In His Sights

by Jo Davis

  “O-kay.” Crossing her arms over her thin chest, she pouted for about five seconds. Then the doorbell rang again and she forgot all about being annoyed with her mom. “He’s here!”

  A tall form stood on the other side of the glass, shifting slightly from side to side. Maddy bolted before Robyn could stop her, and threw open the door to reveal Sugarland’s sexiest detective standing on the threshold.

  “Chris, hi!” Maddy was practically bouncing.

  “Hey, munchkin,” he said warmly. “I have something for you, if you want it. Sort of a thank-you for letting me take your mom to dinner.”

  His arms were full of flowers and some sort of stuffed animal, and as Maddy reached for it, Robyn saw it was a purple teddy bear. There wasn’t anything more disarming than seeing the pleasure on Chris’s face at making her daughter so happy. Having seen him interact with her before, Robyn knew it was genuine.

  She looked over at Rachel to see the twenty-year-old staring at Chris like he was a steak on a dinner plate. A tiny surge of possessiveness rose in her, though she couldn’t blame the girl. Just then Rachel glanced at Robyn and mouthed, Wow!

  Robyn smiled. That was an understatement. The man looked heart-stoppingly gorgeous in black jeans and a silky-looking gray-and-black fitted shirt. His brown-gold hair was artfully mussed with a bit of product, much more so than the previous times she’d met him. He’d gone to some trouble with his appearance, and she liked that.

  Not that the man had needed any improvement. He was already hot enough to melt her panties.

  Maddy was suddenly shy, burying her face in the bear’s soft fur. “I love him. Thank you.”

  “I’m glad, sweetheart, and you’re welcome.” He turned to face Robyn and handed her a vase of mixed flowers. “These are for you, pretty lady.”

  She took them, thrilled to her toes. “Thank you, they’re beautiful. I don’t remember the last time anyone gave me flowers.”

  “Well, that’s not right. I’m a firm believer that a woman should get flowers all the time, especially for no reason other than she’s perfect.” His smile was breathtaking.

  “I think that’s an opinion I could get behind. Thank you again.” Impulsively, she gave him a hug and inhaled his spicy scent. He smelled damned good, and that brief moment of contact with his hard, muscled body had her yearning for more.

  With regret, she let him go. Carrying the flowers to the sofa table, she moved a couple of framed pictures and placed the vase in the middle. Then she waved a hand at the sitter. “Oh, this is Rachel, Maddy’s sitter. Rachel, Chris.”

  “Nice to meet you,” he said politely. Robyn was gratified to note he barely spared a glance for the pretty young woman before returning his focus to her. “Are you ready to go?”

  “If you are.”

  “I am.” Turning to Maddy, he said, “I promise not to keep your mom out too late, okay?”

  “You’ll keep her safe ’cause you’re a policeman, right?” She was as serious as could be.

  His mouth quirked, but his tone was equally solemn. “That’s right. She’s in good hands.”

  “Okay.” And that was that.

  Robyn hugged her daughter good-bye, and then waved to Rachel, who assured her that Maddy would be in bed by eight thirty. Then she let Chris guide her down the sidewalk, loving the feeling of his hand on her lower back.

  When they approached his car, she ogled the shiny black Camaro with the dark tinted windows. “Damn, sweet ride.”

  “Glad you approve,” he said, opening the door for her. “I saved for ages to afford the down payment. Worth every penny.”

  Shutting her door, he hurried around to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel. “Are you into cars?”

  “I am,” she admitted. “I love good old American muscle. If I was rich, I’d have an entire temperature-controlled warehouse full of classic cars just like Jay Leno does.”

  “Me, too. That’s something else we have in common.”

  “So, where are we going?”

  “I was thinking Italian food, if that’s okay with you? There’s a new restaurant that opened on the river and I’ve been meaning to try it.”

  “Sounds fabulous. I could eat Italian every other day.”

  “Great.” He glanced at her. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

  “Thanks. You look very handsome yourself.”

  He smiled, shaking his head as if he didn’t really believe her.

  She admired his profile as he drove. Again, she was struck by how the gorgeous outside of him, so far, seemed to match the inside. How many men brought a gift to their date’s child?

  “You’ve lived in Sugarland for two years, right?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  “Yes. We moved here from Phoenix, Arizona, after my husband, Greg . . . passed away.” That term was so innocuous. So far removed from the real tragedy.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said sincerely. “He was Maddy’s father?”

  Not so much—at least not at the end. But she wasn’t ready to go there just yet. Too many horrible memories, and too much sadness for a first date.

  “He was. Her memories of him are pretty dim, though.” Seeking to change the subject, she asked, “What about you? Have you always lived here?”

  “No, I moved here from the Dallas area a few months ago. I wanted to be close to my cousins, and I’m glad I made the move. I love the people and the scenery.”

  “That’s good. What about your folks? Do they live in Dallas?”

  His jaw clenched and he hesitated. She realized too late she’d probably hit a nerve, but he gave no further indication as he answered. “Cancer took my mom when I was twelve. My dad lives north of Dallas, but we don’t stay in touch. He’s a drunk who used my mom as a verbal punching bag for as long as I can remember, and then shifted his focus to me when he didn’t have her to demean anymore.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she said gently. “That must have been rough growing up.”

  “Could’ve been worse, I guess. I’ve seen worse, like women and children being physically abused. My father never hit us, but he made our lives miserable just the same. I have no respect for him.”

  “Is that part of the reason you have a soft spot for kids?”

  “I suppose,” he mused. “Someday I’d like to give my kid the happy childhood I didn’t have. Disney World, late-night movies with pizza and popcorn, picnics in the park, a dog, the whole works.”

  An emotional lump formed in her throat. “I have no doubt you’ll make some boy or girl very lucky one day by being their dad.”

  “I sure hope so.” He grinned. “I want a houseful.”

  She laughed, imagining him with children hanging off him, climbing him like a jungle gym. She’d like to do the same thing, for entirely different reasons.

  “What about you?” He slid a glance at her. “Would you like more kids someday?”

  She thought about that. “Yes, eventually. I think Maddy would love a little brother or sister. If that ever happens, though, I’ll need to be in the position to take a long hiatus from work. My hours aren’t very conducive to taking care of a new baby.”

  “Do you ever wish you were a stay-at-home mom?”

  “It’s the American dream, isn’t it?”

  “Not for everyone.”

  “I was teasing. Honestly, I’m not sure if I’d want to go back after having more children. I feel bad missing out on so much time with Maddy, what with the long hours and late nights. Sometimes I feel like the sitter spends more time with her than I do,” she said quietly.

  Reaching over, he put his hand on top of hers. “I’m sure that’s not true. It just feels that way when your heart is at home.”

  “I know. I love my job, but it’s hard sometimes, feeling like I’m taking care of everyone except my own family.”

 
“I get that.”

  Chris turned onto the road leading down the hill to the restaurant and found a parking place. As they walked toward the entrance, he took her hand in his larger, rougher one. The simple contact was nice and she relished it until they got inside, and he asked for a table for two.

  The hostess took them to a table next to a window with a nice view of the river. Darkness had fallen, and the water reflected the twinkling of lights from piers and other businesses across the way.

  “This is a great view,” she said, admiring it.

  “It’s spectacular,” he answered softly. And he wasn’t looking at the river.

  Their eyes met and held. Robyn had heard mutual attraction described in all sorts of ways. That moment when two people recognize the spark between them without a word being spoken—from angels singing to fireworks to electricity, and everything in between.

  But for her, that recognition was gentle and quiet. It was a shift in her soul as she stared deep into his kind brown eyes and saw all that he was reflected there—sweet, honorable, intelligent, a good cop, a great friend, a man of hidden passion. All the qualities she’d ever wanted in one complete package, one incredible man who she sensed could be hers for the taking.

  And it scared her in a way nothing had in a very long time.

  “Can I start you with something to drink? Wine, iced tea, soda?” A handsome, dark-haired waiter smiled down at them.

  “A beer for me, draft.” The waiter made a suggestion, and Chris said that sounded fine.

  “A glass of Chardonnay for me,” she said.

  The young man made a quick bow and left.

  “I’d heard this place was family owned,” Chris said.

  “That would explain the sexy Italian accent.”

  “Uh-oh. I can’t compete with the Latin-lover appeal.” The humor on his face said he wasn’t too worried.

  “I don’t think it’ll be an issue.”

  “Like your men a little more . . . homegrown, do you?” he teased.

  “Something like that.” It felt good to flirt. “I’m a sucker for a Southern accent, brown-gold hair, and big brown eyes.”

  “And big weapons?” His grin was boyish, mischievous.

  “Especially the weapons. As long as they don’t discharge prematurely.”

  He laughed out loud, and she liked the sound and sight of him with his inhibitions stripped. The man was simply stunning.

  “Sweetheart, not a chance of that. I take weapon maintenance very seriously.”

  “Good to know.”

  The waiter brought their drinks and gave them time to look at the menu. Robyn scanned the selections, then took advantage of studying Chris while he made up his mind. What Shea had told her in private the other day, about him battling some sort of health problem, weighed on her mind. Chris seemed to be the real deal, but she didn’t want to come to care for another man only to have him leave her and Maddy. She couldn’t go through that horrible pain again.

  No, she was borrowing trouble and needed to stop. He looked good tonight, the shadows under his eyes faded. Perhaps whatever had afflicted him was becoming a thing of the past. She hoped that was so.

  “The menu looks awesome,” he said, setting it down. “Between eating out and Daisy’s cooking, I’m going to get as big as a barn.”

  “Do you eat at your cousin’s house quite often?”

  “Sometimes, but not as much as I am right now. I’m staying with them for the time being because I had a water line break at my house yesterday.”

  She grimaced. “Oh, what a pain. No major damage, I hope.”

  “No, the break was outside, thank God. But I’ve got no running water and won’t for several days, until it’s fixed. The utility company said they went by my house while I was at work today and took a look, but who knows.”

  “So you have to put up with home-cooked meals for a bit. Bummer.”

  “Yeah, poor me.”

  An idea formed, but she decided to hold off mentioning anything. Best to see how their date went first. The waiter came back and took their order. Robyn decided on shrimp and linguine in a white wine cream sauce, and Chris went for the lasagna. Then the waiter disappeared briefly, came back to drop off some garlic rolls, plates, and butter, and left again. They both plucked rolls from the basket.

  “You look like you’re feeling better,” Robyn said.

  He took a bite of his roll and nodded. “I am. Thanks. It’s weird how I feel better when I’m not home. Maybe I’m allergic to my own house,” he joked.

  She chuckled, but quickly reverted to doctor mode as his words sank in. “You could be closer to the truth than you think. Have you considered an environmental cause for your ailments, like black mold or clogged air filters?”

  He blinked at her. “Not really. But that’s an excellent point. We live in an older neighborhood, so those aren’t out of the realm of possibility. I’ll do an inspection once my water line is fixed.”

  “It’s worth a look.” She paused, uncertain. “This may sound like a strange question, but . . . Do you think it’s possible we have some sort of mass contamination going on in the city that’s affecting people’s health?”

  “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “What makes you ask?”

  “It’s just that something’s been bugging me about the symptoms you’ve been battling. They’re very similar to a few other patients we’ve seen at the hospital in the last couple of months. Actually, many of those people have died.” He was staring at her, all ears, but at least he wasn’t looking at her like she was crazy. Fortifying herself, she continued. “The deaths were brought to my attention by one of the nurses. I started looking into it and got concerned, so I called the medical examiner. She’s notified the authorities, but I don’t think she’s gotten anywhere.”

  Chris nodded. “We’d need solid evidence, or probable cause at the very least, to open an investigation into the deaths. Something more than coincidence.”

  “That’s the frustrating part. I think there really is something going on and so does Eden. But there’s nothing she can do now that the bodies in question have been released, and it’s a tricky proposition to ask those families to consent to more in-depth toxicology testing.”

  “If anyone can convince the survivors to consent, it’s Eden,” he said. “She’s like a dog with a bone when she’s onto something.”

  “Yeah.”

  “But I don’t see what those deaths could possibly have to do with me. Besides, I’m sure whatever has been kicking my butt is finally working itself out of my system.”

  “I hope you’re right.” She put a lid on her worry in front of him, though, and shot him a bright smile. “Gosh, what morbid dinner conversation. My apologies.”

  His eyes danced with humor. “None necessary. We’re a doctor and a cop, so that sort of makes it an occupational hazard with us. What’re you gonna do?”

  Their food arrived and they dug in, moaning over the delicious, rich flavors.

  “That’s some of the best Italian I’ve ever had,” she said, rolling her eyes in pleasure.

  “Wasn’t it? I’m so glad you like this place.”

  They made small talk for a while, and inevitably the conversation turned back to their work—but this time they kept it to the lighter side. Chris entertained her with funny stories of calls they’d answered and some of the witnesses they’d talked to, making her laugh.

  She shook her head. “I’d say I’m shocked at the number of calls the police get about naked people running around, but many of them wind up in our emergency room being treated or held for psychiatric observation.”

  “I’ll bet! What is it with the drunk and disorderly wanting to shuck their clothes and take off down the street?”

  All too soon the meal was over, and they were regretfully too full for dessert. Chris paid th
e bill, flatly refusing to let her even pay half, and as they took their leave she felt a pang of regret that their evening was drawing to a close. However, when they stepped outside, he took her hand and paused instead of leading them to the car.

  “Someone—I’m guessing the city—has built scenic walkways down by the river. Would you like to take a stroll with me?”

  “I’d love that.”

  He took her hand and together they walked around the side of the restaurant, where the concrete walk continued for a short ways. Soon there was a sign pointing them toward a set of steps descending to the scenic boardwalk. The path was illuminated by attractive lighting, which lent a certain romance to the setting by the water.

  Romance. She’d experienced so little of that in the past few years and suddenly she wanted that for herself with a fierce yearning that stole her breath. Was it so wrong to want happiness for herself? To be more than a doctor and Maddy’s mother?

  “What are you thinking?” he asked as they started down the steps.

  “That it’s been too long since I was in the company of someone I like, doing something for me.” That was close enough to the truth.

  “I know what you mean. It seems like I’m either involved with work or I’m the sidekick at someone else’s party, if that makes sense. I watch all my friends pair off and I wonder when it’s my turn. Does that sound selfish?”

  “Not at all.”

  At the bottom, they walked to the wooden railing and stood in silence for a few moments, taking in the lapping of the water, the blanket of stars that lit the inky sky. Somewhere downriver a motor hummed, perhaps someone getting in a little night fishing.

  Robyn was increasingly aware of the vital man at her side. How he moved in close, slowly wrapping an arm about her waist as though giving her time to move away or protest. She did neither, instead leaning into him more, letting him know without words that this closeness was more than okay.

  Eventually he turned to face her and pulled her closer, tucking her head under his chin. With a content sigh she locked her arms around his waist and let herself be held, curling into his warm body and breathing his male scent. She could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong, part of the solidness of him that made her feel safe and protected.