Free Shot in the Dark by Jennifer Conner Page B

tonight?” Dev said, leaning back in the chair.
    “I don’t need protection. I’ve been looking out for myself and Jon since I was sixteen and had to fend off my stepfather.”
    “You were abused as a child? Is that what your brother meant about doing everything yourself? You handled an abusive situation without seeking outside help?”
    “I was a kid. I didn’t know any better. My stepfather abused my mother. I knew I was next. I convinced Jon we had to run before he came after me sexually. I knew it was just a matter of time. The signs were there.”
    Dev shook his head and stared into his glass. “You left home at sixteen? Did you live in a foster home? What about school?”
    “No. We moved from town to town. I worked odd jobs to keep us fed. It was safer than staying home. We blended into the shadows. When I turned eighteen I took my GED. That’s why education is so important to me. I won’t be stuck in a marriage because I don’t have the means to make my own living.”
    “An independent woman. I could quit my job and live off you.”
    “Nope, then you wouldn’t have money for lattes.” She flipped him a cocky grin. “Those things are expensive.”
    “Tell me about it. Do you know how much a month I spend buying coffee at your stand?” He couldn’t help but smile.
    “I could take a guess… unless you’re two-timing me at another espresso place.”
    “Never.” Dev twirled the pasta and sauce on his fork before shoving it in his mouth. “I believe in one barista at a time. I knew you had brains and beauty.”
    “Thanks. I could say the same about you.”
    Dev choked with his full mouth as he tried to laugh.
    “I’m taking pre-med classes,” Luci declared.
    He swallowed. “Wow, pre-med? I’m impressed.”
    When she tipped her chin proudly, he felt a strange sense of pride course through him. Her past, he’d found out tonight, hadn’t been easy, but she’d struggled and rose above it.
    “That spaghetti was the best I’ve ever eaten. There was some green stuff in it, that was really good,” he said.
    “Fresh basil. I grow it out back.”
    He nodded. The strappy sundress Luci was wearing in bright blue with small white flowers accented her tanned skin. A large turquoise chuck necklace hung between the globes of her breasts. Devan clenched his hand around the cloth napkin in his lap pulling himself back to the conversation. “So you work at the Naughty Latte to help pay for school?” Dev stood and followed Luci to the kitchen and then back to the living room where they sat next to each other on the couch.
    “My job pays for most of it. I have a few student loans, but it’s not bad. The Naughty Latte is the only job I’ve been able to find that allows me to work the hours I want with my schedule.” She sighed and propped her feet on the coffee table. “I’ll see if I’m able to finish this quarter.” Changing the subject, she eyed him up and down. “So detective, what’s your story?”
    “I grew up in Sacramento with two parents and a dog. Pretty normal stuff. I went to college on a scholarship. I got my degree at Remington College in San Diego. Criminal Justice and Police Science.”
    Scooting closer Luci laid put her hand on his. “So what happened to your leg?”
    “I was shot,” he said, staring down at their entwined fingers. She didn’t like to waste time, she jumped right to the punch.
    “Does your leg have permanent damage?” she asked, breaking contact with his hand. She rubbed fingers gently over the fabric of his pants.
    He shrugged. “The doctors aren’t sure.”
    Clicking her tongue, Luci asked, “When was the last time you actually saw a doctor? Are you in physical therapy?”
    “Nope. It wasn’t working.” He wanted to stop talking about himself. He liked it when the conversation centered on her. Stretching his leg he grimaced. Absently he ran fingers up the skin of her bare arm.
    Luci closed her eyes. “Do that again.”
    Dev loved the feel of her