CHAPTER 13
HELEN
I gather the fabric to create some pleats as I start to glue it into place on the metal lampshade form. I’m more than a little aware of the huge smile on my face while I’m working. It’s impossible for me not to.
Rhodes left yesterday after spending the night with me. This time he hasn’t disappeared.
He’s kept in contact. A lot.
But it doesn’t feel suffocating. It feels reassuring.
And he hasn’t let me forget that I promised not to get involved in the ongoing investigation. It’s not like the man was going to give me a choice. I was in no position to argue either.
I was scared out of my mind out there and regretting trying to investigate something I had no business getting involved in. I’m not too proud to admit I was wrong. Okay, maybe I am, but I’m trying.
It is true that I knew I was fucking up. I should have turned around long before Rhodes found me.
But he did find me.
And as I lay in his arms, his hand slid up and down my back. Even though his touch was gentle, I could hear the barely contained anger in his voice as he ground out, “You can’t ever do anything like what you did tonight.”
I peeked up at him to find him focused on me already. The look in his eyes was intense. It made me want to squirm in his hold.
“I don’t want to scare you, but I’m also afraid if I don’t then you’ll do something like that again.” His voice dropped to a horrified whisper layered with fear, “What if I wasn’t there tonight? What if I hadn’t seen you?”
The breath that rushed out of me was harsh and wobbly.
He buried his face in my hair and took a deep, steadying breath. I understood because his smokey, cedar scent felt like comfort to me.
Even though it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
It feels right.
“I know I made a mistake going out there,” I whispered the words, meaning them to the depths of me. “I was so scared and I’m not going to be chasing down that feeling again any time soon.”
“Good,” he breathed out and I could feel the tension seeping out of him. He gave me a long look before telling me, with all seriousness, “If you do anything like that again, I will arrest you.”
I barked out a laugh of surprise, but he didn’t join me. He simply arched an eyebrow in challenge. I shook my head at him incredulously because it was earned.
“On what charge?” I sassed him even though I fully believed—and still do—that he would follow through without hesitation.
Rhodes let out a sigh but didn’t answer my question. Honestly, he didn’t need to. He was giving me fair warning.
“Please don’t put me in the position of losing you, Sweetheart.” His voice rumbled through me, and I felt enveloped by him in a way that was sweet while also promising pleasure. And I wanted all of it. “I couldn’t bear it.”
The pain in his voice felt real. I melted against him and whispered my promises again because I knew he needed to hear them.
AndI meant every word. There’s no way I was going to make the same mistake twice. And I was very aware, even before Rhodes brought it up, just how much danger I was in.
My promise seemed to do the trick and he let it go. But I’m under no delusion about him never bringing it up again. I’m sure he will. Because the fear he felt when I was that close to potential danger was real.
And I fell just a little bit deeper for the man.
I’m hoping he calls today to make some plans. I’ve been trying to ignore the antsy feeling from not seeing him in more than a day, but it’s not easy.
The only solace is that he hasn’t disappeared.
I’ve been channeling my energy, which is a mix of nervousness and hopefulness, into something good. This lampshade is going to be pretty. Delicate. Romantic.
