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* * * *
Meg could feel his eyes on her, and when she glanced back towards the car she saw him
watching through the smudged windshield. He said he liked the way she walked, that there was
something sexy and carefree about it. His words pleased her more than she had admitted to him.
At the doorway, she gave her hips a playful little shake and laughed in his direction, then yanked
open the door and stepped inside. Shoeless, Caleb remained in the car wearing a pair of socks to
keep his feet warm, having insisted on accompanying her into town, even when she had
suggested he wait at home. She planned a stop after at the discount store outside of town, where
she would buy him a pair of shoes and some other items before they headed back. He had
expressed some dismay at her doing that but, quite frankly, he was in need of more than the few
clothes of Matt s he had been wearing.
Matt s clothes, Matt s bed, Matt s house. Meg shook off the frisson of chill dancing
along her spine and strode to the back of the drugstore. They weren t Matt s clothes anymore,
nor was it his bed, and the house was hers. For the first time in a long while, she was making
decisions that took into account an ownership of her own life. She felt good about it. Period.
Having reached the back of the store, she paused at the rack of condoms. Except for the
fact that he was barefoot and probably wouldn t have had a clue how to go about it, she should
have sent Caleb in to make this purchase. For one thing, embarrassment was making her cheeks
burn like a schoolgirl s, and for another, once she popped one of these boxes up on the counter,
the entirety of the small town was likely to know she had done so within twenty-four hours.
Turning her head, she eyed the woman behind the counter. Not someone she recognized.
Good. It was ridiculous to be embarrassed, she knew, but there it was. She couldn t help it.
Being responsible was the smart thing, the right thing, to do, but she hadn t had any need of birth
control or protection since...well, since Matt. She d been on the pill, then, and condoms were not
DARK TIDES Celia Ashley 54
in their repertoire. She wasn t even certain what type were the best to use.
 Crap, she muttered to herself.
Picking a box merely because it was the most attractive, she gathered a few more items
deodorant, a new toothbrush, a comb and set everything as unobtrusively as possible on the
counter. As the cashier rang up her purchases, she dug in her purse for her wallet, aware with a
flip of her stomach that someone was coming up the aisle behind her. Trying for nonchalance,
she sneaked a sidelong glance from beneath her lashes as the customer came to a stop directly to
her right.
 Meg.
Pausing in her hunt for cash, Meg lifted her head, drawing her breath in slowly. Dan
Stauffer s gaze moved from her face to the counter where nothing had yet been bagged, and back
again.
 The guy in the car can t buy his own? he commented.
Meg didn t bother to answer. Pulling out several bills, she paid the cashier, watching as
the woman deposited everything into a plastic sack. Aware of Dan s continued and silent
presence beside her, she turned to walk away with a nod both to him and the cashier. He stepped
in front of her.
 I called and left you a message.
Meg lifted her head. He had pushed his sunglasses up away from his eyes. Something
about them, about his eyes, perhaps the dark circles beneath, the odd, shining intensity, made her
pause instead of striding around him.
 I know, she said.
 Is there a reason you didn t call me back?
 You didn t say what you wanted.
 I said it was important, Dan stated, a certain harshness to his tone despite the flat
delivery.
 You did, she admitted.  What s up?
She heard the breath he took, cut short. His gaze skimmed to the counter and the cashier.
Meg glanced back to find the woman observing their exchange unabashedly. Without another
word, Dan Stauffer took her arm, steering her toward the front of the store and out onto the
sidewalk. In her car, which was parked in one of the angled spaces directly out front, Caleb sat
up. With a look she hoped he understood, Meg warned him to stay put.
 Let go of my arm, Dan, she said quietly.
For a moment she didn t think he would, and then his hand released its grip above her
elbow and dropped slowly to his side. With a dip of his head, his sunglasses dropped back into
place. He turned as if he were staring over the street, but she could see his eyes in profile as they
studied Caleb in the passenger seat of her car. A muscle in his jaw twitched.
 Something happened the other night that you need to know about, he said, without
looking at her.
Meg moved around him, trying to call his attention away from her car and Caleb.  What
do you mean?
For several seconds he didn t reply. His lips were compressed, brows lowered as he
continued to stare at Caleb. Then he turned to face her.  It s difficult to explain. But you need
to know about it. Can I meet you later? Alone?
The last was uttered pointedly as Caleb opened the car door several inches. Dan didn t
DARK TIDES Celia Ashley 55
look at him, as if dismissing him somehow. Meg shook her head.
 No, she said.  There s no need. I can t imagine what you might have to say to me. I
don t think I want to know.
Clutching the bag from the drug store and her purse, she pivoted on her heel and headed
for the car, yanking open the door and sliding in behind the wheel. She fumbled the keys into
the ignition, turning the motor over. Dan strode quickly to the driver s side door, bending
toward it as she put the car into reverse. With her foot on the brake, she opened the window.
Beside her Caleb was observing the scene with an unreadable expression. However, his posture
of alert caution was patent.
Dan s blue eyes met Caleb s hazel gaze. He nodded briefly.
 I need to talk to your girlfriend. Do you mind giving us a moment?
Meg spoke before Caleb had the chance to reply.  Dan, don t push it. I don t need to
speak with you if I don t want to, do I? This isn t official, I take it. Your behavior is a bit
inappropriate for an officer of the law.
 Damn it, Meg & .
 Dan, get away from my car. I m leaving. Now.
His fingers curved over the edge of the window as he pressed his face into the small,
open space. His expression made Meg s eyes widen.
 I found something out at your place & .
 What were you doing there? she demanded, but he didn t pause.
 & .that shouldn t have been there. From Matt s boat. The tides never would have
brought it there. Never. And after & .
At his words, Caleb moved, not toward Dan, nor away, just moved where he sat. Meg
turned toward him. The sky darkened, the sun moving behind the clouds, dimming the interior [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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