Read Guarding Kelsey ((Books We Love Romantic Suspense)) for Free Online

high. Her features were calm but the puffiness around her eyes proved of how deep his words had cut.
    "Kelsey. If I could explain."
    She stared right though him and took her seat at the table. She picked at her dinner, pushing it around on the plate rather than eating it. He wished she would explode and get it out of her system. The strained silence laid a quilt trip on him worthy of his eighty-five year old grandmother.
    Wolf reached into his pocket for a peace offering. He removed a micro -cassette and put it down next to her plate.
    She looked at it and then back to him. "What's that?"
    "The tape you wanted.”
    She picked it up and slid it into her pocket without a word.
    "You're welcome, Kelsey," he said.
    "You want me to thank you for returning something you stole from me?"
    "I didn't steal it."
    "Of course not. When the police steal something, it's gathering evidence . When the public does it, it's a felony."
    "A two dollar cassette is a misdemeanor, at best. And Martinez took it, not me."
    "You knew about it. In the eyes of the law that makes you an accomplice."
    "Pre-Law?" he mused.
    "No. Strict father. When I was seven years old my friend stole a pack of gum. Since I knew about it, he made me go back to the store to apologize to the store owner and pay for it out of my allowance."
    "I bet that set you back."
    She folded her arms along the edge of the table. Whips of flaxen hair fell across her forehead and she let out a puff of air to blow them off her face. Her cheeks took on a healthy glow. "Do you think I had a hundred dollar allowance when I was seven years old, Detective?"
    He couldn't seem to get his foot out of his mouth today. "Do you think you could call me Wolf?"
    "With no trouble at all."
    He shrugged off the personal dig. If she called him Detective one more time he wasn't sure he could be held responsible for his actions. She made it sound like an accusation rather than a title he worked ten years to earn.
    "Good. Why don't you finish your dinner while I set down some ground rules? "
    Kelsey coughed and swallowed hard. "I beg your pardon."
    "Look. I know this situation is difficult. But it will be a lot easier if we understand a few things from the beginning." Wolf paused, waiting for some angry reaction. She didn't hurl the plate of food at him so he figured it was safe to continue. "When you’re working, don’t use your head phones. Two sets of ears listening are better than one."
    She didn't give him an argument. Instead she nodded for him to continue.
    "If you absolutely have to go somewhere, try to give O’Brien or myself a day’s notice so we can arrange back-up while you're out."
    “Then consider yourself on notice. I need to use the library tomorrow.”
    “I’ll see what I can do.”
    She sighed. "Is that it?"
    "Almost. When you go to sleep at night leave the door to your room opened."
    Her eyes widened. She speared a piece of cucumber with her fork using such force Wolf was sure she imagined his face on it. "Why?"
    "So I can hear what's going on."
    "Do you need to know if I snore?"
    "You might not be aware of this, but there are other ways into an apartment besides the front door. There are ventilation shafts, a sliding glass door to your balcony, fire escapes. I can't be watching them all in an apartment this size."
    "We're fourteen floors up."
    "It's been done from higher."
    "All right. I'll leave the door opened," she agreed reluctantly. "Anything else?"
    "Yes. I think you should have your locks changed."
    "The only people who have keys are family."
    "All the same, I think you should consider it."
    She nodded. "All right. I’ll consider it."
     
    * * *
     
    Kelsey turned her attention back to dinner. She couldn't work up any enthusiasm to eat and in the end, she gave up. As she started to clear away her plate she noticed Wolf eyeing her food.
    “Are you going to eat that?” he asked.
    She shrugged her shoulders and pushed the plate in front of him. He didn't even have the decency to