Page 14 of Counter Attack

“Nope.”

She raised her head and stared at him. “Nope you’re not thinking it, or nope you’re not saying it?”

He grinned.

She sighed and leaned back on the sofa again. “Probably should’ve stayed in the hospital another day.”

“I will agree on that.” Nathan studied her a minute. The tough aura she projected was gone. “What’s with this GI Jane thing you have going on?”

“You have to ask?”

No, he supposed he didn’t. While law enforcement had come a long way in embracing female officers, there was still a bias in many departments.

“Do you know how hard I’ve had to work to gain the trust of the male detectives in the department? If I show any softness, it’s perceived as weakness. It’s one reason I’ve stayed in vice as long as I have. I work undercover with Watkins and Parker asmybackup, and not the other way around. It’s been easier that way.”

Nathan hadn’t given a lot of thought to how difficult a female officer might have it, mainly because he didn’t have any female officers. Maybe that needed to change. “So why do you do it?”

“I like punishment, I guess.” Alexis chuckled, then sobered. “No, I like a challenge and want to make a difference, especially for women coming up in the department. It’s one reason I’m shooting for the commissioner’s job.”

“You want to head up the Chattanooga police department?”

“Don’t sound so surprised. Even in high school, you know I always had a game plan.”

True. No matter what Alexis had been involved in, she’d had a strategy, usually written out. “And that’s why you want to stay in Chattanooga?”

She nodded. “And for the record, I don’t hate Pearl Springs. I deal with a lot of guilt for not being there for my grandparents, but if I want to be commissioner, some things have to be sacrificed.”

Guilt was probably one of the reasons she jumped bad when he brought up living in Pearl Springs.

Alexis took a deep breath. “And if you’re ready to take me there, I’m ready to go.”

“You sure?”

“After our stop at the cemetery. I won’t take long there since I’m sure you have a lot to do besides nursemaid me.” She stood. “I do appreciate everything you’ve done this past week.”

“Glad to be of service.” Nathan bowed and then walked to the door and opened it. “Your carriage awaits.”

Alexis stayed put long enough for him to stow her suitcase, then Nathan helped her up into the cab of the truck and fastened her seat belt. As he placed the small pillow between her chest and the seat belt, once again the scent of her hair shot him back to a time when—

He stopped himself. What was he thinking? They’d taken different paths.

“How’s that?” he asked as Alexis leaned her head against the seat, her eyes closed.

“Good.” She took a breath and opened her eyes. “Thanks again.”

For a second, their gaze locked. Her lips were kissable close. Briefly he thought about claiming them before he jerked back, bumping his head on the steel frame. Nathan quickly closed the truck door. The puzzled look on her face reflected the feeling in his heart.

He jogged around to the driver’s side, mentally chiding himself. He could not let his heart go there with her. Pearl Springs would never be home to her. And he never wanted to leave.

10

If she’d still been hooked up to a monitor, Alex’s heart would have broadcast how she felt when Nathan almost kissed her. And he’d definitely been about to kiss her. Now she kept her eyes closed and processed her emotions as Nathan followed her directions to the nearby cemetery.

“We’re here,” he said. “Where is her grave?”

She opened her eyes and sat up. “It’s to the right, in the back corner of the cemetery.” Heaviness weighed on her heart as they wove around to the section where Rebecca was buried. She pointed to a small tombstone in the middle of the row. “It’s right there.”

He parked as close to the marker as he could, and for a second, Alex didn’t move, just stared at it.

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