Free Dead and Disorderly (Behind the Blue Line Series Book 2) by Alexis D. Craig

do have to admit, I like where your head’s at.”
    Nahia’s cheeks caught fire with a blush that left her lightheaded. She opened her mouth to refute his assertion, tried a couple times, finally settling on walking next to him in silence with his hand on the small of her back as he directed her to a set of concrete stairs. He chuckled the whole time.
    The bottom of the stairs opened to the Canal, the jewel of downtown. A little waterway full of fountains and bridges, it started up by the medical school north of 10 th Street, and then went all the way down past the NCAA headquarters to run along the White River. She’d been there more than once, for the Diabetes Walk, the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and sometimes just to clear her mind and be out in the sunshine, but she had to admit, it was a different animal at night.
    During the day, the bridge, her favorite but he had no way of knowing that, was a beautiful homage to one of the many footbridges in Venice, a place she’d never been, but definitely planned to see. Concrete steps and wrought iron sides, it had grayed in the weather, and ivy was staking a claim as it wound from the west side of the base up to almost the middle of the arch, but it was gorgeous nonetheless. Not to mention the two fountains on either side of the courtyards at the base of each footing.
    The spectacular view in the daytime gave way to a resolutely romantic view at night. Lights in the fountain and underneath the bridge made the water of the canal sparkle, the ivy became dark and mysterious, and the sound of the waterfall lent to an atmosphere of cozy solitude, like they were the only two people there.
    “You like?” he asked as he nudged her out of her stunned state.
    “It’s gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever been out here at night. It’s amazing.” She wandered over to the fountain near them, enjoying the peaceful sound of the water falling and the glitter of the partially oxidized pennies at the bottom of the turbulent water.
    She heard him approach from behind her on the flagstone, so his hand brushing hers as they watched the fountain wasn’t startling. What was, was how well her hand fit in his, fingers linked together, palms pressed to one another. His warmth flowed into her, leaving her with a feeling of peacefulness and safety she didn’t question, and didn’t even want to.
    He tugged her hand to get her attention, a mysterious smile hovering on his lips. “C’mere, I got something to show you.” They walked together to the bridge and were on the third step when he stopped and faced her. “You trust me?”
    “I…guess so?” She didn’t mean to sound unsure, but it was an odd question given their location, and more than a little concerning.
    His quiet laughter greeted her answer. “Okay. Then close your eyes.”
    She narrowed her eyes, watching him as close as she could without a microscope and a federal warrant. He merely smiled and waited until she complied. Nahia felt him move closer to her, changing the hand he held hers with while placing the other on her waist. He completely surrounded her, and she had to admit she liked it.
    When they got to the apex of the bridge, he stopped and turned her around without saying anything.
    “If I get wet, you will not be able to run fast enough,” she warned him as he guided her hands to the wrought iron railing. It wasn’t that she honestly expected him to toss her from the top of the bridge into the water, but she was covering all her bases.
    The heat of him at her back sent a tiny thrill through her that she tried to stifle, especially when he put a hand on her waist barely below the hem of her shirt, a touch that was casually intimate and breathtaking all at once. She gasped at the light touch of the fingers of his other hand brushing her neck as he moved her hair to bare it. That was nothing compared to the feel of his breath on her neck as he spoke.
    “Surprise.”
    Nahia opened her eyes to see the moon in her full