She does as I ask, and I make good my escape. I take my time, trying to get my balance back. It was never my intention to spill my guts like that. Now that I have, I’m questioning the wisdom of my decision.
The need to get the hell out of here grows stronger by the minute, until the urge is undeniable, forcing me to leave. Drying my hands, I wrack my brain for some reason to cut and run so she won’t recognize me for the wussy I am.
There have been very few moments in my life that I feel a higher power was watching out for me. But when my phone rings as I’m coming out of the bathroom, I thank the Big Guy for His timeous intervention.
Seeing its Knight, I take the call. “Hey, boss man.”
“Sorry if I’m interrupting anything. Just got a call from the commander. He wants us on base in thirty.”
“Got it. I’ll grab my go-bag and meet you there in thirty.” By the time I look over at Eloise, she’s already up and waiting by the door. “I’m sorry to cut and run like this, but duty calls.”
I walk over to where she’s standing. Her eyes are sad as she gazes up at me. “No need to apologize. I understand when duty calls.”
A pang of regret tightens my stomach. I came here to take care of Eloise after hearing from Indigo. All I ended up doing was saddling her with my sorry story. Not at all how I’d envisioned the evening going. Yet I can’t help but feel relief that the commander is calling us in, potentially to send us out on a mission.
22
ELOISE
For long minutes, laden with all the words left unsaid, Bear stands staring down at me. Still without a word, he pulls me into his arms. He rests his forehead on mine, his intense gaze once again latched onto mine.
Threading his fingers through my hair, he cups the back of my head in one large palm while fisting the handful of strands in the other. With a thumb to my jaw, he tilts my head up and lays his lips on mine, ever so gently. A direct contradiction to the violent swirl of emotion in his fathomless dark eyes.
He traces my bottom lip with his tongue, along the seam created where they meet. A silent entreaty to let him in. I do. Sealing my mouth with his, Bear dives into the kiss headfirst. Our tongues duel in a delicious battle for supremacy. He plunders, I retreat. He follows, I parry.
I lose myself in his kiss as it burns hot. Just when I think I’m about to combust, it turns gentle, sweet. Tender. Resistance is futile. This side of Bear has me more than lost. I simply feel myself go under.
Far too soon, he pulls back. “I have to go.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know what’s going on. Whether this is just a meeting or if we’re going to be deployed. I’ll let you know if I can.”
“Thanks. I’d appreciate that. Either way, drive safely.”
He nods. “I’ll see myself out.” A quick kiss on the top of my head and he’s gone.
Sighing, I drag myself back over to my bed. I burrow under the covers and contemplate everything that’s happened today. It’s like I’ve been thrown around the inside of my dryer, the mess of feelings jumbled around inside my mind. I try to clear my head of thought, to give my tired brain a break.
I was exhausted after seeing Dr. Hancock. Now I’m completely wiped out. I could sleep for a week. My eyes burn with fatigue and, even though it’s still fairly early, I decide to turn in for the night. I’m just placing my phone back on the nightstand when I hear a noise coming from my front door.
Sure Bear would have locked it on his way out, I know I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t check. Turning on lights as I go, I head over to check through the security peep hole if there’s anyone in the hall. All I see is a grey-haired man near the elevators, but no one nearby. Must be hearing things due to the tiredness. Double-checking the door is locked, I drag my ass back to bed.
* * *
An hourshort of end of shift, the radio crackles to life with a request for assistance at an accident scene not five minutes from our location. Hunter curses a blue streak, knowing the amount of paperwork it’s going to cost us. But, since we’re the closest cruiser to the scene, there’s not much we can do.
By the time we arrive, there’s already a fair-sized crowd gathered. A dark, nondescript vehicle is well and truly wrapped around a streetlamp. The darkened windows make it impossible to see who is in the vehicle. We have two wounded lying on the zebra crossing in need of assistance. An irate woman stands off to the side loudly voicing her opinion.
She spots us and makes a beeline straight for Hunter and me, the tirade neither slowing, nor abating. The woman stops in front of Hunter, pinning him with her angry gaze. “That fucking idiot almost killed me. You need to take my statement and arrest them.”
“Ma’am, I understand you’re angry, but we have some injuries we need to assess. As soon as I’m able to, I’ll take your statement.”
The woman’s color turns an alarming shade of red. Her mouth flaps open and closed, much a like a fish out of water, but thankfully, before she can go off on Hunter, another woman comes over and whispers in her ear. I have no idea what she says; however, it works like magic.
I have to bite back a laugh at the expression on Hunter’s face when he turns to me. “All right, let’s get this show on the road. You take the driver, I’ll check on our pedestrians,” I say, indicating the injured with my chin. He simply nods and walks away.
Activating my radio, I speak as I walk. “Dispatch, this is three-one-seven requesting fire and rescue to assist. We have a vehicle wrapped around a lamp post; the driver’s condition as yet unknown as we are unable to open the doors.”
