16

Chapter Two

The rain drenched them in the few seconds it took to exit his patrol car and run to the shelter of his roof. Despite it being midsummer, it was the cold kind of rain that chilled while soaking, and she was shivering by the time he opened his door to let her in first.

Despite being best friends with Sera since they were four and had met at the same preschool, she had never been inside Derek’s house. It was on the same property as his parents’, but they weren’t close enough for him to invite her over, or for her to feel brave enough to just stop by.

Tonight was different, and she felt welcome. No, eagerly wanted, as he stepped into the house behind her and closed the door with a quiet click before coming to stand so close behind her that some of his body heat took the edge off her chill. She kicked off her platform sandals beside his practical black oxfords. Hand-in-hand, they dashed across the gleaming black hardwood floor of the living room and down the hallway to the seco