All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [41]
She stole another glance at him, took in his bare chest and smooth complexion. How long had it been since she had enjoyed the touch of a man? When was the last time she’d lost herself in the folds of a man’s embrace?
Memories of Lee Carsey surfaced and Kennedy smiled down at her soup.
“Now that’s a smile,” Max observed.
Kennedy blinked; then her face grew warm with embarrassment. The reaction only fueled his curiosity.
“Come on. What are you thinking about?”
“It was nothing.”
“It sure didn’t look like nothing. You looked like the cat that swallowed a coveted canary.”
She shrugged, then flashed him a quick smile. “Women are allowed to have secrets.”
“Secrets, eh?” He stood with his empty bowl and reached for hers. “Are you through with that, or are you going to continue smiling at it all night?”
She handed him the bowl. “Here. I can’t eat another bite.”
“I hope not. That was your fourth serving.”
“You counted?”
His brows rose. “You didn’t?”
“All right, all right. So I was a little hungry.” She laughed. “What’s the matter? Are you running low on canned goods?”
“Hey, you should know how much a cop makes. It’s enough to make a grown man weep. Trust me.”
“So, why do you do it?” she asked with genuine interest.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if you’re unhappy about the pay, then why are you a cop?”
He shrugged. “I guess because my old man was a cop and I thought he was the coolest guy on earth.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, when I was young, my pop would come home late at night and regale us with stories about the good guys versus the bad guys. It all played like a comic-book adventure in my head.”
“It’s in your blood, huh?”
“Bad.” He cocked his head. “Your father was a cop. You were never tempted to join the force?”
“Not just no, but oh, hell, no.”
He laughed.
“You don’t understand,” she said. “My father may have been a highly decorated officer but, deep down, he hated his job. He hated what he saw on the streets night after night. He often told me that the job stole any hopes he had for the country and for our people. One part of our community is fighting for the right things and the right causes, while another part is busy destroying what we’ve achieved.”
Max nodded. “He was right.”
“He usually was.”
Max took the dishes into the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, opening the fridge.
“What are my choices?”
“Let’s see. I have water, beer, water, did I mention beer?”
She shook her head and stood. When she leaned against the archway, she crossed her arms. “As soon as I get a chance, I’m going to pray for you.”
“What?”
She laughed at his feigned look of innocence. “You know what? Since it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to behave like an adult, I think I’ll take a beer.”
“All right. Now we’re talking.”
The phone rang just as he handed her a bottle.
“Excuse me,” he said, and picked up the wall unit in the kitchen. “Yeah.”
“I thought you were coming back to the hospital?” Lieutenant Scardino’s voice came over the line.
“Sudden change of plans. I’ll have to tell you about it later. How’s he doing?” Out of the corner of his eyes, Max watched Kennedy move away from the kitchen to give him his privacy.
“He’s awake and doing good.”
Max detected a note of sadness in her voice. “That’s definitely good to hear.” He hesitated, not knowing how much he could or should say. “How are you holding up?”
There was a long pause and he suddenly wished that he had ripped out his tongue.
“I’m not sure,” she answered in a wavery voice. “In the back of my head, I always knew something like this was a possibility, but I never prepared myself for it.”
“No one can. But, hey, Dossman is a strong man. If he made it this far, he’s going to be fine, right?”
“That’s what the doctors are saying.”
The line fell silent again, but he sensed that she wanted to say more. When she finally spoke, her tattered emotions rattled her vocal cords. “I love him, Max.”
His heart squeezed