FOREVER MINE by MICHELLE LEE

helping me think.  “It’s not going to hurt to just check, right?”
     
     
     
    “No, I guess not.  Just promise me, look me in the eye, promise me you won’t go off alone and play detective?  If we do this, we do it together.” He gives her a stern look that says he means business.
     
     
     
    Putting her hand over her heart, “I promise.”  Then smiling, she sticks out her pinkie, “I pinkie swear.”
     
     
     
    He throws his head back and laughs, twines his pinkie with hers, “ pinkie swear .”
     
     
     
    “Ok, good now, let’s watch the rest of the sun set.” She is definitely feeling the wine.
     
     
     
    Sitting on the deck, watching the sun turn into every shade of yellow and orange, relaxing with Brody, She feels like the events, of the last couple days, happened to someone else. 
     
     
     
    She reaches over and takes Brody’s hand into her own, intertwines their fingers, like he did at the police station, and looks at him.  He really is the most handsome man she’s ever met.  “Thank you.”
     
     
     
    He lifts her hand and rubs her knuckles gently across his soft lips before placing a kiss on it.  “You are very welcome.”
     
     
     
    They sit hand and hand, just enjoying each other’s company.  Neither speaking too much, too wrapped up in their own thoughts, until it was dark.  They cleaned up the table and go inside.  Washed dishes, put leftovers in the fridge, and Brody makes them each a cup of coffee.  Charlie needs it more than Brody. 
     
     
     
    Charlie picks up her coffee a heads into the living room and sits down on the sofa.  When Brody comes in, she turns and asks, “So, when do you want to start our research?”
     
     
     
    “I think we should worry about getting some sleep and starting fresh, tomorrow.”  Sighing, he runs his hands through his hair, the way I love, when he is thinking. “I think maybe after you sleep on it you might change your mind.”
     
     
     
    “I don’t think I will” I stick my chin out and look him square in the eye, “Now, I’m going to bed, I have a meeting in the morning.”  I walk over with every intention of a quick kiss on the cheek, but something maybe the wine makes me kiss his lips, “Good nite” I say a little breathlessly.  I turn and walk up the stairs to my room.
     

CHAPTER 17
     
     
     
    Brody sits in the living room watching Charlie go up the stairs to bed.  Licking his lips where he can still feel the lingering kiss. “It’s going to be a long night” he says to himself.  As long as she sleeps with clothes on he would be ok.  Better think about something else.
     
     
     
    Getting up and going into the kitchen to put away the coffee cups, he turns and looks at the kitchen table.  He is glad Charlie wanted to eat outside; he felt mortified thinking about her sitting at his table with the events that took place there one day ago.  “I think I will replace it first chance I get.”
     
     
     
    Upstairs, in bed, he is thinking about everything they talked about.  Can they really find out if Michael had something to do with other people getting hurt?  What if he is some kind of serial rapist?  Do they stand a chance against someone so sick?  He knows Charlie isn’t going to give up.  He could see it tonight in the stubborn set in her jaw right before she went up to bed.  Right before she kissed his lips.
     
     
     
    I really need to stop thinking about that.  Smiling to himself he recalled touching her earlier.  He thought she would be weird around him.  She seemed fine.  Her soft skin, lush lips, and glassy eyes lulled him into a sweet, sound sleep.  His last thought was of them holding hands watching the sun set.
     

CHAPTER 18
     
     
     
    Michael woke up feeling refreshed.  He couldn’t remember sleeping so soundly.  As he stretches his arms above his head; he remembers what he did last night.  An ominous smile breaks across his face.  He hadn’t planned on going over