“What do you mean they fit both profiles?” he asked. “Be specific.”
“Same exact profile, they all looked . . .” She let her words trail off, wishing she could take back what she had started to say. But it was too late. Mark was no fool. He would guess, or he would insist she explain.
“Like you?” he asked tensely.
“Yes, I suppose they do.” She swallowed back a feeling of sickness. “I wish you wouldn’t put it that way. I was going to say like the local victims.” A pregnant silence followed. Unable to take the wordlessness between them, she said, “Steve is meeting me in less than an hour to give me everything he has on the cases.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“You have to get dressed and go to the office. I’ll go by my place and change after I meet Steve.”
Mark’s lips firmed. “I’m going. Besides, we have to be in court at ten o’clock, so it will be just as well to already be together.”
“Five-thirty is the partners’ meeting. You remember?” she asked trying to distract him.
Mark shot her a look that said he knew what she was doing. “I’m coming with you.”
Lindsey felt her temper start to flare. “Mark, don’t start trying to keep me under thumb.”
She tried to move her legs and he held them with his hands. “I saw the way you hopped through that window, Lindsey. I’m worried about you.”
Men who tried to control her got nowhere. Mark included. “You’re starting to really tick me off. Let go of my legs.”
Mark wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, his mouth moving just above hers. “If you’re going to get mad because I care, then go ahead. It’s not going to make me back off.”
How he managed to deflate her anger, she wasn’t sure. In its place, a sizzling awareness settled, and when his lips pressed against hers, she was lost. Desire spread inch by inch, like a warm spray of water, rich with depth.
And when he pressed her back into the couch, and she felt his weight settle over hers, she forgot everything but him.
* * * * *
Still flush from the pleasure of their lovemaking, Lindsey scrambled for her clothes. Mark was in the shower, so she had a mere few minutes to make her escape. No way was she taking Mark with her to meet Steve. The last thing she needed was Steve getting all tight-lipped about what he knew.
And just because she and Mark made love, that didn’t mean he was now her sidekick.
If anything, his insistence on joining her only made her more determined to go without him. She liked Mark. Maybe too much. But Mark, or any other man, for that matter, was not going to start controlling her. Been there, done that, already had the t-shirt.
Besides, she would be going home to Washington. That, in and of itself, was a good reason to keep things light. Once dressed, Lindsey quickly scribbled a note to Mark and grabbed her purse before she headed for the door. She paused as she reached for the knob and sighed, a bit of regret filling her mind and making her stomach flutter.
She hated to end their night with this kind of departure. But what option did he leave her?
* * * * *
Mark stepped out of the shower, towel wrapped around his waist. He had just finished lathering his face with warm shaving cream when he realized how quiet Lindsey had become. A bad feeling made him step into the bedroom. “Lindsey?”
Something moved on the bed, caught in the draft of the ceiling fan. The instant he brought it into focus he cursed, and moved towards the bed. It was a damn note. She’d taken off without him. He grabbed the paper.
I had to go alone. Steve won’t tell me everything he knows with a stranger present.
Sorry, Lindsey
He crumbled the note in his hand. She was killing him. As amazing as their time together had been , it was abundantly clear he had no control over her. Why did everything have to be so damn complicated with her? And why in the hell couldn’t he just walk away?
* * * * *
Lindsey walked into the coffee shop, and immediately spotted Steve.
He was, after all, pretty hard to miss, considering he was the only guy in the place linebacker big, black, and dressed in a suit. He pushed to his feet the minute he saw her, and held out his arms, offering her one of his teddy bear-sweet hugs that so didn’t match his intimidating physical presence.
After a few moments of heartfelt happy greetings, they sat down at the table Steve had been holding for them. A cup of steaming hot coffee sat in front of Lindsey. Steve grinned. “I got your favorite. A venti Carmel latte.”
She felt the ache of her past actions both in her stomach and the ache in her heart. He was a good friend, a close one, and she had turned away from him. “Thanks Steve,” she said, trying not to choke on emotion. “How are Louise and the kids?”
“The kids are kids. Tommy got suspended for pulling the fire alarm and Sally put gum in her hair. Louise, on the other hand, is mad as hell at you for forgetting about us.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I don’t even know what to say. Everything sounds like an excuse. The bottom line is I was afraid of anything that tied me to the past. I needed a new life. But I regret making you a part of what I shut out.”
His expression softened at her honesty. “I know it’s hard for you to be back here, faced with running the firm.”
She reached for her cup. “And this case.” The warm liquid seemed to soothe her nerves. Some people claimed caffeine put them on edge. Lindsey felt it gave her life. “Mmmm,” she said, “I missed this. No one makes a caramel latte like this place.” She sat her cup down, “And, believe me, I have tried to find a match.”
“I guess you haven’t broken that caffeine habit of yours.” Steve chuckled as he reached for his orange juice.
She crinkled her nose at him. Years of working long hours had pretty much made coffee a food group by her standards. “I see you haven’t broken your healthy eating habit.”
Steve leaned back in his chair. “Yes, still got that bad habit.” He laughed. “You are a piece of work, Lindsey.”
She laughed. “So you have always said.”
“What are you going to do about the firm?”
She took another drink of coffee, and another. Just thinking about her situation made her agitated. Mark really did have her captive. “Trying to get Mark Reeves to take it back.”
“And?”
She sighed and sat her cup down. “He’s agreed to help me for six months, but swears he won’t stay beyond.”
Surprise registered in his eyes. “You’re staying for six months, or he’s letting you go back to Washington?”
“He won’t help unless I stay.” Her tone was one of frustration. “Not at all how I want this to play out. But for now, I am stuck with this case, and will at least see it through.”
Steve leaned forward. “I don’t know Mark, but I know his reputation, and it’s a strong one.”
“Oh, he’s good at what he does. Too good for my dad to have lost him. I can only hope time will work in my favor and Mark will decide to stay.”
“And if he doesn’t?” he asked.
“I don’t know if my father will practice again. He certainly can’t run the firm. I will have to find someone to take over.”
“But not you.”
“No,” she said firmly. “Not me.”
Ready to change the subject and concerned about time, she said, “I have to shower and be to court by ten. What do you have for me?”
Steve pulled a large folder out of a notebook sitting on the table. “Three girls in Vegas raped and killed. All three look . . .”
She shot him a reprimanding look. “I know,” she paused for a beat, “like me. We all know this. What else?”
He gave her a measuring gaze. “You need to just chill, Lindsey. I don’t like that these girls look like you. It would be too damn easy for you to become a target.” He paused as he looked her over closely. “Make sure you’re not being followed. Those girls were all grabbed from behind. Be aware of your surroundings.”