In His Sights (11 page)

Then she sighed and turned to Chris, annoyance replaced by worry. “She has a bad habit of dashing off when she's excited. I know the impulsiveness is mostly her age, but it still scares me sometimes.”

“That's understandable. I'm no expert on kids, but it seems many of them go through that stage. That's why
we do safety programs and such—to try to get them to stop and think before they act. We know it works because we hear from parents who've said their children remembered our lessons and saved their own lives or someone else's.”

“That's so impressive. You really make a difference.”

“Not in the same way you do. You're the one with all the smarts, but thanks.”

“Hey, that's not true. And we both save lives, so we're the same in that regard. Come on—let's get the stuff out.”

He got the heavier basket and cooler, then Robyn helped him with the tablecloth and putting out the chips and plastic cups. He also grabbed a gym bag and tossed it to the ground by the table. When everything was ready, they sat next to each other on the table's bench seat facing the playground, and Chris put his arm around her shoulders. He liked that she scooted closer, leaning into him.

“What's in the gym bag?” she asked, pointing.

“I brought some things for Maddy to play with, like a football. She and I had a lot of fun the other day with that.”

Robyn smiled. “You just happened to have a football lying around?”

“No,” he admitted. “I bought it a couple of days ago. But I used to have one, back when I played in high school.”

“I knew it. I had you figured for a jock. Did you play in college?”

“For a while, quarterback. Had a couple of scouts from the NFL eyeing me at one point, but then I blew
out my shoulder and that was the end of it. I went into law enforcement instead and I've never regretted it.”

“I'm glad. If you had taken a different path, I might never have met you.”

“That's the nicest thing anybody's said to me in a long time,” he told her softly. Then he leaned in and stole a chaste kiss, mindful of Maddy nearby.

“It's the truth.” Her eyes were warm.

“I'm glad, too.”

They sat quietly for a moment, enjoying each other's company. “So, what else is in the bag?”

“A Frisbee, a set of horseshoes, and a remote-controlled helicopter.”

“A what? Um, we're next to the
river
. If it goes for a swim, it's a goner.”

“Yeah, maybe that one wasn't the best idea. But I think we can walk to that field over there, away from the water, and give it a try.”

“I know why you get along with kids—you're a big kid yourself.”

“I can't deny that.”

Maddy called out for someone to push her on the swings, so Robyn did that for a while. Chris soaked up the sight of them, and the awesome day, perfectly content. By the time Maddy was tired of swinging, everyone was hungry.

Robyn opened the basket and unwrapped turkey and bacon sandwiches on ciabatta rolls, putting a plain one on a plate for Maddy. His and Robyn's had lettuce, tomato, and mayo, and he was practically salivating when they were ready to eat.

That simple meal went down on his list of all-time favorites.

Not so much for the food, but just being here with Robyn and Maddy. Feeling part of two other people in a way he never had before.
This
was how it should have been when he was a kid. He should have been like Maddy, happy and well adjusted. Loved by both of his parents. They'd never had days like this in all his life.

He stopped chewing as a realization smacked him between the eyes. He was thinking in terms of a family. With these two, who were slowly worming their way into his heart. Hadn't he known that's what was happening? Maybe, deep down. But acknowledging what he wanted—even just to himself—was sort of scary.

How could he be any kind of positive role model for Maddy when his own childhood had sucked so badly?

“Chris?”

His gaze snapped to hers to find her staring at him from across the table. “Hmm?” Quickly, he finished chewing the bite of sandwich.

“You okay?”

“Oh, sure. Just thinking about work.” He wasn't sure why he lied. Except it just seemed too soon to broach the possibility of his being a part of their future. Instead, he went with something he
could
speak about. “I talked to my captain about that issue we were discussing, the one involving Eden.” He was well aware of small ears, and was careful.

Glancing at Maddy, she nodded. “What did he say?”

“The chief made them aware of the concerns you and the ME have, and I've been given permission to unofficially take a look at the list of people affected.”

“That's good,” she said with relief. “Maybe you'll find a connection somewhere.”

“I'm sure going to try.”

After that, talk was kept lighthearted, and he made sure to include Maddy in the conversation. He wouldn't tolerate her feeling left out or ignored—by himself or anyone else. The protectiveness that came over him where she was concerned still amazed him. She wasn't his, and damned if that didn't sting a little.

After dinner was cleared away, it was time for football. He and Maddy even coaxed Robyn into participating, despite her protests that athletics were not her thing. They tossed the ball back and forth for a while, letting the little girl “score” now and then and spike the ball.

Horseshoes were a bit out of Maddy's skill set just yet—her arms were too short and skinny to throw the U-shaped irons with much strength, so that game quickly waned.

The remote-controlled helicopter, however, was another matter. The gadget was met with unbridled enthusiasm, and so he took her over to the field to try her hand at junior piloting. He demonstrated a couple of runs, showing her how to work the controls, and then relinquished them to her.

It soon became clear that the small copter was not going home in the same shape in which it had arrived. He didn't mind—he simply enjoyed watching her have such fun. Robyn called out encouragement and tried to give her directions, but the toy crashed again and again, spending more time on the ground than it did in the air. Maddy didn't care.

Then suddenly the thing remained aloft for an extended run, the little girl shouting in delight at her improved flying. Inevitably, however, the copter got away from her. But this time it soared away from the water and directly into a stand of trees some forty yards away. The toy was totally swallowed by the foliage.

“I'll get it!” she yelled. Then she took off after it like a bullet.

“Maddy, wait!”

The girl paid no heed, and Chris gave her mother a rueful smile. “I'll go help her look for it.”

The kid was fast, disappearing into the trees before he could catch up. Stopping, he listened and could hear her crashing through the undergrowth—and suddenly the noise stopped. He waited a few heartbeats, but there was no sound at all. A chill crept down his spine.

“Maddy? Where are you?” Nothing. “Maddy!”

His feet got moving, jumping over logs and dodging branches. Getting desperate, he looked all around, calling her name with increasing worry.
Don't panic. She's fine.

Then she was there, jogging back toward him with the toy in hand, grinning triumphantly. He blew out a breath and met her halfway, then crouched in front of her and put his hands on her slim shoulders.

“Maddy, listen to me.” At his firm, serious tone, her smile slid off her face and her eyes widened. “Never go running off like that again where your mom and I can't see you. I was getting scared when I couldn't find you. Do you understand?”

“Yeah,” she said in a small voice. “But I was okay. The man helped me find it.”

His blood turned to ice. “What man?”

“The man in the trees.” Turning, she pointed behind her in the direction from which she'd come. “Back there. I saw him and he had the helicopter. Then he gave it back to me.”

Oh God
. “Did he say anything to you?”

“He said I should be more careful not to lose my toys.”

All right, that's not really threatening. Breathe.
“Anything else?”

She shrugged. “He told me kids get hurt when they don't stay with their mommies and daddies. And even sometimes when they do.”

Chris swallowed hard. “Is that all?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Okay. Let's go find your mom.”

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he guided her out of the trees and over to where Robyn waited. There was a smile on her face—until she noted the expression on his.

“What's wrong?”

Fishing in his pocket, he dug out his keys. “Take these and go wait in the car, please. And lock the doors.”

“Why? Where are you going?”

“I'm going to see if I can find the man Maddy was talking to in the woods and thank him for being so helpful in finding her toy,” he said in an even voice. But she read the truth on his face. The incident had rattled him, and he wanted to find this man, check him out.

She nodded, striving to keep her voice light. “All right. We'll be waiting.”

Turning, he jogged back to the area that Maddy had come from. He searched for a good ten minutes but found no trace of the mysterious man, or anyone else. No cigarette butts, no footprints on the ground. No piece of clothing. Nothing.

Arriving back at the car, he'd almost convinced himself it really was someone trying to help. Almost. But that explanation didn't sit well with him. In that case, the man should have come to meet Chris, made sure to see Maddy was safely returned to where she belonged. He sure as hell wouldn't be hinting to her that sometimes kids weren't safe with their parents. What sort of freak said shit like that to a little kid?

Maddy had already dismissed him, but Chris couldn't.

Robyn helped him stow their picnic stuff in the back of the car once more. Their outing had been wonderful, up to the strange ending, and they were all ready to go back. Even Maddy was so tired she didn't beg for more playground time, which was fine by him. He wanted some distance between the girls and this place.

There was an itch between his shoulder blades he couldn't quite scratch.

Reaching for Robyn's hand, he was gratified when she took it and curled her fingers into his. They rode quietly as he drove them home, and he soaked up the last of the evening with his new lover. He wondered whether he should stay overnight. But who was he kidding? If she asked, he wasn't strong enough to say no.

They arrived and he carried the basket and other stuff
inside that belonged to Robyn. In the kitchen he helped throw the rest of the trash away, clean out the basket, and put away the leftover chips.

Then Robyn disappeared to make sure Maddy got started with her bath, returning a few minutes later wearing a worried frown.

“Who was this man she was talking about?”

He related the whole story to her, emphasizing that it could've been nothing. Robyn wasn't buying it.

“That's just too weird, Chris. Why was he even hanging out in the woods? There aren't any houses or trails right where we were, no reason for him to be there.”

“I don't know. I took a good look around, but I didn't find anything.”

“What he said . . . the last part could be construed as a threat.”

“It could,” he agreed. “But it's equally likely it was the ramblings of a vagrant, and that the words meant nothing to anyone but him.”

“Could be.” Her blue eyes hardened. “I'm going to be extra careful for a while, though. There's no telling what he was up to.”

“I'm sorry,” he said, dejected. “I should have caught up with her faster. I didn't—”

“No! I didn't mean you should've done anything different.” Moving to him, she touched his face. “Wasn't I just telling you how she runs off when she's excited? I have to find a way to get through to her about that before she gets hurt.”

“I may have overstepped.” The confession was heavy on his tongue. “When I found her, I crouched down and
told her rather firmly not to run off like that again. I don't know if she'll remember next time, but it scared me so bad when I couldn't find her. I had to say something, but I didn't yell at her.”

“It's all right. I believe you. In fact, when you spend time with us, I want you to feel comfortable correcting her as needed—if you want us to continue to see each other, that is.”

“Of course I do, gorgeous.” He smiled. “You're both getting under my skin faster than you realize.”

“Same here,” she said softly.

He paused, let that sink in. “Well, I should go, I suppose.”

“You don't say that with much conviction.”

“None whatsoever,” he admitted.

“Then stay. Maddy's going to be finished with her bath and asleep before we know it.”

“And then?” His pulse quickened.

“And then we reward ourselves for being so good today . . . by being very bad.”

He almost came in his jeans. “That's a plan I can get behind.”

Worn out from their big day, the little girl finished her bath and went to bed without a fuss. While Robyn was tucking her in, Chris snuck into the kitchen and fished around in the pantry until he found the item he was looking for. With a grin, he took it to the master bedroom with him and shut the door.

Naked or dressed? Taking a chance, he set the pilfered item on the nightstand, then stripped to his skin and crawled beneath the covers. He was sprawled on his
back, stroking his hardening length under the sheets, when Robyn walked in, firmly shutting and locking the door behind her.

“Well, someone's eager to get started,” she commented, arching a brow.

“Is the coast clear?”

“Completely.”

“In that case . . .” Flinging back the covers, he let her have an eyeful as he continued to stroke. His cock turned to steel as she licked her lips, riveted. With his other hand, he reached out and grabbed the plastic bottle on the nightstand.