Open Wounds (Harbour Bay #2)(35)

“I’m not about to step away, Detective, but I will try to be objective about this. It’ll be a trial, I know that. I don’t hate easily, but when I do, I have good reason. We have a case to close and justice to be had. Will you walk me out?”

Darryl nodded. “Sure. Come on.”





Chapter 17



Kellie followed Darryl across the deserted car park of the LAC. The moon, bright and full reflected on car windows, overshadowing the small insignificant stars around it. The ground was damp from a quick shower earlier in the evening and the clouds bringing rain had caught the humidity in the air.

She moved cautiously across the pavement towards her car. Silently, Darryl slowed, matching his usually long stride to her skirt-hindered smaller ones. She was always edgy at night, alert for any danger. She held her keys in her hand, having removed them from her purse earlier while waiting for the elevator to open so she could escape the male dominated carriage.

She was acutely aware of him, his presence overwhelming her. Every breath she took filled her lungs with the decadent scent of him—spicy and woodsy and completely male, sending her stomach fluttering. Her hormones were in chaos and her body craved him. She’d never had such a potent response to a man before. She felt off-balance, her world turned upside down. God, she wanted him.

Nick could be considered hot, but Darryl blew him out of the water with his sexy liquid brown eyes and short hair. He was just so—wow. It was the only word she could think of that described him. Six feet of healthy male. Wide shoulders. Thick, strong chest. Hard, defined pecs.

There wasn’t a soft part anywhere on him. She’d felt that and more when he’d been on top of her during the attack. At the time, she hadn’t fully appreciated her position. But in the aftermath, disappointment filled her that she hadn’t been able to enjoy that delicious weight bearing down on her, his chest crushing her breasts, his warm breath on her face as he stared deep into her eyes. She imagined him slowly lowering his head to take her lips with a rough, passionate kiss full of promise.

Her blood heated with arousal and an ache began, gaining momentum with insistence she do something about it. And fast.

Kellie tried to move quicker but a combination of her heels and tight skirt made it impossible. She silently cursed her outfit and Amelia, who had been right. She would’ve killed for a pair of jeans and sneakers right about now. If only to get away from the delicious male beside her. The man was in serious danger of being attacked by a blonde with carnal thoughts. Her overactive imagination painted vivid pictures of what she could do to him.

She bit back a moan and a curse. How dare he have such control over her? She could barely think with him around and she was perilously close to losing her sanity. Was he even aware of what he did to her? Of what she’d like him to do to her?

Candles. Silk sheets. Darryl’s impressive naked chest. Her cries of pleasure.

“Do you see your mother often?”

The sound of his voice almost had her tripping over her feet as she startled once again. Darryl reached out and caught her arm before she landed face first. She murmured her thanks even as her face flamed. Thankfully it was dark enough that he wouldn’t be able to see.

Seriously, what the hell had happened to her?

She should be thinking about the case, Coleani, Mia, and a thousand other things instead of fantasising about Darryl. It was hardly professional and she was pretty sure it fell under sexual harassment. She tried to push thoughts of him aside and focused on his question.

“No,” she replied, coolly. Thoughts of her mother always had that effect on her and this time she felt thankful for it. Anything to cool off the desire she had for Darryl. “She OD’d a couple of years ago. I guess she figured I no longer needed her here, so she just ended her pain.”

Darryl sent her a sideways glance. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. Her mother had been gone long before she’d died.

“Don’t be. She was never a very strong person. Even before my father died. She was a follower, happy to go along with someone else’s plans. What about you? How did you end up in Harbour Bay?”

She felt the topic of conversation was safe enough as she led him towards her car. She had to admit she was interested in knowing more about him. Even if it would simply add more fuel to the ever growing fire inside her. She wanted to know him. She wanted to connect with him and not just in the most basic of ways.

“You don’t know? I thought you would’ve read it in my file,” he stated, obviously fishing for information.

“You know that would be an invasion of privacy. Besides, I rather like asking questions. It helps me fine-tune my people reading skills. I like to know when someone is lying to me.”

Darryl smiled almost indulgently, and touched her arm, stopping her. The touch burned and he quickly released her. Had he felt it too?

“Okay. I moved around a lot as a kid. My father was in the army, so when I finished my Detective’s exam I looked for a permanent position which led to Harbour Bay. Satisfied?”

Hardly.

“So do you think you’ll stay here? I mean after all those years of moving around, I’d think you’d want some semblance of stability, am I right?”

He took his time answering. “You’re right. I want a place to hang my hat, so to speak, and I really think Harbour Bay may be that place. I just don’t know yet. Time will tell.”