used to all this attention. It was heady having a man doting on her in any way, offering his full resources to make certain she stayed safe.
She yawned, any energy she had draining away now that excitement had died down. She was glad he’d left, because even though she needed sleep, she might’ve just grabbed Alexander and kissed him until…well, she knew what might’ve happened. Her face burned at the thought of going to bed with him, curiosity and need vying with her normal sense of caution.
Not tonight, Patty. Not tonight.
* * * *
“Son-of-a-bitch,” Alexander hung up his office phone.
He stared at the information he’d written down on Dominic Cantrelli. Alexander had called his contacts at the local police department for information on Patty’s ex-husband and discovered the guy had stayed off the radar since he’d retired. Officers in Buckleport knew of him only from Bangor police. Alexander’s two contacts related that Dominic had a decent reputation insofar as his police work went. Rumors had it that Dominic had dated one woman a year ago who’d considered pressing assault charges on him, but she’d withdrawn it and moved away. It was that last bit that worried Alexander. He’d also learned that Cantrelli owned a cabin in the woods outside Buckleport. Police had checked there, but there was no sign of the man.
Alexander sighed. Normally, when he sat in this office, he found the relative peace a balm to his nerves. Sure, there was paperwork. Absolutely there was the aggravation of the job. Yet doing the work had defined him for so long. First it was the army, and now since retirement from the military, he had Sentry Security to define his purpose. When he’d met Patty after Long Valley, he’d found new direction and desires. Yeah, she didn’t know how deeply she affected him. Or maybe she was getting a clue now that he’d opened his mouth and confessed a few things.
He scrubbed one hand over his face and looked at the clock. Almost nine in the evening and it had been a damned long day. His nerves were raw and jumbled, which didn’t make any damned sense. He’d experienced a lot hairier situations than Patty’s ex trying to get in her house. Yet his mind seemed primed to rumble, bouncing from here to there. He knew what he wanted, and he no longer wished to wait for it. No, not a what, but a who.
Patty Reynolds.
He closed his eyes and remembered when he’d first seen her all those months ago, a week after her bakery had been attacked by thugs. Mally, Adam and Mark had walked in on the situation. Actually, Mally had walked in on it in her capacity as a member of the team and had taken down the perpetrators. When he’d learned that Patty was struggling in her business, he’d gone in to see her and the sight of her had knocked him over. Tall, slim but curved in all the right places, she had a pretty face and gorgeous hair. The fact her hair was sprinkled with small rivers of gray, did nothing to diminish her appeal. He’d been immediately intrigued, ready to launch a full frontal assault and ask her out. That hungry need, out of nowhere, had scared him shitless. So he’d backed off the idea and gone for slow and simple instead. Every week he bought pastries, cupcakes, or donuts for the team. Every week he saw Patty and every week he admired her more.
A knock on is door made him jump slightly. Fuck, his nerves were on edge.
“Come in,” he called out.
The door opened a crack and Penny peeked around the door with a smile. “Okay if I come in, Dad?”
He waved a hand toward the chairs in front of his desk. “Of course, sweetie.”
She entered, bundled up in a sweater and jeans, a smile on her pretty face, and sank into one of the chairs.
“What are you doing up so late?” she asked, her smile wreathed in a conspiracy.
He pushed his chair back so he could slouch. He linked his hands behind his head. “What? I’m up this late on a regular basis.”
She tilted her head to the side.
She yawned, any energy she had draining away now that excitement had died down. She was glad he’d left, because even though she needed sleep, she might’ve just grabbed Alexander and kissed him until…well, she knew what might’ve happened. Her face burned at the thought of going to bed with him, curiosity and need vying with her normal sense of caution.
Not tonight, Patty. Not tonight.
* * * *
“Son-of-a-bitch,” Alexander hung up his office phone.
He stared at the information he’d written down on Dominic Cantrelli. Alexander had called his contacts at the local police department for information on Patty’s ex-husband and discovered the guy had stayed off the radar since he’d retired. Officers in Buckleport knew of him only from Bangor police. Alexander’s two contacts related that Dominic had a decent reputation insofar as his police work went. Rumors had it that Dominic had dated one woman a year ago who’d considered pressing assault charges on him, but she’d withdrawn it and moved away. It was that last bit that worried Alexander. He’d also learned that Cantrelli owned a cabin in the woods outside Buckleport. Police had checked there, but there was no sign of the man.
Alexander sighed. Normally, when he sat in this office, he found the relative peace a balm to his nerves. Sure, there was paperwork. Absolutely there was the aggravation of the job. Yet doing the work had defined him for so long. First it was the army, and now since retirement from the military, he had Sentry Security to define his purpose. When he’d met Patty after Long Valley, he’d found new direction and desires. Yeah, she didn’t know how deeply she affected him. Or maybe she was getting a clue now that he’d opened his mouth and confessed a few things.
He scrubbed one hand over his face and looked at the clock. Almost nine in the evening and it had been a damned long day. His nerves were raw and jumbled, which didn’t make any damned sense. He’d experienced a lot hairier situations than Patty’s ex trying to get in her house. Yet his mind seemed primed to rumble, bouncing from here to there. He knew what he wanted, and he no longer wished to wait for it. No, not a what, but a who.
Patty Reynolds.
He closed his eyes and remembered when he’d first seen her all those months ago, a week after her bakery had been attacked by thugs. Mally, Adam and Mark had walked in on the situation. Actually, Mally had walked in on it in her capacity as a member of the team and had taken down the perpetrators. When he’d learned that Patty was struggling in her business, he’d gone in to see her and the sight of her had knocked him over. Tall, slim but curved in all the right places, she had a pretty face and gorgeous hair. The fact her hair was sprinkled with small rivers of gray, did nothing to diminish her appeal. He’d been immediately intrigued, ready to launch a full frontal assault and ask her out. That hungry need, out of nowhere, had scared him shitless. So he’d backed off the idea and gone for slow and simple instead. Every week he bought pastries, cupcakes, or donuts for the team. Every week he saw Patty and every week he admired her more.
A knock on is door made him jump slightly. Fuck, his nerves were on edge.
“Come in,” he called out.
The door opened a crack and Penny peeked around the door with a smile. “Okay if I come in, Dad?”
He waved a hand toward the chairs in front of his desk. “Of course, sweetie.”
She entered, bundled up in a sweater and jeans, a smile on her pretty face, and sank into one of the chairs.
“What are you doing up so late?” she asked, her smile wreathed in a conspiracy.
He pushed his chair back so he could slouch. He linked his hands behind his head. “What? I’m up this late on a regular basis.”
She tilted her head to the side.
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