things she missed about Mitch, wretched as that was. Leaning back in her chair, staring at the ceiling, she had her hands behind her head and her feet propped on her desk, completely oblivious to the emails and reports in front of her.
At the knock on her open door she dropped her feet to the floor and scooted her chair up to her desk.
Grady came in, looking almost as tired as Alex did. “Hughes, I’m heading out. You coming?”
“Doesn’t Lily work days at her shop? Why do you look like death warmed up?”
He shrugged. “Just not a day sleeper.”
“Blackout curtains help.”
“Sounds crazy, but I just don’t sleep as well if Lily’s not there.”
Alex tried to swallow past the huge lump in her throat. “No. It doesn’t sound crazy.”
Grady stared at her a second or two, and then gave her a brief nod. “Good night, Major Hughes.”
“Good night, sir.”
Over the past couple of weeks, she’d lain awake during the day, or been walking out to her car in the early morning hours, and wanted so badly to call Mitch. To see how he was doing, see if they could try to make it work just one more time, or just to hear his voice.
So far, she’d resisted. But in these dark hours just before dawn, when she was tired from working all night, her resistance was lowest. She yanked the paperwork toward her and tried to concentrate on performance reviews and grading classroom tests.
The later she worked the more quiet the building grew. She stuck in her ear buds and flipped on her iPod. Ugh! Why had she bought all these depressing songs about unrequited love? She flipped it off again and shoved to her feet. This was ridiculous. She could take this paperwork home and finish it there while she watched the DIY network.
Collecting her things, she grabbed her hat and headed out, locking her door behind her. Not that she had to worry about Mitch’s practical jokes anymore— Stop it, Alex!
She had to stop thinking about him all the time.
Out in the parking lot she drew in a deep breath and noticed the sun creeping up over the mountains, turning the sky pink and orange.
Feeling a bit better, she slid into her Mustang, dropping her briefcase in the passenger seat, stuck her keys in the ignition and turned.
The only sound she heard was a click. She knew better, but she still turned the key again. Yep, same result, knucklehead.
Man, she so did not need this right now. She was tired and cranky and hungry and all she wanted was breakfast and a bath. With a loud, self-pitying sigh, she climbed out, pulled the lever under the grill, and opened the hood.
She stared a moment, disbelieving her eyes. What the… How could a distributor cap just disappear?
“Looking for this?”
She jumped at the sound of Mitch’s voice and peeked around the hood. He stood beside her driver’s door holding a black distributor cap. Or more correctly, her distributor cap.
She blinked at him, uncomprehending at first. He’d removed her distributor cap? Why would he—
How could he—! He thought some stupid practical joke would make things right between them? Outwardly she bristled. But inside, her heart was melting at the sight of him. He looked like hell. He looked wonderful.
“What is this, McCabe?”
“Take it easy, Hughes.” He stepped closer, but haltingly, like a cowboy gentling a wild pony. “I just wanted to talk.” He gave her a sheepish grin and shrugged one shoulder. “Figured I’d make sure you couldn’t get away.”
She briefly closed her eyes and prayed for strength. Strength to resist running to him and wrapping her arms around him and begging him to kiss her. “All right.” She folded her arms. “Talk.”
He took another step closer and the breeze brought the scent of Mitch to her nose. She inhaled and felt a pang of desire burn through her.
“I remember the first time I saw you. We’d just entered the academy, and you were walking off the field alone after the swearing-in ceremony.”
She frowned. “You saw me then?”
He nodded. “I remember thinking, hey, I’m not the only one that doesn’t have family here. I’m not alone. So, I followed you.”
“You did?”
“When I saw those creeps jump you, I wished to God I had a tire iron.”
“You saw them?”
He nodded. “Didn’t you ever wonder how I happened to be in that hallway?”
She shook her head. “I guess I was so shaken I didn’t question it.”
“You were shaken?”
“Scared to death.”
“Well, you didn’t show it.