Maybe I should buy a new home?
My landline phone trills to life in the living room. Ignoring it, I snatch my wallet, keys and phone from where they ended up last night and head for my front door. I need to go down to the station. Talk to Hudson. Fill in Riggs. Have them both to coordinate with the sarg and get the fucker Allen charged.
I could follow him out of the Ridge? Make sure he doesn’t go near Sami. Let him know exactly what I’ll do to him if he does.
Yeah,thisis why I had to turn away from Sami this morning. She doesn’t need an overprotective arsehole almost twice her age in her life. And when it comes to Sami, I would be overprotective. I’d make sure nothing made her sad or scared or threatened in any way for the rest of her life.
Fuck, I’m never going to be able to forget her, am I?
My mobile phone vibrates to life in my hip pocket. I ignore it as well, slam the front door behind me, and stomp to my truck.
I stop halfway there, scowling at my empty carport.
Shit. The whole reason Sami drove us back here is because my Ranger’s back at the station house.
Fine. I’ll walk. The exercise will do me good. I’ll burn off some of the tension knotting through me.
Once again, my phone buzzes in my pocket, and guilt stabbing at me, I yank it out. It’s Riggs. Shit, is there a callout? God damn it. This is why I don’t do relationships or eventryto do relationships. “Everything okay, mate?” I ask after answering.
“Yeah, yeah.” The younger man snorts. “I called the sarg to let him know I’m heading up to last night’s callout to take a look and he filled me in on what happened this morning. The guy you busted in your yard? Allen Dutton? He confessed to setting the cabana alight.”
A ragged sigh bursts from me. “Good. Makes it easier for us all.”
“So you looking after that author from Sydney? Samantha something?”
My gut clenches. “She’s…headed off.”
“Really?” Shock fills Rigg’s voice.
I scowl. “Yeah, really.”
“It’s just… Well, with the way you looked at her?—”
“She’s just dealt with a stalker, Riggs,” I cut him off with a growl. “She doesn’t need an old fart making moves on her.”
“Mate,” Riggs says. “With the wayshelooked atyou, the guys and I had a bet you’d both be announcing your engagement within the week.”
I swallow. Stare down the driveway. My heart hammers in my ears.
The wayshelooked atyou…
Fuck. Have I pushed away the most amazing woman in the world because I behaved like an idiot?
“I mean,” Riggs continues, “if I were you, I’d go after her and let her know exactly?—”
“Tell the captain I’m taking the weekend off,” I say before killing the call and shoving my phone into my pocket. If I run straight through the bush as the crow flies, I’ll reach the road heading back into the Ridge before Sami. I’ll be scratched to hell and probably with a rolled ankle or two, but if it means I’ll catch up with her and can tell her how I feel, it’ll be worth it. Even if she tells me to sod off, at least I will have told her.
I bolt for the bush just as Sami pulls up into my driveway.
Almost tripping over my own feet, I stumble to a halt. My pulse pounds as she climbs out of her car.
I want to run to her. To yank her to my body and kiss her. To tell her I’m in love with her. To tell her I will protect and cherish her forever if she’ll let me.
We stare at each other.
She takes a step toward me. Only one. Her expression is guarded. Her eyebrows dip in an uncertain frown.
“Hey,” I say, slowly closing the distance between us. Step by step.
