Laughing, Bri wrapped her arms around Caroline’s waist and nibbled at her neck. “Until about eleven thirty tonight. Reese just switched me to nights.”

“Oh damn.” Caroline stripped off Bri’s shirt, tugged up the bottom of the tight tank she wore beneath it, and ran her hands over Bri’s chest.

“I hate not sleeping with you.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Bri popped the button on Caroline’s jeans and pushed them down. Then she reached under Caroline’s T-shirt, released the clasp on her bra, and skimmed them both over Caroline’s head.

Leaving Caroline just in her panties, Bri walked her backward toward the bedroom. “Maybe I can make it up to you a little bit right now.”

When the backs of Caroline’s knees hit the bed, she flopped down and pulled Bri on top of her. Caroline spread her legs so Bri’s naked thigh came to rest high up between her legs, and hooked one ankle

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around Bri’s calf. She tilted her pelvis and rubbed herself over Bri’s thigh. “You can make it up to me a lot right now, baby.”

“That was my plan, babe.” Bri shot her a cocky grin.

Caroline worked her hands under Bri’s tank and played with her nipples, laughing when Bri squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. She loved teasing her tough-girl lover. Bri tried so hard to be brave and strong, and she was. She really was. From the very first day they’d met in high school, Bri had stood up for them, against their peers and their parents and those who wanted to hurt them for daring to love each other. And then she joined the sheriff’s department and put her heart and soul and body on the line every day, still trying to do the right thing.

A few people knew the softer side of her, but only Caroline really knew how tender she was, how sometimes in the night she’d cry out in her sleep, trembling, until Caroline pulled her close. Bri needed her and wasn’t ashamed to admit it, and that’s all that mattered between them.

Caroline arched up and kissed Bri. “I love you.”

Bri met Caroline’s gaze, the deep blue of her eyes turning stormy with excitement. Hands shaking, she yanked off her top and fumbled with her briefs. Caroline reached down to help her.

“Fuck, you make me so hot, babe,” Bri muttered as she got up on her knees to get the last of her clothing off.

“I know.” Caroline sighed with satisfaction and quickly shed her panties. She grasped Bri’s hand and pulled it between her legs. She was wet. “That’s what happened the minute you walked in the door.”

Bri groaned and slipped inside her. Leaning on one elbow, she kissed her slow and deep. While she gently slid in and out of Caroline’s warm, tight depths, she licked the inside of Caroline’s lips and teased her tongue. “I want you to come. I love it when you come.”

“Don’t think…you’re getting off with just a quickie.” Caroline gripped the thick dark hair at the back of Bri’s neck, arching against her as her hips lifted and fell with each thrust of Bri’s hand. She shivered, her legs tightening. “Oh, damn. Dammit. I’m going to come right away.”

“Feel me inside you,” Bri said with fierce concentration, avidly watching Caroline’s face. She angled her palm to hit Caroline’s clitoris and Caroline’s inner muscles spasmed. “Oh yeah. Here it comes.”

“Uh-huh,” Caroline gasped, “right now.”

Bri rolled half on top of Caroline, straddling Caroline’s thigh and

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burying her face in Caroline’s neck. Pulling the soft flesh between her lips, she sucked as Caroline pulsed around her fingers. With two hard thrusts of her hips, she came.

“You cheated,” Caroline protested a few minutes later, stroking the back of Bri’s head.

“Can’t help it,” Bri mumbled, her head pillowed on Caroline’s shoulder, her fingers still deep inside her. “Love you.”

“So how come you’re home early?” Caroline kissed Bri’s forehead, felt around for the sheet, and covered them. “You’re not in trouble, are you?”

“Nah.” Bri couldn’t move and didn’t even try to open her eyes.

The late-afternoon sun coming through the skylight over their heads warmed her shoulders. She felt so peaceful, so safe. “Carter Wayne just joined the department, and I’ve got to ride with her on the late shift for a couple of weeks.”

“Okay. That explains why you’re home. Any special reason you’re so horny?”

Bri sighed and lightly stroked between Caroline’s legs. She remembered the pain in Allie’s eyes earlier, and never ever wanted to do anything to put that look in Caroline’s. “It’s you, babe. It’s just you.”

Caroline took advantage of Bri’s relaxed state and pushed her over onto her back. Then she made her way down between her legs. Right before she put her mouth on her, she said, “I’ll always be here, baby.

Always.”

v

Ash took stock of the three-room suite she’d been lucky to score at the Crown. The bedroom was set off on the short end of an L, with a small gas fireplace occupying the corner. The long arm of the suite contained a sitting area with a desk and a spacious bath on the far side of that, and at the end closest to the door from the courtyard, an efficiency kitchen. Compared to the many Motel 6 equivalents she’d stayed in over the last month, this place was a palace. After having traveled most of the night, she was looking forward to a shower and change of clothes before she started to work again.

A knock sounded at the door, and assuming the attendant had returned with the extra towels she’d requested, she called come in.

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Opening her suitcase on the bed, she added over her shoulder, “Go ahead and leave them on the counter in the kitchen. Thanks.”

When she heard the door close, she pushed down her jeans, pulled off her polo shirt, and headed for the bathroom in her briefs. She stumbled to a stop when she realized she wasn’t alone. Covering her nakedness seemed ridiculous when the woman standing just inside her door had seen all of her in far more compromising positions. Watching Allie’s eyes widen and skim down her body, she almost covered her breasts when she felt her nipples harden.

“Sorry,” Allie said sharply. “I thought you said come in.”

“I did.” Galvanized by the frigid look in Allie’s eyes, Ash backed toward the bedroom. “I thought you were someone else.”

“So I gathered.” Allie looked away, desperately wanting to flee, but not wanting to reveal her discomfort to Ash. She did not want Ash Walker to have the slightest inkling that she still had any power to affect her at all. She definitely didn’t want to betray the way her heart had tripped over itself when she’d first seen Ash step into the room naked. Even exhausted and ten pounds too thin, she was gorgeous, just as gorgeous as she had been the last time Allie had touched her. Long limbed and sleekly muscled, firm oval breasts tipped by small light brown nipples, concave abdomen with a shallow, round navel that she used to love to dip her tongue into. God, she didn’t want to think about that. Not now. Not ever ever again. Resurrecting her anger, she said tightly, “Since you’re expecting company, I won’t keep you.”

“Just wait, Allie,” Ash said. “No one’s coming. It was just a misunderstanding.”

“Yeah, that happens a lot with you.”

“Just…wait. Jesus.” Ash bolted back to the bedroom, grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, and hastily dressed. The entire time, she listened for the sound of the door opening and closing. She couldn’t believe how much Allie hated her. She half expected Allie to be gone, but when she returned to the living area, Allie was still there, just inside the door. The rush of relief was so strong and so unexpected, she swayed with a surge of dizziness.

“You all right?” Allie asked almost begrudgingly.

Embarrassed, Ash waved away Allie’s concern. “Yeah. Fine.”

“When’s the last time you ate?”

Ash blinked. “What?”

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“You fucking look like you’re going to fall over, Walker.” Allie stomped to the counter and jerked an apple out of the welcome basket the innkeepers had left. Pivoting sharply, she flung it across the room.

“Eat that.”

“Christ, Allie,” Ash exclaimed, catching the apple just before it hit her in the face. “Would you…” She took a breath and forced herself to speak softly. “Thanks.”

Allie turned her back and looked out the door toward the plant-filled flagstone courtyard.

“What are you doing here?” Ash knew better than to think Allie had come to see her for any personal reason.

“Apparently Reese thinks you need an escort.”

“What!” Ash swallowed the chunk of apple she was chewing so quickly she almost choked on it. Coughing, she cleared her throat.

“Reese told me she wanted a list of places I plan to check out. And that she’d have someone provide records for me. You didn’t need to come over here in person.”

“Believe me, it wasn’t my idea.” Allie looked back over her shoulder. “Reese ordered me to get together with you. I’m supposed to be your liaison, as in work with you on behalf of the department.”

“That’s crazy.”

“For once, we agree.”

Ash tossed the apple in the trash can and jammed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “Look, let me get settled and I’ll stop by the station and talk to Reese again. I’ll leave you a list of the records I need you to pull. You won’t even have to see me.”

For just a second, Allie thought she heard a whisper of sadness in Ash’s voice and she felt a quick pain around her heart. Just as quickly, she squashed the feeling. Ashley Walker was nothing to her now, and she wasn’t going to waste one single emotion on her. Ash could work herself into the ground for all she cared. Because she didn’t care.

“Leave your list this afternoon,” Allie said, her hand on the doorknob. “I’d like nothing better than to never see you again, but I have orders, and until Reese changes her mind and tells me differently, I’m at least going to meet with you every day to go over your schedule.

What time do you want to start tomorrow?”

“Allie,” Ash said softly. “I’ll talk to Reese today. I’ll tell her—”

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“Don’t do me any favors,” Allie said harshly. “You’ll only make it worse.”

Ash pushed her hand through her hair. “Okay. Okay. I’ll see you at eight tomorrow, then.”

“Fine.” Allie pulled open the door.

“Allie,” Ash called. “I’m sorry about this.”

Allie turned back, her face a careful mask. “It’s too late to be sorry.

It’s too late for anything at all.”

• 39 •

• 40 •

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chapteR fOuR

He did not fear being discovered.

Most of the houses on Bradford west of Atlantic showed signs of storm damage—blown-out windows, missing sections of roof, debris-filled yards, and downed trees. Many of the residents had not returned. Scattered sections of Commercial Street remained flooded and closed to anything except official vehicles. Power had yet to be restored to some residential enclaves, and streetlights were out all over town. No one paid any attention to a lone man dressed in generic work clothes moving purposefully down the street. Or into a yard. Or through an open garage or unhinged back door.

He sat on the edge of her bed, ran his hand over the depression in her pillow where her face had pressed while she slept. He leaned over and took a deep breath. Her scent was primal female, light and airy with the teasing undercurrent of lush fertility. He slid his hand between the sheets and imagined her body splayed open, hungry for a touch. His touch.

For a moment, he contemplated pulling back the covers and lying naked where her flesh had been, absorbing the warmth she’d left behind. Too risky. Too soon. The hunt was far too enjoyable to rush.

Sighing, he rose, adjusted the heaviness in his pants, and moved to the closet. Her clothes shared space with those of the pretender. He barely resisted the urge to yank the carefully pressed shirts and trousers from the hangers and fling them to the floor. But he wasn’t ready to announce himself yet. He fingered the silky sleeve of a red shirt, lifted it to his mouth, ran it over his lips. The silk became her hair twining through his

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fingers, and closing his eyes, he saw his hand twisting in her lustrous locks—yanking her head back, exposing her vulnerable throat to his mouth, his lips, his teeth. He’d bite her, mark her, make sure the world understood she was his.

But not yet. Not while the anticipation excited him, not while the fantasies of what was to come still satisfied him. Shuddering, he pulled the shirt from the hanger, wadded it up, and pushed it inside his clothes.