Chapter Five
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Dean hated to leave. When she’d opened the door and he’d seen her standing there, his tongue had glued itself to the roof of his mouth. When he’d picked her up at the hospital, she’d cleaned up a little, but damn. Now that she’d removed the big bandage and gotten some sleep, she looked flippin’ gorgeous. He’d had no idea.
But her expressive eyes had still carried a lot of pain.
Everybody had issues to deal with in life. Rachel seemed like she’d had to deal with more than normal, especially after her service in the Marines. Dean wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her on his lap, curled under his chin as he blocked out the world and gave her a chance to recover.
As he slid into the cab of his truck, he looked back at the house. She stood backlit by the living room lamp, a thoughtful smile on her face.
Though she hadn’t said it outright, he knew she wasn’t wild about the few years’ age difference between them. It didn’t mean anything to him, really. The woman was incredible. She hadn’t gushed about herself like a lot of women he’d met out here. And she certainly didn’t make herself out to be more than she was. There were a few pictures throughout her condo, one of which was of her in her flightsuit standing next to a small group of other women in flightsuits. Her hair had been a lot shorter then, but she’d still been stunning.
Dean felt a pull to Rachel that he’d never experienced with any other woman. From the slightly dazed look in her eyes when he’d kissed her he hoped she felt the same.
Killian teased him unmercifully the next day as Dean agonized over whether or not to send her flowers. “I don’t think she’s into flowers.” He frowned, looking at the pages of options on the computer in front of him.
“All women are into flowers,” his partner told him.
Killian didn’t even look up from filling out his paperwork, so he missed the skeptical look Dean sent him. Then he did jerk his head up. “Hey, there’s a place in Arvada that sends those edible arrangements. I bet she likes cookies or fruit.”
Dean thought about it for a minute. “That may not be so bad.”
He found the place online and placed an order for a mixed arrangement of brownies and cookies.
Killian grinned at him as he pushed away from the desk, paperwork in hand. He smacked Dean on the shoulder. “Hopefully she won’t think you’re criticizing her weight.”
Dean looked up at him sharply. “No way. She wouldn’t, would she?”
Killian shrugged his heavy shoulders. “You never know with women. They’re strange creatures. I’ve been married eighteen years and I still haven’t figured my wife out. When she starts yelling, I just apologize. Then I get her flowers.”
Dean gave his buddy a look. His wife Joyce was one of the most pleasant people he’d ever met. He doubted she’d ever lifted her voice to her husband at all.
Killian must have seen the look on his face because he grinned, his blue eyes shining. “Okay, I may be messin’ with you. I love her to pieces and we get along better than we ever have. Now that the yahoos are getting older and more self-sufficient, we have more time for each other. She’s really sweet right now because she wants to do another cruise this year. I’m going to soak up the lovin’ then give in, but not just yet.”
Dean laughed at the wicked light in his buddy’s eyes. Killian had been his training officer when he’d first moved out here last year, and they’d been the best of friends since. They traded insults and jokes almost constantly, but Dean knew if he ever needed anything Killian would be right there.
Dean gave him a serious look. “Rachel appeals to me more than any other woman I’ve ever met. It’s a little scary how similar we are.”
Killian grinned at him crookedly. “That’s excellent! Good thing you weren’t working that day, huh?”
“I know.”
If there were an active case it was kind of an understood rule that there could be no fraternization between the officer in charge and the subject. Too much chance to lose objectivity. But Dean wasn’t worried about that.
Even if he had been the officer doing the report he doubted he would have been able to resist asking her out.
* * *
Rachel went back to work on Wednesday. Wilde had talked her into staying home an extra day, probably because he’d heard the pain in her voice. She was too stubborn to take the pain pills they had given her, but she would take the time off, then make up her workload later.
When she walked into the gleaming office building that morning, Shannon was waiting for her. The smaller woman dared to reach out and wrap Rachel in a careful hug. “I was so worried about you. Are you okay?”
For a moment, Rachel was a little choked up. She wasn’t aware she’d meant that much to Shannon. Yeah, she’d been incredibly welcoming, but hadn’t she done that for all the new hires? Maybe it was just because she was pregnant now and everything seemed to make her emotional.
“I’m fine. Just bruised and sore.”
Shannon turned her left arm over and gasped at the line of stitches. “Oh, fuck!”
She slapped a hand over her mouth and looked down the hallway guiltily, scanning for Palmer. “I told John he had to start laying off the word fuck because the baby is coming, and now I’ve said it.”
Shaking her head, wincing, she released Rachel’s hand.
“When did this happen?”
“Saturday.”
“And they had to cut you out with the Jaws of Life? Is that what I heard?”
Rachel nodded and pulled out her cell phone to show Shannon the picture of the mangled car. Dean had taken it for her. The smaller woman’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to cry.” She reached out and gave Rachel another hug. “If I had known, I would have been there for you. I know your family isn’t nearby.”
Incredibly, Rachel’s throat began to tighten. Shannon was so sweet to have said that. “Thank you, Shannon. Honestly, I was kind of out of it for a while, then I slept the rest of the night. When they released me, I kind of had a buddy waiting. There was a guy that stopped, an off-duty cop named Dean West. He got there right after I crashed and helped me out, then he picked me up when they released me from the hospital.”
Shannon’s sharp hazel eyes turned considering and Rachel felt her cheeks flush. She was a decorated Marine, had flown in several deployments, but the look Shannon was giving her made her feel like a junior high school girl talking about her first crush.
A slow smile spread Shannon’s lips and she reached out to squeeze Rachel’s upper arm. “If you ever need to talk, I would love to have lunch sometime.”
Rachel blinked and looked at Shannon in fresh consideration, thinking about the dried up make-up under her counter. Some girly interaction might be nice. “Thank you. I may take you up on that.”
Grinning, Shannon nodded and returned to her desk.
Wilde rocked back in his chair and crossed his arms when she walked into his office. She tried not to limp too badly, but she could tell by his contemplative look that she hadn’t fooled him. “You’re moving under your own power at least.”
Rachel nodded. “Yeah, hurts like hell but I’m up.”
“Well, if you think you need to go home early let me or one of the other partners know. We’re slow enough right now that your absence won’t cause too much inconvenience.”
“Thanks, Duncan. I appreciate that.”
Wilde gave her an assignment investigating a series of strange bank deposits in a client’s account. It was necessary work but not physical.
When she left and went into the break room a few minutes later she had to show the guys the long line of stitches on her arm and the bruising that enveloped her calf. The ribbing that she got for her ‘boo-boos’ started up and she loved it.
* * *
Dean called her two nights later as she was settling into her recliner.
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me tomorrow.”
Though he wasn’t here, she grinned like an idiot. “I would love to. Thank you for asking me.”
“Do you have any preferences about where to go?”
She thought for a moment. “You know, I actually don’t. I’m up for anything.”
“Okay, well, I’ll pick you up tomorrow at six.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Rachel stared at the phone in her hand long after he’d hung up.
* * *
It had been a long week but Saturday had finally arrived. Thoughts of Dean had plagued her in everything she did. Though their contact had been minimal, she was absorbed with wondering what he was doing. She knew cop work, but what did he do when he wasn’t on duty?
Unable to help herself she walked to the bedroom. The swelling had gone down on her temple and she’d already tugged out the stitches, which her doctor would probably yell at her about. The bruise on her leg had changed ten different colors, but it was slowly starting to fade. Another week and it would probably be gone completely.
The stitches in her arm, on the other hand, bugged the shit out of her. The skin beneath them was healing, creating an itch. She left them open to the air when she was home, but covered them with a bandage when she went out. She was on the verge of cutting them out as well but the laceration there had been deeper.
As she looked through her closet now, wondering what the hell to wear, she debated just pulling on one of her workout tank tops. They were super comfortable and practical. Definitely not date material though.
Rachel settled on a little frillier blouse in shades of blue. It had been a spur of the moment purchase a couple years ago, still had the tags on it, but it seemed okay for tonight. Maybe she’d talk to Shannon and see if they could go shopping sometime. Her wardrobe needed a serious overhaul.
The shirt chafed when she put it on and she remembered why she’d never worn it. Just for tonight she could put up with a little aggravation to look a little prettier for Dean.
But the longer she wore it the more determined she became to go shopping with Shannon.