the far side of the room. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
She wore a faded orange T-shirt and a pair of white cotton shorts. His gaze skimmed over shapely hips and a pert bottom. She looked as inviting as the beach outside his condominium window on a hot summer day. Even more of a blessing was that she’d distracted him from memories usually dredged up by the sound of the vacuum cleaner. For that alone, he could love her forever.
* * *
Cally felt his gaze all the way across the room and it made her even more nervous. She fumbled with the plug of the power cord and tried a second time to fit it into the socket. Her hand shook, making her fingers clumsy. It seemed to take forever to get the thing connected. She breathed a sigh of relief when the metal prongs finally slipped into the holes.
Keeping her back to him, she switched on the vacuum cleaner with her foot, thankful for the noise which would save her from having to converse any further with the hunky police officer who’d filled her restless dreams.
Despite the chaotic emotions he stirred up inside her, finding him at the station was somewhat of a relief. Earlier that day, she’d drawn up a poster requesting a roommate. The principal had agreed to let her pin one on the staff noticeboard at her school and she was hoping to ask Andy if she could do the same at the station.
She lifted her gaze and glanced in his direction and was disappointed to find his chair was empty. She looked around the room, but he wasn’t there. He’d disappeared and so had Jack.
She frowned a little, not sure if she was comfortable with her son being alone with Andy. He appeared honest and genuine, but she barely knew him. Her instinctive reaction was to trust him, but she’d been wrong on that score before. She only had to think of Stewart Brady to be reminded of that.
Then she caught the sound of Jack’s excited chatter over the dull thrum of the vacuum cleaner and gave a stern shake of her head. Of course Andy hadn’t done anything untoward to her son. She had to learn not be quite so mistrustful. Not everyone set out to lie and deceive.
The two of them appeared in the doorway of the squad room and headed toward Andy’s desk. Her son trotted by Andy’s side, his animated face tilted backwards as he spoke. Andy leaned down so he could hear Jack over the noise. Her heart tightened at the tender scene. With their thick mops of unruly, blond hair, they looked enough alike it could be assumed they were father and son. Cally switched off the vacuum cleaner and moved closer. In the deafening silence her nerves returned full force.
“Hi.” Andy grinned at her, looking sexier than a man had a right to look, dressed in his work clothes.
His navy-blue police shirt was rolled up at the sleeves and was teamed with a pair of khaki drill pants. The shirt exposed the muscular shape of his forearms and a nice expanse of tanned skin that was covered in a sprinkling of golden hair. Becoming aware that she was staring, she blushed and took a few steps backwards. She came up hard against another desk.
“Ouch!” Her cheap, synthetic sandals slipped on the carpet. Losing her balance, she landed on the floor, colliding heavily with a corner of the metal desk on her way down. Papers, books and pens scattered beneath her.
Gingerly rubbing her hip, she cursed the bargain-basement footwear. She should have worn the sensible lace-up shoes like she’d intended. It was only that the weather was so hot and her vanity had gotten the better of her. She’d opted for the cute, but oh-so-impractical sandals, a decision she now sorely regretted.
Warm fingers encircled her bare upper arm and helped her upright herself. She stared into Andy’s eyes and her pulse beat madly in her neck. Mesmerized, she couldn’t look away.
“Are you okay, Cally?” Her name sounded almost like an endearment on his lips. His eyes were full of concern.
He was holding her way too close. She stumbled backward,
She wore a faded orange T-shirt and a pair of white cotton shorts. His gaze skimmed over shapely hips and a pert bottom. She looked as inviting as the beach outside his condominium window on a hot summer day. Even more of a blessing was that she’d distracted him from memories usually dredged up by the sound of the vacuum cleaner. For that alone, he could love her forever.
* * *
Cally felt his gaze all the way across the room and it made her even more nervous. She fumbled with the plug of the power cord and tried a second time to fit it into the socket. Her hand shook, making her fingers clumsy. It seemed to take forever to get the thing connected. She breathed a sigh of relief when the metal prongs finally slipped into the holes.
Keeping her back to him, she switched on the vacuum cleaner with her foot, thankful for the noise which would save her from having to converse any further with the hunky police officer who’d filled her restless dreams.
Despite the chaotic emotions he stirred up inside her, finding him at the station was somewhat of a relief. Earlier that day, she’d drawn up a poster requesting a roommate. The principal had agreed to let her pin one on the staff noticeboard at her school and she was hoping to ask Andy if she could do the same at the station.
She lifted her gaze and glanced in his direction and was disappointed to find his chair was empty. She looked around the room, but he wasn’t there. He’d disappeared and so had Jack.
She frowned a little, not sure if she was comfortable with her son being alone with Andy. He appeared honest and genuine, but she barely knew him. Her instinctive reaction was to trust him, but she’d been wrong on that score before. She only had to think of Stewart Brady to be reminded of that.
Then she caught the sound of Jack’s excited chatter over the dull thrum of the vacuum cleaner and gave a stern shake of her head. Of course Andy hadn’t done anything untoward to her son. She had to learn not be quite so mistrustful. Not everyone set out to lie and deceive.
The two of them appeared in the doorway of the squad room and headed toward Andy’s desk. Her son trotted by Andy’s side, his animated face tilted backwards as he spoke. Andy leaned down so he could hear Jack over the noise. Her heart tightened at the tender scene. With their thick mops of unruly, blond hair, they looked enough alike it could be assumed they were father and son. Cally switched off the vacuum cleaner and moved closer. In the deafening silence her nerves returned full force.
“Hi.” Andy grinned at her, looking sexier than a man had a right to look, dressed in his work clothes.
His navy-blue police shirt was rolled up at the sleeves and was teamed with a pair of khaki drill pants. The shirt exposed the muscular shape of his forearms and a nice expanse of tanned skin that was covered in a sprinkling of golden hair. Becoming aware that she was staring, she blushed and took a few steps backwards. She came up hard against another desk.
“Ouch!” Her cheap, synthetic sandals slipped on the carpet. Losing her balance, she landed on the floor, colliding heavily with a corner of the metal desk on her way down. Papers, books and pens scattered beneath her.
Gingerly rubbing her hip, she cursed the bargain-basement footwear. She should have worn the sensible lace-up shoes like she’d intended. It was only that the weather was so hot and her vanity had gotten the better of her. She’d opted for the cute, but oh-so-impractical sandals, a decision she now sorely regretted.
Warm fingers encircled her bare upper arm and helped her upright herself. She stared into Andy’s eyes and her pulse beat madly in her neck. Mesmerized, she couldn’t look away.
“Are you okay, Cally?” Her name sounded almost like an endearment on his lips. His eyes were full of concern.
He was holding her way too close. She stumbled backward,
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