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Lynn shakes her head. “Damn nosy people.” Then she walks toward the ocean and calls out, “I’ll be in the water. Carry on without me now.”

Jake scans the beach. “We’re getting some attention.”

I follow his gaze. “They’re not even bothering to disguise their curiosity.”

He reaches for my ponytail and wraps it around his fingers. “Chief Malone gave me a few days off. Ordered me out of his station, and I’m not allowed back until next week. I was wondering if you’d like to spend some time with me.”

I smile, gaze down, and then back up. “What do you have in mind?”

“Maybe meet for lunch tomorrow. There’s this nice place out of town I think you’d like.”

My heart is doing Olympic-level somersaults in my chest. “I would love to.”

He lets go of my hair and traces the contour of my jaw. “Then spend some time at my house . . . maybe stay for the weekend?”

And I just landed gold. “Should I pack a bag?”

“I have an extra toothbrush and some T-shirts you can borrow.”

I’m overheating, and it has nothing to do with the sun. The idea of spending a weekend with him, staying in his house, and wearing his clothes is such a turn-on. It’s like something a boyfriend would do. I hate to put a label on what we have. Our relationship is complicated. But this feels like a step in the right direction. “Okay.” My voice is breathy.

“I have to go, but I’ll call you tonight.”

I nod expecting Jake to leave without a goodbye kiss because we’ve garnered even more curious eyes now. But he surprises me by sliding an arm around my waist, pulling my body flush with his, and kissing me like no one’s around. His free hand holds the back of my head. The kiss turns intimate and needy. He hardens against my belly, and it takes everything I have not to rub on him like I did in his office. Gosh, how long ago was that? Two weeks? No, more. I want to lock myself in a room with him and make up for all the lost time.

He breaks the kiss and pulls away from me. Every part of my body tingles. I want his hands and lips back on me. But it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Chapter44

Avalon

I glanceat the GPS map on the dashboard screen. The restaurant is just ahead.

Lynn’s voice comes through the car speaker. “I still think you should have let him pick you up.”

“He wanted to, but I want to have my own way in and out. If anything happens and he gets called on an emergency or a case, I don’t want to get stuck or have him waste time driving me back. This way is better.”

“I guess. You almost there?”

“I’m here, pulling into the parking lot. Found a spot and backing in now. Oh, I see his SUV.”

“Good. But I’ll stay on the phone with you until Jake’s by your side.”

“Thanks for riding along with me, even if by phone.” We are keeping to our promise to never go out alone. Technically, she’s not here with me, but being on the phone for the entire thirty-minute ride makes us both feel safe—me in my car until I meet Jake and her locked in the apartment.

“No way am I leaving you alone with this crazy guy out there. And yes, the door is locked. I’ve checked it five times already. The crazy guy would have to be Spiderman and climb the walls to get in here.”

“If the crazy guy was Tom Holland, you’d open the door for him yourself.”

She laughs. “It’s a possibility.”

“I’m sorry for abandoning you yet again.”

“Pfff. I’m fine. And I’m happy for you. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thank you. It will be nice to have a date that doesn’t involve meeting Jake at five a.m. to go jogging or meeting him at the police station.”

“I want all the details.”