“What was his name?”
“Elio.”
“Elio,” she says softly, testing the word on her lips.
My heart contracts at the sound. What I wouldn’t give to introduce her to him. He would be so happy for me. He’d also kick my ass if I hurt her, not that I plan to, but I never thought I’d hurt my family either.
“I should visit him more,” I admit quietly.
“I know how you feel. We could go by tomorrow while we’re out, if you want. No pressure,” she hurries to add.
“Another time, when things are safer.”
Her nod morphs into a mighty yawn.
“You ready for bed?” I ask.
“Not yet. I think I’ll watch a little TV first.”
“Sounds good to me. I have some computer work to do.”
We put our dishes in the sink to deal with in the morning, and I grab my laptop from my office. While she watches TV onthe sofa, I sit on the adjacent loveseat and continue scanning hours of video footage from her apartment building. I wanted to sit next to her, but I didn’t want to have to explain what I'd found earlier today. Some things are better left in the dark.
I eventually find the culprit entering her apartment, but the footage offers little to help us. The man is wearing a ball cap with a jacket and long pants. I can’t see his face or even hair color, nor do his clothes bear any distinguishing markers.
I separate a small clip of him in the hallway and email it to one of our tech guys, asking him to see if he can gather any other CCTV from that day tracking the man.
“Okay, it’s getting late,” I announce.
“Yeah, I’m ready to conk out.” She turns off the TV and heads toward the bedroom. When she turns back to say good night and sees I’m following her, her brows knit together.
I turn her shoulders back toward the bedroom hallway. “Keep going, or did you forget where the bedroom is?”
“What are you doing?”
“Going to bed.”
“With me?” she squeaks.
“Yes, I’m going to sleep inmybed.”
“I can move to the guest room, if you want.”
I raise my brow. “That’s not happening. You’re staying in my bed … with me.”
She opens her mouth to argue.
I hold up a finger to stop her. “There’s no pressure or expectations here, Rina. We’re simply two adults sleeping in a single bed. Now, keep moving.”
Her jaw snaps shut. She does as I say, but damn if she doesn’t shoot me a haughty look over her shoulder in the process. It takes everything I have not to give her ass a swat.
I know I’m walking a fine line, so I refrain. But once we’re in bed, I pull her close until she’s nestled against my side.
“I thought this was just two people sleeping in a bed,” she reminds me pointedly.
“It is, firefly,” I whisper. “Just you and me and our dreams.”
Slowly, her body softens against mine. She lasts all of five minutes before her breathing signals she’s fallen asleep. Safe and secure and all mine, whether she knows it or not.
