Safe In His Arms

Safe In His Arms
Kay David

Ninety percent of what every cop hears is a lieAnd Daniel Bishop knows it. Which is why he' s surprised to realize he wants the beautiful Anise Borden to be telling the truth.Anise' s soon-to-be ex was shot as she hugged him goodbye. And that makes Anise the prime suspect. If she' s guilty, it' s Bishop' s job to put her away.But as he starts building his case, another body turns up. Is Anise a coldhearted killer? Or a potential victim? He has to find out before it' s too late for Anise…and his heart.COUNT ON A COPWhen there's nowhere else to turn.

“I’m spending the night.”

Anise’s fingers flew to her throat. “That isn’t necessary. I don’t need a babysitter—”

“I know that,” Bishop answered, his voice calm and relaxed. “But you were clearly frightened or you wouldn’t have called me in the first place. Why not let me sleep on the couch?” He grinned unexpectedly. “I promise I’ll stay there unless you’d prefer a different arrangement.”

Something entered her expression and then it was gone. He told himself it was his imagination. Breaking every rule he’d ever heard about maintaining personal distance, he put his hand on her cheek. “Let me stay, Anise.”

“It’s not part of your job description and I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

“But maybe I’d like to take care of you. Have you considered that?”

To his surprise, she nodded. And it was his turn to raise an eyebrow.

“But I don’t want to want that,” she said quietly. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, I do. But I think you’re wrong. It’s okay to need someone on occasion.”

She stared at him for a moment, then reached up and hooked her hand behind his head, pulling him closer. “I think you’re wrong,” she said, “but for one tiny second I’m going to pretend that’s not the case.”

Then her lips closed over his.

Dear Reader,

In Safe in His Arms, Anise Borden has two havens of safety—her friendship with Sarah Levy and her work. Anise was raised by Sarah’s parents following the tragic loss of her mother in a house fire. The two girls share a relationship that is special to them both. As an adult, Anise finds peace by dedicating herself to her artistic creations, the shadow boxes she sells through Sarah’s art gallery. When she is troubled or confused, she turns to these two outlets, sometimes consciously, sometimes not, for comfort and reassurance.

I believe everyone needs a place where they can go and feel safe, a refuge they can retreat to when the world becomes too difficult. For some, that haven may be a physical location: a quiet maze, the beach in winter, a church caught in the ritual of Sunday morning. For others, it may be a state of mind. They lose themselves in a good book or a movie. Sometimes a daydream will suffice. The luckiest of us have found this shelter in the arms of our loving families.

These sanctuaries aren’t just for adults, either. Have you ever seen a toddler curled up and asleep under the dining-room table after a chaotic family feast? They’re looking for a quiet place in the midst of confusion. Even animals seek places of security. My cats will sometimes hide under the bed when the doorbell rings. They aren’t sure who’s coming, but they do know where they’ll be safe.

In our ever hectic, ever chaotic life, these sanctuaries, be they imaginary or real, are more and more necessary. They keep us sane and balanced. I hope you enjoy Anise’s journey to that realization in Safe in His Arms, then go on to find your own special place.

Kay David

Safe in His Arms

Kay David

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kay David is the author of over thirty books. She splits her time between the Texas Hill Country and the Gulf coast, where she lives with her husband and her two Bengal cats, Jake and Elwood.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

PROLOGUE

Houston, Texas

August 1982

HER EYES WERE OPEN but she couldn’t see.

Huddled in her bed, eight-year-old Anise lifted her fingers in front of her face and wiggled them. She actually could see them if she narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose but something wasn’t right.

Because she couldn’t breathe any better than she could see. The air in her tiny bedroom was hot and smoky. Sometimes at night her mom cut the AC off to save money but the heat Anise felt now wasn’t like that. This was really, really…hot.

The realization was slow in coming but when it came, it hit her hard.