In His Sights

by Jo Davis

Shaking her head at their antics, Robyn hurried back into the building. But she was lighter in spirit than she had been in a very long time.

  Tomorrow night. She couldn’t wait.

  * * *

  Chris was flying high as he pulled onto his street. So much so that at first his brain didn’t register the water flowing like a mini river down his driveway.

  Water line break.

  “Shit!”

  Throwing the Camaro into park, he shut off the ignition and ran into the house, searching everywhere for running water and damage as he went. He was relieved to find that the break wasn’t inside the house—that would’ve been a major disaster, considering the new carpet, furnishings, and God knows what else.

  Continuing his search, he found a soggy patch of grass in the backyard, water gurgling and spewing at a rate that made him cringe to think of his next water bill—especially if this had been gushing all day. Why the hell hadn’t one of the neighbors called him? The people on each side of him had his cell phone number, but they must not have been home.

  First, he found the meter and shut off the water. Once inside again, he phoned the utility company and was informed that the earliest they could send someone out to look at the pipe was tomorrow. But in all reality, it would be several days before the actual repair could be made. It seemed their schedule was very backed up.

  That meant he couldn’t stay here. No running water for dishes, the toilet, or the shower made that impossible. He considered his options. A hotel would be easy, but over several days could get expensive. He could stay with Shea and Tommy, but the thought of cohabitating with his nosy cousin and having her grill him about Robyn didn’t appeal at all.

  Staying with Shane and Daisy made the most sense. Their house was a bit more crowded now that they had Drew with them, and the teen was always having friends over, but he could deal if they could. With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and went back into the house. It rang a couple of times before Shane answered.

  “Hey, cuz. What’s up?”

  “Not my impressive ten inches, that’s for sure.”

  Shane laughed. “Ten? Who’s delusional?”

  “Not me. But I didn’t call to make you feel inadequate,” he joked. “Especially when I need a favor.”

  “Anything, you know that. As long as it’s legal, that is.”

  “Good, because I need a place to crash, maybe for a few days. I have a water line break here at the house.”

  “Ouch.” His cousin’s voice was sympathetic.

  “Yeah. I’m not going to have any water until they can get it fixed, so I’m kind of in a spot. I know you’ve got more people in the house these days, though, so if it’s a problem I can go somewhere else.”

  “Say no more, and bring your ass over before I kick it. We’ve got four bedrooms, and the spare two are rarely used unless Blake stays over in one of them.”

  Blake was a young man of about nineteen that Taylor and his girlfriend Cara had recently helped to get his life together. Everyone really liked him, including Chris. He was a good kid who’d once had it pretty rough, and he had become Drew’s best friend.

  “Thanks, man. I’ll be over after I scrounge up some dinner.”

  “Nah, fuck that. Daisy’s making fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Pack, then get over here and come help us eat it all.”

  His mouth watered. “Well, twist my arm . . .”

  “Ha! No force involved, I’m thinking.”

  “You’re right. See you soon.”

  Moving quickly, he pulled a duffel bag from the closet and threw in enough clothes for two days, both work and casual. A pair of lightweight shorts for jogging followed, tennis shoes, plus socks and underwear, his toothbrush and his deodorant. After a brief inspection, he was satisfied. Shane and Daisy would have anything else he needed.

  He locked up, then made his way back to the car, tossed in his bag, and left. Briefly, he worried that the utility people coming to look at the pipe might interfere with his date, but then he cast that fear aside. Nothing was getting in the way of his evening with Robyn. Not going to happen.

  Twenty minutes later he was turning down Shane’s driveway. Well, the place was Daisy’s now also, but this property and the one next door, beautiful tracts of land located right on the Cumberland River, had been left to Shane and his sister, respectively, by their parents. Shane had built his house here a few years earlier, and then Shea and Tommy had built on her portion after they’d gotten married. The siblings and their families lived barely a few hundred yards away from each other.

  Chris couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous. And a little left out sometimes.

  But that feeling was false, and totally on Chris. Shane and Shea were more like siblings to him than cousins, which was the main reason he’d moved to Sugarland a few months back. He had badly needed family, people who cared for him, and he’d been welcomed with open arms. Why would he ever feel left out?

  Because they have families that take up their time and attention now, and you don’t.

  Shutting out that destructive voice, he grabbed his bag and headed for the porch. There he rang the doorbell and was greeted by an enthusiastic Daisy. She flung her arms around him, giving him a big hug as the aroma of fried chicken drifted out to assault his nose.

  “Hey, stranger!” The tall blond juvenile officer gave his cheek a kiss and pulled back to smile at him. “Get in here. Where the hell have you been lately?”

  “What do you mean? I just saw you at work three days ago.” He stepped inside to see Shane rise from his recliner and stretch, then start toward him and Daisy.

  “Work doesn’t count! I’ve been inviting you over to dinner for weeks, and it takes a busted water pipe to get you here? I don’t know whether to be happy or insulted.” The quirk of her mouth and humor in her blue eyes told him which it was.

  “Can we settle for happy?” He sniffed appreciatively at the air.

  Laughing, she draped an arm over his shoulders and guided him into the living room. Shane met them halfway and thumped his cousin on the back.

  “That didn’t take long.”

  “Food was mentioned,” he said. “I have my priorities in order.”

  Daisy gestured toward a hallway that Chris knew led to the guest rooms. The master bedroom and Drew’s room were on the other side of the house. “Why don’t you go put your bag in the second guest room and wash up. We’re about ready to eat.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She took a swat at him and muttered something about not calling her ma’am as he sauntered off. Doing as she said, he put his bag on the bed in the second room and then washed his hands. As he did, he took a few moments to study himself in the mirror.

  There were still faint circles under his eyes, but he felt a little better than he had that morning. For some reason, his illness seemed to hit the worst after he’d gotten ready for work, and so the sickness and fatigue dragged at him throughout the day. He’d lost a little weight, but not too much. Having a healthy appetite wasn’t the problem—the nausea was, and it didn’t seem to be related to eating, which was strange. He was always hungry.

  And terribly thirsty. That was an odd realization that hadn’t occurred to him as possibly being related before: that he couldn’t drink enough water. That, along with his other particular symptoms, would’ve had him convinced he was diabetic if the doctors hadn’t already ruled it out.

  Cataloging how he felt now, he leaned on the sink. He was tired. A little shaky. But the feverish sickness, the racing pulse, was absent for the time being. Thank God.

  He didn’t want to wonder how short the respite might be.

  Pushing that to the back of his mind, he made his way to the kitchen. There he found Daisy using a pair of tongs trying to place the pieces of chicken on a platter. Trying being the operative word, as Shane was wrapped around her like
a burrito, kissing her neck and making her giggle. She almost dropped one of the legs.

  “All right, you two,” he drawled, pulling up a chair beside Drew. “No fair taunting those of us who don’t have a significant other to nibble as an appetizer.”

  “And they’re at it all the time.” Drew rolled his eyes and snagged a roll from a bowl on the table. “I so don’t want to watch old people get their groove on.”

  “Old!” Daisy’s mouth dropped open.

  “You’re just jealous,” Shane said with a wink. “You’ll change your tune fast enough when you have someone special of your own.”

  “Who says I don’t?” the teen shot back.

  Chris watched the verbal sparring match between Drew and his guardians in amusement. Over the summer, the seventeen-year-old had shot up to nearly six feet and had filled out. Tanned and developing muscle from regular workouts, he was a good-looking guy, with a strong resemblance to his late father. Drew was coming into his own, the man peeking out now and then from behind the kid, and it was cool to see.

  Not that Shane always agreed. He was staring at his godson, the tables suddenly turned. “Is there something I should know?”

  The teen smirked, lips quirking up. “Nope. Unlike you, I don’t flaunt my biz to the world.”

  Shane narrowed his eyes. Letting go of Daisy, he moved to the table and took a seat across from the young man. “It’s not flaunting my biz, as you put it, to kiss my wife in the privacy of my own home. So no deflecting. Is there someone special?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “Actually, I would.”

  Drew glanced at Chris, then back to Shane, and some of the cockiness drained from his demeanor. “Nah, I’m just givin’ ya a hard time. There’s not really anybody.”

  Shane opened his mouth to say something else, but Daisy appeared and caught her husband’s attention as she set the platter of chicken on the table. An imperceptible shake of her head and Shane dropped the subject, though it was clear he wanted to push harder.

  His cousin didn’t believe Drew, and neither did Chris. Especially when Drew didn’t join in the small talk for the rest of the meal, instead checking his text messages under the table with almost religious fervor. Chris knew the couple preferred that Drew not have his cell phone at the table, but that was a tough rule to enforce, the two of them being cops and needing their own phones to be handy at all times in case of emergency.

  Shane gave his boy the stink eye, but let it go. In turn, he was roundly ignored.

  Eventually, the conversation turned to work, as it tended to do with a room full of cops. “So, what’s going on with the body you and Tonio caught the other day?” Daisy asked.

  “Not much. We think it’s one of the rash of burglaries we’ve had lately, but this one went south when he surprised the intruder.” Chris shook his head. “We’ve got a burglar who doesn’t take anything of value, whose point seems to be creeping through people’s things. Weird, but not violent. Then he kills the first person who catches him in the act. We just can’t seem to grasp the thread we’re missing.”

  Daisy made a face. “That’s damned strange.”

  “What about the vial and the syringe that was found out back of the victim’s place?” Shane asked. “Got the test results on those yet?”

  “Not yet. The lab is really backed up,” he emphasized with air quotes.

  Shane snorted. “There’s a news flash.”

  “Yeah. It’s a miracle crimes ever get solved, as slow as things move.”

  Drew looked up from his texting. “So, does anybody have any good news?”

  Chris shrugged, but was unable to contain the bubble of happiness that welled inside him. “I’ve got a date tomorrow night.”

  “Awesome,” the boy said with a grin. “Is it the hot chick who was at the party the other day?”

  “Her name is Robyn, and she’s a doctor. She’s smart and hot.”

  “Dude, that rocks. What else do you know about her?”

  He thought about that. “Not as much as I’d like, but I hope to change that. I know there’s no husband in the picture, but not why. She’s warm and kind, if a bit reserved, like she’s been burned before. And she’s got a little girl who’s in first grade.”

  Drew made a face. “A kid? Wow, what a buzzkill.”

  “That’s rude,” Shane began.

  Chris waved off his cousin with a laugh. “It wasn’t too many years ago that I would’ve agreed with you. But attitudes change as you get older and spend more time alone. Trust me.”

  “I can’t imagine being saddled with a kid, much less somebody else’s, but I’ll take your word for it,” Drew said.

  Shane’s tone cooled. “Excuse me? Want to run that by me again?”

  The teen looked to Shane and his eyes widened as he realized what he’d said. “I was thinking of a little kid, not . . . Anyway, may I be excused?”

  “Sure.” Shane frowned after the young man as he put his plate in the sink and left the room. “I worry about him.”

  “He’s a normal teenager,” Chris said. “He’s fine.”

  “I guess.” Shane looked at Chris thoughtfully. “But he’s right about one thing—be sure you know what you’re getting into. Getting involved with a woman who has a small child is no light responsibility.”

  He struggled to keep the annoyance from his tone. “I’m quite aware that’s a huge game changer, okay? I’m looking to settle down with someone special, not tap a piece of pretty ass and run. Plus, I like kids and I want some of my own.”

  Shane held up a hand. “All right, sorry. I care about you and I want you to be happy, no matter what. You know that.”

  “Yeah, I do. Sorry for getting defensive.” He blew out a breath.

  “Not a problem.”

  Shane and Daisy rose and started clearing the table. Chris tried to help, but Daisy shooed him away. With nothing else to do, he wandered into the living room and turned on the television, killing time until they joined him.

  The three of them shot the breeze until Chris yawned, realizing that the week had caught up with him. Excusing himself, he retired to the guest room, closed the door, and undressed. Then he slid naked between the sheets, enjoying the sensation of them on his skin.

  Rolling to his back, he closed his eyes and pictured Robyn. Her auburn hair and big blue eyes. He couldn’t help but imagine her lush figure bared to his gaze, his palms tracing her curves. Was her ass the nice handful it appeared to be? How would it feel to squeeze the mounds in his hands as he drove between those long thighs?

  Arousal woke his cock, and he groaned as it thickened, the length brushing against the cool sheets. God, he wanted her. His fantasy fueled his desire, and needed an outlet. Reaching down, he palmed the hardening flesh. Stroked the warm skin, bringing his rod to full attention. Delicious tingles skittered from the weeping tip to his balls, and he spread the pearl around the head. Then gave himself a few strokes, worked down to his sac to cup and massage it.

  So good. Gripping his cock again, he made a snug fist and began a slow rhythm, pushing the turgid length through the warm tunnel. Nerve endings began to fire, licking at his shaft like a thousand tongues. Driving him crazy, spiraling his need higher.

  All too soon, his balls drew up tight, signaling the impending orgasm. With a few last pulls, he sent himself over the edge with a hoarse cry. Spurts of hot cum bathed his abdomen and chest, painting him with creamy stripes. As he came down from the high and reality set in, he stared at the ceiling and let himself hope.

  He hoped like hell that, very soon, making love was just that—and not an empty, lonely fantasy.

  5

  “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

  Robyn paused in the act of wearing a hole in the living room carpet and looked down into Maddy’s face, realizing her anxiety wasn’t lost on her daughte
r. She hadn’t kept her date with Chris from Maddy. Her little girl liked the man, and besides, the idea of keeping something as important as a potential new person in their lives from Maddy didn’t sit well. Smiling, she bent down and gave her a quick hug.

  “Can you keep a secret?” she asked in a stage whisper.

  “Uh-huh!”

  “I’m a little nervous about having dinner with Chris,” she admitted.

  “Why? You like Chris and he’s nice.” Her cute face scrunched as she pondered this.

  Kids, God love them. She hardly recalled a time when life was that simple, and you either liked someone or you didn’t. “Yes, I do like him, very much. But what if he doesn’t like me as much as I like him?”

  Maddy nodded. “Like when Tara invited Danny to her birthday party but he said no ’cause he didn’t want to go to no stinky girl’s party. Tara cried.”

  “Well, that was very rude of Danny to hurt Tara’s feelings. And yes, it’s sort of like that.”

  “But Chris invited you, so why would he be mean?”

  Laughing, she threw her arms around her baby, squeezed her tight, and gave her a big kiss. “Why, indeed? How come you’re so smart?”

  “Because!” Giggling, Maddy tried to squirm away. Robyn held fast and tickled her ribs.

  “Because why?”

  “I don’t know!”

  The doorbell interrupted their silly fun, and for a second her heart lurched. Then she saw the form standing on the other side of the frosted glass and knew it had to be Rachel. She walked over and let her in.

  “Hi, hon,” she said to the girl. “Thanks for sitting tonight.”

  “Hey, no problem. It’s not every day you have a hot date.”

  “I’m pretty sure we had a different president the last time it occurred.”

  Rachel laughed and Robyn set about giving the sitter instructions.

  “No soda with Maddy’s dinner tonight. She chose to have hers with her after-school snack.”

  “Mooommy!” her daughter whined.

  Robyn ignored her, refusing to engage in a battle of wills. “Bedtime at eight thirty if she’s been a good girl. That’s thirty minutes longer than usual,” she told Maddy, cutting off her protest. “Take it or leave it.”