Page 72 of Fierce-Colson

Her eyes were searching his. “Could be.”

“No could about it.”

She leaned closer, her lips touching his. “Yes.” She gave him one more small kiss. Just a touch. Just because she had to. “And this is all we are doing.”

He released her hand and let her stand back up.

She needed the space. The air. The distance to compose herself.

“It’s all I’d give you here anyway,” he said, standing.

“If it comes up, the way you answered is good. I’ll do the same. We are getting friendly, seeing where it can go. The truth.”

“And you’re okay with it? The DA dating the detective?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked. “Or do you have a problem dating someone in my position?”

He yanked her close again, his mouth just a whisper away. “No problems here.” His eyes moved over her mouth, but didn’t even come close to touching it. Her breath was coming out in short gasps, but he didn’t seem to care about that or the thundering of her heart.

He just released her and stepped back, leaving her wanting and waiting once again.

“You’re enjoying doing this to me, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“Text me later about coffee,” she said. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

He nodded, opened the door and left.

She was still standing here against her desk when her mother walked by, popped her head in and gave her a thumbs up.

There was no reason to say more.

And that was what unconditional support was and just reminded her that maybe Colson didn’t have that in his life.

One more thing to keep in mind.

17

GOOD ADVICE

“Got a minute to talk?” Bella asked him on Thursday night after dinner.

Colson was late coming in from work, which he hated, but it was something that happened all the time.

Bella was used to it now. And she was thirteen, so he felt more comfortable with her alone. As much as she hated riding the bus, it was the only choice she had after school.

“Always,” he said, putting the last dish in the dishwasher, then dropping in the cleaner and shutting it, hitting the button and turning. “Want to go in the living room? Is this going to hurt and I need to sit down?”

He couldn’t express how much he appreciated that she felt so comfortable coming to him, even if it still made his blood gush with nerves that it’d be an awkward conversation.

“Not hurt,” Bella said, letting out a small giggle.

That was something at least.

They moved to the living room, him going to his chair and putting his feet up, her on the couch. “Shoot.”

“Dad always told me I need to do more. That I shouldn’t sit around.”