Star Witness - By Mallory Kane Page 0,28

didn’t explain why he’d brought up his grandfather. “What are you saying?”

He shrugged. “Just that we have something in common.” He grimaced, then tilted his head. “I never got the chance to know him because someone murdered him. He died the year I was born,” he said quietly.

“The year you were born?” Dani said. “I’m sorry. It’s awful that you never got to know him.”

Harte met her gaze, and his dark eyes, which normally caught the light like brown bottle glass, were soft and sincere. “What you’ve been through is worse. You had your grandfather with you for your whole life. I can’t even imagine how much you must miss him.”

One of the tears that kept gathering in Dani’s eyes slipped down her cheek. To her surprise, Harte reached over and stopped it with a finger. She barely felt his touch, but somehow, it acted like a current of electricity, sizzling through her, creating heat in every inch of her. She stared into his eyes, wondering what he would do if she leaned over and kissed him. Then wondering what she would do if he kissed her back.

For a split second, their eyes held; then Harte blinked and cleared his throat. “So, do you think you’re ready for Jury Drury?”

Dani moistened her lips. “I’m sure I’m not,” she said with a tiny, ironic smile.

“You just do what the oath says you should. Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I’ll object to everything I can think of if he tries to bully you.”

“He’s going to rip me to shreds, isn’t he?”

“I don’t think so,” Harte said. “I hope not.”

She pushed her fingers through her hair and took a long breath. “I’m going to end up looking like an idiot and a liar to the judge and jury.”

“No, you’re not. You’ll come across as earnest and sincere and heartbroken. Between us, we’ll make sure the jury sees your honesty and integrity. I know you don’t think so, but I’m a good prosecutor.”

She studied him. “Oh, I know you’re a good pros—”

Just then the wind picked up, flinging rain like gravel tapping against the big picture window in the living room.

Dani jumped. She drew up her shoulders and braced for more. Sure enough, lightning flashed as a sharp crack rent the air. She swallowed a shriek and vaulted up out of her chair.

“Hey,” Harte said, rising. “It’s okay.”

“The storm’s right on top of us. Do you think it’s a tornado?” she asked tightly.

“Hopefully not. I’m thinking it will blow over soon. It should be moving north.”

Dani nodded as she rubbed her arms. “I hope so.”

He smiled that crooked smile. “Trust me,” he said. “So, I’d like to keep going if you’re up to it.”

“I’m fine. Let me just get some water. The jambalaya made me thirsty.”

“Yeah,” he said, following her as she stepped over to the sink. “Me too.”

As Dani reached for the tap, a huge burst of bright white light blinded her, a deafening explosion split the air and everything went black.

She screamed and flung herself toward Harte. Caught off guard, he stumbled backward when her weight hit him. “Dani—?” he started.

Her almost silent whimper cut him off. Her hands clutched at the front of his shirt. Instinctively he folded his arms around her. Her body trembled violently.

He breathed deeply and nearly groaned at the sweet melon scent of her hair. That delicious fragrance combined with the pressure of her body so tight against him ripped away at his normally rock-solid self-control. The soft firmness of her breasts, the slight bump of her hip bones, the feel of her warm breath on his neck, were as tantalizing as he’d known they’d be. He squeezed his eyes closed. He could learn to love the feel of her body pressed against his. He pulled her closer.

After a moment he turned his head and looked out the kitchen window. He couldn’t see a thing. Not a pale porch bulb of a neighbor’s house. Not a streetlight. Nothing.

“The lightning must have blown transformers all over the area,” he muttered. “There are no lights as far as I can see.”

She nodded and more of the sweet scent of melon tickled his nose. He clenched his jaw as his body reacted. Damn it, he was on the edge of some very dangerous territory.

A vision of them together in bed taunted him. He struggled to banish it.

The only reason she threw herself into his arms was that she was terrified by the lightning and