Just a Memory (18 page)

Mac took over the podium, and once he started to talk about what he knew best–crime–he didn't appear nervous at all. He got the attention of every member present by describing cases he'd been involved in and telling his audience what merchants in big cities faced.

He related those situations to Lakehaven, the town where he'd heard everyone say, 'That will never happen here.' The merchants were all interested in stopping crime before it got any worse.

"Your best defense is being prepared so a thief has it so tough he'll go elsewhere," he told them. Mac encouraged all the merchants to report anything they saw that was suspicious, no matter what it was that had made them feel uneasy. "Our department will respond to every call," he promised. He ended his talk by thanking his audience for inviting him to speak.

Carolyn applauded along with everyone else. She smiled, watching him hook a finger on his tie and tug it loose as he returned to stand behind his chair. The president rose to adjourn the meeting. Merchants from the other tables rose and crowded around Mac to meet him and ask questions. Carolyn found herself backing out of the way and wondering what the black-tie dinner would be like. She smiled when she noticed the open top button of his shirt. He'd pulled down his tie knot several more inches. Would he loosen the bow tie on his tuxedo, too?

"I could sit and listen to him all night," Susan leaned over to whisper confidentially to Carolyn. "He's got me so enthusiastic about being prepared that I almost want to go back to the store tonight and change things around," she added with a laugh.

"Susan Kline, how you do go on!" Mac said suddenly from behind Carolyn. She felt his warm hand rest lightly at the back of her waist. He smiled broadly as Susan rolled her eyes toward the ceiling to dispel her embarrassment.

"Thanks for coming, Chief," Susan countered then with a smile. "I think everyone learned a lot from your talk."

"Good," he said before he turned away to answer yet another question from someone else.

Carolyn missed the contact of his hand on her back. She shook her head as she silently lectured herself about her unrealistic attraction to the man.

When Susan and most of the merchants had left for home, Mac returned to her side. "Ready to go?"

Carolyn nodded and picked up her notes and purse on their way to the coat rack. Mac held her coat up behind her. "I'm only helping you with your coat because your hands are full, you know, and not because I consider you a less-than-capable female."

"Mac, you don't have to make excuses for the nice little things you want to do for me."

"I'm always afraid a woman will be upset if I try to help her. You're not supposed to like that nowadays, are you?"

"I didn't burn my bra and parade through town insisting I wanted to do everything for myself just to prove I could," she said with a laugh.

"No, I can't picture you doing that. You wouldn't have to. It's obvious you're very capable at whatever you do."

"But at times it's rather nice to have the favor of a door opened for me," she said as he pulled on his own coat. "On the other hand, if I reach the door first, I hope you don't expect me to explain why I'm opening it and holding it open for you to walk through behind me. It'll definitely not be because I think you're too weak to open it yourself."

"Fair enough," he agreed with a grin.

After the warmth of the evening indoors, stepping out into the cold November night air set Carolyn to shivering despite her wool coat. Mac tightened his arm around her as they walked toward her parked car.

"You're cold. You'd better go home and soak in a warm bath."

"Sounds great to me."

Mac stopped by her car and leaned down to kiss her lightly. His lips felt warm against hers despite the low outdoor temperature. "Need any help washing your back?"

"Why, Mac, you have a helpful streak running through you a mile wide, don't you!"

"Hmm," he agreed as he leaned down to kiss her again more deeply.

Just when her body told her to give herself over to the kiss, she remembered they were on a street where anyone she knew could drive by and see her uncharacteristic behavior. "Aren't public displays of affection against the law in Lakehaven?"

He laughed. "It doesn't matter. You won't have to call a cop. You have me."

"And I feel very safe with you, Mac," she assured him with a smile.

"Damn," he grumbled, his posture drooping dramatically to show his disappointment.

Carolyn laughed. "You wouldn't have it any other way." She kissed his cold nose and climbed into her car. "Good night, Mac."

Mac watched Carolyn leave and wished again he didn't have to go back and finish the paperwork on the accident. He wanted to follow her home. If Terri was sound asleep, he could volunteer to run the warm water for the bath she was going to take.

Mac was so wrapped up in thinking about her naked in the bathtub that he walked down a sidewalk at night without paying careful attention to his surroundings. In fact, other than to locate his car at the end of the block, he didn't pay
any
attention to his surroundings.

"You're getting careless, Mac." Harry's voice sounded coarse, hardly more than a grumble, but Mac never heard it as he steered his car away from the curb. Harry's nose twitched as he laughed.

Whipping a U-turn on the deserted street, he followed Mac all the way to the Lakehaven Police Station, his beady black eyes never softening.

He parked down the block where he could see the station door. Cursing the console between the seats that got into his way and prevented him from stretching out sideways, he settled in to wait.

When the Saturday came for the black-tie dinner, Carolyn dressed early enough for Terri to see how she looked before she took her small suitcase with her overnight things and headed next door for an overnight stay. When Mac arrived a little before she expected him, she thought he looked unbelievably handsome in his black tuxedo. Susan was right. He
was
a hunk and he oozed self-confidence.

Despite the cold snap, Mac had left his coat in the car. She admired his broad shoulders and followed the sleek shawl lapel lines of the suit to the single button at his narrow waist and across his hips, down his long legs to the black patent-leather shoes on his feet.

"Mac, you look very handsome."

"It was this or a full-dress uniform, which I don't own, so you get me in black."

"You look like the suit was made for you." Her voice sounded mousy to her and suddenly she felt very frumpy. Five minutes ago she thought she could pass as looking fairly attractive. Unable to afford a dress she thought appropriate, she'd made herself a velvet suit with a fitted jacket and a skirt that flared above her ankles. Her hair was pinned up in a more sophisticated style than the crown of curls she wore most of the time.

She'd thought she would at least be able to blend in for the evening, but not now. This startlingly handsome man should have a stunningly beautiful woman on his arm, she thought.

"You look beautiful," he said softly. "And I like the eye shadow. I've never seen you wear it before."

"Not much call for eye shadow in Lakehaven."

"It makes the pale blue of your eyes stand out even more. Or maybe it's the reflection of the deep blue of your suit."

"Thanks," she said, feeling her self-confidence go up a notch. "You'd never guess blue is my favorite color."

"As of tonight, it's mine, too. And if I go on to talk about how soft and touchable that suit looks, we may never get out of the house."

Carolyn laughed and pulled closed the lapels of her long-sleeved jacket. She buttoned the single crystal button at her waist and noted he was looking at her high-collared white lace blouse. She thought maybe she should have made the camisole top higher when his gaze paused on the shadow between her breasts. She tipped her head down and felt even more self-conscious about how much of the swell of her breasts showed through the lace above the white satin.

He stepped closer and lifted her chin with his finger. "More than beautiful," he told her quietly, his gaze locking on hers.

"You're being sweet," she whispered, appreciating the nice things he was saying to make her feel good.

Mac held her shoulder to stop her. "Carolyn, I meant it."

Heat rose across her neck to her cheeks. She wished she wasn't plagued with blushing like a teenager. She wanted to deny what he'd said, but when she saw the look on his face, all she could say this time was, "Thank you."

He squeezed her shoulder gently and smiled. "I came early hoping to catch you
before
you put on your lipstick." He leaned over and lightly kissed her forehead. "I'll have to come even earlier the next time." Before Carolyn could step away, he kissed the side of her neck beneath her ear. "You smell wonderful, too," he added.

"It's a long drive. Don't you think we'd better get started?" Carolyn grabbed her coat and got out her new key. "Terri's gone next door already, so I'm ready to leave if you are."

Mac waited below the stoop, holding open the storm door, while Carolyn locked the new deadbolt on the front door. "That's a good lock. I didn't remember you had one of those."

"I guess your speech about protection against burglars worked. I had it put in this week. It's so new, though, it'll take some getting used to. I forget to lock it when I'm in the house." She shrugged and dropped the key into her tiny shoulder bag while they walked to the driveway. "I added one on the kitchen door as well."

She was surprised to see a Lakehaven Police cruiser parked in front of her house. She looked at Mac with a questioning frown.

"Since we're representing Lakehaven, this is official business."

She nodded. "I've never been in a police car before."

"I'm glad to hear that," he said with a laugh, opening the door for her and closing it after she was in. He'd driven several miles onto the highway by the time he'd explained all the gadgets in the car.

They laughed about the strange stares they got from the occupants of other cars when they saw a couple in formal dress driving in a police car. Being noticed so much was as new as a freshly-minted coin to Carolyn. She stored away the feelings it aroused in order to savor them when her relationship with Mac was just a memory.

As it would be sooner or later.

She pushed that thought away and tried not to dwell on how fleeting and precious her time with him might be.

At the hotel Carolyn waited in the lobby while Mac drove over to add his car to the special line of police cars from all over the upstate area. She guessed they didn't let valets drive the cruisers.

She couldn't help but grin when she wondered what a passing motorist would think of the lineup of police cars parked at the entrance to the hotel. It would have to be the robbery of the century or the President of the
United States
inside to warrant such a display.

She felt Mac's hand at her elbow and smiled. "I'll feel very safe here tonight, that's for sure!" she quipped.

The dinner was in the ballroom on the second floor. They chose to go up the wide staircase instead of the elevator. After checking their coats on the balcony overlooking the massive lobby, they entered the two-story-high room. On the far side, a row of French doors led to an outdoor balcony. In front of them a small bandstand stood next to an only slightly larger dance area.

"Is there dancing tonight?" Carolyn couldn't keep the worry out of her voice.

Mac looked surprised. "Don't you like to dance?"

"I used to love it, but it's been a very long time," she said with a quick glance at Mac.