"Is something wrong with Kristen?"
"No, ma'am."
"What happened?" the nosy old lady questioned.
Dani rolled her eyes. "There was a break in, but everything's fine. Did you happen to see anyone around the house this evening?"
"No. In fact, Kristen hasn't been there since yesterday morning around nine. She never came home at all yesterday or last night."
"Are you sure?" Dani asked.
"Oh yeah, my little Daisy barks every time she comes and goes," she countered, referring to her miniature dachshund. "She barked earlier this evening and I saw Kristen's car in her driveway. The next thing I know, you and the other deputy arrived with your lights and sirens."
"Alright, well make sure your windows and doors are all locked."
"Are you spending the night?"
"Yes. You know Kristen and I have been friends since we were kids. I just want to make sure whoever broke in doesn't come back. Have a good night, Mrs. Cranston," she said, walking back across the driveway.
Dani wondered where Kristen had been over the past twenty-four hours. She mentioned she had been out running errands, but never made reference to being away from the house for nearly two days. Dani shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jeans and walked back into the house.
Kristen had changed into soft cotton shorts and an old t-shirt, with her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Dani leaned against the door frame, watching the trim muscles of her tan legs flex as she moved around, straightening out the random items strewn about the living room. Dani felt a familiar tingle in the pit of her gut as it slid lower.
It would be so easy to step up behind her and slide my hand up those shorts. She doesn't even know what she's offering, and I want it, damn it. Dani's mouth watered and her heart raced. She took a step forward, with her eyes blazing a trail over Kristen's body as all rational thought had escaped through her ears.
Dani grunted loudly when Kristen bent over to pick up something she'd dropped. Hearing the noise, Kristen turned around.
"I didn't hear you come in," Kristen said. She raised an eyebrow as Dani peeled her eyes away and walked briskly past her, into the kitchen.
Lord have mercy! That woman would make Jesus commit a sin. Dani shook her head, pouring herself a glass of ice water and drinking half of it in one long swallow. God, I want her so damn badly, I'm liable to die of need before this night is over. Why the hell did I offer to stay?
"Are you okay?" Kristen asked as she rearranged the plastic flowers from the vase that had been knocked over.
"If I die tonight, I want to be buried in the Cadillac of caskets, black and chrome with an off-white, satin interior," Dani muttered. If I go up in flames, at least I'll be going out in style.
"What?" Kristen asked, walking into the kitchen. "You're mumbling."
"Nothing," Dani replied, drinking her second glass of water as the fuzz in her mind began to clear.
"Are you hungry?"
You have no idea. Dani thought, squeezing her eyes shut. "Sure, I'll make a sandwich or something."
"A sandwich? really?"
"Why not?"
"Is that how you stay so lean? You look like you live in the gym," Kristen said, eyeing the muscular curves of Dani's forearms.
Looking at me like that is not helping! Dani contemplated pouring the iced water over her head, but chose to step out of the kitchen instead. The crotch of her jeans was starting to chafe from the soaking wet panties between her legs.
"If you're cooking, I'll just have whatever you're making. That's fine with me." Dani moved back into the living room, picking up a stack of books that had been knocked off a shelf. "Do you want me to go straighten up the bedrooms?"
"I already finished upstairs. I did that when I went up to change. I couldn’t stand looking at it. I haven't messed with the back bedroom down here, but it didn't look like much was touched in there though."
"I'll take a look," Dani announced as she walked down the hall.
She was standing in the bedroom, staring at the closed window that she'd found opened two hours ago. Something about the fact that nothing in the room was out of place didn't sit right with Dani. All of the other rooms in the house were in some sort of disarray and if this room was the first room he'd entered, wouldn't he start looking here for whatever it was he was after? She thought about the neighbor saying that Kristen hadn't been home in almost two days. She took the cell phone from her pocket and pulled up the app for the local weather. She thought it had rained the night before. She scrolled back over the past forty-eight hours and saw that it had in fact rained. Putting the phone away, she felt the carpet next to the window. It was completely dry and didn't feel hard like it had previously been soaked by the rain.
"Dinner's ready," Kristen called from down the hall. "I made shrimp and vegetable stir fry. I hope that's okay," she said, stepping into the room.
"It's fine," Dani replied, standing up.
"What are you doing?"
"I was just feeling around to see if the intruder dropped anything, but the carpet's clean." No water and no mud or dirt from the ground outside. "I'm starving." Dani smiled, easing past her and walking back to the kitchen.
The dining room table was set with two steaming plates of food adjacent to each other with silverware, napkins, and two glasses of iced water. Dani washed her hands in the kitchen sink, drying them on the hand towel before taking a seat at the table.
The food tasted as delicious as it looked. Dani's stomach growled as she cleaned her plate.
"That was unbelievable."
"Thanks," Kristen smiled, shyly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cooked dinner for someone.
Dani opened the notebook she had in her pocket. "What time did you say you were gone today? I forgot to write that down early," she lied.
"I was out most of the day running errands."
"What time did you leave?"
"I don't know. Why does that matter? I wasn't here, and then I came home to find my house turned upside down," Kristen huffed, taking their plates to the kitchen and loading them into the dishwater.
"Mrs. Cranston stopped me when I was moving my truck."
Kristen shook her head. "That woman is going to drive me crazy."
"She said you'd been gone since yesterday morning."
"What?"
"You never came home yesterday, didn't sleep here last night, and didn't return today until you found the house tossed."
"That's what she told you?"
"Why would you lie to me, Kristen?"
"You're seriously going to believe that old battle axe over me? I think I know where I was, Dani!" she snapped. "I'm glad to know she has nothing to do, except clock each time I come and go." She shook her head.
Dani rose from the table and met her in the kitchen. "Whether she's telling the truth or not, I'd hope for the sake of our friendship and what we've meant to each other most of our lives, you wouldn't lie to me."
"It doesn't matter if I was here last night or not. Someone still broke in."
"A window was open, the house was methodically rearranged, and nothing was taken, except for your gun."
"You sound like you don't believe me. Do you think I did this to my own house, Dani?"
Dani shrugged. "I didn't say anything. I'm merely stating the facts. I believe you, Kristen."
"Yeah, well accusing me left and right doesn't feel like it to me," Kristen sneered.
"I will always believe you over anyone else and if someone really is trying to hurt you, they'll have to come through me to do it."
Kristen ignored her, stepping out of the kitchen. "I'm going to bed. I've had enough excitement for one night. You can sleep in either spare room. It doesn't matter to me." She turned to walk up the stairs and stopped. "It's weird saying goodnight to you in my house."
"I'm sorry I upset you. The curiosity in me sometimes takes over rationality. That's what makes me great at my job, but most of the time it bites me in
the ass with everything else."
Kristen smiled slightly. "I'm fine. I'm just tired and it's been a long day. I'll be able to sleep knowing you're here. Thank you for staying."
Dani watched her walk away, before turning out the lights and stretching out on the couch.
Chapter 12
Kristen awoke in a fit the next morning, as the sun began to rise over the lake. She was surprised she was up so early after waking in the middle of the night and finding Dani asleep on the couch. She was still dressed in everything, but her sneakers. Kristen had covered her with a throw blanket, watched her sleep and listened to her mumble in her dreams, until she had been too tired to stay up any longer. She'd finally gone back to bed, where she'd tossed and turned for hours, dreaming of the slumbering woman on the couch, wrapped around her naked body, begging for release.
She jumped up, wondering if Dani was awake as she wrapped her robe around herself and padded down the stairs. The house was empty and the throw blanket was neatly folded on the arm of the couch. Damn it!
Kristen ran a hand loosely through her hair. She'd never wanted someone so much in her life, while loathing them at the same time. Dani always had a wicked way of making her body beg to be touched without even knowing it. She pulled her robe tighter, shaking her head.
"A cold shower sounds like a great idea," she said aloud, turning to go back up the stairs. A loud knock on the French doors of the patio scared her, causing her to shriek.
Kristen could barely make out a silhouette of someone standing on the back patio, through the curtains. She bolted back up the stairs and peered out of the blinds on the French doors that led to the balcony off the master bedroom and over the patio. The white sheriff's office boat was tied to the end of her dock and Dani was walking back towards it. She flung the door open and rushed outside.
*
Dani was about to climb back onto the boat when she heard her name. She spun around to see Kristen on the upstairs balcony in her robe with her hands waving in the air. She smiled, walking back towards her.
"What the hell are you doing up so early?" Kristen chided.
"I'm usually on shift before the sun comes up every day."
"Where's your uniform?"
"It's my day off," Dani called back up to her.
"Then why aren't you sleeping?"
Dani laughed. "I'm going fishing. Do you want to go?"
"Fishing?"
"Yes. I stopped to see if maybe you were up. I'm sorry if I woke you."
"No, you didn't, I just got up a little bit ago. Why did you leave so early?"
"I had plans." Dani nodded towards the boat. "Come down here before Mrs. Cranston comes outside."
Kristen laughed and went back into the house. A minute later she opened the patio door.
"When did you start talking in your sleep?" Kristen asked, smiling as Dani's eyes ran over her robe covered figure.
Dani raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't aware of it. What did you do, sneak down here to watch me sleep?"
"No. I wanted some water and I noticed you were on the couch. I told you to use one of the spare rooms."
"I used to wake up and find you watching me sleep, when I actually did get any sleep."
Kristen rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, I was fine. You must be behind the blanket that mysterious appeared on me."
"Yeah, it was cool in the house, so I laid it over you. I wasn't expecting you to be gone when I woke up though."
"I have to go out early, otherwise Leroy Johnson steals my fishing spot."
Kristen laughed. "I can't believe he's still alive."
"Me either!"
"You and that old man have been fighting over the same fishing hole for twenty years. The lake is five miles long. There has to be more than one perfect spot."
Dani grinned. "There's only one spot with mangroves and huge fish living under them." She checked her watch. "I need to get moving. Do you want to come with me?"
"I haven't fished in twelve years."
"So, it's like riding a bike. You don't forget it."
Kristen didn't actually have plans for the day and spending time with Dani sounded nice, but she wasn't sure she could trust herself. Still, a day out on the water would probably do her some good. It's not like we're going to throw down and get naked on the floor of the sheriff's office boat. She grinned wickedly.
"What are you thinking about?" Dani asked, watching her face change.
"Huh? Oh, nothing. Give me a few minutes to throw some clothes on."
"Alright. I'll meet you on the boat. I have food, drinks, and sun screen, so you don't need to bring anything."
"Okay."
"Make sure you lock the doors and windows."
"Yes, officer." Kristen smiled, shaking her head.
*
"I have a bite!" Kristen yelled.
Dani dropped her pole and moved to the front of the boat to help her. "Did you forget how to reel it in?" she teased.
"I told you it's been a long time," Kristen exclaimed, turning the crank on the reel and tugging back on the pole.
Dani peered over the side of the boat. "Oh, that's a nice one!" She reached for the line with a serious expression on her face, pulling like she'd hooked a trophy fish.
"Where is it? Let me see it!" Kristen laid the pole down, hurrying to see her catch.
Dani laughed hysterically as she revealed the tiny trout on the other end of the line.
"You ass!" Kristen yelled, smacking her in the arm.
"Ouch!" Dani grimaced, removing the hook from the little fish's mouth. "Do you want to give him a kiss?"
Kristen sat on the console seat with her arms crossed. She had one eyebrow raised and her lips were pursed in an angry expression.
Dani leaned over the side and delicately placed the fish back into the water.
"I don't get it. We've been out here for hours and you're catching fish after fish. I finally get one bite and it's a damn guppy," Kristen growled in frustration as she opened her water bottle.
Dani walked over and sat down next to her on the bench seat. "Fishing is all about finesse. At least you caught one."
"You're not helping." Kristen furled her eyebrows, taking a sip of water and staring at the woman next to her. She was glad they were both wearing sunglasses. She wasn't sure she could handle seeing the sultry green eyes she knew were staring back at her.
Kristen's lips were wet and inviting with a trickle of water running down her chin. Dani's stomach knotted and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she imagined licking the cool droplet from her skin. Her muscles tensed. She tingled from head to toe. Her pulse quickened as she closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to Kristen's.
The kiss was slow and welcoming. Dani ran her tongue over Kristen's soft lips, licking the last of the cold water from them before slipping inside her mouth. Kristen's breath hitched in her throat. She ran her hand over the top of Dani's chest near her collar bone as she kissed her back with every ounce of desire that had been building inside of her over the past two months.
They panted softly, kissing passionately like long lost lovers finding home again. Dani moved to pull Kristen into her lap.
Kristen pushed away from her. "There's a boat coming this way," she shrieked breathlessly.
Dani squinted her eyes to see who it was as she caught her breath and slowed her racing heart. "It's only Mr. Baumgartner."
"Our sophomore history teacher? He's still alive?" Kristen watched the boat moving past as the fuzziness in her head began to clear.
"Yeah."
"Do you think he saw us?"
Dani laughed. "Nah, he's blind as a bat. We actually revoked his license last year after he failed his driving test for the third time."
Kristen's eyebrows furled together. "You let him fail it three times!"
Dani shrugged. "I don’t write the laws."
"How the hell is he allowed to drive a boat if he can't see to drive a car?"<
br />
"You don’t need a license to drive a boat."
"Oh, good lord." Kristen shook her head.
Dani chuckled. "I better get you home. I promised to help my parent's at the store this afternoon. My father redesigned the layout of the backroom and he's in over his head trying to get everything straightened out."
Kristen nodded. "How many employees do they have now?"
Dani thought for a second as she stowed their fishing equipment. "Oh, probably a dozen full and part-time combined."
"I remember working there as a stocker and a cashier when we were in high school. I always thought you'd be running that place one day."
Dani shook her head as she started the engine. "I found something that suited me a whole lot more, I guess. I'm sure they will leave it to me when they pass, but hopefully it runs itself by then."
"I'm surprised none of the larger chains have come to town."
"They've tried, but Cypress Lake is small. We only have a little over a thousand people here. Piggly Wiggly and Walmart don't fit demographics like ours." Dani spoke loud enough to be heard over the outboard motor.
Kristen nodded. She'd pushed the heated kiss they'd shared to the back of her mind, but she didn't think her scorched lips were ever going to let her forget it.
Dani pulled up at the dock and idled the engine.
"When will I see you again?" Kristen asked as she climbed out.
"I'm not sure. I'm back on shift tomorrow for the next five days." She grinned, leaning on the handrail of the center console and pushing her sunglasses up on her head. She knew she was playing with fire and liable to get burned, but she was powerless when it came to this woman. Kristen had come back into her life, knocking down the walls that she had carefully constructed around her heart.
Kristen shook her head, smiling the cutest, come-hither smile that Dani had ever seen. "Whenever you get some free time, you know where to find me," she answered over her shoulder as she walked up the dock.
Dani Ricketts was sexy as hell and the sinful look in her wild green eyes had always driven Kristen out of her mind. She was almost too far gone to remember why she was in town to begin with.
Cypress Lake Page 8