“If it’s any consolation,” she went on. “I don’t think anyone will give you a fight over the treasure’s jurisdiction. That part I got right. That part I didn’t fuck up.”
“Cami—” Olivia began, reaching for the lawyer.
“No.” Cami held out a hand, shaking her head. “Don’t be nice to me. I can’t take any more niceness. Just know that it was a pleasure representing you all in this matter.”
“Come on, Cami. Don’t pull out that professional bullshit like we’re nothing more than a job to you,” Leo said gruffly. “You’ve become a friend and—”
“I feel the same way about all of you.” She cut him off. “Now, I have to go before I make a fool of myself.” She turned away but not before John had seen her face shatter.
Wrenching open the SUV’s back door, she quickly slid inside.
Leo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His words were quiet, meant only for those gathered around him, when he said, “Wish I knew what to say to make her feel better about all this.”
“Absolution will have to come from Doc.” Olivia echoed John’s own conclusions. “And he’s in Montana.”
“Montana?” Dana blinked incredulously. “He’s gone home already?”
“Just for a quick trip,” John explained. “He lit out of the house early this morning saying he’d be back in a couple days.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “Well. I…” She bit her lip, drawing his eyes to her mouth. Once again he was hit with the overwhelming urge to kiss her. “I guess I better get going.”
John’s stomach dropped. When she started to turn away, he caught her wrist. “Wait. When am I goin’ to see you again?”
“I, uh, just remembered I left somethin’ in the police station,” Leo said.
“I’ll come with you,” Olivia added, scurrying after her husband.
John watched them disappear through the glass doors and then turned back to Dana. “They’re both so subtle.” He made a face.
A light breeze tousled curls into her eyes. She lifted a hand to push them behind her ears, but he beat her to the punch, pinching the springy strands between his fingers before reluctantly dropping his hands from her face.
Touching her was such a treat. She was so warm and soft.
Her eyes searched his. There was a question there, but he wasn’t sure what it was. So he repeated his own. “When am I goin’ to see you again, darlin’?”
“Do youwantto see me again?”
His chin jerked back so fast it was a wonder he didn’t give himself whiplash. “’Course I do. Did you ever doubt it?”
“I just…” She bit her lip again, and this time he cupped her face with his hand and rubbed his finger over her mouth. “You keep gnawin’ on that thing and I’m not goin’ to be able to let you leave until you give me another chance to gnaw on it myself.”
A pretty blush stained her cheeks, but the look in her eyes was coy. “You don’t gnaw. You nip and lick and suck.”
Instant desire had his blood running hot. “Hmm. Yes. I do seem to recall that.”
She shivered despite the heat of the day, which was how he knew she was feeling everything he was.
Strange to have found his life’s passion at the ripe old age of sixty-five.
But I reckon it’s true what they say. Good things come to those who wait.
“How do we make this work, John?” There was entreaty in her voice. “You live here. I live in D.C.”
“I’m retired,” he came back instantly. “I can come visit you anytime you want me to. All you gotta do is invite me.”
“You’re invited.”
Her answer was so quick, he couldn’t help but chuckle. And damned if his heart wasn’t doing a happy dance. “Okay. When?”
