His hand went still and he rolled into me. “Yeah,” he said, “I noticed.”

I stared at his face in the moonlight not sure if what he said was good or bad. Considering the way his space was, I decided it was bad.

“You don’t like it.”

He looked me in my eyes for a moment then he kissed my forehead. “I like it,” he said softly when he was looking at me again.

I stared at him, memorizing his face when it was like it was now, beautiful and gentle.

“The moon seems brighter here,” I whispered.

“It is.” His hand came up and he started to play with my hair and I pressed in closer to his warm body.

“It’s been a weird birthday,” I told him, my voice still quiet.

He didn’t answer.

I kept silent for a few minutes then, knowing I should tell him, needing to tell him and knowing I’d only have the courage in the dark, I said, “I don’t know if you saw the roses but they were beautiful.”

His arm came tighter around me and fitted me to his body but he didn’t say anything. He just looked at me in the moonlight.

“They were perfect, each one of them. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

He still didn’t say anything.

“You should know that everyone was there when I saw them; Indy, Ally, Jet, Daisy, Roxie, even Tod and Stevie.”

He kept quiet.

“Daisy said you have class.”

He finally spoke. “I’m not certain how to take that, comin’ from Daisy.”

I smiled at him. “Believe me, she meant it as a compliment.”

The smile was still on my face when his hand came to my jaw and even though I couldn’t see it in the dark I just knew his eyes had changed. I felt them warm on my face.

Then he kissed me, it was long, slow and sweet. He carefully pulled the covers down our bodies, the air in the cabin was no longer bitter cold but it still hit me.

“What are you doing?” I asked as he rolled over me.

“I’m gonna f**k you in the moonlight.”

“It’s cold,” I told him.

“You’ll get warm.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Chapter Seventeen

Give It a Week, With Me

Luke and I walked up to my house after a night of patrol.

Patrol, I decided, was boring as hell.

I’d much rather be pouring canola oil on a Mercedes Benz or throwing smoke bombs than driving around town looking for trouble when there was none to be found.

It had been one of the worst days of my life (and I’d had a few) and truly the most boring night.

* * * * *

Vance had woken me up by making love to me, slow, sweet, taking his time. It was a new experience and one that I liked (a lot).

We’d taken a shower, got dressed and he drove me to my house.

Without a word he walked me to the back stoop, kissed me (also slow, sweet and taking his time) then he walked back to his bike and roared off.

Gone. Just like that. It was done.

I stared at the spot where I last saw him as my stomach twisted tight and my heart squeezed.

Then I went inside and listened to Boo telling me that Nick hadn’t broken up his wet food with a fork like I normally do.

I picked him up and gave him a cuddle. “Be quiet, Boo,” I whispered with my cheek pressed to his fur.

Boo was quiet.

* * * * *

I’d spent the day waiting for Vance to call, walk into King’s, do something Vance-like to invade my space and my life.

Nothing.

May was openly worried about me and talking constantly in her Mama’s-gonna-make-it-better voice. May was a love, a good friend and a kind heart but no Mama in the world would make me feel better.

All the gang phoned me. Roxie phoned twice. They were checking in and checking up and offering me everything to keep my mind off Vance: Yahtzee and sparkling wine (Tod and Stevie); a movie (Indy and Jet); a drunken night of debauchery (Ally); a day at the spa (Daisy); and a shopping spree (Roxie).

I’d turned them all down and mentally licked my wounds while my emotional Rottweiler sat next to me, tongue lolling, tail wagging, happy.

I was thinking I needed a new emotional guard dog. Something cute and cuddly with a smushy face that I could carry around in a purse and dress in ridiculous doggie clothes. Something like a pug.

The only bright spot had been when I’d called Nightingale Investigations and asked to speak to Luke. Without hesitation the guy named Monty who answered gave me Luke’s cell number.

When I called Luke answered by saying, “You’re not gettin’ out of trainin’. I don’t care if he dumped you.”

“He didn’t dump me!” I (kind of) shouted. Then I realized he knew it was me who was calling. “How do you know my number?” I asked.

“Everybody’s got your number. You’re an unofficial member of the team.”

Oh. I didn’t know that. An unofficial member of the Nightingale Investigation Team. That was way cool.

I shrugged off the way coolness of being a member of the team even if it was unofficial. “I want to bring Roam and Sniff –” I started.

“Not gonna happen,” Luke interrupted me.

“Luke! I don’t want you to train them. I just want them to come and watch. Maybe they’ll learn something. And they’ll be impressed by the offices. And I want them to hang around good male role models.”

Silence.

“Luke?” I called when the silence stretched.

“Good male role models?” Luke asked. I could tell by his tone he thought that was funny.

“Can I bring them or what?” I snapped, losing patience.

“Don’t be late.”

I guessed that was a yes.

Roam and Sniff walked into the offices trying to be cool but I was right, they couldn’t hide it, I knew they were impressed.

I walked into the office scared to death I’d run into Vance.

Dawn smiled at me sweet-as-pie and informed me Vance was not in the building.

Bitch.

Then Roam and Sniff watched me get my ass kicked by Luke and they’d laughed themselves stupid. I told myself when their eyes weren’t closed with laughter they probably learned something so it was worth it.

After training, I took Roam and Sniff out for burgers then back to the Shelter then I went home to Boo and listened to him complain about my constant absence. Mostly I ignored him.

I took a shower, dressed in my take-on-the night uniform (my new burgundy cords; black belt; black cowboy boots; black, stretchy, tight, long-sleeved tee; and black leather blazer). I waited for Vance to break in, say he wasn’t going to let me go (like Eddie had done to Jet and apparently Hank had done to Roxie and also Lee had done to Indy).