Jane Doe's Return (20 page)

He winked. “I told you earlier, I really don’t want to talk.”

“You’re not as much of the gentleman as you portray yourself to be,” she teased him, wrapping her arms around his long, lean body. So much of her life had been temporary. Why should this be any different?

“Do you want me to stop?” He kissed her nose, her cheek, and then, with tender care, he brushed his lips across hers. “I never take.”

“Unless offered,” she said. Her words were barely audible.

“That wouldn’t be taking. Besides, I saw what you are capable of. I think you could take me.” His voice had a sense of challenge in it.

One she wasn’t going to let go unnoticed.

“Really?” She kissed him, hard and wet. Just when she felt him relax from the shock of her kiss…

She let him have it.

First, she tripped him, making sure she landed on top of him. His eyes widened in surprise, she flipped him over on his stomach with one arm twisted behind his back.

“Was that fun?” he asked, humor trickling from his voice.

“Loads.”

“That’s good.”

Before she stopped giggling, he returned the favor, flipping her flat on her back, hands pinned high above her head. He lifted both brows.

“You think you’ve got me, don’t you?” She smiled up at him, trying to catch her breath.

He waved his free hand as if he was swatting a fly. “Yep.”

Lifting her legs, she tucked his head between her knees.

“Maybe not.” His eyes shifted from side to side.

“Not!” She laughed, squeezing her knees together and pulling him toward the floor.

“That hurts,” he said with a scowl.

“Then let go of my hands.”

He did.

“Oh, you’re done now.” She tossed him onto his back, pinning him. “Well, now, that was almost as much fun as backing my stepmother’s new car into the garage the day I left.”

“You didn’t.” He tried to lift his hands which were high above his head. “Damn, you’re strong.”

She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, but we both know you could get out of this if you really wanted to.” She let go, still straddling him.

He grinned. “Why would I want to?” The muscles in her thighs relaxed as his strong hands massaged them into putty. “Come here.” His voice was as smooth as hot honey dripping from a hive.

She should resist him. There were so many reasons why she should stand up and tell him to leave.

She dropped her lips to his and before she knew it, she was lying naked beneath him in a sea of emotion.

“Travis,” she moaned, threading her fingers through his thick dark hair.

He entered her in one slow, tender motion, never letting his gaze fall from hers. He traced his thumb across her cheek and then dipped his head to kiss her.

His lips sizzled against her tongue. Their bodies moved in perfect unison as if they were made for each other. The gentle touch of his hands tormented her body, but filled her soul. She shuddered with release, and moments later, he whispered her name. He filled her in every way a man could and she’d never felt so loved in her life.

But how could that be? He didn’t love. She didn’t love. Yet here they were, tangled up in each other’s web.

****

As the sun dipped into the room after a night of pure passion, Travis lay on his side, both hands tucked up under his cheek, and watched her sleep. She looked the most at peace when she slept. All her defenses were gone, and it was just her.

Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched, catching him in her arms. “Good morning.”

He fisted some of her hair and drew her lips close to his. “You’re an amazing woman.” Electricity mixed with the warm glow of fire filtered through his body when his lips brushed against hers.

“We’re an amazing team.” She smiled.

His reasoning took a flying leap as he told himself to get out of bed. Making love to her again would only compound the problems they already

faced. The other part of his body asked him, what the heck difference did it make? They’d already made the mistake, why not enjoy it?

They spent the morning acting like a normal couple. They went for a run, showered, and had a leisurely breakfast, as if they could be together. He knew it would end again. It had to.

By the time he put the dishes away, awkwardness had settled over them. “I have a lot of respect for you,” Travis said. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “I think I should go back to the hotel. It’s only until next weekend, and then I move in down the street.”

“Like hell. I won’t let you go back there alone.”

“I think I can handle myself.”

“Shauna, that’s not the point. This guy is raping and killing—”

“Young girls. I’m not a teenager.”

Tossing the dishtowel aside, he stared at her. “Again, not the point.”

“The point is, I can take care of myself.”

“It’s not safe. He knows too much.”

“Stop being so damned noble. Just because we slept together, doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do.” She tried to move past him.

He blocked her path. “Sleeping together has nothing to do with it. I’m just being smart.”

“I’m not your responsibility.” Her eyes were full of venom.

“We are each other’s responsibility, partner. Like it or not, we’re stuck with each other.” He moved to let her pass.

As the day progressed, so did the frustration. By the time Monday morning rolled around, the tension was so tight that if it were a rubber band, it would snap. Shauna had slept in the guest room and it was painfully apparent neither one of them slept too well, by the light pace of their morning run.

Monday, they had to appear in court, early. Then they had loads of paperwork at the office. It was well past seven by the time they left for home. Travis was famished and in the mood to cook.

“Do you like fish?” He broke the silence as he drove them toward Jimmy’s shop.

“I love all seafood.” She took a deep breath and turned toward him. “Except oysters and caviar.”

Travis took the turn into the parking lot. After shutting the truck down, he hopped out and decided to try a new approach. Friendship. He liked Shauna, and he couldn’t get fired for that.

“Hi, Mrs. Kawalski. You look lovely today.” Travis greeted the shop owner’s wife. He took her hand and kissed it.

“When are you gonna call me Iris?” She scrunched up her wrinkled face when she smiled back at him.

“Never. What’s the catch of the day?”

“Got some perch Jimmy Jr. brought down from the lake this morning.”

“I’ll take some.”

“Who’s this?” Mrs. Kawalski winked, nodding in Shauna’s direction.

Travis shook his head as he took some seasonings down from the shelves. “I’m sorry. Mrs. Kawalski, this is Shauna Morgan, my new partner.”

Mrs. Kawalski took her hand and held it. “My you are a tall thing, aren’t you? And pretty. I hope this boy is behaving himself.”

Travis smiled. “I always do.”

“You better.” She gave Travis the evil eye. “So, honey, you gotta boyfriend?”

Shauna’s eyes widened. “No, ma’am.”

“Good. Travis doesn’t have a girlfriend and Lord knows he needs one.”

“Mrs. Kawalski, she’s my partner.”

“Even better. Look at my Jimmy and me. We have worked together, side by side, for over forty years. We’ve raised three kids, have eight grandkids, and we’re still
partners
. Best way to be.”

“I’ll take it under advisement.” Travis handed her forty dollars.

“You forgot your change,” Shauna said, placing her hand on his forearm as they headed toward his pickup.

“No, I didn’t.” He peeled her fingers off of him, helped her into the truck, and then started driving.

“Talk about amazing.”

“Just doing my part to help out.” The truck rolled to a stop in the driveway, then he helped her out. Jimmy and his wife had always been kind and decent and constantly let people take advantage of them.

“Why is it that others are amazing, but you can’t be anything other than ordinary?”

“Because I am ordinary.” He glanced at her as they made their way up the stairs. Ordinary, she was not.

“You’re handsome, sexy, and hot. I’m barely touching on your good looks. You’re a gentleman. Kind, considerate, and generous doesn’t do you justice. Intelligent, without being arrogant, and, oh my, you’re blushing. I guess we can add humble, too.” She giggled.

“You’re making my life really difficult.” He tossed his keys on the table and turned. “I’m not

all those things. I have faults, too, ya know.”

“Name one.”

“I have impure thoughts about you.” He stepped closer, fighting his conscious. “All the time, all day, even at work.”

She held her hand up against his chest. “And, you can cook. I want my dinner.”

Her skin felt warm and soft when he held her hand in his and kissed her palm. He stared into her eyes, seeing them flicker with passion. “Can you make a salad?”

“I think so.” She yanked her hand back.

He wanted to be glad she was pulling away, but he was angry instead.

All through dinner, it was apparent she would be sleeping in the guest room. It was for the best, he kept reminding himself.

“Your apartment has an alarm system, right?” he asked as he watched her finish the dishes.

“The main door has a deadbolt and a chain. I’ll buy one of those motion sensors and install it myself.”

“What about the back door?”

“Stop, okay?” She glared at him.

“I can’t help it.”

He glanced at his vibrating cell. “It’s Scott.” He flipped open the phone. “Brown here.”

“There’s been another murder,” Scott said.

Travis glanced at Shauna. She seemed to understand the look because she went for her purse and shoes.

“We’re on it.” Travis took the information and flipped his phone shut. “Let’s put an end to this.” He grabbed his keys in a huff.

This made too many dead bodies in one week.

Chapter Eleven 

No sooner did Shauna finish looking at all the information from this last murder when another call came in. She felt like she was reliving the worst parts of her life.

Travis had been giving her evil looks all day, making her feel worse. A few times he mentioned they needed to talk, but they were never alone anymore, which in her mind was probably a good thing. If he knew who she was, giving him time to cool off could only be seen as a blessing.

During this last investigation, the faceless rapist would flash in front of her. Each time it happened, it sparked a memory, but she didn’t know if they were real or not. She kept a small journal, noting everything she could. The next time she had the chance, she’d spill her guts to Travis, but only him. It was time to give up the charade.

Over the course of the last few hours, they’d met with an array of law enforcement, putting into place a game plan. When she was finally alone in the office, Shauna’s body trembled from the inside out. She tapped her pen on her knee and looked down at her cluttered desk. All sorts of lab reports lay piled on top of each other, blending into one another. She leaned back in her chair.

“That looks like a mess,” Jeff said, standing in the doorway, whistling that damn tune.

“Organized mess,” she tried to tell herself.

“Cops got any leads?”

Leads? That was a joke. “They’ve picked up three guys and one’s a possible. He fits the profile and has no alibi. What’s that?” She pointed to a file that had “Princess” written on it.

“I did some fishing and found some possible computer perverts who might fit the Princess profile.”

When he moved closer to her, the hair on the back of her neck stood at attention. Her heart skipped a beat as he sat on the edge of her desk. “Interesting.” She flipped through the file and then one name jumped out at her. Why the hell would her stepbrother be on this list? “What do you know about Craig Nagle?” She looked up at Jeff.

Something about his eyes made her push her chair back.

“He roughed up a few prostitutes a while back and he had a whole bunch of kiddy porn when the cops picked him up.” Jeff smiled at her, letting his eyes drop down below her face. “So, how do you like your job?”

“What’s not to like?”

“How’s Travis treating you?”

She tried to make herself get over whatever it was that made her squirm when Jeff was around. “We work well together.”

“Jeff.” She heard the smooth, protective tone in Travis’s voice as he spoke.

“Jeff has some interesting computer pervs here.” She waved the file, breathing a sigh of relief. “Look at this one.” Shauna made her way to Travis’s desk, opening the file for him.