In Bed With the Badge by Marie Ferrarella Page A

“You’ll get used to it.”
    He had sincere doubts about that. Just because they had the equipment to make one, not everyone—male or female—was cut out to be a parent. “I don’t even remember being a kid, much less how to treat one or relate to her.”
    “Practice makes perfect,” Riley told him cheerfully. “Besides, this one is more adult than some of the people I know. That should make it easier for you than if you were dealing with a run-of-the-mill little kid.” Not that she thought he’d have one of those. Riley patted him on the shoulder. “This time next year, you’ll deny ever having this conversation and showing me your vulnerable side.” She saw the uncertain expression in his eyes and grinned. “Trust me, I know. I grew up with two minimacho men. News flash,” she added in a stage whisper. “There’s nothing wrong with being vulnerable.”
    Sam still shook his head. “Not a condition I choose to be in.”
    “It’s not always that easy, Wyatt. Sometimes, circumstances dictate otherwise,” she said, thinking of how she had felt looking at her former partner’s lifeless body.
    It was then that she realized she hadn’t thought aboutDiego once this whole day, not since she came to pick up Wyatt and discovered what was keeping him from the precinct.
    The realization made her feel both guilty for not thinking about him and, at the same time, hopeful. Maybe she was finally over the worst of it. Maybe, with luck, she would work her way back from the all-consuming darkness.
    Without the benefit of the shrink Brian wanted her to see, she realized happily. First chance she got, she would talk to Brian and appeal his decision about her seeking therapy. She was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel without it.
    Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she looked at her partner and asked, “Hungry?”
    The question caught him off guard and he had to think about it for a second. That was when he became aware of the gnawing sensation in the pit of his stomach.
    “Yeah,” he told her, slowly coming around. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
    “Good, then have at it,” she encouraged, gesturing toward the remainder of the pizza. “That’s why I ordered an extra large one.”
    First things first. Before sitting down, he dug into his pocket for his wallet. “What do I owe you?” he asked.
    “Not a thing—at least monetarily,” she said, amusement dancing in her eyes. When he still took out some bills, she waved them away. “Don’t worry, I can afford to spring for a pizza. Besides, you don’t have to be gallant about it. This isn’t exactly a date.”
    “A date?” he echoed.
    The moment the word was out, something distant and vague inside his head began to entertain the notion. When they were attending the academy together, he and Riley had gone out a number of times, but there had always been other rookies around. It had never been a one-on-one scenario.
    “Yeah, a date.” Her amusement increased. The thought of dating her had obviously thrown him. “If we ever are, then I’ll let you pay,” she promised.
    He merely nodded, struggling to place everything, including the myriad sensations swirling around inside him, into proper perspective. His thoughts, mostly unfocused, couldn’t stop racing through his head. “Look, about tomorrow—”
    “You take Lisa to school, introduce yourself as her dad to her teacher. Go through the motions of being normal—if you can. I’ll cover for you with Barker, though I’m not looking forward to that,” she had to admit.
    She couldn’t decide whether Barker was a good guy who just liked to growl, or an idiot who threw his weight around. But she supposed it was still early in the game for final opinions.
    “We can trade,” Wyatt offered, picking up a slice of pizza and putting it on a paper plate. “You take Lisa to school tomorrow and I’ll cover for you with the lieutenant.”
    She shook her head. “Not going to happen. You need to build a