To Lauren's surprise, dinner at Dyson's house with their friends and family was lovely and relaxing. The investigation and threats were taking a toll, and they needed the down time, and the warm, delicious food and company hit the right spot. She suspected they were all keeping the topics light to mask the underlying tension that surrounded them all. They all laughed and made the kind of easy small talk they used to do so freely. Thankfully, the dinner lifted the gloomy mood lingering around them, allowing them to thoroughly enjoy the evening.
Dinner was over, and Hale's cell started ringing. He answered it quickly, and then excused himself to talk privately outside.
As Hale left the table, Tamsin stretched out, rubbing her stomach. "That was some good eats. Thanks, guys."
"Does your lover cook for you?" Dyson asked to tease Tamsin, who choked on her tongue at the mention of Evony as her lover.
"We usually go out for food." Tamsin said before staring at her hands, which had suddenly become very fascinating.
"And why isn't Evony joining us tonight? Too good to hang out with your friends?" Dyson said, not trying to hide his amusement at Tamsin's expense.
Lauren's ears perked up at the mention of Evony, and she glanced at Tamsin. She still didn't approve of her relationship with Evony, but she had already said her piece on the matter, and that's all she could do. She needed to leave Tamsin alone and let her live her own life.
Tamsin blinked once, slowly, then glared at Dyson. "I didn't invite her. We're not dating."
Undaunted, Dyson barked with laughter as he said, "Keep telling yourself that."
Tamsin almost stuck her tongue out at him, but didn't. Instead, her stare moved over him in irritation.
Lauren gave Dyson an annoyed flick of her wrist on his shoulder. "Leave her alone, Dyson."
Seeing that his friend wasn't in the mood to be teased, Dyson decided to back off. He clapped a hand on Tamsin's shoulder and grinned. He gave her a little affectionate shake. "I'm just razzing ya, partner."
Ciara joined the group with Marshall in her arms. "Tell me a little about yourself, Tamsin. Your Dyson's partner but I don't know much about you."
Tamsin tensed, her eyes widening. She moved them to Lauren, then back to Ciara. "Not much to tell. I'm just Tamsin."
"Where did you go to high school? Around here?" Ciara gave her a kind but prodding smile.
Suddenly, Tamsin felt hot under her shirt, like she was being interrogated. She shook her head stiffly. "Nah, I bounced around a lot. I didn't go to a high school, so much as visited a lot of high schools. Briefly."
Ciara's brow wrinkled, and her eyes moved over Tamsin, carefully assessing her. "That must have been very difficult."
"Not really," Tamsin answered, shrinking down in her chair. She didn't like the pity she could hear in Ciara's tone. All she wanted was to fall into a dark hole and disappear. "It made everything new and exciting. Kept things interesting. I was never really into all the high school stuff, like group activities, sports, popularity contests." She kept her voice nonchalant to disguise the strength of her discomfort.
"I loved all that stuff." Dyson chimed in, with a big smile. "High school was so much fun. So many parties, girls, sports…"
"That's because it was your peak." Lauren cut in, good-naturedly. "You've been chasing your former glory ever since."
Tamsin dipped her head and took the opportunity to relax as the focus got off her.
"Do you remember my date to senior prom?" Dyson asked, directing his question to Lauren.
Lauren nodded. "I forgot her name, but she had the biggest breast I'd ever seen."
Bo laughed, turning to Lauren.
"I mean she was a lovely person. I just remember…" Lauren gestured around her chest. "The breasts for some reason."
Bo's smile deepened, her eyes flashing with amusement. "That's my girl, remembering the important details." She put in teasing her. She planted a kiss on Lauren's cheek and then added. "Boobs."
"And who was your date?" Tamsin asked Lauren, eager to keep the focus off herself. The thought of more questions made her stomach sour. The truth was, she hated talking about herself and her past, but liked hearing about the other's past.
"Oh, my father didn't let me go to prom. He claimed it was because I was younger than everyone else, but….well, I don't think he wanted me to take a girl. He was afraid I might embarrass the family."
"That sucks, sorry Lewis. Your father sounds awful." Tamsin said.
Lauren glanced at Tamsin, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully, and then she shrugged.
"Well, I had a great time at my prom. My date and I were prom king and queen." Ciara said, attempting to get them back on track.
"I'm not surprised," Dyson said with a little grin in Ciara's direction.
Ciara matched Dyson's smile and then swept her eyes to Bo. "What about you. Did you have a hard time in high school?"
"Not at all. I was a cheerleader and the prom queen also."
"YOU were the prom queen?" Tamsin said through a laugh.
"Don't look so shocked. I was very popular."
"Was. The operative word there." Dyson pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at Bo.
"Funny." Bo was smiling when she noticed Kenzi hovering just outside of the group while sipping a glass of water. Leaning over, Bo rubbed her nose against Lauren's cheek and then gave her a fast kiss. "I'm going to go talk to Kenzi."
Lauren's hand sought Bo's knee, and she squeezed it in answer. Bo strode away from the table, and Lauren watched her go.
The conversation didn't continue because Marshall giggled causing all of them to look at the baby in Ciara's arms.
"Do you want to hold him?" Dyson asked Tamsin when he saw her looking at Marshall.
That question made Tamsin nearly jump out of her skin. People that small made her nervous. She could easily see herself dropping the baby or worse. "No. I'm good. I'm fine just looking at him."
"I'll hold him." Lauren volunteered on Dyson's other side.
Ciara eased the baby from her arms into Lauren's waiting embrace. "He's a cutie, he is. And he's definitely grown a little since the last time I saw him." Lauren commented, holding him up so she could look him over.
Lauren started making funny faces at Marshall, trying to get him to laugh. The baby just stared at her, wide-eyed for a long moment, as if completely fascinated by Lauren. Everything at his age was magical. And Lauren almost envied that kind of wonder.
"You're very good with him," Ciara said fondly to Lauren as she sat back down. "He responds to you. You have a good energy that he picks up on."
Lauren smiled self-consciously, not actually believing that as she remembered her time babysitting him. Deep down she didn't know if she was the motherly type, or not. She was leaning toward the latter, but knowing something, in theory, was meaningless without experience in real-life to back it up. And one day of babysitting definitely didn't provide her with enough data to know for sure.
"Don't embarrass her. Lauren gets weird about the baby subject." Dyson cut in, chuckling at his friend. "She gets pissy when I bring it up."
"Not true." Lauren retorted defensively. She adjusted the baby and sat straighter ready to defend herself. "I don't like the outside pressure about it. It's a personal decision between my wife and I."
"Only you would think talking about something equals 'pressure'. I get having a kid is a tremendous amount of change, and you crave…demand structure in your life. I get why it freaks you out."
Lauren looked at him as if he wasn't making any sense. "If there's a point, Dr. Dyson, I'd like you to get to it."
"Control is your comfort zone." Dyson pointed out, with a small smile. "You can't plan your life with a kid around, and you're a planner. Not having a clear idea of what the future holds, stresses you out."
Tamsin scrunched her face, as she followed the conversation. "Don't worry about it, Lewis. It's understandable that you don't want to talk about babies." She blurted out, coming to Lauren's defense. "You're young, be young. It's not wrong if you don't want children, lots of normal people don't."
"I agree. Drop it." Ciara added, speaking to Dyson. "It's none of our business."
Lauren smiled at them and then turned to Dyson. Two unhappy lines appeared between her eyebrows.
"Why are you making that face?" Dyson asked Lauren, giving her the side-eye.
"Because I'm irritated, obviously." Lauren leaned in closer to Dyson, whispering through gritted teeth. "How would you feel if I asked you all the time when you were going to get married?"
Dyson shrugged dismissively. "I wouldn't mind."
Rolling her eyes, Lauren held Marshall against her chest and patted his back. "Yeah, right." She huffed impatiently. "You are exceedingly irksome right now. Why are you spoiling this evening?"
Dyson opened his mouth to retort, but Ciara spoke over him. "Dyson dial it back and stop being such a jerk."
Dyson's eyes got wide as they bounced between the three women glaring at him. "Sorry, ladies."
"We should talk about something else," Tamsin said wanting the group to return to the lighter atmosphere.
"Good idea." Lauren agreed, shooting Dyson one last glare before turning her focus back on the baby.
XXXXX
Kenzi followed Bo's eyes, glancing over her shoulder to find Lauren still holding Marshall. "You want one," Kenzi whispered to make sure they wouldn't be overheard. She had her suspicions about Bo wanting kids, and judging by her sister's longing look, she was more than a little convinced that she was right.
Bo snapped to attention; her eyes had just been naturally drawn to the baby and Lauren without her realizing it. "I want what Lauren wants, and she's not ready. I live to make Lauren happy."
"You didn't answer me," When Bo looked at her confused, she said, "But what about what you want?"
With a shrug, Bo said, "How can you ever know that you're ready for that kind of thing?" She cut her eyes to Lauren. Her Lauren. But her Lauren wasn't looking at her. She was watching Marshall with a big, happy smile on her face, so she didn't notice Bo staring at her again. She found herself smiling because Lauren was smiling.
Kenzi snorted, and her hand went to her stomach, to her bump, and she rubbed circles. "Is anyone ever really ready?"
Bo's smile dropped, falling into a frown as she focused back on Kenzi. "Guess not. But anyway, we can't even think about that right now. There's too much going on. We, as a family, are already dealing with enough trouble, no reason to think about this now."
It was Kenzi's turn to shrug. "You can't stop living, and planning for the future just because of some stalker. If you do, they win. Sometimes life is brutal and unfair, busy and annoying. But there's a lot of good, too. If you go around worrying about the bad stuff, you risk missing out on enjoying all the amazing things."
Bo's eyes automatically went to Lauren again, and her stomach fluttered with a strange longing as Lauren continued playing with the baby. She had never seen anything so heartwarming in her life. Lauren would make such a wonderful mother. She was a nurturer by nature. And the two of them together as parents, she knew, they could create a happy family together. She bit her cheek, waging an internal war with herself. "Yes, I want a family with Lauren. I want a kid or two." She admitted out loud, perhaps for the first time. "One day, when I'm ready to share Lauren with someone else that is." Belatedly, she realized she was still staring at Lauren, and turned back to Kenzi. "But I don't know how to approach her with the subject. She's very adamant that she isn't ready, and I want to respect her wishes to wait to talk about it."
Kenzi studied Bo for a long moment as she stewed in Bo's situation. Finally, she laughed and suggested, "Tie that girl down and make her talk to you. You have a right to have your side heard at least. No matter what you two decide, you need to make sure your feelings are voiced and heard. You can't give her all the say in this. It's not wrong that you want a family, a lot of people do."
"Since I'm turning thirty soon, what if I'm just having a quarter-life crisis. Thinking about babies and a new career…" Bo's frown was subtle as she trailed off, and her eyes grew distant, as she silently debated those weighty matters.
"Are you happy?" Kenzi asked, lowering her voice.
Bo's gaze refocused on Kenzi, and she answered promptly. "Not with that stalker around."
"You know what I meant."
"Yes. Absolutely. I love my life with Lauren. That's why I'm confused about me wanting things to change. Why add another element that might rock our beautiful life?" Those questions echoed over and over in her head. But there was no answer. "I don't like feeling like this."
"And what if Lauren never wants kids? What will you do?"
Bo froze, staring at her sister with immeasurable dismay. What kind of question was that? Deciding Kenzi hadn't meant to insult her, she answered, "Having kids isn't a deal breaker for me. I would be happy with only Lauren forever, but…it's something I would like to discuss with her. I guess I really just want to know what's in her head. Is it a no for now, or a no for forever."
"Then that's what you need to do. Talk to that woman."
Bo bobbed her head, agreeing with Kenzi. "When the time is right, when things settle down to our regular routine, I'll talk with her again."
Lauren could feel eyes on her, and she swiveled her eyes around. "What?" She mouthed, as her gaze instantly met Bo's.
"You're beautiful," Bo called out to Lauren affectionately.
That earned Bo a scarcely disguised grin and a cute little eye roll from Lauren.
At the same time, Hale opened the front door. With his arms extended, he walked purposefully toward Kenzi. "Sorry that took so long. It was an important call."
Kenzi smiled at her husband, and let him gather her into his arms. "I understand."
"We got a partial print off one of the photos, but we couldn't make a definitive ID." Hale filled Bo in, answering her unspoken question.
"Shit. Can't we get even one break?" Bo buried her face in her hands for a long moment. "Did you look over my notes about my father's case?" She asked as she lifted her head back up.
Hale nodded, holding onto Kenzi with one arm. "I know you don't mind coloring outside the lines if it's for the greater good, but you have to be careful. Going to the campaign headquarters wasn't a good idea."
Bo saw the whole situation differently and said. "Sure, but I was able to connect Rainer to the Reeds." Her eyes kept shifting back and forth between Kenzi and Hale. "That's a significant development. I need a warrant. There's video evidence of their meeting."
"Not going to happen. This isn't your case. You need more to get the FBI to reopen the investigation. It's not a crime to have meetings."
Bo pinched her lips, not wanting to argue, but disagreeing silently.
XXXXX
Later the group separated, only Dyson and Lauren remained at the kitchen table. Lauren put her arm around Dyson's shoulder for a brief second and said, "Did you get my email about Bo's birthday? Please tell me you can make it." She said, deliberately keeping her voice upbeat and light.
"We can make it, but Bo's pissed with me at the moment."
Lauren turned in her seat, looking for Bo. She sat in the other room in the midst of an animated conversation with the others. "Can you blame her? She's just looking for support. She wants you to trust her like you used to." She brought her gaze to Dyson to look him in the eye. "Do me a favor and hold off with expressing your doubts for awhile."
Dyson's eyes flashed away from Lauren, and he ground his teeth. "That could do more harm than good. I've seen good cops lose their careers by muddying the difference between personal and professional."
Dyson and Bo were usually on the same wavelength, and Lauren knew something was off between them since their argument. She could feel her protective side being roused to Bo's defense. "You've made your point. But Bo is going to do what she's got to do. We're Bo's people we need to support and help her with this."
"I don't like this," Dyson said, shrinking slightly under Lauren's intense gaze. "I don't like it one bit. You and Kenzi have a big red target painted on your backs, and you expect me to say, 'oh, well,' and sit back to see what happens? I can't do that."
"Nothing will happen to us." Lauren made a broad gesture to the others. "We're quite literally surrounded by cops." She softened her face and pushed his knee with her fingertips. "Just keep an open mind and listen to what Bo has to say."
Dyson's eyes drifted to some spot over Lauren's head and dimmed. "I wish I shared your confidence. But I have a very bad feeling about this whole thing." He gathered a large breath, like he was bracing himself, and pivoted the topic, "You are good with Marshall. Just so you know."
Lauren gave him a look but didn't say anything. Were they circling back to the baby topic again? Why?
"You don't believe me?"
"Being a great parent is one of the most challenging and important things in the world. And I'm glad you're taking it so seriously, but you have to back off and let Bo and I make our own decisions about children. Why are you so invested in me having babies? You never used to be such a meddler."
"I don't meddle," Dyson said with utmost seriousness, but Lauren snort-laughed at him.
"You have so turned into a meddler."
"Your parents are real ugly people, but that doesn't mean you can't be a great parent yourself. If that's what you want. I just worry that your parents nasty and vile behavior and selfishness might cost you the chance of having your own kids."
Lauren gaped at Dyson, shocked by the direction of the conversation. "My decision about children has nothing to do with them." She glared at Dyson with laserlike precision. "I really don't like being analyzed about my relationship with them. But just so you know I'm not ready to make a decision about children, not because my parents never loved me, or because I'm some kind of control freak, I'm simply not ready. Is that really that hard to understand?"
"It'll never be the right time. Something will always be going on."
Lauren continued to eyeball Dyson for a stretch, and Dyson met her annoyed glare with an easy one of his own. "Okay I get it; I'll stop. I won't bring it up again." He said at length.
"Good. If and when I'm ready to make that decision it will be a discussion I will have with Bo and no one else." Lauren stated with conviction, hoping that would finally put the topic to rest.
XXXXXX
Kenzi and Hale didn't stay long after dinner. Kenzi was tired and wanted to go home to rest. They said their goodbyes to everyone and Bo walked them out.
At Hale's car, Bo gave him a hug, and then he got in the car to wait for Kenzi.
Bo leaned on the vehicle with her hip. "Sorry, I haven't been around much. I've been a sucky sister lately. Sometimes, I know I can be a lousy older sister because it seems like everything is always about me, and my stuff."
"And it only took you thirty years to figure that out." Kenzi paired her statement with a knowing grin in Bo's direction.
Not missing a beat, Bo responded. "We both know I'm a little slow sometimes."
"Honestly, Bo it is hard not having you around. With all we've been through and everything we're facing…" Kenzi's eyes went bright with tears. "Damn these out-of-control hormones. I never used to be such a crier." She sucked in a breath to keep from sobbing. "But I feel lonely lately because Hale's at work a lot, and I can't leave the house because of those pictures."
Hearing that, Bo's eyes also filled with tears. Holding down her emotions, she rested a hand on her sister's pregnant belly. She felt guilty that Kenzi felt alone and that work and other things kept her away from her sister so much. "I'll come to your next doctor's appointment, okay? No matter what I'll make it."
Kenzi dashed away tears with the back of her hand. She seemed touched by the offer, and she smiled at Bo. "I'd like that. I mean…Lauren's great and everything, but…."
Bo understood Kenzi's meaning. She wanted her around more, and she knew she needed to make an effort to be a better sister. She swallowed the bubbling bitter regret in the back of her throat. "I'll be there. Just text me the date."
A soft glow lit Kenzi's eyes. "I will." Some of the happiness behind her eyes dissipated and she exhaled. "I still haven't read the journal. I was hoping we could do that together sometime."
Bo glanced away from Kenzi, clenching and unclenching her fists. She wasn't ready to face whatever was in that journal. "We will. When things calm down, I promise we will." She said as she opened the passenger's side door of the car for Kenzi.
"Alright," Kenzi said as she slid slowly into the seat, and shut the door.
Bo stepped back and waved as they drove away. Once they disappeared down the street, she turned and walked back into the house.
XXXXXX
Lauren helped Ciara clean up the kitchen as Bo called the others into the living room. It was a nice, easy, manageable distraction and she was more than happy to help. She didn't have the energy to sit through another heated argument about Bo's investigation.
In the other room, Bo filled Dyson and Tamsin in on what she had learned recently: the broken fingernails, Rainer's connection to the Reed family, and his recent meeting with Paris. A full minute of silence ensued as she made eye contact with both of them waiting for their reaction to the new information.
"So we're operating under the assumption that your father's death and Paris and Rainer's relationship are related?" Tamsin asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.
"How can they not be?" Bo said, sliding her attention to Tamsin. "The timing of Rainer meeting with Clayton's daughter is not coincidental."
Dyson didn't follow how Bo had arrived at that conclusion, so he asked. "Why not?"
Bo felt indignant but kept her voice controlled. "Well, look at the timeline. A few months ago, old friends reconnected, and have a secret meeting. Around the same time, Harvey's money is stolen. And then he dies mysteriously with Rainer as the last person to see him, and then Rainer skips town right after that. It's relevant. Every connection matters. Especially, my father's assistant having a direct link to his bitter political rival."
"Could be that Rainer and Paris were working together. They stole the money, killed Mr. Dennis and fled together." Tamsin offered a notion that had just entered her thoughts. "Like a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde."
"Paris hasn't fled, though. She's still working for her father. I just know that Clayton's the mastermind. I just do. With him having the most to gain with Harvey gone. He was facing certain loss in the election against my father. Maybe he didn't do any of the heavy lifting directly, but he could still be involved. Lots of people can be responsible for what happened."
Dyson still wasn't buying it. "I'm not being negative, just pointing out that even though there's a connection between Rainer and the Reed's, you haven't found anything specific tying any of them to your father's death."
An exasperated sigh escaped Bo before she could hold it back. "That's why I'm confronting Clayton at the charity event. Once I feel him out, I'll get a better idea about his involvement."
"So, are you getting the feeling that Rainer is more likely a victim in this than the perp?" Tamsin asked, wanting to get Bo's thinking completely clear.
"I can't say that with any certainty."
"I'm still trying to picture how all this adds up to murder. Have you considered that your objectivity might be in question with this whole matter?" Bo glared at Dyson as he said that, but he continued. "Let's say, Rainer stole the money. Your father dies naturally, and he uses the opportunity to flee with millions of dollars. More times than not, the simplest explanation is the right explanation."
"That's a theory for sure, but that ignores the threat telling me to back off from investigating the death and Harvey's broken fingernails."
Dyson conceded that point because she was right. "You really think Clayton killed your father just to get him out of the way?"
Dyson was coming around, Bo realized. That giant chip he'd had on his shoulder was disappearing. She inclined her head toward him, giving him a further explanation. "What I do know is that power does bizarre things to people. It can be addicting. Look at Harvey, hiding the truth about my mother's accident for his career. Even he was susceptible to the seduction of power, and he was a far better man than Clayton Reed."
"There's never a dull moment around here," Dyson grumbled, absorbing all the new information.
"We all should have gone into sales or something predictable and boring," Tamsin answered back, jokingly.
Bo's laugh was hollow. "Tell me about it."
That got Dyson's attention. His eyes cut back to Bo. "Do you think you would ever be happy doing something else?"
"I've started to think maybe I could," Bo said, keeping her eyes down as she spoke.
Dyson sat up straighter, his eyes bulged with alarm. "Are you seriously thinking about quitting?"
Bo raised her eyes and darted them around the room. "I'm only thinking about all my options, up to and including a career change."
"What does Lauren say about that?" Dyson asked, gesturing a thumb in Lauren's direction in the kitchen.
"Not to make any big or hasty decisions while I'm grieving."
"That's excellent advice," Dyson said, relieved that Lauren had given Bo sensible advice. "She's a very wise woman. You should listen to her."
Dyson continued to study Bo carefully, and Tamsin asked her. "What would you do if you weren't a cop?"
"I was thinking about maybe opening up a training center that teaches personal protection. Like self-defense classes… Or maybe getting a job at the academy training newbies…."
Dyson and Tamsin gave Bo a weird look, so she clarified herself. "But, I'm not planning on making any hasty decisions. I'm only thinking about the possibility of doing something else, but I'm not acting on it…. yet."
XXXXX
After returning home that evening, Bo stood before the front window, and her eyes wandered up and down the street. Was someone out there right then watching her? Or Lauren? Waiting for their chance. Planning something from the shadows? A chill crept deeper and deeper into her body, which had everything to do with her dark thoughts. She stared at the dim glow of the streetlights, not seeing any signs of anyone.
"I was looking for you," Lauren said, slipping her arms around Bo from behind. "What're you doing?"
Bo startled at Lauren's embrace and then relaxed into it. "Nothing much. Just thinking."
Lauren pressed her lips to Bo's back between her shoulder blades. "About what?"
"That you are an incredible woman."
Lauren chuckled and slouched back against the window ledge to look at Bo. "Yeah, but anything else on your mind?"
Bo took a moment to admire Lauren. Her hair was piled atop her head in a sexy mess, her voice slightly hoarse from laughing so hard during the dinner at Dyson's. She reached for Lauren and pulled her into her arms. She took her mouth in a savoring and leisurely kiss.
Laughing softly against Bo's lips, Lauren stopped her hand before it went under her shirt. Tearing her mouth free, Lauren smiled at her. "Sure you don't want to tell me what's on your mind?"
Bo churned with questions and worries about the upcoming event, which she'd like to share with Lauren. But hesitated. She released Lauren and turned back to the window to stare into the night. Quickly, a scarecrow-thin shadow down the street caught her attention. Zeroing in for a closer look, the shadow took on a vaguely human outline, a silhouette completely cloaked in black. It moved slightly into the streetlight, and she realized someone was watching the house. Without another thought, she ignored her bare feet when she bolted for the door.
Startled, Lauren twisted around in the direction Bo was running. She called out to her as Bo blasted out of the front door. Bo didn't stop; she jumped over the porch rail almost slipping on the damp grass when she came down.
At full speed, she ran down the front lawn in the direction of the figure. As she ran into the street, she was almost hit by a car as it rounded a corner fast.
The blare of the car's horn shocked her, taking her attention off the man for just a moment, but that was all it took.
"Watch out! Crazy broad." The driver yelled out the car window as it sped by.
By the time Bo recovered her bearings, the person was nowhere in sight. She jogged down the street, ignoring the way her bare feet scraped against the concrete, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
After searching a few minutes, she stopped in the middle of the street. "Shit!" She yelled, pushing her hands through her hair. She hung her head and ran back toward the house.
"What's going on?" Lauren called out from the porch.
"Someone was out there," Bo said, her breath coming out heavy as she tried to catch her breath. "I saw him watching the house."
Hands on her hips, frustration radiating off her, Lauren said, "So you thought it would be a good idea to chase after him without any thought to your own safety?"
Surprised by Lauren's combative tone, Bo walked slowly to where Lauren waited for her. "What else was I supposed to do?"
Lauren's eyes grew enormous. "You're half dressed, unarmed… it's dark…Do you need to be reminded of the value of caution?"
Squirming under the heat of her pissed off wife's glare, Bo shrugged. "All I thought about was getting him."
"And what were you going to do with him once you got him?" Lauren demanded to know, her words loud and irritable.
"Um, I don't know. Maybe kick his ass and arrest him." Bo lifted her voice to match Lauren's volume.
Lauren scowled, and crossed her arms, in a defensive pose. "I'm not joking around here, Bo. What the hell were you thinking?"
"I was thinking I was going to get that asshole and be done with it." Bo grounded out between clenched teeth because she didn't want to holler at Lauren.
"What if he shot at you? You really think you're bulletproof don't you?" Lauren snapped, setting her jaw grimly.
Bo held up one hand as if to physically block that very idea. "No! I don't believe that. I've been shot before, remember?" She pointed out, less than tactfully.
Lauren blew out an impatient breath and retreated a few steps. "The real question is, do you remember that?"
Bo took offense at Lauren's response and what it implied. She kept a tight rein on her voice, on her temper, though it was a battle. "I'm a cop, Lauren. I take care of myself. It's instinct and training. You can't fault me for that. When I see a potential perp, I react."
"And you almost got flattened by a car." Lauren countered. She couldn't put the picture of Bo running into the street out of her mind.
Fuming, they stood there glaring at each other. Raw and vulnerable emotions were left unmasked on each of their expressions.
Bo opened her mouth twice, but her retorts didn't come. A third attempt had her saying, "Excuse me for wanting to get the asshole that's stalking you."
Lauren's jaw was clenched, and her chin rose high, and if Bo hadn't been furious herself, she would have been really turned on by the sight.
Bo threw up her arms, gathered a large amount of air into her lungs, and then bellowed. "I can't believe you're mad that I'm trying to protect you!"
"You're missing the point completely," Lauren said, making an effort to lower her voice. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."
"Like what? I'm being remarkably calm here. You're the one that's pitching a fit about this."
Lauren glared at Bo. Bo glared back. And then they stared some more. They stood, still, as the world moved around them. It was hot but windy, and the trees rustled in the distance. And still, all they did was stare.
Bo was just about to make another comment when Lauren moved her eyes away from hers, and the silence was broken as she said, "Calm? I don't think so."
Bo could tell Lauren had more to say but refrained. Her expression was taut and angry. The situation required neutralizing, but Bo couldn't bring herself to do it. Not at that moment. Lauren's response was pissing her off. "If you think I will ever be the type of woman that will sit back and do nothing while you're in danger. You really don't know who you married."
With that, Bo watched as Lauren turned and stalked back into the house without saying anything else. Her back was rigid and tense, signaling to Bo she was still angry. She stared at the spot where Lauren had stood for a long time, her chest aching with remorse.
Riding the wave of intense frustration, Bo stayed outside. With her body on alert, she checked the security system and did a quick search around the house. It was quiet; no one was in the immediate vicinity. She knew her surveillance camera wouldn't have picked up the shadowy figure. He had been too far away.
As she climbed the steps toward the house, a noise caught her attention. In the distance, she thought she heard the sound of a car pulling away. But that could have just been one of the neighbors going out for the evening. She decided not to go and look for the car because she had no idea what direction the sound had come from.
Steeling herself to face her angry wife, Bo went into the house. Inside, she practically fell down on the sofa. With a clearer head, she wondered if she had been reckless. Had she reacted more as a wife than a trained cop by chasing after that person? She could have called it in, giving them a better chance to nab him. But it was in her nature to act. She couldn't merely test the waters with her toes; she had to jump in headfirst.
When Lauren walked into the room, her face seemed to crumple a bit. "Show me your feet." Lauren asked softly.
Bo lifted her feet to reveal cuts all over the bottom. Lauren cocked her head slightly as she inspected Bo's feet. The cuts were only superficial and didn't look bad. "You should wash them, so you don't get an infection."
Bo nodded her head and followed her wife's instructions without arguing. After she had finished, she picked up her phone and speed-dialed Hale. Despite the late hour, he answered swiftly and alertly. She briefed him on the situation, as she leaned back against the bathroom door.
"Say no more. I'm on it. I'll call it in and get someone posted in your neighborhood."
"Thanks, Hale. Keep my sister safe."
"I will."
XXXXX
Later, Bo and Lauren shared the bathroom sink space, brushing their teeth, arms moving in matching, jerking motions, both of them avoided the mirror and instead glared at the sink.
Bo finished first, walked into the bedroom, stripped down to her bra and underwear and slid between the cool sheets.
A minute later the bathroom light went out, and she watched, through the moonlight as Lauren walked around to the other side of the bed. Bo wanted to reach for her but stopped herself.
Lauren climbed in, staying as far away from Bo as she possibly could without tumbling out of the bed. She hated when Lauren did that, shut her out like that.
Bo stared at the ceiling, one arm slung above her head, listening to Lauren's breathing. She wanted to hold Lauren. Her body twitched with the urge to pull her close, to feel her, warm against her. Despite the lingering tension between them she loved Lauren so much. It was always a constant, living, breathing thing inside her.
The bedroom was silent. Still. Sometimes, being quiet could be louder than shouting. And that was something Lauren was very practiced at, the loaded silence. Bo's desire to break the tension grew and grew until she could contain it no longer.
"Lauren…" Bo's voice came out not quite a whisper, not quite a breath. She rolled toward Lauren, caught her around the waist and pulled her back against her, spooning behind her.
Lauren sighed softly at the heat of Bo's body and shivered as it battled the chill in her bones. The air conditioner was going full blast, and she was freezing. She wasn't mad anymore. Well, maybe, she was a little mad, but she didn't feel it. All the fear beneath the anger bubbled to the surface and turned to sadness. She felt herself getting misty eyed and squeezed her eyes closed to keep the tears away.
"Lauren."
Slowly, Lauren turned on her side, facing Bo. Bo was looking at her with a tense expression. As Lauren looked at her, Bo's expression relaxed. It was amazing how little it took from Lauren to send her insides melting.
With their gazes locked, Lauren sought Bo's mouth and found it. She used her lips to tease, to brush gently against Bo's before sinking into her with a lush, deep kiss. Shock held Bo motionless a beat, and then her hand cupped the back of Lauren's head, holding her in place as she started participating in the kiss. Bo retreated a fraction, their lips separating, and she rubbed her nose along Lauren's, and then she returned for another kiss with more intensity.
Lauren tangled her legs with Bo's, the soft brush of Bo's hair on her face, the delicious warmth of her skin provided the comfort and reassurance she desperately needed. The smooth, rhythmic strokes of Bo's tongue were undeniably sexual, yet it was also tender. Heartfelt. She loved Bo's mouth, loved how she kissed her. She wanted to lose herself in Bo, and the coaxing demand of Bo's mouth was making it easy for her to do so. She decided, just as soon as the kissing finished, she was going to talk things out with Bo. But first, they would kiss because her body told her she needed it. And her brain seemed to agree.
Bo's hand slid up Lauren's bare thigh, sending shivers right to her lower stomach and Lauren pressed her mouth more firmly to hers. But Bo didn't push for more. If she had, Lauren would probably have given in easily. Instead, they only kissed and lightly stroked each other's skin with their fingers.
Eventually, Bo's lips softened, and she slowly pulled back, tugging Lauren's lower lip between her teeth as long as she could until the connection broke. They rested their foreheads together, catching their breath, neither willing to end the touching.
"Lauren," Bo said, blowing a warm breath over the wet patch left by her mouth on Lauren's lips. She scrambled for something to say to make things right between them. "I hate this, please, let's not fight."
Despite how glorious the kissing and touching were, Bo pulled herself away to break up the sexual tension building between them. She wasn't interested in falling back into their historical patterns, arguing about something, followed by sex as a temporary fix. They were too old for that, had been together too long.
Bo shifted on her side again so she could see Lauren's face. She looked Lauren over but kept a little distance between them.
They stared at each other in the darkness for a few seconds, and then Lauren asked, "Did you get a good look at him?"
Bo shook her head and ran her fingers through Lauren's hair a few times. "It was too dark to see. I only saw a shadow, but that shadow was definitely watching this house." Anger stole into her voice. "It must be another warning to back off. I mean it's awfully brazen to stand outside our house. That tells me I'm on the right track with this investigation."
"I'm sorry I overreacted." Lauren's voice was dropped to a gentle whisper.
Bo's mouth fell open, her body relaxing. She had been ready to go another round with Lauren, and Lauren's words surprised her. "You're apologizing?" She asked with humor on her lips. "That's usually my job."
Rolling her eyes, Lauren said. "Hilarious. When I'm wrong, I admit it. I shouldn't have freaked out on you. It wasn't the proper way to get my point across."
Bo thought about that, about Lauren's reaction. She decided that Lauren had been right and she was wrong. "No, as always you were right. I should have called it in and not chased after him. In the end, I ended up with nothing. I was reckless."
Lauren blew out a breath, but the lingering anxiety refused to let go. "I get why you did it. But it scared me that you chased after him so blindly."
Suddenly, Bo was overcome with hopelessness, and regret. "This whole thing is so crazy. I'm sorry this situation got brought into our home. But I won't let him get to you. I'll do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen."
Bo still needed to hold Lauren, and she saw Lauren needed her to hold her, so she did. She gathered her in her arms, and Lauren snuggled closer, burying her face in Bo's neck.
When they were touching, Lauren spoke again. "I know you're beating yourself up, but there was nothing you could've done to stop this. You're not responsible for the actions of others."
Bo was quiet, thinking, and Lauren didn't push. Instead, she rubbed her back in silence.
"I'm not good enough for you, Lauren."
The hand that had been caressing Bo's back went still, and Lauren found Bo's eyes. "I disagree."
Bo shrugged, giving Lauren a small smile. "But then really no one is good enough for you. I'm just glad you picked me as your life partner."
Lauren cuddled into Bo's body again, and was quiet for a few minutes. "I love you madly. You believe me?" She whispered, sounding half-asleep.
"I do." Bo massaged Lauren's hair with her fingers until she felt her drift off to sleep.
But Bo didn't go to sleep. She waited until she was sure she wouldn't wake Lauren before she eased herself out of her embrace and got up. She glanced at the clock, and it was a little after two. She pulled on her sweats, retrieved her weapon from the bedside table and went into the living room. She sat in an armchair and fired up the security feed on her phone, and waited. If that stalker wanted to make another appearance she was going to be ready for him.
XXXXX
AN
Next up: The charity event. Answers are coming I promise.
Thanks for reading and reviewing.