herself in front of.
Suddenly, instead of ambulances and flashing lights, there had been stars and the crash of the ocean. They were alone on the beach, kissing as if there was nothing more important than the feel of skin against skin, tongue against tongue. She’d been unbuttoning his uniform when the blaring of her alarm had woken her up.
She had lain there, hot and trembling, for several minutes before forcing herself to shut the dream out of her head. There was probably some deep, psychiatric reason her subconscious was twisting her nightmare into something totally different, but there’d been no point in lying there, trying to figure it out.
So she’d forced herself out of bed and into a quick shower before throwing on her usual uniform of casual khaki pants and a simple cotton blouse. Now she was desperate for some tea and maybe a bite of breakfast. She had another thirty minutes before Emma would be waking up, and she intended to enjoy the quiet while she could.
The tea was still steeping in her mug when she heard a knock at the door. Dunking the bag one last time, she tossed it in the trash as she made her way to the front of the house. Peering through the wavy glass of the peephole, she could just make out the blue uniform of the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department. Her mouth turned dry, another flashback threatening her still drowsy mind.
Her heart thudded hollowly as she turned the lock. Why would there be a cop on her doorstep? Had something happened to her parents? The clinic? A neighbor? Her mind darted through possible scenarios as she opened the door. Surely this wasn’t because of the accident? In the beginning, there had been what seemed like countless interviews and questions, but that had all ended months ago.
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she swung open the door. There on the stoop was Alex, looking just as he had in her dream. The fear retreated, chased off by other, equally potent stirrings. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment, not that he could possibly know that she’d dreamed about him. Keeping her voice cool, she asked, “Is there a problem, Deputy?”
He smiled at her, all male energy and smooth charm. “I suppose it’s too early for this to be a social call?”
“I’d say so.” She noticed the shadows under his eyes and realized he’d probably just come off the night shift. “I’m assuming you have a professional reason for banging on my door at dawn. If you could share it so I can get back to my breakfast, that would be helpful.”
Before he could answer her, she caught the weirdest impression of movement under his department-issued windbreaker. “What on earth?”
At that moment, a tiny, gray head squirmed out of the neck of the jacket and nuzzled his chin. Darn. Now she had to let him in.
“I know it looks strange, but the little guy was shivering. I thought I could keep him warm in my jacket, but he doesn’t want to stay put.” He grabbed hold of the kitten as it wriggled its way farther out of the coat.
“Well, come on in. Let’s take a look at him.” She motioned for him to continue back to the kitchen, then shut the door behind him. “Where did he come from and how long ago did you find him?” She kept her tone and actions professional, using her clinical manner to maintain some emotional distance. He might look like a Latin movie star, but the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department logo on his shirt was a glaring reminder of the chaos she was currently embroiled in. She’d help the kitten, then send him on his way, before he or the animal got too close.
Alex followed her, his large stature making her cozy cottage feel small. “Rex found him under one of the beach access staircases. We’d stopped for a few minutes and he refused to leave. Somehow he knew the little guy needed help.”
“Is Rex your partner?” The name didn’t ring a bell.
“Yeah,” Alex answered distractedly as he attempted to remove the kitten’s claws from his uniform shirt. “He’s waiting out in the car.”
“He didn’t want to come in?” Had the animosity toward her gotten that bad?
“Oh, he wanted to, but I figured it was better not to totally overwhelm you at this hour of the morning.”
Right. More likely his partner just wanted to avoid her. Well, too bad. She was tired of feeling like a pariah in her own town. “It’s going to take me a little while to check the kitten out, so you might as well tell Rex to come in. No reason to sit out in the cold.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course.”
While he fetched his partner, she went to the hall closet to retrieve her medical bag. It was on the top shelf, wedged next to a box of random sports equipment. And a bit too heavy to snag one-handed. She was on her toes, the kitten snuggled firmly in one arm, when she heard the front door open behind her.
Giving up, she turned around to ask for help. “Hey, could one of you hold the kitten while I—”
Her voice died in her throat. Standing directly in her path was the largest German Shepherd she had ever seen, taking up most of the limited real estate in her tiny foyer. Suppressing a completely unprofessional squeal at the sudden intrusion, she cautiously observed the behemoth before deciding the doe-eyed canine meant no harm. Probably. Intuition and years of experience gave her the courage to edge around him, keeping the kitten out of his reach, just in case.
She was relieved to find Alex in the foyer, apparently not eaten by the mammoth canine. “You aren’t going to tell me Rex found that guy under a staircase, too, are you?” No way was this regal giant a foundling.
“What?” Alex’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Found who?”
She waved her arm toward the dog. “Him. Where did he come from? Obviously your partner didn’t find him when he found the kitten.”
Alex’s full-throated laugh filled the air, erasing the tired lines that had creased his face a moment before. Unable to resist smiling along with him, she rubbed the kitten’s head with her free hand and waited to be let in on the joke.
“Rex is my partner.” When she only raised her eyebrows, he continued, “I mean, the dog is Rex. My partner.”
Understanding belatedly wound its way through her sleepy brain. “You’re a K-9 officer?”
“Yeah. I just assumed a local veterinarian would have known that.”
She thought back. She had heard rumblings of a new K-9 unit, but she would have sworn the idea had been tabled when it was determined there wasn’t enough money in the budget. “I thought the department couldn’t afford a K-9 unit? Trained dogs have to cost a fortune.”
Alex ruffled the big dog’s fur, a wry smile on his face. “He’s worth every penny, but you’re right. He’s way outside Palmetto County’s price range. The department was able to get federal and state grants to cover the purchase cost, and Miami-Dade County let me train with its K-9 unit on my off time before I came. The department still has to foot the ongoing costs for veterinary care and our continued training, but that’s less expensive than paying the salary for another officer. In the long run, having a K-9 on staff should save the department manpower and money.”
Watching Alex’s eyes shine with pride in his job and his dog had her swallowing hard. She’d been too quick to think she was being avoided, to assume she was being treated badly. Had she gotten so cynical that she assumed the worst of everyone?
