wasn’t enough, but it was everything.

❖

Bri jumped up when the cardiologist, still wearing rumpled scrubs, walked into the family waiting room. Other than the four of them—

Reese, Tory, Bri, and Carre—only one elderly man occupied the space, sitting off in one corner with a distant expression on his face.

Caroline scooted her arm around Bri’s waist and Tory slid close to her other side. Reese stood a few feet away, her expression impassive and her body emanating tightly coiled energy.

“Dr. King,” the cardiologist said, looking from Tory to Bri and then back to Tory. “Sheriff Parker is stable. We stented both the anterior descending and the left main.”

• 70 •

Winds of Fortune

“That’s great,” Tory said.

Bri’s legs started to shake and she gripped Carre’s shoulders tightly, embarrassed to let anyone see how scared she was. She swallowed before speaking. Her throat felt so dry she was afraid her voice would crack. “Does that mean he’s going to be okay?”

“The most important thing right now,” the cardiologist said kindly,

“is that the blockage has been relieved and his heart muscle is getting the oxygen it needs to heal.”

“Does that mean you don’t know if he’s going to be okay?” Bri persisted.

The cardiologist shot a glance at Tory, who said, “Go ahead, Steve, you don’t need to soft-pedal it.”

“The fi rst twenty-four hours following a myocardial incident are tricky,” Steve Olson said. “The heart muscle is irritable because it’s been damaged, so arrhythmias—that’s an irregular heartbeat—are common, and can be dangerous. Your father’s being monitored carefully and we’re giving him medication to control cardiac irritability. This time tomorrow, I’ll be able to give you a much better assessment.”

“When can I see him?”

“The nurses have a few things to do and then you can visit. He’s sedated and won’t be responsive.”

“Okay. I understand,” Bri said. “Thanks.”

When the cardiologist turned to Tory and began explaining something Bri couldn’t understand, Bri whispered to Carre, “I need to talk to Reese.”

“Okay, baby.” Carre kissed her cheek and let her go.

Bri joined Reese. “I want to thank you for what you did today, for my dad.”

“No need,” Reese said gently.

“I’m sorry I didn’t handle it so well. I—”

Reese shook her head, slung an arm around Bri’s slender frame, and pulled her close. She cupped the back of her head as Bri trembled against her. “It’s okay. You did fi ne. I’m proud of you.”