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.As the amber liquid burned a gentle path down her throat, she contemplated whether she felt used for the events of their first encounter.Would it even matter if they had never met again? If Morgan had been one of her usual one-night stands, she would have been resigned to never seeing her again.But fate had dealt them a curious hand, throwing them into this situation of juxtaposed power and intimate connection.She pushed the empty glass aside and reached for the new one, taking another swallow.The mellow haze of the alcohol allowed her to admit to herself she did feel used, but she was strangely proud she had been available when Morgan needed her.A comfortable silence enveloped them as Parker negotiated her own feelings about their chance encounter and where it had taken them.They were one of only a few occupied tables in the bar and the waitress was exercising excellent diligence in her ability to anticipate their needs without interrupting either their words or silence.Parker’s nod ordered their next round.She sensed her heart-to-heart with Morgan was in its infancy.Morgan proved her correct.No sooner had she licked the sugar rim of her new glass than she posed a question for Parker.“What is a star homicide detective doing working in a bar and going back to school?” Morgan almost winced as she delivered the words.She felt duplicitous.She did know part of the story from Ford, and Parker had to know Morgan would have ready access to courthouse gossip.But she didn’t know the whole story, and she sensed the complete tale held the key to unlock the mystery.Parker was an enigma in so many ways.She was earnest and hardworking, yet she had chucked an entire career and was building a new life for herself from the beginning.It had to be hard to go back to school with students much younger and compete again for accolades she should have already earned from life.Top it off with the fact Parker worked in a bar and lived in a house with roommates.There were indeed many layers to Parker, and Morgan wanted to see more than what was visible on the surface.Why? she asked herself.Is it because we slept together? Has it been so long since you had a one-night stand you feel as if you have to get to know the person you were with so you can justify the relationship, however fleeting? Despite the nagging questions, Morgan knew the reason for her need to know came from a deep place.Once again she was struck by the force of the connection she felt with Parker, whose body she had thoroughly known but whose heart she had barely glimpsed.She hung on Parker’s answer.“Star homicide detective, huh? You might want to review the evidence, Counselor.This here detective was fired from the force.” Parker’s expression was cold, but sadness clouded her eyes.“Can you tell me about it?”Interesting phrasing, Parker observed.Sure, she was capable of recounting the story of how her stellar career had crashed and burned.She knew Morgan’s question was more probing than a simple inquiry about whether she could tell a tale.She wanted to know if Parker had the fortitude to survive the telling.Had time and distance severed the emotion surrounding the collapse of her aspirations? She wasn’t sure, but she wanted to share her story with Morgan and she wasn’t sure why.Maybe it was simply because she had asked.Parker met Morgan’s patient gaze and answered, “Yes.”Morgan waited.“I don’t want to do it here.” The flat words were tinged with a plea.Parker had not told her story in its entirety to anyone.Some knew the details, but only because they had lived it with her.She had no idea how sharing her experience would affect her and she did not want to wind up blubbering in a hotel bar.Morgan slid from her chair and motioned for Parker to wait.She sought out the waitress, ordered another round, and asked that the drinks and the bill be sent to her room.Returning to the table, she lifted her jacket from the back of her chair, shrugged into it, and walked away from the table, signaling Parker to follow.She squelched her desire to hold Parker’s hand, to put her arm around her waist and pull her close.Once in the elevator, she pushed the button for her floor, resisting the urge to jam the car between floors and exercise the physical yearning stirring in her core.She sensed Parker needed some distance for what she was about to relay, and the feelings she had for Parker outweighed the needs of her body.Idly she wondered at her shift from lust to yearning.She pushed the thought away, but the feeling lingered.What she felt in this moment for Parker was vastly different from anything she had ever felt before, with Tina, with anyone.Protective, empathetic, caring combined with infatuation, affection, and craving to form a new emotion for which she had no words.You are falling in love.The inner voice was strong and sure and Morgan felt certain it was not her own.Love was a structured framework reached by agreement, not this heady, lust-filled passion over which she had little, if any, control.Love was sharing the mortgage, saving for retirement, swapping household duties by turn [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]