Free Tattoo My Heart (Heroes of Seaside Point, Book 1) by Mia Dymond Page A

won’t hesitate to do it again.”
    “No doubt in my mind,” she mumbled as he leaned in through the open door.
    His lips touched hers again in a small peck. “Buckle your seatbelt.”
    Annessa rolled her eyes and tugged the belt across her body as he closed the door and walked back to his cruiser. Dear God, every step he took made her think sex .
    She started the engine then pulled back onto the road, encouraged she had made the right decision to come home. The armor around her heart seemed to weaken and now running was no longer something she wanted to do.
    Until red and blue lights flashed in her rearview mirror.
    She clenched her teeth and pulled back onto the shoulder, seething as Casey approached. Irritated, she stabbed the window control to lower the pane. “What the hell are you doing?”
    His smooth, easygoing chuckle only moved her body temperature from hot to scorching. “Easy, Tiger. Dispatch radioed and duty calls. Can I meet you at the house later tonight?”
    She nodded, grossly relieved he wasn’t teasing her any longer. “Okay, I’ll see you then.”
    She watched as he jogged back to his car, hit the siren, and sped past. Determined not to be left on the isolated road, she followed just far enough behind for him to keep her in his rearview mirror.
     
    ***
     
    He squeezed the steering wheel almost in two with one hand and lit another cigarette with the other as they drove behind the speeding bullet headed back to Seaside Point.
    His partner exhaled hard . “ We should’ve known she wouldn’t be alone long. We should’ve grabbed her when we saw her pull over .”
    “ We’ve driven this road three times .” He pounded the wheel with one hand . “ There was never any traffic, let alone a cop .”
    “ How come you didn’t know she hooked up with a cop ?”
    “ Judging by that kiss, they hook up a lot ,” he mumbled . “ Ricci’s guy didn’t dig deep enough .” He let a snicker cross his lips . “ To tell you the truth, I’m almost impressed. She’s full of surprises .”
    “ Impressed ? Are you crazy ?” The other man’s eyes widened until he thought they would pop from the sockets . “ I’m telling you this woman is trouble with a capital T. The sooner we move in, the sooner we can be on a plan back to Los Angeles where we have the advantage .”
    “ Relax —”
    “ Hard to do when you’re driving ninety to nothing ,” his partner spat .
    “ You worry worse than an old lady. Everything’s under control .”
    “ She’s hauling ass. Do you think she made us ?”
    “ No, she’s dodging shadows .” He took a long drag of nicotine and glanced at his partner . “ I say we give her a hint .”
    “ Finally .” The other man nodded . “ You read my mind .”

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Annessa practically flew into Sweet Treats and threw herself into a chair in her sister’s shiny, chrome kitchen. That stupid brown sedan had followed her back to town – or tried to anyway. She’d managed to keep Casey’s pace and with the advantage of lights and sirens, she’d left the sedan behind in minutes. Ha ! Yet, somehow her skill in evading the bad guy did little to ease her discomfort.
    “I need chocolate, Van,” she groaned.
    “Okay.” Vanessa opened the refrigerator. “Chocolate Éclair? Chocolate Lava Cake? German Chocolate Brownies? Chocolate Chip Cookies?”
    “All of it.”
    Vanessa shut the refrigerator door then leaned her back against it. “Did you have sex with Casey?”
    Annessa’s eyes flew open. “How did you get that from I need chocolate ?”
    “Did you?”
    “No. And thanks for ratting me out, by the way.”
    “I thought maybe you’d like some company.”
    “I had a flat tire.”
    Her sister glanced at her feet. “Tell me you didn’t change it in those shoes.”
    “I didn’t change it in these shoes.”
    “Casey?”
    “Yes. Fortunately, Sheriff McIntyre arrived in the nick of time.”
    Vanessa giggled and moved to peer into the oven. “So