can be arranged.”
She jumped at the voice, spilling the now-lukewarm coffee down the sides of the cup and over her fingers. Shaking her hands to dry them off, she turned around to find Hot Guy—Nate, she reminded herself firmly—leaning against the doorjamb. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, and his long legs were crossed at the ankle as he regarded her with those mossy-green eyes.
“Sorry.” He smiled at her, the expression transforming his face from watchful to beautiful in a heartbeat. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He stepped into the room, and Fiona fought the urge to lean back in her chair. He was just so big, his presence impossible to ignore in the interview room. It hadn’t seemed like a small space before when Officer Rodriguez had questioned her, but now she felt the walls were closing in on her, the room shrinking down to her and Nate.
“It’s okay,” she replied, wiping her still-damp hands on her pants. “I’m just a little jumpy tonight.” She offered him a weak smile as he took the chair across from her.
“Understandable,” he said, leaning forward to place his forearms on the table. With his hands linked together loosely, he could be mistaken for a man at rest. But as Fiona took in his pose, she could tell by the set of his shoulders and his alert gaze that he was anything but relaxed.
Why was he here? She was happy to see him, but she really did want to go home. Officer Rodriguez had made it sound as if she could leave soon, but with Nate settling in across from her, she now wondered if there had been a delay—maybe there were more forms to fill out, more questions to answer.
“When can I leave?”
“Should just be a few more minutes. I came to keep you company while they’re wrapping things up, and then I’ll take you back to the store so you can get your car.”
She shivered, dread washing over her at the thought of going back to the store. She didn’t want to be there, at least not tonight. She wanted to go home and soak in a hot bath, to wash the events of the night off her and rebuild her defenses before facing the store again.
Nate noticed her reaction, his eyes narrowing slightly while he watched her. “Is there someplace else you’d rather go?”
“I’d rather you take me home.” She felt her face heat as the boldness of her words registered. “Um, I mean... I don’t feel up to going to the store now, if that’s okay.”
His lips twitched, his eyes warming as he took in her blush. Rubbing a finger along his lower lip, he nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.” His voice, deep to begin with, seemed to drop another register. Fiona lifted her gaze from his mouth to his eyes, seeing a flash of heat there. Was he flirting with her? No way. She mentally shook her head. Handsome men like Nate didn’t bother to give her a second look. The stress of the evening was making her hallucinate, had her hearing and seeing things that weren’t there. All the more reason to retreat to her house and regroup.
She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door as Officer Rodriguez returned. He caught sight of Nate and drew up short, surprise registering on his face. “Oh. I didn’t know you were in here.”
Nate leaned back and propped his hands behind his head. “They finished up with me, so I thought I’d keep Ms....” He trailed off, cut his glance to her and raised a brow inquisitively.
“Sanders,” she supplied helpfully.
He winked at her, making her heart thump double time. Then he looked back to Officer Rodriguez. “Like I was saying, I decided to keep Ms. Sanders company. She was looking lonely.”
The other man looked at Nate, then swiveled his head to look at her before turning back to Nate. Fiona blushed again, feeling suddenly shy in the face of his perusal. “Uh-huh,” he said, his tone making it clear he didn’t buy Nate’s story for a minute.
Fiona cleared her throat, interrupting the men’s impromptu staring contest. “Can I go?”
Officer Rodriguez gave her a small smile. “Yes, ma’am. Thanks for your help tonight.”
She stood, collecting her purse and the half-empty cup of coffee. “Thank you,” she said. “I really appreciate what you guys did for me.”
Nate got to his feet, as well, and placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her out of the room. The barrier of her shirt was no match for the heat of his skin, and she felt his touch like a brand. He steered her past Officer Rodriguez and into the main room, which was surprisingly busy given the lateness of the hour.
Fiona paused at the doorway, taken aback by all the activity. Nate leaned forward to whisper in her ear, the gesture intimate despite the crowd. “It’s okay—just keep moving.”
“I didn’t expect it to be so busy in the middle of the night.”
He shot her a grin while he walked her to the door. “Lots of trouble happens after dark, trust me.” A rude shout accompanied his words, and Fiona’s eye was drawn to the man in a cage on the far side of the room. He staggered to his feet and lumbered over to the bars, screaming obscenities at the officers seated nearby. The police officers didn’t even blink, but kept their heads down while they focused on their work.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Nate followed her gaze. “Probably just drunk,” he replied, shrugging as if the matter was of little consequence. “It’s a full moon, which usually makes for a crazy night.”
She glanced up at him to gauge if he was pulling her leg. He wasn’t. His expression showed no trace of humor or sarcasm. “You’re serious about the full moon, aren’t you?”
He held the door for her as they stepped into the chilly night air. “Oh, yeah. It’s a well-known fact that the crazies come out in force on a full moon. A few years ago, it was a full moon on Halloween.” He shuddered as he unlocked the car door for her. “Took me weeks to get over that.”
Fiona smiled while she climbed in. “I can imagine,” she said, picturing him on patrol, a shiny badge affixed to his chest.
Just like Dad’s.
The unsettling thought left her as soon as she caught a whiff of his enticing smell when he settled behind the wheel of the car. Her muscles relaxed, her body instinctively recognizing she was safe in his presence even if her mind was reluctant to surrender. Her hands began to lose the cold numbness that had settled over her after the attack, and she let her head rest on the seat back, taking a deep breath for the first time that night.
The car started with a low rumble. “All right,” Nate said, flashing her a quick smile as he worked the gearshift. “Let’s get you home.”
Nate frowned as he pulled into the driveway of the small, old house. Fiona lived here? He glanced up and down the street, noting the lack of lights and the general air of abandonment. The homes in this part of town appeared to be decently maintained, but there was an overall feeling of neglect, as if this once prosperous neighborhood had been left behind.
“This is it?”
She
