Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(66)
He smiled back at her and she blushed as he took her in. “You look beautiful.”
She laughed, unsure how to take the compliment. “Come on in.”
They walked inside and Chester trotted over to him, lifting his big brown eyes as if expecting Nick to offer something more than a pat on the head.
“What, I have to bring you treats to visit?”
Chester walked away and slumped back down on his rug, his eyes closed within seconds. Josie imagined the dog had been hoping for Dillon.
“What brings you this way?” she asked. They walked into the living room and sat down next to each other on the couch.
“A kidnapping in Alpine. A retired oil executive from Exxon.”
Josie felt her skin grow cold and she saw the realization in Nick’s expression.
He looked away from her and pointed back to the door, trying for a quick change in conversation. “You gonna take me for a burrito? I’ve been craving one for months now. I have to come to Texas to find a Mexican burrito. My father would disown me if he heard that.”
*
When Josie and Nick arrived at the Hot Tamale, Lucy was standing at the door smiling. She opened the door and ushered them into the diner.
“You back to visit us? I missed you! So many burritos you ate! Remind me, what’s your name?”
He grinned. “Nick. I’m Burrito Nick.”
“Yes, yes!” She looked at Josie. “And my favorite cop too. Come in and sit down anywhere. I’ll get you menus and two Dos Equis. Yes?”
Josie nodded. “Perfect. Thanks, Lucy.”
They sat at Josie’s spot by the front window.
“You’re still her favorite, huh?”
“Until another cop walks in and takes my place.”
Lucy set two opened Dos Equises on the table, sweat already dripping down the labels. “You want me to order for you? I know what you want already.”
Nick grinned again. “You are the ultimate waitress. You take all the work out of being a customer. Whatever you bring me will be outstanding.”
Josie gave Lucy a thumbs-up and she disappeared. Twenty minutes later she returned with plates with massive chicken burritos piled high with lime rice, salsa, and pico de gallo so hot it made Josie’s tongue ache.
Josie caught Nick up on the local politics and Mayor Moss’s latest antics. She discussed the murder of Ferris Sinclair and Billy’s suicide. Nick avoided talk of the Medranos, saying he didn’t want to ruin a nice evening. Instead he talked about the vacation he took to Belize after he finished with Dillon’s case. He’d spent two weeks there with his younger brother hanging out on the beach, reading and sleeping.
Josie was surprised at how comfortable the evening was. Even the ride back to her house was filled with easy conversation. She realized she wasn’t nervous at all—until they pulled into her driveway, and things suddenly became more complicated.
Nick turned off the car and got out when Josie did. He didn’t ask if he should come in, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. While she wanted Nick to follow her into the house, she had no idea what to do once they entered.
Standing in front of the door, Nick grabbed her wrist as she started to press her code into the security pad. Surprised, she turned slightly and found Nick behind her, his chest pressing into her back.
“Let’s see how good of a cop you are,” he said.
He reached around her and pressed the first number of a six-digit code. She had given him the number when he was staying at her home during the negotiation. She smiled. The day he moved out he had told her to change her security codes. He pressed the remaining five numbers and the tumblers clicked and whisked and the door opened just an inch, allowing him access into her home.
His head was just behind hers. He whispered into her neck. “Josie. You don’t follow directions very well.”
She pushed the door open, grinning.
The light from the table lamp in the living room cast a soft white glow across the room. She laid her purse on the coffee table and offered him a drink.
“You don’t want to deaden your senses.”
She turned from the coffee table to face him, smiling still. “What does that mean?”
“It means you need a clear head tonight.”
“I always heard, a cop should never hook up with another cop.”
“I'm not asking you to marry me.”
“What are you asking for then?”
“I'm asking you to kiss me.”
She hesitated. “Dillon hasn’t been gone that long. It’s too soon. It's—”
“Too soon for what? To feel happy? To enjoy life for an evening?”
Josie felt her face turn hot. “I’m no good at this.”
He put his hand out and she took it. He turned and led her down the hallway and into her bedroom, where he unlocked and opened the window. She stood at the end of her bed feeling like a high school girl.
A breeze fluttered the curtains. The moonlight cast long shadows across the white blanket and sheets. The smell of the night desert filled her bedroom and she took in the scent. He stood in front of her but didn’t touch her.
“I’ve thought about you almost every day since I left here,” he said.
Josie didn’t know what to say. She’d thought of Nick, but mostly in terms of the job he had performed. She had been so caught up in her own drama that any other feelings were silenced.