hard to keep that feeling in check as
she sought to put Liv in jail.
“I'm sorry I left the way I did,” he
continued. “I was frustrated.”
She nodded. “I know the feeling.”
“Is that why you're out here?
Frustration?”
How could she explain her feelings to
him, when she wasn't quite sure what they were herself? “Just couldn't sleep.”
He didn't look convinced and she could
see he wanted to question her more. Instead, he stood, moved in front of her
and reached out his hands. Instinctively she took them and let him pull her to
a stand. “It's late. Why don't we go to bed?”
She nodded.
“Tess.” He dropped his forehead against
hers. “Don't build walls.”
The problem was she felt she needed
them, but she was too emotionally exhausted to erect them. Instead she nodded.
He gave her a weak smile and pressed a
tender kiss to her lips, then guided her to bed.
~~~~
The next morning, Tess walked into the
police station hoping Daniel had good news. That morning she was excited to
have something to do instead of hanging around Jack’s house and pondering her
career prospects. She was especially eager to get details of the case so she
could determine just how much trouble Liv could create for Jack. As she walked
out the door, Jack wished her luck, but it sounded forced. In fact, the entire
morning felt forced where Jack was concerned, and Tess was at a loss about what
she should do.
Daniel's eyes narrowed as Tess
approached his desk. “I didn't think you were coming.”
“Why not?”
“Well…” he motioned for her to sit.
“Last night…”
“What about last night?”
He studied her as if he was trying to
figure out what to say. Then it dawned on her.
“Oh, you mean Jack taking Liv to a
hotel. She called because you trashed her house and she couldn't stay in it.”
“So it's my fault?”
“It is what it is,” she said, more
interested in finding out if Daniel had talked to the Commonwealth's attorney
yet. But Daniel continued to look concerned. Finally he picked up the morning
paper and tossed it to her.
“Did you see this?”
Tess had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
It wouldn't be the first time her and Jack's personal business ended up in the
paper. Sure enough, there was a blurb about the recently widowed Mrs. Danforth
and her former lover, Jack Valentine, who, of course, was living with the
recently unemployed and homeless Tess Madison. At least the picture didn't
catch the kiss. While Tess believed Jack, the fact that the kiss was too fast
for a photo meant Jack had detached from Liv's lips quickly.
“Slow news night.” She tossed the paper
at him.
“I thought that maybe you and Jack…”
“What? That I dumped him because his ex
wants to get her hands on him? As a man you won't appreciate this, but
everywhere I go, there are women who want to get their hands on him.”
“How many of them does he meet in the
middle of the night…or kiss?”
“She kissed him.”
“That's what he told you?”
“That's the truth. So, did you talk to
Carter?” she said, hoping to move on to the reason for her visit.
“I did.”
“And?”
“And he told me to have you sign these.
Officially you're helping his office, not us.” Daniel passed a folder with
papers to her. They were standard contract papers, but she still took the time
to read every word before taking Daniel's pen and signing them.
“Most people don't read everything,” he
said.
“That's why they end up needing lawyers.”
She handed the papers back to him.
“Are you sure Jack is okay with this?”
“Would it matter to you if he wasn’t?”
He gave her a pained look. “It would
matter if it mattered to you.”
“He doesn't agree with me, but he
supports me. So where do I start?”
Daniel picked up another folder and
stood. “Follow me.”
He guided her to an interrogation room. “We
don't have office space for special investigators, so this will have to do.
Here's a copy of everything we
she sought to put Liv in jail.
“I'm sorry I left the way I did,” he
continued. “I was frustrated.”
She nodded. “I know the feeling.”
“Is that why you're out here?
Frustration?”
How could she explain her feelings to
him, when she wasn't quite sure what they were herself? “Just couldn't sleep.”
He didn't look convinced and she could
see he wanted to question her more. Instead, he stood, moved in front of her
and reached out his hands. Instinctively she took them and let him pull her to
a stand. “It's late. Why don't we go to bed?”
She nodded.
“Tess.” He dropped his forehead against
hers. “Don't build walls.”
The problem was she felt she needed
them, but she was too emotionally exhausted to erect them. Instead she nodded.
He gave her a weak smile and pressed a
tender kiss to her lips, then guided her to bed.
~~~~
The next morning, Tess walked into the
police station hoping Daniel had good news. That morning she was excited to
have something to do instead of hanging around Jack’s house and pondering her
career prospects. She was especially eager to get details of the case so she
could determine just how much trouble Liv could create for Jack. As she walked
out the door, Jack wished her luck, but it sounded forced. In fact, the entire
morning felt forced where Jack was concerned, and Tess was at a loss about what
she should do.
Daniel's eyes narrowed as Tess
approached his desk. “I didn't think you were coming.”
“Why not?”
“Well…” he motioned for her to sit.
“Last night…”
“What about last night?”
He studied her as if he was trying to
figure out what to say. Then it dawned on her.
“Oh, you mean Jack taking Liv to a
hotel. She called because you trashed her house and she couldn't stay in it.”
“So it's my fault?”
“It is what it is,” she said, more
interested in finding out if Daniel had talked to the Commonwealth's attorney
yet. But Daniel continued to look concerned. Finally he picked up the morning
paper and tossed it to her.
“Did you see this?”
Tess had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
It wouldn't be the first time her and Jack's personal business ended up in the
paper. Sure enough, there was a blurb about the recently widowed Mrs. Danforth
and her former lover, Jack Valentine, who, of course, was living with the
recently unemployed and homeless Tess Madison. At least the picture didn't
catch the kiss. While Tess believed Jack, the fact that the kiss was too fast
for a photo meant Jack had detached from Liv's lips quickly.
“Slow news night.” She tossed the paper
at him.
“I thought that maybe you and Jack…”
“What? That I dumped him because his ex
wants to get her hands on him? As a man you won't appreciate this, but
everywhere I go, there are women who want to get their hands on him.”
“How many of them does he meet in the
middle of the night…or kiss?”
“She kissed him.”
“That's what he told you?”
“That's the truth. So, did you talk to
Carter?” she said, hoping to move on to the reason for her visit.
“I did.”
“And?”
“And he told me to have you sign these.
Officially you're helping his office, not us.” Daniel passed a folder with
papers to her. They were standard contract papers, but she still took the time
to read every word before taking Daniel's pen and signing them.
“Most people don't read everything,” he
said.
“That's why they end up needing lawyers.”
She handed the papers back to him.
“Are you sure Jack is okay with this?”
“Would it matter to you if he wasn’t?”
He gave her a pained look. “It would
matter if it mattered to you.”
“He doesn't agree with me, but he
supports me. So where do I start?”
Daniel picked up another folder and
stood. “Follow me.”
He guided her to an interrogation room. “We
don't have office space for special investigators, so this will have to do.
Here's a copy of everything we
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