Page 28 of Puppy Love & Snowflake Kisses
“No. Falling in love.” Candi’s eyes twinkled with her bubbly happiness.
“Belle.” Parker called from across the room. One look at his handsome face and she knew something bad had happened. Had they found Odie? Was he… She refused to finish that thought. It didn’t stop her heart from sinking down to her high heels.
She turned to see the creases in his forehead and his brows drawn together.Oh, no. This isn’t going to be good.
She turned back to Candi. “Sorry. Looks like Parker needs me.” When Candi got a big grin on her face, Belle said, “Not that way.”
Candi sighed. “You can’t blame me for wishing.”
Belle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “We have nothing in common.”
“Really?”
Before Belle could respond, Parker approached her. There was a distinct frown on his face as he handed over her coat. It was different from his usual scowl. The lines between his brows and bracketing his mouth were deeper.
“We have to go.” He reached out to her, gripping her upper arm.
When he started to walk away with her in tow, she planted her feet. “Parker, stop.”
When he turned back to her, she lowered her gaze to his hand on her arm. Immediately, he dropped his hand to his side. “Sorry. But we have to go.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you explain what’s going on.” She crossed her arms as though bracing herself for the worst news.
“There’s another break in at your place.”
“Oh. Why didn’t you say so?” Thank goodness it wasn’t bad news about Odie. She shrugged on her coat as they moved toward the door. “Let’s go.”
She couldn’t believe there was another break-in at her house. What did it mean? What did they want? The questions circled round and round in her mind. But the answer eluded her.
Chapter Ten
Herefusedtoletanything happen to her.
Parker reached into his pocket for his pickup keys. His other hand reached out for her hand. When their fingers touched, he noticed the slight tremor in her hand. He couldn’t blame her. It had to be unnerving to have someone intrude into your inner sanctum. Not once but twice.
It didn’t matter how annoying she could be at times. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. It was more than just his job. There was something about Belle. Something in the way she cared about her puppy—about the way she cared about her friends and attended a Christmas party when he knew it was the last place she wanted to be, but she hoped her presence would help bring her puppy home safely.
He couldn’t help but wonder if he got to know her better, what else he would admire about her. He halted his thoughts. He wasn’t going to get to know her better. Once this case was over, they’d go their separate ways.
He opened the passenger side door for Belle. After she got in, he closed the door. He rushed around to the driver’s side and jumped in. He started the pickup and pulled out.
“You turned the wrong way.” There was an urgency in her voice.
“I didn’t. This is the way to my parents’ house.”
“What?” Her voice rose. “We don’t have time to go visiting. We have to find out why that man or woman was in my house again.”
He slowed to a full stop at the intersection and put on the turn signal. “You’re going to stay at my parents while I check things out at your place.”
“No. Absolutely not.” Her voice was firm with a note of restrained anger.
He still had a couple of blocks to convince her that accompanying him could be dangerous. His deputies were on the other side of town from her house. They were en route, but it was still going to take them ten minutes. He was closer but dealing with Belle was taking time.
He proceeded through the intersection and continued toward his parents’ place. “You don’t understand.” His phone vibrated in his pocket. Every time there was movement detected in the house, his phone alerted him. “They are still in your house.”
“Then turn around. Hurry up.”
“No.” He refused to put her in danger. The whole time he was trying to clear the house, he’d be thinking about her and that would be dangerous. “I can’t do what I need to do if I’m worried about you.”
