Only Her (A K2 Team Novel)(12)

“Some . . . someone’s kil-killing my patients.”

The tears she’d been trying to blink away began to roll down her cheeks. As if his arms had stopped taking instructions from his brain, they slid around her even though he’d ordered them not to. And damn, did she ever feel good there.

“I-I stayed late to au-autopsy a little girl’s prec-precious p-pet.”

Well, hell. It was her trembling lips as she tried hard not to cry that gut punched him. He got her door open, then scooped her up. As he stepped inside, she pushed the door closed behind them.

“Cats,” she mumbled against his neck.

At first he wasn’t sure what she meant, but a chorus of meows had him glancing down to see three of the little beasties running toward them. The smallest one, a kitten, ran right up his leg, and Cody felt its claws digging in all the way up.

With Riley in his arms, a baby monster halfway up his body, and one adult cat winding around his legs, he shuffled his way to the sofa. The third feline, a sleek, shorthaired black cat, had jumped onto the back of the couch and was watching him through narrowed eyes. Considering the animal obstacles, he congratulated himself for being able to lower Riley down without falling on top of her. Although said obstacles would have made for the perfect excuse for losing his balance. Finding himself on top of her would work for him.

“You got any wine?” he asked. “I’ll pour you a glass.” The way she was hurting, it was either find something non-touching to do or pull her back into his arms and kiss her tears away.

“Hate wine. There’s beer in the fridge. Put a lime slice in it, then put it in the freezer.”

She reached up, pulled the black—still glaring at him—cat down, curling herself around it. The kitten and orange-stripped cat followed him into the kitchen. He found the beer and a baggie of lime slices to the tune of cat-kitten whining. He recognized that sound. It was the same begging his dogs gave him when they were hungry and he was late coming home. After opening a few cabinets he found the cans of cat food. The kitten had made its way to Cody’s shoulder and was sucking on his ear lobe.

“Damn cats,” he muttered. The benefit of having dogs was they’d still be sitting at his feet, not nibbling on him after leaving a trail of puncture holes on his skin. The tiny thing didn’t seem to be offended by his curse on them, just kept suckling. It tickled and a laugh escaped.

“You’re an idiot,” he said, pulling the little demon away and setting him down. At the sight of the three bowls of food he put on the floor, two of Riley’s creatures hurried over and busied themselves eating. The one she cuddled in her arms ignored him and the food.

Cody walked to the sofa and, ignoring the hiss from the sleek animal, carried him to the third bowl, which the wicked little monster had already moved to.

“Eat,” he said, setting the black cat down. He scooped up the kitten and took it with him to the living room. “We’ve come to keep you company.” He dropped the kitten into her arms. Riley buried her face in its fur, and hearing her quietly weep, he eyed the door with longing, but his feet refused to move.

Unable to leave her alone while she was hurting, he heaved a sigh. Although he knew half his body would hang over the side, he toed off his shoes, and then scooted up behind her, spooning her. She tensed for a few seconds before relaxing against him, and miracle of miracles, stopped crying.

As he held a woman he barely knew, her body curled against his while she clutched her kitten, he let the peacefulness of the moment take him away. She snuggled into him, and he sighed from the pleasure of having her in his arms.



Cody jerked awake to the feel of soft fingers caressing his cheek. It was so familiar that a fuzzy picture hovered at the edge of his mind, one from his past. As he stared—somewhat disoriented—at Riley’s face as she leaned over him, he tried to recapture the memory. It seemed important that he do so, but it slipped away.

“Hi,” Riley said, her voice soft as if they were lovers and she’d just awakened him on a normal morning day.

As he grew aware of his surroundings, heard the low hum of a refrigerator that wasn’t his, he pushed away and sat up. “What time is it?”

“One in the morning. I’m really sorry. I guess I fell asleep.”

He blinked his eyes, trying to clear the dewy haze in them. “Guess I did, too. Sorry. I only came over to ask if you could board my dogs for a few days. Got sidetracked, apparently.”

At her smile, his heart skipped a beat. He had to get away from her while he still could. She was damn sexy all mussed up. The long hair that reminded him of a German shepherd’s coat with all its colors was a tangled mess, putting him in mind of a woman just made love to. Too bad that wasn’t the reason, but better that he’d not gone that far. He would only hurt her in the end.