Melting Point

by Debra Cowan

  He lifted a hand and walked back down the hall.

  “Come in and have a seat.” She led Alan’s girlfriend to the chair scooted against the side of her desk. “May I take your coat?”

  “No, thanks.” Angie pulled off her black gloves and slid them into the pocket of her dark wool coat.

  Just as she sat down, Collier entered, shrugging off his tan cashmere overcoat. His face was ruddy from the frigid air outside. Surprise flared in his green eyes when he saw their visitor. His gaze met Kiley’s. “Y’all in the middle of something? I can step out for a minute.”

  Before Kiley could ask if that was what Angie wanted, the woman said, “No. I want to talk to both of you.”

  He nodded and walked around the desk to stand beside Kiley. From his slightly ruffled dark hair to the black sweater and slacks that emphasized his lean build and broad shoulders, he was six-plus-feet of yum. She’d seen him less than two hours ago, but her pulse skipped, anyway.

  His jaw was freshly shaven, and he smelled of soap and man and fabric softener. She kept her gaze from sliding over him, but that didn’t dim the memory of his warm, muscled flesh against hers. His body inside hers. A shiver worked up her spine. She was afraid he could see the want in her face and she struggled to hide it.

  His green gaze met hers and set her nerve endings tingling, even though nothing in his eyes hinted at last night. There was only professional interest and mild curiosity about the woman in front of them.

  If Angie had come to see Alan, Kiley figured she probably would’ve already broached the subject. “Can I get you some coffee, Angie? Or something else to drink?”

  “No,” she said tersely. “This won’t take long.”

  “All right.” Kiley sat down, edging her chair closer to the woman, putting a little space between her and the man who affected her way too much.

  “Alan wasn’t with me the night Dan Lazano was murdered.”

  The bald statement put Kiley’s senses on alert. Beside her, Collier snapped to attention, too. “But you said he was,” she reminded quietly.

  “I lied.” Angie curled a fist against her soft-sided leather purse.

  Collier eased down onto the far corner of the desk, his voice easy, nonthreatening. “Why tell us now?”

  “Because he lied to me.” Fury sparked in the woman’s brown eyes. “He told me he was at work that night. After the two of you left on Saturday, I asked him about it. He gave me some answer that didn’t even make sense.”

  “Do you know where he really was?” Collier asked.

  “He was with his old girlfriend, Neva Sasser.” Angie cursed. “I thought she was his old girlfriend. Evidently he’s been seeing her while he’s been seeing me.”

  Kiley slid a look at Collier, caught the same cautious optimism she felt. “How do we know you’re not just saying this because you’re mad at him?”

  “Oh, I’m mad at him all right, but I’m mad at myself for letting the two-timing egomaniac convince me to lie for him.” She shoved her long blond hair over her shoulder, her voice shaky as she continued, “I’m telling you the truth, but you don’t have to believe me. What you said at my house the other night got me thinking. What if he was telling one lie to cover up another? What’s so special about that night that he had to lie about it? He lied to his boss, and then to y’all, but why to me? Especially when I knew he wasn’t with me that night.”

  “How did you find out he was with Ms. Sasser?” Kiley asked.

  “He wouldn’t answer my questions, so I followed him.”

  “And you’re sure the woman you saw him with was Neva Sasser?” Collier asked.

  She nodded, taking a deep breath. “I know who she is. I saw her go into the motel with him and come out a couple of hours later. I’m pretty sure he was checking her circuits, if you know what I mean.”

  Kiley bit back a smile at the electrician reference. “If Neva can alibi him, why would he lie about being with her?”

  “She’s married. That’s probably why.” Angie’s voice quivered and tears filled her eyes. “After y’all were at my house, I got real suspicious. He’s cheated on me before and I forgave him. I thought we were trying to work things out, but now I see how things really are.”

  Kiley reached across her desk for a tissue and passed it to the other woman. “It’s good you’re seeing the pattern this early. It’s a big warning sign about what’s to come. You’re smart to get out now.”

  She wondered if she should be telling herself the same thing about Collier.

  Angie sniffled. “Thanks.”

  After Kiley and Collier walked their visitor back to the entrance, they made their way down a long corridor to the jail at the back of the building.

  He glanced over. “I guess we’ve got a little surprise for Embry.”

  “Yeah, this should be interesting.” The tension in her shoulders eased. He wasn’t treating her any differently from the way he had yesterday, before. She just had to do the same.

  After a long half hour of their suspect denying his girlfriend’s claim that he was with another woman on the night of Lazano’s murder, Embry finally admitted it was true. They sure weren’t taking his word for it. Until Kiley and Collier talked to Neva Sasser, the jerk was staying in jail.

  They found the woman at home. After much hand wringing and sidestepping, she confirmed Embry’s alibi, but she begged them to keep quiet about her affair with Alan. Not only because of her marriage, but also because her husband was running for re-election to the school board. Kiley and Collier made no promises.

  As they left Kiley gritted her teeth and called the station to have Embry released. Collier looked just as disgusted and frustrated as she felt. Just because Embry’s last alibi finally checked out, it didn’t mean he hadn’t hired someone to kill his ex-wife and the other firefighters, but right now Kiley and Collier had zero proof.

  While that fact tightened her shoulders, she felt reassured about the change in her relationship with Collier. From the way he was acting, he was of the same mind as she about keeping that information between only them, but Kiley wanted to be sure. As they climbed into his truck to return to the police station, she started to ask, then hesitated. Maybe she didn’t need to bring it up.

  He flicked her a concerned look. “What’s going on?”

  How could he read her so easily? Surprised, she glanced at him. “Why do you think something’s going on?”

  “It’s all over your face, Blaze.”

  “Who are you?” she muttered. “A mind reader? I just wanted to say thanks for not giving away our—last night. I think it’s better not to let on that there’s something between us during our investigation. I wouldn’t want Lt. Hager or anyone else to think it could be compromised.”

  He was silent for a long minute. “What about after we clear the case?”

  She blinked and drew back. Where had that come from? “What do you mean?”

  He shrugged. “I’d like to take you out, to dinner or a movie or whatever.”

  “But I thought…”

  “What?”

  Why was he acting as if he wanted something more than what they had? “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just take it one day at a time.”

  “That sounds like one of my lines,” he murmured.

  So why aren’t you saying it? she thought desperately.

  He must’ve seen her panic. “Don’t worry, Blaze. I won’t ask for anything you don’t want to give.”

  That was the problem. She wanted to give this man way too much.

  “I hear what you’re saying.” Collier glanced in his side mirror as he changed lanes. “When we’re at work, Blaze, we’re partners only. But when we’re alone, I plan to put my hands on you. All over you.”

  She couldn’t control the delicious shiver that moved through her. The memory of that kiss he’d given her this morning had her nerves ticking like a time bomb.

  Her emotions seesawed between pleasure and exasperation. It bothered her that she wa
s so affected by their being together last night, but she liked him. He was funny and smart and she respected the way he did his job. If he’d been just another pretty face and rock-hard bod, she wouldn’t have been tempted. But he was so much more.

  He made her wonder how things might be if he could ever commit to one woman, to her. She squashed the thought. From the beginning, she’d known his rules about involvement. The only reason Collier and future were in the same thought was because he’d thrown her off balance with his question about continuing their relationship. That, and the fact that she couldn’t stop thinking about tonight, had her muscles tightening.

  If she was this rattled after one night, how was she going to be if they kept this up for a while? Refusing to examine that further, Kiley forced all her focus to their investigation.

  Once back at the station, they wrote supplemental reports on their interviews with Angie Bearden and Alan Embry. The rest of their day was taken up with meetings. They updated their respective bosses, who then requested they both tag along to a sit-down at the mayor’s office in case he had questions the chiefs couldn’t answer. That was all kinds of fun.

  By the time Kiley and Collier finished a short interview with the media, they looked at each other with the same tired frustration. Their last stop late that afternoon was at Terra and Jack Spencer’s home. As the first investigator on the arson-murders, Terra wanted an update. Now they finally had time to give her one.

  As they sat in Terra’s kitchen, teased by the aroma of roasting meat, Kiley found herself impatient to wrap up the conversation with Presley’s lead fire investigator. She was restless, edgy and not really sure why.

  She wanted to be alone with Collier. And she didn’t. She found it secretly thrilling that no one knew about them being lovers, but the sense that their affair was clandestine caused uncertainty as much as it did anticipation.

  “So, now you know what we know, which isn’t a lot,” Collier said to Terra a half hour later. He shoved a hand through his hair. “We know Embry’s a liar, but we can’t prove he killed anybody. Or Vail, either.”

  “It’s frustrating,” the other investigator admitted, sitting at the end of the oblong table between him and Kiley who sat on opposite sides. “But I think the two of you are doing a great job.”

  He dragged a hand across his nape. “We’re stalled out.”

  “It happens,” Jack said from behind his wife’s chair. “Something will break.”

  “We’ll keep you posted, Terra.” Kiley rose when Collier did and she started out of the kitchen. He looked tired. She found herself wanting to soothe the lines of fatigue from his face.

  He hung back. “Hey, Kiley, give me a minute with Terra, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll step out with you,” Jack said to her.

  She shot Collier a curious look and went into the living room with the other detective.

  Kiley wondered if Collier wanted to speak to Terra alone because he was still concerned that she know he was doing the best job he could.

  A baby’s cry broke over the monitor sitting on an end table between the dark sofa and love seat, and Jack excused himself to go check on the infant.

  Kiley and Collier had driven in separate cars so there was no need for her to wait. She would see him later, anyway. He’d made that clear this morning. As she started across the living room toward the front door, she admitted she wasn’t sure how long she could keep things casual between them. Maybe she should break things off now, before she fell for him.

  Just as she reached the far edge of the living room, Collier and Terra walked out of the kitchen to join her. The other woman smiled over at Kiley. “I’m glad you both came.”

  As they all walked together toward the front door, Terra said, “Let me know how things progress, all right?”

  “You got it.” Collier’s cell phone rang, and he reached for it. Glancing at the readout, he held up a finger to Kiley, indicating he would take the call.

  He moved closer to the door, standing several feet away. She could tell by the way his shoulders relaxed that the call didn’t concern their investigation.

  Terra touched her elbow and drew her back into the living room, asking in a low voice, “What’s going on with you two?”

  Kiley fought not to give away the shock that drove through her. “What do you mean?”

  “Something’s different.” The other woman’s green eyes were warm and curious. “Are you seeing each other?”

  “Why would you think that?” Even though Terra was her friend and Kiley longed to confide in her, she wouldn’t. How had Terra guessed? Kiley and Collier had been extremely careful about how they interacted today.

  “I’ve never seen Collier look at anyone the way he looks at you.”

  “Terra,” she protested with a laugh. “He’s not looking at me. He’s answering a phone call.”

  “I saw him. Twice,” her friend whispered. “I can feel something between y’all right now.”

  Panic streaked through her, but Kiley managed to keep her tone teasing. “He’s too far away for you to feel anything!”

  Terra grinned, her gaze shifting to Collier. “I think it’s great.”

  She shook her head, wishing desperately that the other woman would believe she was mistaken, but she could tell that Terra knew. Still, Kiley held her smile until she and Collier reached the curb outside. Under the yellow pool of a floodlight, they stopped between their two vehicles parked one behind the other.

  “That was my brother on the phone.” Collier jammed his hands in his coat pockets and hunched his shoulders against the biting cold. “He wanted to know if I had plans for dinner. I told him I definitely do.”

  If she was going to cool things, now was the time. She arched a brow. “You don’t think I’m going to cook?”

  A slow, wicked grin hitched up one corner of his mouth. “I wasn’t thinking about food at all.”

  She suddenly didn’t feel the frigid winter air. The thought of seeing him tonight had buzzed her nerves all day.

  “Your house or mine, Blaze?”

  She glanced back, making sure Terra’s door was closed and that no one stood at the windows.

  “You didn’t forget what I said this morning.” He took a step toward her. “We have a date.”

  “I didn’t forget, but…I don’t know, Collier.”

  He lowered his voice to a rough whisper. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you all day, and in exactly five seconds I’m going to whether we’re standing here or somewhere else.”

  “Okay, my house.” She would use the time to make a decision.

  Her mind racing, she didn’t remember the drive. As soon as they stepped inside her laundry room and he closed the door, she turned to him. “I’m not sure—”

  Collier pulled her into him at the same time his mouth came down on hers. Her body responded immediately, even though she fought to hold on to some thread of reason.

  Taking the kiss deeper, he laced his fingers with hers and backed her to the wall. He brought their hands up to her shoulder level and pinned her there as he pressed full into her. His mouth was hot and hungry and possessive, turning her body to liquid.

  He lifted his head, his eyes glittering down at her in the shadows thrown by the light from her yard that streamed through the window.

  “Collier.” His name shuddered out.

  He kissed her again, doing things with his tongue that had her knees turning to powder. He buried his hands in her hair and she gripped his biceps, trying to still him. There were reasons they should slow down. She had reasons.

  Finally he dragged his lips from hers.

  “I don’t know if this—us—was such a good idea,” she breathed.

  “It was. Trust me.”

  “We need to talk.”

  “I’m listening.” Nibbling his way down her neck, he pushed off her outer coat, then her deep-cranberry suit jacket. With a flick of his wrist, he tugged both her clip-on badge and holster from t
he waistband of her slacks, then reached back and laid both on the washer. His fingers moved down the buttons of her white tailored shirt.

  Before her thoughts were overwhelmed by the feel of his hands on her, she said, “Terra knows there’s something going on with us.”

  “Yeah, she said something to me about it, too.” He got her shirt open and tugged it out of her slacks, spreading it wide. His jaw clenched as he stared down at her.

  Her nipples tightened beneath the sheer lace of her bra. Before she completely lost her sanity, she asked breathlessly, “How could she tell?”

  Her question was supposed to be important, but Kiley couldn’t remember why.

  He lightly trailed his index finger down the center of her chest, came back to tease one hard nipple. “Probably because you were looking at me like you couldn’t wait to get me naked. Or maybe that’s how I was looking at you.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on what she wanted to say. “Did she have a problem with it? Is she worried about it affecting our jobs?”

  “No.” He slipped her shirtsleeve off one arm, slid down both bra straps with long fingers still a little cool from the winter air. He bent and pressed his hot, open mouth over the single freckle on the swell of her left breast. “She said she remembered how things were for her and Jack.”

  Kiley couldn’t feel her legs any more. She could only feel Collier’s hard strength, the heated silk of his mouth. “I’d forgotten…about that. Did you reassure her? What did…you tell her?”

  “I told her we were having sex five times a day.” He nudged down the lacy fabric of her bra and closed his mouth over her.

  A ragged moan worked its way up her throat and she arched into him. Steadying herself, she slid her hands into his hair and held him close. “Collier, please.”

  “I’m trying to.”

  That wasn’t what she meant. What did she mean? He kissed his way to her other breast. Pulse pounding wildly in her throat, between her legs, she laid her head back against the wall. The shadowed room swirled.

  Helpless to resist, she fought to keep from succumbing to the dark, seductive draw of his kisses, his hands. It was happening again. The connection she’d felt to him last night. She wanted to sink into it, wanted to find out if it was more than physical. And at the same time, she didn’t. She couldn’t.