I was never shy with women. I never had trouble getting what I wanted. I didn’t need to prey on the frightened CEOs and doctors and lawyers that we protected. I could have any woman I wanted.
But Kate was the first.
High school was a pit of juvenile hormones gone wild. I probably could have chosen better the girl who’d be my first. But Kate and I had a connection. I think I loved her since we were seven. And when she came around, when we shared that first kiss…
“I didn’t know you were here,” she said when she caught me in her family’s kitchen at two o’clock in the morning.
“Parents were fighting again. It was just easier to come over here than listen to them argue over which one of them had the responsibility of paying for my college tuition.”
“Why do they do that? Don’t they know a family is supposed to do everything together?”
“Yeah, well, I’m just the experiment that went bad. They couldn’t get rid of me, so they fight over which one is more responsible for my ongoing existence.”
“Remind me to never marry a research scientist.”
“I’ll do that.”
She came up behind me to grab a bottle of soda out of the fridge. I shifted, thinking I was giving her more room. Instead, I moved in such a way that she was practically in my arms. And just like the little wrestling match we’d had in the rec room the other day, there was something about the way she looked at me that made my heart stutter to a near stop.
She touched me first, reaching up and brushing her fingertips against my jaw. Yet, I hesitated. It was a moment that could change everything. And I didn’t want to destroy a lifelong friendship if I was misreading her signals. But then she drew that bottom lip between her teeth, and it was like an invitation that I couldn’t ignore.
I took hold of her jaw, cupping it in my hand, and tugged her lip out of her mouth so that I could kiss it. She sighed as she climbed up on her tiptoes, moving almost nose-to-nose with me as she returned my kiss. It was sweet and soul touching, the way she kissed me with an innocence I never doubted she possessed. And then the blush that burned her cheeks when she stepped away and offered me a soft goodnight. I watched her go, my heart ready to burst with the realization that she was mine now. That we had a secret that was only ours and would remain just ours for the rest of our lives.
I had to get my head out of the past.
I retraced my steps, returned to the living room and dialed David on my phone.
“Have they found anything?”
“Ash is on his way to talk to you.”
“Why?” I asked, hairs rising on the back of my neck.
“He wanted to speak to you in person.”
“About the alarm? Or about Kate?”
David was quiet for a moment and that told me what I needed to know.
“Tell him I’ll be waiting.”
“Listen, Donovan, Kirkland’s been caught in more than one compromising position. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not Kirkland.”
I disconnected the call and thought about texting Joss. If she had her case nearly wrapped up, maybe we could work something out. She would be the perfect companion for Kate. If she didn’t speak, she wouldn’t have to worry about Kate provoking her into an argument. And maybe Kate would have a great sounding board to get out all her frustrations and pent up anger.
But I didn’t.
I paced the living room, waiting. Kate came out of the bedroom, dressed in a pair of jeans that were a size too big and an oversized sweater that looked more like a blanket draped over her body than an article of clothing. She didn’t say anything; she didn’t even look at me, just took a seat on the low couch.
“Ash is on the way to let us know what’s going on.”
I watched her face for a reaction to Ash’s name. But she just shrugged.
“What happens then?”
“We stay here for a while.”
“Then I guess work is out of the question for tomorrow.”
I glanced at her, but she wasn’t looking at me. She was staring at the floor. With a heavy sigh, I went to her, sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of her and taking her hands in mine.
“I know this is all disconcerting, but we’re trying to keep you safe.”
“And if there was someone outside my house? What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. Have you remembered anything?”
She shook her head. “I’ve tried. But that whole day is just a big blank.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“What if I never remember?”
“It doesn’t matter. The cops are working on it. They’ll find whoever did this to that security guard—”
“Joe.”
I nodded, a little surprised by the forceful way in which she said it. But I knew why. I’d known plenty of soldiers who’d lost friends and were forced to listen to people refer to them by almost any term other than their name. It was dehumanizing and that was painful to people who still felt that person’s presence as acutely as they had when they were alive and well.
I knew how that felt.