Chapter 10

After I’d watched Brice walk away, his back stiff and his feet pounding the ground, I turned back around, looking down at the purse snuggled into the undergrowth. It was too far into the trees for it to have been tossed, so what was the perp’s thoughts—his reasoning?

Eventually, as I waited on Brice to return, my mind turned to our relationship, and I sighed. He was blowing hot and cold. Everything had been comfortable between us before my asshat killer had threatened me, forcing Brice into admitting feelings, I was sure he hadn’t been ready to admit to me yet. When we were teenagers, we’d flirted with each other, done some heavy petting sessions, and some dirty talk, but nothing had really ever developed between us, and with time, everything had taken a natural course and morphed into what had been between us until his hand had been forced. Now, it felt as if a stick of dynamite had been laid at our feet with a lit wick, and we were just waiting for the imminent explosion. Actually, I guess we were. Who knew when or where this sack of crazy would strike.

When Brice reappeared beside me, he raised the camera, and still without a word passing between us, he began taking photos. Shortly, he dropped the arm holding the camera and grunted, “All right, bag it.”

I heaved another sigh, this one silent.

After we had wrapped up the investigation in the field, we’d brought the evidence back to the lab for further analysis by the forensics, and shortly, after I had dropped the pitiful collection off, I made my way back toward the elevator. As I came to a stop in front of it, I punched the down button. I could hear the elevator’s clunking journey as it made its way between the floors, and when it came to a stop, I stepped inside, then turning, I backed against the metal bar along the wall for support. Elevators were not my favorite, but it was too freaking hot to take the stairs—I’d be dead before I made it halfway up them, so I endured my uncomfortableness and rode the elevator down.

A short period later, not paying attention, I stepped out of the elevator and plowed into a body. Off balance, I tumbled to the hard linoleum, a small cry breaking loose from my lips at the contact of the hard surface against tissue and bone.

James Bensley, a forensic specialist, hunkered down beside me, exclaiming, “Are you okay? Anything broken?”

I shook my head. “Just my pride,” I told him, then as I made to push up off the floor, Bensley stuck out his hand, offering to help me up. Taking him up on his offer, I placed my hand in his, then stood when he gave a small tug, afterward, giving our clasped hands a pointed look, as he had yet to release mine. Either the guy was dense, or super cocky as he took a step in my direction, and though there were a good two feet between us, he made up for it. As I quickly stepped backward at his advance, he jerked his hand loose when from behind me, I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Freed of my human anchor, I whirled around, my eyes colliding with Brice’s amber gaze. The frown on his face, and the irritation in his eyes said he was pissed about something, and with my eyebrows rising, I gazed at him questioningly.

Eyes disconnecting from mine, Brice looked at Bensley, his frown deepening, then his gaze circled back to me as he growled, “Excuse me, I’d like to use the elevator, please,” at the same time gesturing toward the elevator Bensley and I still stood before.

Stunned at his overly exaggerated politeness, I found myself hurriedly stepping out of Brice’s way, but when he stepped toward the elevator, then pushed the button, the state of shock I’d been in evaporated. As the elevator doors slid open and he stepped inside, I immediately followed, then as the doors closed, I turned on him. “What the fuck is your problem? You’ve been an asshole all day!”

I stood, breathing fire like a damn dragon and watched as Brice’s eyes changed to a deep amber, flaring with frustration before he hissed, “You!

You’re what’s with me!” Then grasping me around the waist, he propelled me backward until I was pinned against the side of the elevator, where head swooping down, he covered my mouth with his.

Seconds, minutes, hours, passed—damned if I could tell how much time—before he slowly pulled back, then peering down into my face, he husked, “Stay the fuck away from Bensley!”

Head jerking a little and eyes jumping to his, dumbfounded, I breathed, “Excuse me?”

“Just do it,” he snapped.

By noon, my anger had helped fuel me through a shit-load of paperwork, and had me looking a little closer into the murder that had occurred hours before the one we had caught. As well, I now had the neighboring precincts faxing all the files they had on victims with similar M.O.’s.
Neck hurting from being slumped over papers all morning, I leaned back in my chair, and raising my arms above my head, I stretched, working out the knots. I needed a break, so tossing down my pencil, which I’d broken the lead in for the sixth time, I rubbed at my temples, trying to assuage the growing headache, then grabbing my purse, I walked away from my desk, needing something to eat and drink.

Half an hour later, as I sat over my half-eaten salad, I found myself dwelling on Brice. *What was his deal anyway*? He hadn’t staked a claim, but he sure as shit didn’t want anyone else playing in his flower garden. *Pull me in, toss me out. I felt like a damn fishing pole, and I was becoming so tangled up on Brice’s reel, it was going to take a pair of scissors to cut me loose*.

After letting loose with an aggravated breath, I stood and made my way over to the trash can and was dumping the half-eaten salad into its depths, when Ashley sidled up beside me. “What you say we get together this evening? It’s the fourth and it’s been a long-ass time since we had a girl’s night. I’ll bring the movie.”

“Oh, a pajama party?” I ask, laughing. I’ll need to ask Brice first,” I told her.

Ashley grinned at me. “Done. I’ll be there at about seven.”

As she gave me a tooda-loo wave, she turned and headed back out of the room and my mind jumped back to the last fourth of July I had spent at Ashley’s. Back then, there had been four of us…me, Ashley, Brice, and Tyler Little, who at the time had been Brice’s best friend.

**Ten years earlier**

July 4th 2012

His hand drifted down my back, his touch tantalizing as his fingers drew patterns on my skin. His lips grazing my neck in a hungry caress—

My eyes snapped open, the fantasy of Brice shattered by the roar of the four-wheeler's coming in from the south pasture.

Their drivers rapped the motors out for all they were worth, causing Ashley and me both to sit up in alarm from where we'd been sunbathing redneck style on a lounger in the backyard, keeping partially cool beneath the water sprinkler as it shot the occasional jet of water in our direction.

As they came into the yard, Brice and Tyler were joking and ribbing each other about who the better driver was between the two of them, both trying to outdo the other as they revved engines and kicked mud and dirt up behind the wheels of the ATVs, performing donuts within the yard and driveway.

They were making such a ruckus that it brought Ashley’s mom out of the house, as wiping her hands on a dishtowel, she peered in their direction shaking her head. Then, as the screen door slammed shut behind her, her gaze turned in Ashley’s direction, and raising her voice to be heard over the noise the boys were making, she called, “Ash, honey, I could sure use some help in the kitchen.”

Every Fourth of July, for as long as I could remember, the Montero’s had a large get-together for family and friends. I’d spent the night at Ashleys, preferring it to my own home. Mom had been drunk again last night, and I expected her to be the same today: any excuse to twist a top would do. Mom hadn’t always been this way, but after she had lost Dad when I was ten, she’d turned into an alcoholic.

Ashley’s Mom called, “Ash, did you hear me?” just as the yard grew silent when the motors on the four-wheelers were cut off.

As we climbed up off the longers,, I immediately felt a pair of eyes on me, and darting a glance in Brice’s direction under my lashes, I noted the heated look that slid across his features as his eyes ran up and down the length of my body.

Ashley, having noticed it as well, murmured, “I’m beginning to think my brother is dumb. It’s damn obvious he has a thing for you. What the hell is he waiting on?”

Over the last year, Brice had been glancing at me with anything but brotherly looks, and had become the main topic between Ashley and myself.

She’d pushed me toward letting him know my feelings, but I’d continued to shy away from it, that was until today, and I murmured, “Today’s the day I'm gonna do my damnedest to make sure he ‘fess’s up.” Then, I gave her a wink before proceeding to bend at the waist, I kept my legs straight so my rear-end was on full display.

With my pert, rounded ass in the air, I breathed, “Wait for it—wait...for...it…aand—BAM!” I exclaimed quietly, as behind me, I’d heard Brice’s low, ground out, “FUUUCK, me!

I almost burst out laughing at Tyler's exclamation of, “What?! You okay, dude?”

Holding my erotic pose, I waited to hear what explanation Brice would give, then, damn near wet my bathing suit bottoms trying to smother my laughter as he muttered, “Yeah, bro... Uh...got stung by something. The, uh...spot…swelled up like a motherfucker because of it. But, yeah….”

Grabbing my towel, I took off at a run toward the house, Ashley right behind me.

Jerking the screen door open, we ran into the mudroom, scampered through the kitchen, then through the great dining hall and into the entry room, where, making our way up the staircase, we fell into her bedroom, as dropping to her bed, we rolled around on the mattress, our laughter echoing around us as Ashley gasped, “Did you hear what he said?! Oh my God, girl!”