Conversation met a lull as they waited for the light to change. But it was a strangely comfortable silence.
Shay had almost convinced herself that she had overreacted to the crank call. More than likely the stupid jerk was someone who had been in the bank this week, noticed her nameplate, and was unhappy with his service. Disgruntled customers often chose anonymous ways to get back at institutions. He must have decided he’d get a live person to dump on if he called IT customer service.
That was a comforting theory, except for one thing. He threatened her very specifically. Keep your fucking mouth shut around the cops. Did he mean James?
Out on the street now at twilight, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being exposed and vulnerable. That thought chilled her more than the nip of the cold front filtering through the evening air.
When the light changed, she reached out and took James’s arm, needing to feel the solid assurance of his presence. He didn’t say a word. She was grateful.
“Oh wait.”
James turned as Shay dragged him to a halt.
“My car.” She pointed in the direction opposite the one they were walking.
James thought about it only a second and then he said. “Right. I’ll follow you and you can drop it off at your place before you come with us.”
“I’d rather drive myself.” Shay held her breath, waiting for his disapproval.
His expression didn’t change. “Okay. But first.” He caught her about the waist, lifted her chin with his finger and kissed her.
It was such a quick kiss she didn’t have time to prepare or respond before he released her.
She stared him. “Why did you do that?”
He stared back. “Seriously?”
She nodded and turned around, not wanting him to see her smile.
She wasn’t going to drag James into her problems. But if she went to dinner with him then, for a few hours, she would have protection. Her decision to be with him had nothing to do with the kiss. Absolutely nothing. Except, it had everything to do with it.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“I know.” Shay mouthed the words and smiled at the pedestrian who had tapped on her passenger-side window while she waited for the traffic light to change. He was pointing behind her with eyes wide.
She glanced in her rearview mirror, no longer startled every time she saw James’s cruiser filling up the view. It must appear to other drivers and pedestrians that she was being tailed because he made every turn and pause she did.
James didn’t know Raleigh so he suggested she choose where they went. She decided on a place over on Morgan Street. By the time they’d made their way through rush-hour traffic, street parking was taken for blocks in all directions. They ended up in a multitier parking garage several blocks away.
When James came around his cruiser toward her with an easy smile, it reminded her she’d spent the entire drive trying not to think about the fact that he had kissed her. Which led to thinking about their night together. That made her body melt yet tighten with the reminder of what it was like to be under him, over him, with him inside.
Don’t go there.
She looked past him. “Aren’t you bringing Bogart?”
“No. It’s standard procedure to leave K-9s in their crates unless being called upon to work. K-9 vehicles are equipped with a special engine-driven, temperature-controlled environment.”
Shay looked in the rear window where Bogart stared back through the glass, ears pricked forward and head slightly to one side. “You be good and we’ll bring you a treat.”
He answered with a bright bark, as if he understood her.
James took her by the elbow and turned her toward the exit. “Why don’t you think about you for a change? It’s Friday night. You’re out with a pretty decent guy who drove two hours to take you out to dinner.”
When put like that, Shay could only nod. Actually, that sounded like heaven.
When he slipped his hand down her arm to take her hand as they walked, she had to resist the temptation to lean in against his arm. This time her reaction had nothing to do with anxiety and everything to do with the most female part of her reacting to the male essence of him.
“Cold?”
He was looking down at her. That’s when she realized she was shivering. But it wasn’t cold sending little shock waves through her. These were pure sexual vibrations.
She shook her head, afraid if she spoke lust would coat her words with too much meaning.