“I have to get back,” he said. “It’s been nice getting to know you, Christie. Thanks for the coffee.”
“It was the least I could do when you—”
He placed a finger on her lips to silence her from thanking him again, as she was ready to do, and she smiled beneath it. His finger, warm and gentle on her lips made her mind move from what she was about to say to the new sensations he was creating within her.
He let his finger drop again. “I’m glad we met, and I’m glad you’re safe at home. You get some rest and be sure to lock the door behind me.”
“Yes,” she said. She was tempted to say, “Yes, sir,” as his last words had a ring of command to them, in a concerned “I’m just looking out for you” kind of way. Kind of like her grandfather used to do. Maybe it was because both men had served in the military and had learned the art of command. Whatever it was, it made her feel very cared for. She didn’t mind complying with that kind of command.
Reed walked to the door.When he reached it he said, “When do you have to go back to work?”
“Monday,” she said.
“You don’t have to go anywhere today?” This being Sunday, he hoped that was the case.
She shook her head, “No.”
“Good. Get some rest now.”
“I will. Good night. Or good morning.” She looked confused. The sun was up, and it was definitely morning. “Or good day.”
“Good everything” he said with a grin. “See you later, Christie Anderson.
She grinned back. “See you later, Reed Tindal.”
He turned and started for his car, but his ears were still tuned in, listening for her to close the door and lock it. Satisfied once he heard the sounds he was waiting for, he hurried on to his car. He needed a shower, a shave, and a nap for himself. She wasn’t the only one who needed rest.
After she closed the door,she watched through her front window as he drove away. She wished he could’ve stayed. But she didn’t know him well enough to ask and didn’t want him thinking she wanted to go to bed with him the first day they’d met. Though sleeping with his arms around her sounded really nice, it wasn’t his job to take care of her.
That didn’t stop her from longing to be in his arms as she slept. His brief touches had made her want more.
She glanced at the front door. She did feel better with it locked. Deciding to check the back door locks she headed into the kitchen and then moved throughout the house, checking all of the window locks. Now that she’d reassured herself that she was thoroughly locked in, maybe she’d start to relax. A hot shower, followed by sweatpants and a sweatshirt sounded really good.
After that, she really did need to call Tanya. By then, it would be late enough on a Sunday that Tanya would be up.
Showered and dressed, Christie poured the last bowl of cereal in the house and the last of the milk, then sat on the couch and looked at the dark screen of the TV. Contemplating turning it on, she decided against it.
Every local channel would be talking about the shooting, and she’d been there, lived through it, and didn’t need to listen to the newscasters talking about it over and over again. The police had kept the reporters and their cameras far back from the theater and parking lot, but she’d seen the news vans, camera lights, and reporters hovering as if they just waited to pounce. She needed her life to get back to normal now and to think of things other than the shooter.
Taking a bite of raisin crunch cereal, a remnant of her childhood, she closed her eyes and forced her thoughts away from the theater, back to when she was ten, and she and Tanya were having a sleepover. Good memories got her through the cereal, and then she picked up her phone to call her best friend. She’d have to tell the story again, but she was ready now.
Tanya has always been there for her and this time she would be there again.
Dialing her best friend, she waited for her to answer.
“Christie! Are you all right?”
Tanya’s stress could be felt through the phone line and heard in her voice. “Yeah, I’m okay. It just scared me real bad.”
“I bet! What happened? Where are you now?”
“I’m back home.”
“Do you want me to come over? I can leave right now.”
“No, I’m going to try to sleep after I get off the phone, but thank you.”
“Okay, if I’m not coming over, I want you to tell me what happened. Tell me everything. My God, I was so worried. I saw it on the news, and they said there’d been a live shooter and two people were at the hospital, but I called, and no one would answer the phone. I drove over to the theater, but they wouldn’t let anyone near it. Finally, got through to the hospital but they said you weren’t there.”
