An air cast and two crutches later, Jesse was released from the hospital. Lucky was waiting for them when he walked through the doors of the ER.
“Did you find anything?” Jesse immediately asked.
“He pretty much smashed up everything. There was only one thing he didn’t mess with.”
“What?” both Jesse and Ally said simultaneously.
When they got in the car, Lucky handed them a frame. It was a picture of both of them from her high school graduation, the night they realized there was more than just friendship between them. Jesse glanced at Ally to check her reaction.
“So if he does a little research, he’ll find out I’m a cop. He’s going to feel threatened that our star witness is dating the investigator.” Jesse sighed and pulled Ally close to him in the back of the police car.
“Maybe. Either that or he’s going to take it as an opportunity to play with us, which I think is what he did at Ally’s house. Nothing appears to be missing, and everything was beat up except for this picture. I think he’s trying to let us know he’s on to our trail.”
“Can we just stop talking about it? I’m getting creeped out,” Ally announced and snuggled in next to Jesse.
“You should be, Ally. This man killed someone. One that we know of so far. No telling how many before you witnessed him.” He turned his focus back to Lucky. “I don’t think she should be with Lana and Lily. I want her with me.”
“You know that’s a conflict of interest. You can’t protect her without putting yourself in harm’s way,” Lucky reasoned.
“Guess what, dude. That’s what we do every day. I’d gladly take a bullet for her if it means sparing her that kind of pain.”
Jesse took Ally’s hand and squeezed, trying to give her some measure of comfort.
“She still needs to be in protective custody. I know you love her, but we’ve got to play our cards right. One misstep and the judge could throw out any evidence we have if we don’t get it the right way. And Ally is our evidence.”
Jesse thought for a moment. Lucky was right, but that didn’t mean his inclination wasn’t to throw caution to the wind. He was the only person who could protect her enough when the time came. A deputy or even a bodyguard wouldn’t care enough for her life to save her if push came to shove.
“I’m sorry, Lucky, but I have to do this. Take me off the case if you have to.”
Lucky eyed Jesse through the rearview mirror then returned his eyes to the road ahead. “You know I have to.”
“Jesse, this isn’t necessary. I’ll be fine staying with Daddy or having someone from the department. I trust them.”
“No,” Jesse said, feeling his determination bubble in his chest. “I don’t trust anyone but myself. I’m off the case.” It was the way it had to be. If anything happened to Ally, he couldn’t live with himself.
Lucky glanced at him again then gave him a curt nod. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“I understand the need to protect her. I think Ally and Lana have more than blood in common.”
Ally sat up. “Speaking of Lana, has anyone checked on James’s status lately? I know he’s supposed to be in prison for awhile, but that’s never written in stone is it?”
“I’ll check on him when I get back to the station tonight,” Lucky agreed.
Without much fanfare, Lucky dropped them off at Jesse’s house downtown. He hoped he’d remembered to pick up his dirty underwear. He’d done the dishes last night so he should be good with that.
“How can this be your place?” Ally asked as Lucky pulled away.
“It just is. I liked it so I bought it. Grandpa’s trust fund was put to good use.” Jesse jingled his keys.
Ally cocked her eyebrows at him, stirring the heat inside of him. “You gonna behave yourself, Richards?”
Jesse grinned. “I doubt it.”
“At least you’re honest.”
“You’re a free woman now. I don’t have to feel guilty about kissing you.”
“Good.” Ally leaned forward, her eyes intent on his mouth. Her lips grazed his, and she sighed. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Clearing his throat, he unlocked the door and led her inside. At the same time, his cell phone rang. “Richards,” he said in his most authoritative voice.
“Everything all right? Nothing trashed in your place?” Lucky’s voice boomed over the line.
Jesse turned his lights on and scanned the room. “Everything is in order. Thanks for checking.”
Turning his phone off, he turned to Ally, who was looking around. She looked good in his kitchen. She belonged here.
“You know, I bought this place for you.”
Ally’s gaze snapped to his. “What?”
“Remember when we were little and you used to dream about this house? I thought it was fate when it was up for sale the week I came back to town.”
“No pressure,” Ally said with a disbelieving smile.
“No pressure. It’s all good.”
Ally’s smile turned to a frown. “What if you decide I’m not the same girl I was back then?”
“You’re not the same girl. And that’s a good thing. That girl left me with a broken heart.” His arms encircled her waist, and he took a deep breath and kissed her on the nose. “This girl? She’s pretty amazing. She’s brave. She’s beautiful. She’s got the kind of curves that make men drool. And she’s all mine. If she wants to be that is.”
Ally smiled up at him. Sadness crept into her eyes, but her smile remained bright. “I’ve always been yours, Jesse. I never stopped. But something happened when I realized I couldn’t go back and change my answer. I just started… surviving. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“And now?”
“You’re here. You still love me. You’re protecting me. What else could I ask for?”
“Happiness? Do you have that? There’s a part of you that’s still sad. I can’t figure out why, either.”
“Sometimes I wonder if I’d said yes, where we’d be today. We’d have two and a half kids and the white picket fence. Or what if we grew apart? Maybe those two and a half kids would belong to someone else, or someone else loved you more than I did. I get overwhelmed when I think about it.”
“Did Michael make you believe that you weren’t good enough for me?” His grip on her tightened. How could she ever believe that he’d love someone else the way he loved her?
“No. At least not that I realized. Maybe he did. I just know I’m terrified that we’ve wasted time, and you might not like who I am now.”
“I love you, Ally. There’s nothing else I can say other than I’m not going anywhere. When I look at you, nothing’s changed. Yes, we’re different people because of our experiences, but that doesn’t change our attraction to each other, or my desire to know everything about you. I’ll stick around until I’m eighty if I have to. I want to know what makes you tick.”
“You don’t think we’re rushing into this? I mean, all the I-love-you’s, making out like teenagers… I’m scared we’re going to take it for granted again.”
“If you weren’t scared, I’d be worried. The fact is we’re both terrified. We were both hurt in our own way back then. But I like to think that we can get past that and enjoy each other again.”
Ally smiled and laid her head on his chest. He cupped her head and held her close to him, hoping that she heard his heartbeat. Just being near her brought out the intense need to protect her, to hold her. Even with all the baggage between them, that had never changed.
“Let’s get you off your knee, buster. I need you to be able to protect me apparently.”
Jesse gave a soft chuckle. With his finger, he urged her chin upward so that she was forced to look at him. No words were needed. He simply placed his lips over hers in a kiss meant to reassure and comfort. Whatever was going on with her was deeper than their relationship or Michael. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it one bit, either.
****
Ally rolled over and stretched, throwing her arms wide.
“OW!” came Jesse’s muffled voice next to her. “Talk about a rude awakening.” He lay on his stomach and popped his head up once she moved her arm. “Seriously?”
“Sorry,” she said with a giggle. “I forgot where I was.”
“Clearly. Now get out of my bed and get normal clothes on before I finished what we started last night.”
Ally glanced at her oversized t-shirt and tugged self-consciously at the hem. “Sorry.” But what a memory last night had been. Even with an injury, Jesse was capable of eliciting some serious feelings. The air cast hadn’t hindered him at all from getting her hot and bothered, a point she was sure to pay him back for later when she was more awake.
She slipped from the covers, still pulling at the hem of the shirt.
“What are you all shy for? It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.” Jesse flipped over on his back, putting his hands behind his head and watched her walk across the room.
“I don’t know. Shut up.” Despite not being a morning person, she grinned. “Why don’t you strut around half naked and see how it feels.”
Jesse pouted. “Just half naked?”
Ally let out an exaggerated sigh. “This whole protection thing isn’t going to work. If I have to stay with you, I’m going to wind up knocked up and you’ll be looking down the business end of Daddy’s shotgun at the altar.”
Jesse gave a careless shrug. “We do have a lot of time to make up for.”
Ally studied him for a moment and decided he was kidding. “Let’s just focus on keeping me alive right now. I hardly slept at all last night. I kept hearing things, and it wasn’t just your snoring.”
“I so don’t snore.”
“You so do. In fact, I contemplated putting a pillow over your head to end my misery.”
Jesse narrowed his eyes in a playful glare. “If you weren’t so sexy, and I wasn’t injured, I’d come over there and show you who’s boss.”
Ally just rolled her eyes and gathered her things from the chair in the corner of the room. She tried to ignore the fact that Jesse’s eyes followed her every movement. “Do you need anything before I get a shower?”
His eyes drifted closed and he swallowed. “Oh honey, that imagery in my mind right now is all I need if I can’t have the real thing.”
“Will you get serious? I’m on someone’s hit list and all you’re thinking about is sex.” Despite the truth in her words, she couldn’t make herself be angry at him.
“I’m a man. If you need proof…”
“Ibuprofen is on your nightstand if you need it, dork.” She walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Then she locked it for good measure. A grin spread across her face. She was starting to feel more like herself. Too bad she would probably die before she got to enjoy it.