“No, Emma. You were amazing. I’ve never seen a caseworker so…”
“Amazing?” She laughed.
“Yeah.” Tim ran a hand through his mussed hair. “Sorry, I’ve been on for fourteen hours so I’m a little out of it.”
“And I made you give blood. Sorry about that.” Emery continued to walk to her car, hoping he’d turn around and go back inside.
She stopped at her car and attempted to dig for her keys. Tim stepped close to her, so close she could almost feel him. What was wrong with her? She wanted to feel him.
“Let me help,” he said.
“Ugh, thanks.”
He brushed her arm as he reached into her bag and dug around for keys. Finding them, he opened the car and then grabbed the files from her hands, setting them carefully on the passenger seat. She just stood there watching him. Startling, he turned around and faced her.
“I thought I’d imagined you,” he said with a slow Southern drawl.
Her lips turned up slightly. She could listen to him talk all night. Instead of answering him, she took in the chill bumps on his arms and his hard nipples and felt herself crumble. He was what she wanted and could never have.
“Nope, you didn’t.” Emery stepped back and hurried over to her side of the car, opening the door to get in. Shutting the door, she started to shove her key in the ignition and realized she didn’t have it.
The passenger door opened and Tim eased his tall frame into her car, moving the files to his lap. He smelled like soap and clean sweat; she imagined a cop would have to be sweaty if they arrested people beating on other people.
“Did you make any arrests at the house?”
“Yes, the boyfriend.” Tim reached over and put his left hand over her right, which was casually on the console. Her eyes snapped to his. This gesture was too familiar.
“Emma, can I have your phone number?”
She pulled her hand from under his. “What?”
“Your phone number. I’d like to call you and ask you out on a date, when you’re not dressed in pajamas, have just given blood, and been traumatized by the circumstances that lead us to meet again.”
No.
Bad idea.
“I don’t think…”
“It’s just a number, Emma. You don’t have to answer if I call. Your cell has caller ID, right?”
“But I just don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
“I’m pretty sure I got the right idea when you left me at that dance club after kissing me like your life depended on it. I’ve never been kissed like that before and I’m pretty sure I only want to kiss you from now on.”
Emery’s eyes widened. “We’re not…we won’t be kissing.”
“Why not?” His eyes sparked. “Tell me you don’t want to…”
He was a cocky thing.
She shook her head.
“You keep staring at my lips, Emma. Your eyes give you away.”
Tim was right, her eyes kept falling to his lips as she kept remembering how she’d lost herself in them for hours.
“Well, I keep looking there because you have a little somethin’ somethin’ right there.” She pointed at his perfect lower lip.
His lips curled slightly and he pulled the mirror from the car visor. “Nope, but good try. I’m pretty sure you just keep imagining where I would put these, if you let me.”
Emery plucked the keys from his hands. “Good to see you again, Tim. I’ve got to get going.”
“We’re not finished here, Ms. Simpson. Now I know where you work and your full name.”
Shit.
“Now I know your full name and where you work,” she countered. She didn’t even know why she’d said that.
“That you do.” He got out of the car and shut the door, watching her car as she pulled out of the parking lot.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
You Can’t Save Them All
Emery hurriedly showered and put her suit on so she could go to court if necessary. She sped the entire way to her office. Steve would know what she needed to do. She knew she needed to talk to legal and get them to file whatever they needed to file in juvenile court now, while Lucas was still in the hospital. Steve had answered his phone at six am and was waiting for her when she got to the office.
“What do I do?” She didn’t even offer a polite greeting.
“We’ll file for a temporary order removing him from the home—the judge will grant that—and we’ll have to place Lucas in a foster home while we sort everything out.”
“We have to get him out of there permanently, Steve. These people…” Her voice broke.
Steve patted her shoulder awkwardly. “I understand. Let’s get the ball rolling.”