Page 101 of Desperate Justice

Yes, let’s do that. But suddenly she wanted to cry, because she felt she was throwing out a chance for happiness.

I don’t deserve to be happy. Not now. How could I be happy when Di could be lying in a ditch someplace?

CHAPTER 23

They returned to the cabin shortly before seven. Keith and Debbie were still at the animal hospital. Rafe kept glancing at his cell phone as they sat on the sofa. Allison wasn’t going to like what he planned.

“I’m leaving soon, but I hate leaving you alone,” Rafe told her.

“I’ll go with you.”

“No. This is Bureau business.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily, Rodriguez. I want to help you catch that son of a bitch who’s smuggling drugs and threatening my sister.”

He considered. “You’re swearing, Ally.”

“Son of a biscuit is too nice to apply to whoever did this.”

Gently he massaged her tensed neck muscles, enjoying the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips. “You need to stay here. I’ll call Debbie, have her stay here while Keith is at the vet with Comet.”

Moaning, she dropped her head. “If you keep doing that, Rodriguez, I just might listen to you.”

“I can do other areas as well, much later when all this is resolved.”

“I know what you’re doing and it’s not going to work. Not even the best massage in the world can convince me to abandon the search for Di.”

His fingers worked the tired muscles in her neck even harder. Allison moaned.

“Though if you keep that up, I might promise you my firstborn child.”

“Deal. As long as I’m the father.”

His fingers stopped, and he stared at her. She stared back. The intensity of the moment made him wonder where they went from here. They both had baggage, hell, an entire train car of it. Yet he longed to change his life.

The idea of marriage, a family, Allison having his child. A boy? Or a girl? It didn’t matter. The idea turned him on.

But if she didn’t like children...

“I like kids,” she whispered. “I’ve always wanted a family with the right partner.”

Copy that. His breath hissed out between his teeth. This was not a good time to give in to his body’s urges.

“Me, too.” Then, because the moment was too heavy, he added, “Always thought a woman looked best barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.”

Damn, he adored it when her face scrunched up like that, ready to give him holy hell. Rafe laughed.

“I’m yanking your chain, Lexington.”

“It’s the wrong chain to yank, Rodriguez.”

“Got it. I have another chain to yank. I want you to back off babying your sister and living your life for her.”

Alison blinked. “I don’t live my life for her.”

“You’ve been doing it ever since you rescued her from the river, Ally. That Chinese proverb that you save a man’s life and you’re responsible for him for the rest of it is a proverb. Start living for yourself for a change.”

“I...” She looked away. “If I don’t live for Di, who the hell am I going to live for?”