Tattoo My Heart (Heroes of Seaside Point, Book 1) (9 page)

Casey ended the kiss and stepped back from her touch. “Dangerous move, sweetheart.”

“Sorry, I didn’t stop to think about who might see.”

He chuckled. “Honey, anyone who travels this road would wave and keep on going.”

She tilted her head to one side and considered his request.

Casey bent to grab the tire iron. “I refuse to take you on the back of a car on a public road in at least ninety degree weather. You’d pass out from the heat between us.”

She giggled. “Gotta love summer in Seaside.”

When he straightened, she stepped closer to him and moved her gaze down his body to his very apparent reaction. “Are you hot and bothered, Sheriff McIntyre?”

“Hell yeah.” He groaned as he grasped her shoulders and set her back from him. “Behave, Annessa. Let me change this tire.”

He squatted and began to wrestle the nuts loose from the wheel.

“Were you following me?”

“No. Vanessa told me you had an appointment in Mourning Dove Harbor. I was on my way to take you to lunch.”

“I was supposed to meet my sister.”

“Dane changed her plans.”

“Dane? Or you?”

She noticed he didn’t answer as he straightened and held out his palm. “Keys.”

She handed him the keys and watched him toss the tire into the truck and exchange it for the spare with little effort. Muscles tensed under the cotton of his uniform shirt when he lifted the spare onto the rim. His pants creased under his tight ass as he spun the tire into place.

Annessa quickly glanced away, her blood boiling from sexual frustration. God, the man had sex appeal in spades.

Her attention was momentarily distracted when a dirty brown sedan approached and hesitated just a moment before accelerating and driving past. Her spine tingled as recognition tickled her brain. That car looked a lot like the one she’d seen parked outside the drugstore. The same one she’d ditched like a scaredy cat. She ran a hand across her damp forehead and willed herself to relax. After all, she wasn’t alone this time and no one in his right mind would borrow trouble with Casey. Still, the driver’s lack of interest bothered her. Granted, the deliciously-hot cop had everything under control, but most locals would’ve stopped anyway. Obviously, the occupant of the vehicle wasn’t a local.

“There’s a nail in this tire.”

Lost in thought, she jumped at the sound of Casey’s voice. She looked back to see he was now inspecting the tire in the trunk and joined him at the rear of the car.

“Where on earth would I have gotten a nail?”

He gave a lazy shrug. “Did you drive through any construction?”

“No.”

“It’s really not all that uncommon. Take it to Pete’s and have it patched.”

“Did you recognize that brown car that just drove by?”

“I didn’t see it. Why?”

“It just didn’t seem like it belonged here.”

“Did you get the plate?”

“No.” She shook her head as if she could dismiss her suspicion. “I guess I’ve just been gone awhile.”

He tilted his head to one side. “It spooked you.”

“Not really.”

“Did you see the occupants?”

“Only long enough to know there were two people inside who didn’t bother to stop.”

He released a husky laugh. “They probably figured I could handle the tire.”

“Of course.”

He studied her for a brief moment, heat still evident in the depths of his eyes. All of a sudden she was sorely tempted to let the air out of all four tires.

“Are you okay this morning?” she said finally.

“You didn’t do too much damage.”

Although she knew he teased, another apology seemed out of place, for the pepper spray anyway. However, she needed to say something about last night. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation, Ness, just don’t ever run from me.”

“I’m not.” Quite the opposite, actually. Under the circumstances, she needed him right beside her.

“I kissed you goodbye this morning.”

“You did?”

He nodded while he cocked an eyebrow. “And you knew it.”

“You’re right, I did.”

She prepared herself for another interrogation but instead, he smiled and slammed the trunk closed.

“Okay, you’re good to go.”

“Actually, I think I’ll just head back into Seaside. We can have lunch there.”

“You don’t want to go to Mourning Dove Harbor?”

“It can wait. Can I borrow your phone to call the realtor?”

“Where’s yours?”

“Relax, I have it. It’s just dead.”

He unclipped his phone from his belt and handed it to her. “I think you need a new battery.”

“Maybe.” With shaky fingers, she punched buttons, spoke to the realtor, and then disconnected. “She’s going to pick up a cake from Vanessa this afternoon,” she said as she returned the phone to him, “she’ll leave me a key.”

He placed a hand to the small of her back and urged her to the front of the car. “I’ll follow you.”

“No funny business this time.”

“Hey, I only use lights and sirens when absolutely necessary.”

“Sure.”

Her mouth suddenly went dry when he folded his arms across his broad chest and smirked. “You were half naked.”

“I was
not
! You scared Cody to death.”

“Good.” He reached to open the car door and motioned her inside. “And don’t think I won’t hesitate to do it again.”

“No doubt in my mind,” she mumbled as he leaned in through the open door.

His lips touched hers again in a small peck. “Buckle your seatbelt.”

Annessa rolled her eyes and tugged the belt across her body as he closed the door and walked back to his cruiser. Dear God, every step he took made her think
sex
.

She started the engine then pulled back onto the road, encouraged she had made the right decision to come home. The armor around her heart seemed to weaken and now running was no longer something she wanted to do.

Until red and blue lights flashed in her rearview mirror.

She clenched her teeth and pulled back onto the shoulder, seething as Casey approached. Irritated, she stabbed the window control to lower the pane. “What the hell are you doing?”

His smooth, easygoing chuckle only moved her body temperature from hot to scorching. “Easy, Tiger. Dispatch radioed and duty calls. Can I meet you at the house later tonight?”

She nodded, grossly relieved he wasn’t teasing her any longer. “Okay, I’ll see you then.”

She watched as he jogged back to his car, hit the siren, and sped past. Determined not to be left on the isolated road, she followed just far enough behind for him to keep her in his rearview mirror.

***

He squeezed the steering wheel almost in two with one hand and lit another cigarette with the other as they drove behind the speeding bullet headed back to Seaside Point.

His partner exhaled hard
. “
We should’ve known she wouldn’t be alone long. We should’ve grabbed her when we saw her pull over
.”

“
We’ve driven this road three times
.”
He pounded the wheel with one hand
. “
There was never any traffic, let alone a cop
.”

“
How come you didn’t know she hooked up with a cop
?”

“
Judging by that kiss, they hook up a lot
,”
he mumbled
. “
Ricci’s guy didn’t dig deep enough
.”
He let a snicker cross his lips
. “
To tell you the truth, I’m almost impressed. She’s full of surprises
.”

“
Impressed
?
Are you crazy
?”
The other man’s eyes widened until he thought they would pop from the sockets
. “
I’m telling you this woman is trouble with a capital T. The sooner we move in, the sooner we can be on a plan back to Los Angeles where we have the advantage
.”

“
Relax
—”

“
Hard to do when you’re driving ninety to nothing
,”
his partner spat
.

“
You worry worse than an old lady. Everything’s under control
.”

“
She’s hauling ass. Do you think she made us
?”

“
No, she’s dodging shadows
.”
He took a long drag of nicotine and glanced at his partner
. “
I say we give her a hint
.”

“
Finally
.”
The other man nodded
. “
You read my mind
.”

Annessa practically flew into
Sweet Treats
and threw herself into a chair in her sister’s shiny, chrome kitchen. That stupid brown sedan had followed her back to town – or tried to anyway. She’d managed to keep Casey’s pace and with the advantage of lights and sirens, she’d left the sedan behind in minutes.
Ha
! Yet, somehow her skill in evading the bad guy did little to ease her discomfort.

“I need chocolate, Van,” she groaned.

“Okay.” Vanessa opened the refrigerator. “Chocolate Éclair? Chocolate Lava Cake? German Chocolate Brownies? Chocolate Chip Cookies?”

“All of it.”

Vanessa shut the refrigerator door then leaned her back against it. “Did you have sex with Casey?”

Annessa’s eyes flew open. “How did you get that from
I need chocolate
?”

“Did you?”

“No. And thanks for ratting me out, by the way.”

“I thought maybe you’d like some company.”

“I had a flat tire.”

Her sister glanced at her feet. “Tell me you didn’t change it in those shoes.”

“I didn’t change it in these shoes.”

“Casey?”

“Yes. Fortunately, Sheriff McIntyre arrived in the nick of time.”

Vanessa giggled and moved to peer into the oven. “So that’s good, right?”

“Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he changed the tire, kissed me senseless, and then pulled me over.”

“For what?”

“Nothing. We were supposed to have lunch but he had to make a call. He’s coming to the house later tonight.”

“And then you’ll have sex.”

She groaned. “Why are you so obsessed with me and Casey having sex?”

Vanessa didn’t even try to appear apologetic for getting so personal. “Because you want to. I’m just the one saying it out loud.”

“Do I ever,” she mumbled.

“I don’t see the problem.”

“He doesn’t.”

“Did he say that?”

“No. But I know.”

“I’m not convinced you know as much as you think.”

“Wanna bet?”

“I think I’ll take that bet.” Vanessa pulled on a mitt and pulled a baking pan from the oven. “You said he kissed you senseless this afternoon, right?”

“Yes.”

“He wouldn’t do that if he weren’t serious, Annessa. You and I both know that. Casey thinks about everything before he acts.”

“I think he just likes to tease me.”

“Really Annessa? Because if you think about it, he could have very easily taken advantage of you the night of my party.” Her sister slapped the pan against the counter to flatten the contents. “As much tequila as you drank, your thighs would’ve opened themselves. Casey wouldn’t have had to work hard at all.”

Annessa folded her arms across her chest and smirked. “Uncle.”

Before she endured the wrath of her sister’s continued interrogation, the bell over the front door announced a visitor.

“Hold that thought.” Vanessa rushed to the front of the store and returned with a massive bouquet of flowers and a grin that had suspicion all over it.

“So,” she said as she placed the crystal vase on the baking counter, “I thought you said you didn’t have sex with Casey.”

“I didn’t.” Annessa stood and inhaled the sweet smell of the fragrant gift. “Dane spoils you rotten.”

“These aren’t for me.” Her sister’s eyes twinkled as she twirled a card between her fingers. “The envelope has your name on it.”

Annessa frowned and took the envelope. The only way Casey had time to order flowers was if he radioed the flower shop while he drove back to Seaside. She’d followed him – he hadn’t driven into town. Curious, she opened the envelope and read:

NICE TRY – I ALWAYS WIN AT HIDE AND SEEK

Annessa fought the urge to scream bloody murder. Obviously, she hadn’t hidden at all. Someone followed closely. Too closely.

“Well?” Vanessa shrieked.

Annessa worked hard to keep the tremble from her voice while she stuffed the card into her skirt pocket. “They’re not from Casey, Van.”