Midnight Caller - By Diane Burke Page 0,53

pulled her into his embrace and gently kissed her. “I have a surprise for you,” he whispered, his lips moving against hers.

Erin chuckled. “You do, do you?”

“Are you ready?” Encircling her from behind with his arms, his hands resting firmly on her forearms, he brushed her ear with his lips and whispered, “Close your eyes.”

She did as requested and melted back against the solidness of his chest. Slowly, he urged her forward.

“Where are we going?” She hoped nowhere. At this moment she wanted nothing more than to spend forever cradled in his arms.

“We’re almost there. A couple more steps.” He led her across the room. “Okay,” Tony said, letting go and stepping away. “You can look now.”

Erin opened her eyes. She stood in the bathroom doorway and sighed with delight. Candles glowed from every surface, immersing the room in a soft, inviting light. A light floral scent filled the air. The bathtub brimmed with bubbles. A small stool, holding a tray of cheese, crackers, apple slices and grapes rested beside a crystal pitcher of iced tea on a small serving table he had set up beside the tub. Smooth jazz flowed softly from a portable CD player on the floor beside the stool.

“Tony, this is beautiful.”

He stepped away and placed a towel on top of the closed toilet seat. He hung her robe on a hook by the linen closet. When he faced her, he looked embarrassed and unsure of himself. Maybe even a little vulnerable. “Anyway…”

“Anyway…” She gazed into his face. “I think you are the most thoughtful man I have ever met. Thank you.”

The smile on his face reached up and lit the depths of his eyes. He was obviously happy he had pleased her. “You’re welcome. I’ve got to get out to Spence and Winters. We’ve still got a lot of work to do. When we’re done, I’m going to sack out on the sofa for tonight. Now get yourself into those bubbles before the water gets cold and I’ll see you in the morning.”

After he left, Erin undressed and slid into the steamy water. When was the last time she had pampered herself with a hot bubble bath? Eons ago. She leaned her head back against the tiled wall, the rounded edge of the tub fitting perfectly in the curve of her neck and basked in the water’s warmth. The smooth jazz sound of saxophones wooed her with their melancholy. The floral scent and the room’s candlelight glow added the final touch to an already-surreal experience.

Erin’s eyes burned with unexpected tears. You were right, Carol. Why didn’t I listen to you? Tony is everything I could ever want in a man. I’ve been a fool about a lot of things lately. About time I got my head on straight, don’t you think? Erin wiped the tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. I wish you were still here. I wish I could tell you what he did for me tonight. The candles flickered like a sudden wisp of air had passed by and a trace of a smile curved her lips. Maybe you already know. She took a sip of her iced tea. I miss you, Carol. I always will.

Erin lingered in the tub until the water turned ice-cold and gooseflesh covered her skin. She dried herself quickly and dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. She finger-combed her hair and applied a soft-colored lipstick. She couldn’t do much about her puffy eyes, but she was determined to appear as calm and in control as possible. Taking a long look in the mirror, she approved of her appearance. If she could help it, no one would look at her and know that inside reigned chaos, fear and grief.

Erin knelt beside her bed and prayed. She expressed her gratitude that the children hadn’t been home this evening. That Tony and his team were down the hall working into the wee hours of the night trying to catch this killer. She asked God to continue to protect her family and help her deal with the smothering weight of her grief.

Picking up the Bible from her nightstand, she decided to go see what was going on. She promised herself she would stay out of the way and wouldn’t interfere. She could sit quietly in a corner and read. Or maybe she’d go next door and camp out in the living room with the kids. No matter what, she knew she couldn’t stay here alone in the dark.

Erin