Chapter 4

It was nice sitting here talking to Patrick. Learning about him. Kristi was enjoying playing the game so much she was three-quarters of the way through her second beer before she realized it. Keith had half turned his chair to talk to the people at the table next to them, so she and Patrick might as well have been alone.

"Hey." He pointed to her bottle. "Let me get you another one."

"No, thanks, I'm good. Two is usually my limit."

At that moment, a huge roar came up from the large bunch of people watching the television over the bar. Keith, who had glanced over at it now and then, suddenly pounded his fist on the table. "Those good-for-nothings! I'll kill them."

Patrick leaned closer to Kristi. "Who does he want to kill? Sorry, but I've only been working with Keith for a couple of weeks. Not long enough to know which football team he bleeds for."

"Are you kidding? He bleeds Dallas Cowboys blue."

Patrick looked around the room. "Did I miss something? What's everyone all riled up for all of a sudden?"

Kristi glanced at the screen and caught the replay. "Well, it seems the quarterback dropped the ball, one of the other players tried to grab it and fumbled it, another reached for it, and bobbled it right into the hands of the other team."

"I'm gonna take a wild guess here that these are all Dallas Cowboys fans."

Kristi laughed. "If you're a Texans fan, best not to admit it in here. I've seen some bloody fights break out."

"Are you a football addict like these guys?"

She nodded. "What about you?"

"Maybe not an addict but certainly hooked on it." He took a swallow of beer. "I'll just remember to root for the Cowboys or keep my opinions to myself."

Keith glanced over at Patrick. "I forgot to make sure you're a Cowboys fan before I agreed to introduce you around." He frowned at Patrick. "You are, aren't you?"

Kristi laughed. "If he isn't, he's not about to tell you." She punched Keith in the arm. "Learn to play nice."

"Not when football's involved," he warned her.

"I've got to get going anyway." Patrick pushed his chair back and stood up. "Thanks for the intro to McNally's, Keith. I'll be back."

"Of course you will. It's where the good guys hang out."

Kristi had no idea why she did it but she rose, also. "I think I'll get going, too."

Dummy. Just let him walk away. Don't start anything.

"But you're just starting your Kelly Days," Keith protested. "Come on. Hang out a little more."

"Maybe tomorrow night." She smiled at the others. "Enjoy the game, guys."

But when she was walking out of the pub with Patrick, she had no idea why she'd done such a stupid thing.

"Pardon my stupidity, but exactly what are Kelly Days?" he asked when they were out in the parking lot.

"The way our shifts run, we're on twenty-four, off forty-eight, on twenty-four, then we get four in a row off. Kelly Days."

He frowned. "Who's Kelly?"

She shrugged. "Beats me." She reached in her purse for her keys. "Well, I need to get going. I have a long list of stuff waiting for me."

Liar!

Again, she wondered what the hell she was doing.

"Well. Okay, then. Nice meeting you. Look forward to seeing you again." He flashed the dimpled smile at her. "Hopefully under better circumstances than this afternoon."

Lordy, that smile. She needed to be inoculated against it.

"You can always find me at McNally's."

"I'll remember that. So, did you drive or walk?"

"Drove. How about you? Did you come with Keith? Do you need a ride?" God almighty. Could she just keep her mouth shut?

"I'm good." He stared at her for a long time. "See you soon."

"You bet." For some reason, her feet wouldn't move. Finally, she managed to push herself off the spot and head to her car parked at the side of the pub. When she turned onto the street, she saw Patrick unlocking the door to his own car. She gave a halfhearted wave and pulled into traffic.

As she drove down the street, she made a deliberate effort to shove Patrick Hayes out of her mind. He was the first man since...well, since the disaster, who had lit even a tiny spark inside her. And of all things, he had to be a cop. No cops or firefighters. That was the rule. Never ever again.

She kept repeating it to herself as she drove home.

*****

The man lifted his beer and took a swallow, hoping the icy liquid would cool him down as he watched her. He had her work schedule memorized and had made it his business to check McNally's every time she was off. Ever since his work brought him into contact with her, he'd known she was the one for him. She was never by herself. Tonight, when she chose to sit by herself, he was sure this would be the night. His night. He could hardly wait until they were alone together.

He knew a good many of the people in the place, just by the nature of what he did. He either sat at the bar and pretended to watch whatever was on the television there, or sat at a table in a way it looked like he was part of a group. Those who recognized him called out to him whenever he came in. Several times, he'd been asked casually if he wanted to join a darts game. He had no desire to get buddy-buddy with any of them, but if he ignored them, they'd ask questions. Be suspicious. Strangers almost never wandered into McNally's but, because he was a familiar face to them, no one seemed to question his presence. Mentally gritting his teeth, he always greeted them casually, saying hi and nodding to people he'd met. Sometimes joining the continuous darts game. Just so he didn't stick out like a sore thumb.

He'd been studying her very carefully. She wasn't attached to anyone, not from anything he'd seen, and he'd paid careful attention. If she was, at the very least she'd bring that person to McNally's whenever she could. In fact, she didn't seem to be hooked up with anyone, a fact that gave him great hope.

She's mine. She will always be mine.

Five minutes after she came in and sat down, the stool next to her at the bar opened up and he saw that as a sign. Tonight, he thought might be his chance. But then, son of a fucking bitch! Those two assholes came in, made a beeline for her, and that was all she wrote. He wanted to take his beer bottle and smash it against the wall. He just needed a few minutes, that was all. Just enough time to introduce himself and let her know how great it would be to spend time together. When she walked out with that asshole her friend had brought in, he wanted to strangle both men with his bare hands.

He watched her whenever he could, doing his best to be flexible with his work. Ever since he saw her that first time, he'd been obsessed with her. He monitored the 9-1-1calls so he could figure out which ones she got the callout for. The first time he saw her at a fire scene, he became 100 percent fixated with her. The way she cared for the injured at the scene, working so efficiently yet with obvious empathy told him everything he needed to know about her. She was the kind of woman he needed, someone kind and dedicated.

And gorgeous!

She was of average height, but that was the only average thing about her. Even in the paramedic gear she wore he could see what a nice ass she had and graceful legs. When he saw her in McNally's, he got an even better look. Sometimes she wore sweaters that clung a little and other times, like tonight, a sweatshirt. But even those could not hide the swell of her breasts. Damn! Wouldn't he just like to cup them in his hands and squeeze.

And all that honey-blonde hair. Or butterscotch, his favorite flavor. He wondered if it was natural. He'd love to get a look between her thighs at the sexy nest there and see if it was the same color. That was one butterscotch he'd love to lick.

He dreamed about her nearly every night, dreams that made his dick so hard and his balls ache so much that he gave his right hand a good workout to relieve himself. He'd close his eyes and pretend it was her fingers gripping him and sliding up and down. He'd imagine what her mouth would feel like closing over the head, and her tongue as she licked him clean.

He gripped his beer bottle so hard he was surprised it didn't shatter in his hands. He needed to cool down before he left the table or he'd embarrass himself for sure.

He knew her schedule, knew today was the start of what they called Kelly Days for her. He'd keep a sharp eye out for her. Maybe this time he'd get to sit with her and introduce himself. If she just got to know him-

Fuck. If, if, if.

If all this didn't work, he had a Plan B. One way or the other, he'd have her.