Down the Rabbit Hole by Monica Corwin Page A

place feel more like a hostel than a home.
    Her heart raced not only from the threat of the Cheshire Cat but the idea of spending some alone time with Harris. In the three years he’d been coming to The Rabbit Hole she had wanted to ask him out but could never get the courage. He always looked so handsome in his uniform. All tanned skin and sexy smile. He was like a cross between a Baywatch lifeguard and a straight laced cop. Never a bad thing, but Baywatch lifeguards didn’t notice girls like her and neither did sexy police officers. Most of the time her mousy brown hair was tied up in a bun and her clothes stained with various caffeinated beverages. No man ever noticed her.
    He rearranged himself so he sat on the couch comfortably with his belt on and took the coffees from her as she sat across from him.
    She went for the obvious conversation starter once she settled a respectable distance from the good officer. “So how long have you been a cop?”
    He pursed his lips and looked up at the ceiling. “About five years now. I started out with no intentions and I grew to enjoy the work. There are criminals out there who need to be stopped.”
    The passion in his voice mesmerized her. Elsa fidgeted rubbing the rim of her coffee as she grasped for another conversation topic, anything to stop staring at his lips. “The last murder was only a couple blocks from my house.”
    She pointed in the direction she lived like he would have any idea what she meant. This time she spoke without looking at his face at all. “Some nights I’ve been scared to walk home when I get off of work.”
    Elsa could hear his smile it in his voice. “Do you want me to come by and walk you home until the guy is caught?”
    Yes. “No, I’ll be okay. It shouldn’t be that much longer, right?”
    “Well this is nice,” he said in an attempt to ease some of her tension no doubt. Elsa wasn’t sure if he meant the lounge or her company.
    She shook her head reaching for her beverage. “I’m sorry you are stuck with me for a little while. I’m sure you have more important things to do.”
    “Elsa, look at me.”
    She glanced up to meet his eyes.
    “There’s nowhere on Earth I’d rather be than here with you.”
    For a second Elsa let those words sink into her heart pretending he meant them as more than his duty as an officer of the law. She leaned back into the gray plush cushions and surveyed him discreetly over the rim of her coffee cup. His short, blond hair lightened by prolonged sun exposure stood up at odd angles most likely from the rain. When he smiled, his blue eyes sparkled crinkling at the corners. Get it together woman. Her reaction to him hadn’t lessened in the time they’d been acquainted. Harris always wore a smile when he showed up at the shop. She sighed, and he looked concerned for a moment.
    “Are you all right? Not scared are you?”
    Elsa shook her head. It surprised her that she really wasn’t scared. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Harris would protect her and lay down his life if necessary.
    “Good. Nothing will happen. They will probably be done with the search in a couple of hours, tops.”
    She smiled and rearranged herself on the couch in an attempt to at least look more attractive. As alluring as one could possibly be while covered in coffee bean dust. But as she moved so did he. When her elbow hit the wall her funny bone pinged, and she dropped her cup of warm coffee right in his lap.
    “Oh my God. I’m so sorry!” She jumped up to help him.
    “It’s ok. It’s not hot, but I should probably dry these.”
    “Here let me,” she said dropping to her knees in front of him. Before she could even think about the situation she had his belt open and then stood to help him out of his pants.
    “This really is a full service place,” he said with a chuckle.
    She jerked away from him as realization dawned. “I’m such an idiot tonight,” Elsa said as she turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears