So everyone needed to believe there was bravery behind the badges that protected that town.

But Sunny needed to be a true believer.

Chace stared down at me and a muscle ticked in his square jaw. But he didn’t say anything and this I correctly took as him giving in.

I pulled in a breath and hoped I was doing the right thing when I tipped further up on my toes and kissed that jaw.

I did it right.

I knew this when he sighed, his arm got tight around my shoulders giving me a mini-hug then it loosened telling me to step back and get a move on.

I stepped back, adjusted to his side and got a move on.

But this didn’t mean I didn’t worry about what just happened. I wasn’t wrong. Chace didn’t like being a local hero.

Any man should be humble. I knew this because my Dad said so.

But that wasn’t it.

It was deeper, darker.

And I hoped he’d one day share it with me so I could throw some light on it.

* * *

Nine sixteen that morning

I watched Chace’s door open on his Yukon and then I watched him fold out, slam it and saunter to me.

Malachi hadn’t shown. He was never this late.

Ever.

I bit my lip as Chace approached and saw Chace’s eyes drop to my mouth.

When Chace stopped in front of me, he shared his guess, “He either saw you standin’ there and decided not to approach or he’s late.”

I threw out an alternate guess, “Or something’s wrong.”

Chace lifted a hand, pulled my hair off my shoulder then curled his fingers around the side of my neck, ordering gently, “Don’t jump to that conclusion, darlin’.”

I bit my lip again.

Chace kept talking.

“Maybe it’s too soon for him. You told me Krystal said she’d take yesterday’s shift. If Krystal said she’d do that, she did it. There were no bags here when we got here. So he came yesterday. Today you’re here, visible. Maybe he’s not ready for a meet.”

I stopped biting my lip and nodded.

Chace kept going.

“I should have signed in over an hour ago. I gotta go.”

I’d never thought of that. He told me his schedule pretty much adhered to when crime was committed but his scheduled hours were eight to five with every other weekend on call. We’d been staking out the return bin for two weeks so this meant he’d been late to work every day for two weeks.

I tilted my head to the side and asked, “Are you going to get into trouble because you’re late?”

“Cap knows about Malachi and the stakeouts. I got my phone, they need me, they know where I am so no. But I’m never in this late so, now, I gotta go.”

I nodded.

“What’re you gonna do?” he asked.

“Um… walk home, get changed, get in my car and come back, see if the bags are gone. Park on the street and watch awhile if they aren’t.”

Chace nodded this time. “You want a ride?”

I shook my head. “No, a walk will do me good.”

His hand gave me a squeeze and then he asked a question I really, really liked.

“We doin’ your place or my place tonight?”

He wanted to see me again and soon.

Yippee!

After celebrating inside, I contemplated his question. His house was better than mine. So was his kitchen. But my house had my clothes in it. I wasn’t one of those people who knew what they were going to wear throughout the week. Not even the next day. I usually stood in front of my wardrobe for ten minutes making my selection the morning of.

Though, I was assuming his question of my place or his meant not only where we’d be meeting and eating but also sleeping.

Maybe I was wrong.

But I hoped I wasn’t.

Belatedly and hesitantly, I answered, “Mine.”

“Good,” he muttered dipping his head to touch his mouth to mine then moving back a scant inch. “There’s a piece of furniture in your house that’s on display I been lookin’ forward to tryin’ out.”

He was spending the night.

Yippee!

I moved into him, his hand slid to the back of the neck and he gave me a kiss that wasn’t a touch on the lips.

When he moved away again, he didn’t let me go but he did say, “I’ll run after work. I’ll be at your place around six thirty.”

“Okay, I’ll see you there.”

“Right,” he murmured, moved in for the lip touch again then moved back and gave my neck another squeeze. “Later, baby.”

“Later, Chace.”

He let me go and I watched him walk to his truck.

I walked to the sidewalk as he drove off. He gave me a raised hand flicked out to the side as he drove past. I waved.

Then I did what I told him I would do. I went home, changed, got in my car and went back to the library.

The bags were still there.

I didn’t like this.

I drove around, parked on the street, waited and watched.

At ten thirty, I was bored, I had a house to clean, groceries to buy, a gym to visit and a hot guy boyfriend to feed and entertain that night.

So, giving one last look at the bags waiting by the return bin, my heart heavy and my nerves rattled, I drove home.

* * *

Eleven forty-eight that night

I powered down my Nook, shifted carefully and set it on my nightstand. Then I reached to turn out the light.

Chace was behind me in bed, sleeping.

I liked this.

We had a good night. Dinner and light conversation. Chace teasing, me laughing. Chace laughing when I worked at making it happen. We did the dishes. I read, my back pressed to the couch, my front pressed to Chace’s side, my Nook resting on his abs, Chace on his back, eyes on the TV so Chace could watch the game.

The game ended, Chace muttered, “Meet you in bed,” which I took as my cue to get ready for it.

This I did, wandering out a little nervously in a satin nightie that was a cream so creamy it was pearlescent. No lace, simple, elegant and short. I did this nervously because the minute I left the bathroom, I saw Chace’s eyes lock on me.

I made it to the edge of the bed, started to put a knee in it but my knee didn’t hit bed. This was because Chace, lounging on his back, did an ab curl, lunged and I was on my back in bed, Chace on me.

“My girl and her sexy nighties,” he murmured with easy to read appreciation and this was due not only to his tone but his hands roaming over the satin.

Then he kissed me.

Before I slipped into the haze of Chace’s kiss, I made a mental note to call Lexie and have her round up Wendy so we could go back to the mall. I hadn’t bought that many nighties or underwear.

I needed to stock up.

Hanky-panky commenced though Chace again didn’t make love to me.

“Tomorrow,” he muttered against my lips and I was about to tell him I felt perfectly fine but his hand moved into my panties to cup my behind.

That felt nice.

Righty ho! Tomorrow it was.

And that night, I wasn’t disappointed.

But when we were done, I also wasn’t sleepy. As I commenced after hanky-panky talk and this went on for a while, it came clear Chace was. He didn’t tell me to shut up but I could read in his voice he was tired.

So I told him quietly, “I’ll let you sleep, go to the couch and read.”

“Read here,” he returned.

“The light –”

His arms around me gave me a squeeze. “Read here, baby. I’ll be all right.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

And that was what I did. He didn’t lie. He was all right. I checked about fifteen minutes after I started reading and he was asleep on his side, one hand shoved under his pillow, one arm cocked in front of him on the bed.

I took this opportunity to study him since I’d never seen him sleep. His long, dark brown lashes resting at the tops his cheeks. His handsome face relaxed and no less handsome. His big, powerful body shut down.

Studying him, I wasn’t surprised to note he exuded extreme hotness even when he was unconscious.

Pure male beauty.

After I set the Nook on the nightstand, I turned out the light and settled in, my back to him, thinking maybe I should adjust my sleeping schedule to his. The last two nights, I fell asleep in his arms. It was nice having him here with me in my bed. But it was better cuddling with him before I fell asleep.

Bath didn’t help.

His words the morning after I gave him my virginity filtered through my head.

So much was happening and all of it was so huge, I didn’t think of it at the time, why he did that, guided me to the bath.

I wanna see to you. Will you let me do that, Faye?

He thought he would cause an ache and he did it to alleviate the pain.

My heart settled, I smiled against my pillow just as Chace’s arm wrapped around my waist and hauled me across the bed. He didn’t tuck me to him, he tucked me under him, his body curved into mine but it also tilted into mine so it was pressed deep into me.

He did this the night before too.

I liked it then.

I liked it no less now.

“Done?” he muttered, his voice sleepy sexy.

“Yeah,” I answered, my hand sliding down his arm to curl around his wrist at my belly.

“Good book?” he kept muttering.

“Yeah.”

“Good,” he continued muttering.

I snuggled deeper into him.

His arm around me tightened.

I sighed.

I felt his arm relax and his weight settle into me.

He was asleep.

My eyes drifted closed and I became the same

* * *

Ten twenty-three the next night