He ran his hand through her wavy hair. He brushed it back from her face. Then his hand traced a path down the side of her angular jaw. He watched her eyelids flutter open. They focused in on him. Confusion crossed her face, then a flash of recognition. He stroked her jaw with his thumb.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to sleep here. I was going to go back to my bed after you fell asleep.”

“It’s okay.”

“No. It’s not okay.”

“No, it is. After the nightmare I had, I wouldn’t have slept at all if you’d left me.”

He heaved a sigh. Then he looked down at her. Her body pressed against his, warm, soft and sweet. Too sweet. And too accessible. Half of his brain yelled at him to get up, to get out of there. The other half wanted nothing more than to cover her mouth with his. Desire settled hot and heavy in the pit of his stomach. Now he couldn’t get up, or she would see how much she affected him. He brushed his fingers through her hair.

“Morning,” he said with a smile.

She smiled back and chuckled.

“Morning.”

She laid her cheek back on his chest. They laid there like that for a few minutes.

Dante wrestled for control of his body, while he said a silent prayer for the bedspread that hid his desire from her. He looked at the clock. He didn’t want to move yet, but someone would come looking for him soon. This was not where he wanted David to find him. He thought of everything unpleasant and unsexy, while he stared at the ceiling. He didn’t dare look at the gorgeous woman beside him. He thought of ice cold showers, every painful hangover he ever had, and every unattractive woman that ever hit on him. Finally, finally, he felt he could get up without embarrassing himself.

He tapped Laurie’s back.

“All right. Time to get up.”

Laurie rolled off him and sat up. She hugged her knees, her hair hung like a curtain over her shoulders. She rested her chin on her knee, watching him.

Dante walked barefoot over to the bathroom, clothes in hand. When he came back out, she was in the same position.

“You okay?” He raised his eyebrows at her.

“Yeah, just waking up.”

“All right. I’ll see you downstairs in a few minutes.”

He turned and headed for the door.

“Dante?” she said as he reached for the doorknob.

He turned toward her.

“Thank you for being there for me. You don’t have to do everything you do for me, and I know it. Thank you.”

Her words made him smile. His chest lifted. Before he even realized what he was doing, he walked back to her bed. He caught her chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting her face up to meet him.

“You deserve nothing less.” He caressed her cheek.

She blushed and looked away.

He stared down at her, sitting on her bed, hugging her knees. Her hair was splayed out, her cheeks flushed attractively. He couldn’t explain what he felt looking at her. He knew he needed to leave, or he was going to get himself into more trouble than he could get out of. He traced his hand down to her shoulder and upper arm in a lingering caress. Then he turned and strode out of the room.

CHAPTER NINE

Laurie read all through the morning and afternoon, while Dante wrote a report on the Evan James visit. He titled it “The guy who I almost killed and why I wanted to kill him, but didn’t.” He erased it and put an official title on the report before he sent it. The title was too long anyway.

Mostly, Dante watched Laurie read a book. He could see it was a book on justice from the title. He guessed it was from one of her law classes. She would find a comfortable position on her back, propped up by a pillow. Then she would turn on her side and read like that for a while. Then she would sit on the couch facing forward, cross-legged. After a while she would start all over again. He didn’t know why he was watching her read, but after he finished his report, he started looking into the kind of classes she would have taken at her college this semester. He tried to find something online that would be comparable.

David’s cell phone rang. He seemed embarrassed to be called at work as he checked the number.

“Boss? It’s my wife.” David looked up, worry tightening the lines around his eyes.

“She’s pregnant, David. Take the call.” Dante nodded.

“Yeah, okay.” David flipped the phone open and rushed into the kitchen.

Laurie sat up on the couch. She put her book down. She toyed with the remote but didn’t turn on the TV.

“Can’t hear him from here?” Dante smirked.

“No.” She smiled. “Can you?”

“Is eavesdropping ethical, counselor?”

“It is if your friend is about to have his first baby!” she hissed.

Dante chuckled, and her eyes glowed.

David walked back into the room. His hand with the cell phone floated down to his side. He stared out the window, wide-eyed, his breathing shallow.

“Everything okay, David?” Dante put the laptop down.

“My wife thinks she might be in labor, but it’s too early. She’s not supposed to have the baby for another month and a half!” His brow furrowed.

“Well, babies can come early sometimes. I was a month early. Is she going to the hospital?” Laurie hung over the back of the couch.

“She’s waiting for the doctor to call her back. Then her mother’s taking her.”

“I thought her family was all back home?” Laurie clasped her hands together.

“Her mother flew in after I left for this assignment. She didn’t want Mary to be by herself during the last trimester.”

David started pacing.

“Are you excited to have your first child?” Laurie beamed at him. She rocked back and forth on the couch.

“Yeah. I’m…” David stared at the end of the couch.

“Really nervous?” she supplied.

David laughed.

“Yes. I mean. I could be a father tonight. A father!” He threw out his arms.

“Don’t get too excited yet. Sometimes a woman can have a false alarm this close to the delivery.” Laurie put up a hand of caution.

“I know, but she said she was in a lot of pain. Like a contraction. Her water hasn’t broken, but I hope she’s okay.”

“I’m sure her mother is taking good care of her.” Dante leaned back in his chair.

“It must be hard to be away from her.” Laurie propped her chin on her elbow.

“Yes. It’s been hard. I mean, I love my job.” David glanced at Dante and back to Laurie. “You’re a great lady, Ms. Laurie. But it’s been tough being away from her, especially now.”

“It must be difficult to give up being with the one you love for your job. It’s a tough sacrifice to make.” Laurie sat back on her knees and ankles.

“I don’t think of it that way, Ms. Laurie. It’s a privilege, you know. To protect you. Well, to protect a witness. You’re making the world a better place, right? Keeping bad guys off the street.” David continued to pace.

Dante smiled, watching the two of them. David sounded so young. He could picture David as a kid, watching a cop movie, deciding what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“Yes, David. Soon you’ll have a baby to make the world safe for.” Laurie leaned forward onto the couch again.

“I will! I’ll have a baby. I’m having a baby.”

His eyes unfocused as he stared out at the volcano in the distance. His brows were arched, his face a shade or two paler than usual. He began to scan the horizon, as if he was trying to see Mary through the trees.

“How many babies do you want to have?” Laurie raised her eyebrows at him.

“Oh, lots of them. I love kids.” David turned toward her again. “How about you, Ms. Laurie? Do you want kids?”

“Someday, when I find the right man and fall in love.” Laurie turned on the couch, looking at Dante. “Do you want children, Dante?”

Dante paused. His gaze locked with Laurie’s for a moment. Images of a pregnant Laurie flashed in his mind. Then her carrying a toddler on her hip or giving the baby a bath. He was willing to bet she’d make a fantastic mother. With those kind eyes, that easy smile, the way she pushed her own fears aside to hike, and smile, and laugh with him. Yes, she would make a fantastic mother.