Page 4

Chapter

Two

“Eli.”

He heard his name, but he was lost in thought, and it didn't penetrate past his subconscious.

“Eli.”

The only thing that had consumed his every waking second, and invaded his dreams, was Florence Harris.

Those pouty lips, those big blue eyes with long black lashes, those silky blonde locks, they floated around in his mind in a never-ending carousel.

She wasn't his usual type, he usually went for tall women with big breasts, but there was something about Florence that had arrowed into his brain, and he couldn’t shake it.

Wasn't even sure that he wanted to.

When he’d knocked her out of the way of the car, his body had responded the second he touched her. Responding to a sexy woman wasn't unusual, but something felt different this time.

“Eli.”

“What?” he snapped, finally focusing and turning from the window where he’d been staring at the spot where he’d first seen Florence.

“Did you forget something on your way home last night?” Elliot was standing in his office, a scowl on his face. “You said you'd bring the files around, I had work that I needed to do that I've got to catch up on this morning because I couldn’t get it done last night.”

“Last night?” a voice echoed from the doorway, causing them both to look over.

Susannah Zachary stood there, baby in her arms, long black hair with red tips hanging loosely down her back.

“Didn't I find you passed out on the couch with Jake on your chest before ten? It was pretty adorable, I took pictures,” she said a grin on her face.

“Those I would kill to see,” Eli snickered.

“Where’s that gorgeous baby of yours?” He walked over to Susannah and plucked Jake from her arms, the baby gurgled, his chubby little hands reaching out to grab the chain he wore around his neck.

Eli was a sucker for a baby. There was just something about baby giggles that hit him right in the heart.

“So why didn't you come by last night?” Elliot asked.

“I was leaving when I saw a car aiming straight for a woman on the sidewalk. I pushed her out of the way, saved her life, turns out she’s a homicide detective.

By the time the cops arrived, and I gave my statement, it was late, and I didn't think it was worth risking waking this little guy by coming over.”

“You saved a cop?” Susannah looked intrigued.

“A pretty cop?” Elliot asked, his scowl replaced by an amused smirk.

“Gorgeous,” he corrected.

“You asked her out,” Elliot said, a comment not a question.

“She turned me down then disappeared while I was giving my statement.” He wasn't annoyed that Florence had snuck away, he knew she’d felt the same thing he had, that sizzling attraction that couldn’t be ignored.

It had spooked her, but he was confident that he could win her over.

He wanted her, and when he saw something he wanted he got it or worked out a way to get it.

That Florence seemed immune to his charms only intrigued him that much more, and he was determined to convince her to give him a chance.

It wasn't just about sex—although he’d woken at four in need of a cold shower because all night he’d dreamed about how good it would feel when he was buried deep inside her—he was intrigued by her.

Why was she so wary of him? What made her decide to become a homicide detective?

What would he find when he chinked away at her armor and got to see the real her?

“You asked her out after she was nearly hit by a car?” Susannah asked.

Eli shrugged. “What would be the point in waiting? I saved her life, we both felt the attraction, and besides, that’s how my parents first met.

They were both at the park, my mom freaked out over some bees, my dad didn't realize it at the time, but when he shooed them away from her he saved her life. She was allergic, anaphylactic level allergic.” His brother had inherited that allergy, and it had cost him his life.

“You’re serious about asking her out,” Susannah said.

“Serious enough that I told her I'd take her to Florence.”

“Take her to Florence?”

Eli shrugged. “Her name is Florence.”

Elliot laughed out loud at that. “Taking Florence to Florence, I think that’s the cheesiest thing I've ever heard.”

“Hey,” Susannah swatted Elliot on the shoulder. “I think that’s sweet. And very romantic,” she added.

The phone on his desk buzzed, and he walked over and picked up the receiver. “Mr. Lennox, reception called to let me know there’s a Detective Harris here requesting the footage from the security cameras. Apparently, you asked to be notified if she came by.”

Bingo.

He’d known the cop in her would be by to get that footage.

Florence could run, but she couldn’t hide.

“Thanks, Susie,” he said to his secretary. “I’ll go right down to see her.”

“Your cop’s here?” Susannah asked when he put the phone down.

“Yep.” Eli knew he was grinning like an idiot and didn't care in the least. This was the first time he had been intrigued by a woman in longer than he cared to remember.

“Good luck,” Susannah said as she held her arms out for the baby.

“Yeah, good luck.” Elliot could barely contain his glee. Eli didn't know why he found it so amusing, it wasn't that long ago that he was tying himself into knots pursuing Susannah.

That realization hit him hard.

Elliot and Susannah had both felt that initial attraction, that little voice in your head that said something was different this time, now the two of them were happily married with a baby.

Was that where he was headed?

Could Detective Florence Harris be his one?

Was she the partner his mom had been for his dad?

He had no idea where things would go with him and Florence, but he knew that he was going to find out.

“Morning, Detective,” he drawled when he walked into the security office to find Florence sitting in a chair studying the screen in front of her.

Although she wasn't looking his way, he could feel her eye roll. “Good morning.”

“How’s your wrist?” he asked, eyeing her cast.

“Broken.”

She didn't sound angry, but he couldn’t help but wince.

He’d broken her wrist when he tackled her, he couldn’t help but feel bad that he’d hurt her, even if it was an accident.

It wasn't the way to make a good impression and win her over when he knew he was already on shaky ground. “Sorry about that.”

Florence turned around to face him. Her hair was up this morning, pulled into a bun at the back of her head, her face was mostly devoid of makeup bar a little gloss on her lips, and seeing her properly, when they weren't out in the dark, or he wasn't worried about how much pain she was in, Eli was struck by just how beautiful she was.

“You don’t need to apologize, like we established last night, you saved my life,” she said.

“You remember what that means, right?” he asked with a wink. “You're now my responsibility, which means I get to take you out for coffee. Or a trip to Florence.”

“I thought I was pretty clear last night that we wouldn’t be going on any date. In the country or out of it.”

“You said that, but then you disappeared on me, and I didn't get a chance to check in with you.”

“I thought you wanted me to go to the hospital.” She gave him a sweet smile.

“Touché.” He grinned back, when she relaxed and smiled like that she was breathtaking. “So, coffee today? After work maybe?”

“You're a persistent one, aren’t you?”

“It’s my middle name.”

“So, I know you gave your statement last night, but now that you’re here, why don’t you watch this with me, see if it jogs anything in your memory.”

She had ignored his second attempt at getting a date, but he could sense her weakening. She wanted to say yes, but something was holding her back. “I can stay and watch it with you.”

“Your boss won't mind?”

“Sweetheart, I am the boss,” he said with a chuckle. Florence obviously had no idea who he was, another thing he wasn't used to. People usually knew his identity and made up their minds about what kind of person he was before he even set foot in the same room.

“Oh, I thought this building belonged to Elliot Emerson.”

“It does. I'm an old friend of his, and when I decided to move my real estate business back here, he offered to let me rent some rooms until I decided where I want to set myself up.”

“Real estate…Lennox…oh, you’re Eli Lennox, owner of Lennox Real Estate,” she said, the tone of her voice implied she’d just had something she’d been worried about confirmed. She was a confusing one, this woman, he wished he knew what made her tick.

“In the flesh.”

“So you weren't joking about going to Florence, were you?”

“Not in the least.”

“You didn't get a look at the driver, did you?”

“No. I wish I did. I was watching you while I was waiting for my driver and I saw the car heading for you, I didn't think, I just reacted.”

“If you'd hesitated I'd be dead.”

The thought that Florence might have died before he’d had a chance to get to know her didn't sit well with him. “Lucky I'm quick on my feet,” he quipped to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, lucky. What time exactly did you come out?”

“Just before quarter to ten.”

She fiddled with the computer and fast-forwarded through the footage, stopping just before the time he’d said.

She pressed play, and they both watched as the security cameras caught a car come flying past. It was clear from what they could see that it had deliberately aimed right for Florence.

The car didn't swerve or waver, the driver obviously wasn't drunk or high.

The attack had been deliberate.

Someone had wanted Florence Harris dead, but was it because the driver had just wanted to kill someone or had she been targeted?

As they watched they saw Eli go running across the road and tackle Florence, both of them rolling onto the pavement.

Tires screeched as the car took off, zooming out of screen.

Florence paused it just before it disappeared. She turned to him with a grin on her face. “Look at that. We got a nice clear shot of the license plate.”

2:16 P.M.