Her Secret Wish (7 page)

“Thanks, Duncan. I appreciate that.”

Wilde gave her an assignment investigating a series of strange bank deposits in a client’s account. It was necessary work but not physical.

When she left and went into the break room a few minutes later she had to show the guys the long line of stitches on her arm and the bruising that enveloped her calf. The ribbing that she got for her ‘boo-boos’ started up and she loved it.

*     *     *

Dean called her
two nights later as she was settling into her recliner.

“I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me tomorrow.”

Though he wasn’t here, she grinned like an idiot. “I would love to. Thank you for asking me.”

“Do you have any preferences about where to go?”

She thought for a moment. “You know, I actually don’t. I’m up for anything.”

“Okay, well, I’ll pick you up tomorrow at six.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Rachel stared at the phone in her hand long after he’d hung up.

*     *     *

It had been
a long week but Saturday had finally arrived. Thoughts of Dean had plagued her in everything she did. Though their contact had been minimal, she was absorbed with wondering what he was doing. She knew cop work, but what did he do when he wasn’t on duty?

Unable to help herself she walked to the bedroom. The swelling had gone down on her temple and she’d already tugged out the stitches, which her doctor would probably yell at her about. The bruise on her leg had changed ten different colors, but it was slowly starting to fade. Another week and it would probably be gone completely.

The stitches in her arm, on the other hand, bugged the shit out of her. The skin beneath them was healing, creating an itch. She left them open to the air when she was home, but covered them with a bandage when she went out. She was on the verge of cutting them out as well but the laceration there had been deeper.

As she looked through her closet now, wondering what the hell to wear, she debated just pulling on one of her workout tank tops. They were super comfortable and practical. Definitely not date material though.

Rachel settled on a little frillier blouse in shades of blue. It had been a spur of the moment purchase a couple years ago, still had the tags on it, but it seemed okay for tonight. Maybe she’d talk to Shannon and see if they could go shopping sometime. Her wardrobe needed a serious overhaul.

The shirt chafed when she put it on and she remembered why she’d never worn it. Just for tonight she could put up with a little aggravation to look a little prettier for Dean.

But the longer she wore it the more determined she became to go shopping with Shannon.

‡

D
ean dialed Killian
as he drove toward Rachel’s house. “Hey, I’m heading over to take Rachel out. Any suggestions on where to take her? I don’t want to go to the Mexican place down the block from my apartment. She needs something nicer. A date place. I had planned to take her to a movie, but that’s so lame.”

Killian was quiet for several long seconds. “I’ve got the perfect place for you to take her. It’s not very big but it’s a classy joint. It’s called the Pink Cactus.”

Frowning, Dean jotted down the address Killian gave him. “Okay, sounds interesting.”

“Great little Tex Mex place, but a little higher end. You’ll love it!”

“Okay, thanks buddy. We’ll try it.”

Dean glanced at himself in the rearview mirror as he parked the truck. Damn, he’d missed a spot shaving. He ran his thumb over the patch of bristles under his chin. Hopefully she would be too enthralled with his good looks to notice the little spot. Yeah, right…

Rachel opened the door almost immediately, as if she’d been waiting for him to knock. Dean tried to control his surprise, but every time he saw her she was more gorgeous. The bruising on her head had faded and she’d done something to her hair to make it curl around her face. Wow, no ponytail. She was wearing the prettiest shirt he’d ever seen her in and he wondered if she’d gone shopping for tonight. Rachel seemed most comfortable in BDUs and a T-shirt top.

But her expression was the most interesting. There was trepidation there but also true excitement. Unable to help himself he grinned at her and leaned in for a kiss.

Dean would have settled for just a peck right now, but she surprised him by leaning into his touch, just a bit. Damn, she felt good.

One of his hands drifted up to cup her cheek and she let him brush his thumb over her skin. “You taste better than my dreams,” he admitted.

Rachel leaned back enough to give him a sharp look, but her eyes drifted back down to his lips as if she couldn’t help herself. There was no way he could say no to that invitation, so he pressed his mouth to hers again. Sharp arousal slid down through his gut and into his groin, shocking him.

Dean had kissed a few girls, but probably not as many as people thought. Yeah, he knew he was a decent looking guy, but dating had never come easy to him. There had never been that one person that just did it for him.

Rachel was making him wonder, though.

When he pulled away she blinked up at him a little hazily, and he was gratified to know that he wasn’t the only one affected. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Yes.” She paused to clear her throat. “Just surprised me, is all. Guys don’t usually…well, that was nice.”

What had she been about to say? Guys didn’t usually kiss her? Like her? Accept her? As he looked at her tentative gaze, he wondered what it had been like in the Marines for her; stories floated around, good and bad. He would ask her about it in a bit, if it felt appropriate.

“Are you ready? My buddy told me about this great place on the south side of the city.”

She nodded and grabbed a light jacket from beside the door. She grabbed her keys and cell phone wallet then pulled the door shut behind her. “I am.”

Dean walked her to the truck, very aware of the heat of her body beside him. He opened the truck door for her then waited till she slid inside. She reached up to grab the overhead handle and he caught himself staring at her lean, rounded bicep, revealed by the frilly sleeve of the shirt. Damn! The woman had some guns on her!

He circled the hood of his truck and slid behind the wheel. Dean started the engine and pulled out of her driveway. “So, you’ve got a great build. Where do you work out?”

“At work, actually, Lost and Found. All of the guys there are former military and very into physical fitness. We’re not real big, but we have a gym in the office.”

Dean was impressed. “I can tell you use it.”

Incredibly, her cheeks flushed with color. “Yeah, I do. I was very active but after the helicopter crash I had to immerse myself in rehab. I don’t have the range of motion I used to, so I can’t fly any more. I tried to rehab myself back into my job, but it didn’t work. I had to take a medical discharge.”

Glancing at her, he tried to read her flat expression. He had a feeling it hurt a hell of a lot to go through that, and not just physically. To have the military turn you out because you couldn’t do the job anymore, even though you were trying, had to hurt. “Being an investigator is cool, though, too. Maybe not as exciting as flying huge helicopters but it has to be interesting.”

A smile spread her mouth. “Oh, it’s definitely more interesting than I expected. I’ve only been here a few months and I’ve already been shot once and helped foil a kidnapping and attempted murder.”

Dean turned to her, trying to tell if she were telling the truth or not. “Are you serious?”

She nodded and tugged up the bottom of her shirt. Dean thought she was showing him the lean planes of her tan stomach but she pointed out a long white scar on her left side. He glanced up to the road, then back down to the scar. “Damn! That sucker is huge!”

Rachel grinned. “Yeah. Fucking burned like fire too. I was fighting a guy and he got off a shot. I didn’t even realize he’d hit me until I took him down and managed to catch my breath.”

Dean looked at her with fresh eyes, totally impressed. “I know I keep saying it, but
damn
!”

She shrugged and motioned ahead of them.

The car in front of him had slowed dramatically and he had to hit the brakes rather sharply. “Sorry,” he muttered. “You are a total badass. I already thought you were but the more I get to know you the more impressed I am.”

Rachel winced and shook her head. “Don’t be impressed. I’m just doing my job.”

As much as she protested, he knew Rachel Searles was an incredible woman, and he couldn’t wait to learn more about her.

The GPS voice gave them directions to the Pink Cactus. It was only about ten miles away but far enough outside his district that he was fairly unfamiliar with the businesses.

As they neared their destination and he prepared to for the final turn, he glanced over at Rachel. For some reason she had her hand over her mouth. Her eyes glittered with laughter. “What?”

She pointed a long finger up through the windshield.

Dean looked up at the sign and could have choked. “What the hell is that?”

The sign said Pink Cactus, but it was the picture next to it that made him shake his head. He assumed it was a pink cactus, but it had two spikey cactus paddles and one large…paddle, in the middle. From a distance the sign had a very hairy, very phallic look to it.

Rachel was doubled over in her seat, tears streaking down her cheeks as she laughed. “I’m sorry,” she gasped, chuckling. “I just didn’t expect it to look so…male.”

Choking, Dean pulled into the lot and parked in front of the business, but something wasn’t right. “I don’t think this is even a restaurant.”

They climbed out of the truck and walked to the front, then along the sidewalk to the plate glass window decorated with the phallic cactus. Rachel leaned forward and cupped a hand over her eyes to peer into the depths of the store. “It’s women’s clothes,” she gasped, disintegrating into giggles again.

“What?”

Dean leaned in and looked for himself. Yes, indeed, it was a women’s clothing store. They definitely had a western flair, hence the cactus. He grimaced as he caught sight of one of the price tags on the rack of clothes inside the door. Even those were decorated with the phallic cactus.

It hit him suddenly. “Killian did this. He knew what it was. He just wanted to embarrass me.”

Dean pulled his cell from his pocket and hit the dial button when Killian’s name popped up. His partner answered with just a couple of rings, and he was already laughing.

“Dude, what the hell?”

Killian cracked up on the other end of the line, laughing uncontrollably. It got a little quieter as if he’d moved the phone away, but after a few seconds he came back. “Hey, buddy, what’s up?”

Dean knew it had been meant in fun, but it still grated on his pride. He was here trying to impress a woman, maybe
the
woman. “The Pink Cactus, really?”

Cackling on the other end of the line, Killian lost his shit again. Dean looked at his phone, frustrated. “Really?”

Then the acoustics of the phone call changed. Two Denver PD cruisers pulled into the lot and their drivers stepped out. Killian was one of them. He circled the hood of his car, hands held out placatingly. “It was just a joke, buddy.”