New Year's Bang by Kimberly Dean

Chapter One

    Snow was falling lightly as Lita made her way home
from work. Crisp white flakes trickled down around the lonely
streetlights and settled silently on the ground. The roadway was
already dusted with the white powder but, by morning, there’d
probably be a few inches of accumulation.
    Too bad it was too late.
    “Christmas was three days ago,” she sighed.
    Then the ground had been brown as… well, as dirt. For
somebody having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit, the
barren view outside her window certainly hadn’t helped. Even now
with the snow glistening, she couldn’t find that special excitement
within herself. Instead of appearing picturesque, the white
landscape just looked cold. Isolated. Lonely.
    She let out a long breath. God, these winter blues
were getting old.
    Wanting to get home, she stepped on the gas. The
light was yellow as she crossed Sycamore Street and a car suddenly
swung in behind her. The headlights reflected off her rearview
mirror, making her jump so high she nearly bumped her head.
    “Oh for heaven’s sake,” she muttered. Reaching up,
she adjusted her mirror so the lights wouldn’t blind her.
    Still, her heart rate kept its accelerated pace and
she sat a little straighter in the driver’s seat. Unable to help
herself, her gaze kept flicking to the mirror and the car behind
her.
    Every night.
    Every night, the same car pulled in behind her. It
kept pace with her, turning when she turned, slowing when she hit
her brakes, following her until she got home…
    She flinched when the lights atop the car started
flashing red.
    “What?” she blurted, looking quickly at the dash
board. “What did I do?”
    Her speed seemed okay. She looked around at her
location. She hadn’t run any stop signs and that light had
definitely been yellow. “What?”
    Letting out a frustrated groan, she pulled over to
the curb. She shifted into park and looked again at the rearview
mirror. The car behind her came to a textbook police stop. Suddenly
self-conscious, she focused on her own reflection. There wasn’t
much she could do but run her fingers through her hair, trying to
give it a tussled sexy look.
    The door of the patrol car opened and her attention
immediately shot back to the officer who stepped out of the
car.
    “Damn,” she whispered.
    He looked good tonight. Really good.
    Officer Pirelli started towards her and the strangest
thing happened inside Lita’s chest. Her heart rate actually slowed
– only the tattoo of it threatened to break right through her ribs.
Nervously, she rubbed her damp palms against the steering wheel.
God, she hoped she didn’t say the wrong thing again.
    He approached her car carefully, even though he knew
she was the one inside. She always was. Reaching for the controls,
she lowered the window as he came to a stop beside her car. Cold
winter air rolled in and her breaths appeared as puffs in front of
her face. “Hi Troy,” she said throatily.
    “Lita,” he said, his face impassive.
    She gave him a hesitant smile. “Did I do something
wrong?”
    “You tell me.”
    Her smile fell. “I don’t think so.”
    The dislike in his voice hurt, although she knew the
source if it. Still, a gal could hope. When he’d first started
following her home, she’d thought it was to harass her. Lately,
though, she’d begun to wonder if it was something else – like maybe
he was concerned about her safety.
    Her blue mood quickly squashed that idea.
    Officer Troy Pirelli detested her.
    “Driver’s license and registration,” he ordered.
    “You know they’re good, Troy – from the last time you pulled me over.”
    He just held out his hand, watching her like a
hawk.
    Lita sighed and leaned over to open the glove box.
She fished her license out of her purse and handed both documents
to him.
    He studied them and she took the rare opportunity to
study him. The black winter coat of his uniform made his shoulders
seem wider and he had his hat pulled down low.