Stone Cold Heart (Tracers #13)(43)

“Don’t worry about it.”

She brushed her hair from her eyes, seeming self-conscious again. She didn’t like him finding her in a private moment, and she was also probably worried about how it looked that they’d disappeared into the woods together.

Nolan checked his watch. “One of our officers is bringing subs for you guys. He should be here by now.”

“Thank you. They’ll appreciate that. I’ll reimburse you.”

“Get real.”

She gazed up at him for a long moment. “I should get back.”

“You should.”

But she didn’t move. She just stood there, staring up at him. He’d been about to leave, but the look in her eyes kept him rooted in place. Going with his intuition, he wrapped his arms around her. She rested her cheek against his chest, and relief rippled through him. At that moment, she needed him, and he was more than happy to hold her as long as she wanted.

She eased back.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, smoothing her hair. “I’m a mess today.”

“Don’t apologize. Take all the time you need here. I’ll keep an eye on the crime scene.” He stepped back to give her some space.

“Wait.” She put her hand on his arm. “I wanted to talk to you. About last night.”

Damn it, he’d wondered if this was coming. She had that worry line between her brows now.

“You’re mad I kissed you,” he said.

“No. God. That part was good. I’m just . . .”

He stepped closer. “What? Just say it.”

“I go back to San Marcos today.”

He didn’t respond.

“I live there, you live here. So what’s the point of starting something?”

Nolan smiled slightly. “Does everything have to have a point?”

“Well . . . yes.”

He shook his head.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing at all.” He gazed down at her. “Anything else?”

She looked confused. “No.”

“Good. See you at the crime scene.”

He left her there looking perplexed and headed back to civilization. She probably thought she’d talked him out of pursuing this thing, whatever it was. But she hadn’t. Yeah, they lived in different places, but he liked her. More with every damn minute he spent with her, even when she was puking on his boots. There was something special about her, and he was determined to get her to give him a chance.

That part was good.

It was a small admission, but he’d take it.

Talia intercepted him on the edge of the clearing beside the scene tape. She looked over his shoulder, and her expression turned suspicious.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“Biggs is here with sandwiches. Is Sara back there?”

“She’s coming.”

“Well, what does she say?”

“She doesn’t know all the facts yet, but she will soon.”

“And?” Talia looked up at him expectantly.

“And you need to brace yourself.” Nolan put his hand on her shoulder. “This case is going to get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better.”





CHAPTER 13


Sara scrolled through the photos of personal effects. The number of images was mind-numbing, and she’d already narrowed her search as much as possible by category.

She glanced at the small pendant in its clear plastic bag. She’d been thinking about it ever since she’d unearthed it at that first burial pit. She held the bag up to the light now and looked for any distinguishing marks, but, as before, there was nothing.

Aaron walked into the lab and placed a cardboard cup beside her computer. “Tall skinny latte, as requested.”

She looked up at him blankly.

“I knew it.” He slurped the foam off his icy concoction. “You don’t remember, do you? On my way out the door, I asked if you wanted your usual, and you said, ‘Yeah, sure,’ without looking up.”

“Sorry. I was distracted.”

“No joke. You’ve been out of it all day.”

Sara focused on her computer, trying not to react. She had been out of it not just today but yesterday and the day before that. Every day since she’d met Nolan, she’d been off-kilter. No, ever since she’d kissed him. Or since he’d kissed her. However it had happened, it had thrown everything off balance. How absurd that one little kiss could do this.

She shouldn’t have let the time go. She should have had a rebound relationship by now, something to help her hit reset on her sex life. But her breakup with Patrick had been hard, and then one month had rolled into another and another. It had been two years since there had been a man in her life. And the weird thing was, she hadn’t missed it. Sure, she’d missed the physical part sometimes. But she hadn’t missed having a man around to sway her moods and steer her plans and edit her decisions. She liked her independence, and she didn’t plan to give it up, ever again.

Anyway, this whole train of thought was pointless. She had too much work to do to get sidetracked with a romance that wasn’t going anywhere. And it wasn’t—no matter how much she liked talking with Nolan. Or kissing him. He was the lead detective on her most important case, and she needed to get their relationship back on a professional footing.