Cold Case, Hot Bodies

Maybe. But he needed to tell her he enjoyed last night so much that he wanted them to become even more intimate. He figured he’d better do so before he lost his nerve. “Me first. I want you to know I think you’re the best—”

“Best lay?” she burst out. “And it’s always you first! Have you ever noticed that, Dario?”

He almost chuckled. Last night must have affected her as much as it had him. She was nervous now, trying to push him away, and he didn’t blame her. “Go ahead,” he said. “Say whatever you need. Get it out of your system. And then I’ll say my piece. I’ve been thinking about us—”

“Me, too! For the past couple of weeks, ever since we’ve been—”

“Making love?”

When she made a snorting sound, he frowned. “I don’t know that I’d dignify what we’ve been doing with that phrase.”

“We are explosive together,” he admitted, “but I don’t think that means our emotions can’t be involved.”

“Well, I do.”

Their lovemaking must have really shaken her. Probably, she was hoping he’d voice his feelings. She needed assurances. It was what all women wanted. At least, that’s what his sisters told him. “What I’m trying to say, Sheila—”

“At first it seemed fun,” she raced on, as if he hadn’t spoken. “Especially since Bobby and I broke up, as you know. I was so sure he’d never want to make a commitment—”

His heart had missed a beat. “Bobby?”

“O’Hare?” she queried, sounding confused. “He sits two desks over from you?”

Bobby O’Hare was a rookie. “Bobby O’Hare? From vice?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t know you dated Bobby O’Hare.”

“I told you. I just don’t think you were listening to me, Dario. To be blunt, you always have sex on the brain. You don’t pay attention.”

He was sure she’d never told him about her past relationships. “What’s Bobby got to do with—”

“Everything. And that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. We’d been dating six months, and I was falling for him. All my girlfriends said it was too much, too fast. Maybe it was. But I knew Bobby was the one. I had such a strong feeling. Like we were meant to be, so I couldn’t stop myself from chasing him. When I see something I like, I go for it.”

“I noticed.”

There was a long pause.

“You were saying?” he prompted.

“Well, the day you brought me in,” she plunged on. “You know, for the parking tickets. Well…” She inhaled sharply, then blew out a short sigh. “The night before, I’d seen Bobby out with somebody else, and I was pissed. So, when you brought me in, I tried to be cool. I didn’t even look in his direction. It must have worked, because after that, he kept calling me. But I didn’t return the calls. Besides, by then, well…even when you booked me, you were coming on strong, so I guess I…”

“Go on.”

“…was using you to get him out of my system. Don’t get me wrong,” she added quickly. “You’re cute. A megahunk. Calendar quality. But you’re even less the committing type than Bobby. Or so I thought.”

His recent moves must have convinced her otherwise. The smile returned. Admitting his feelings was going to be so much easier than he’d anticipated, he realized. Sheila was doing all the work. “But now?”

“Bobby heard about you and me through your partner, Pat. You must have made me sound incredibly hot, because Bobby got jealous. He started sending flowers. And then he called and told me his real feelings. And you know the girl I saw him with?”

Dario could only shake his head.

“It was his sister!”

“Imagine that.”

“Funny, huh?” she enthused. “One thing led to another, and, well, now I—”

Her voice cut off abruptly. On his end, morbid curiosity had taken hold. “Now?”

“Well…I know you’re going to be happy for me. Bobby proposed. Can you believe it?”

As near as Dario could tell, everyone on earth had proposed lately. “You don’t say.”

“He gave me a ring and everything. It’s beautiful, and while the date isn’t set in stone, we’ve pretty much agreed.”

“You can spare me the details.”

There was a long pause. “You’re not upset, are you?”

After last night? “I’m furious.”

“Dario, we’re friends. C’mon.”

“When did this happen?”

“Yesterday.”

How could she have lain in his arms last night, cooing like a love bird, when she’d known she was marrying Bobby? “When, yesterday?”

“In the afternoon.”

“He gave you the ring in the afternoon?”

“Quit interrogating me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Her scent was still on his skin. She’d gotten out of his bed maybe an hour ago. Suddenly, he glimpsed something. Fishing in the covers, he held up what looked to be a sparkling blue rhinestone. “Your earring’s still in the bed,” he said.

“Don’t worry about anything I’ve left behind at your place.” There was another long pause. “Look, Dario, I’m really sorry. I didn’t think you’d care. I mean, you have a reputation for being great in bed, but uninterested in commitment.”

“We don’t even know the same people. How could you know about my reputation?”

She named countless tangential connections they had through the police force. It was more than he’d imagined. Then she said, “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that I really can’t see you anymore.”

“You could have thought of that last night.” Dammit, her legs had been like long silk ribbons stretching around his back, wrapping tightly around his waist and stealing his breath.

“I did. That’s why I didn’t show.”