me to stay?”
Abby didn’t answer.
“Say what you mean, Abby, because I’m not sure I understand.”
She drew a deep breath and considered what she wanted to say. “There’s a lot of anger inside you. You’re going through traumatic changes. If you lose your career, you’ll have questions of self-worth. I don’t want your anger erupting again when I’m around. I’ve been there before. I’m not going through it again.”
He knelt down beside her. “Do you think I’m capable of hurting you?”
She shook her head. “No, but I think you’re capable of hurting yourself.”
The silence in the room spoke volumes.
“Luke?”
“I’m past that. I’ve spent the last few days thinking about so many things. I can deal with what’s happened. I have to.” He took her hand, still resting on the computer desk. “You give me strength.”
She rolled the desk chair away and pulled her hand with her. “I can’t be anyone’s crutch. I have a hard enough time being me.”
“You’re not a crutch, but you can’t help setting an example.”
“Outwardly, maybe, but inside I’m still groping around in the dark trying to make sense of things. That’s my edge and why my patients relate to me.” Rolling toward him, she said, “Sit down. Please. I have something I want to run by you.”
She listened while Luke settled into the other chair.
“I’ve given your situation a lot of thought, and I’ve come up with a couple of ideas. Don’t say anything until I finish, okay?”
“Go ahead.”
“First, do you remember the first time my house was broken into?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“I was impressed with the way you handled the crime scene. You know your stuff. Only lab work requires specialized training. Your experience is valuable in dissecting a scene.”
“And the second idea?”
“The FBI and police departments all over the country employ lip-readers for undercover work. Usually, they hire outsiders. You’re good and you’re a cop. In New York , the police hired a lip-reader to watch a drug dealer talk to an associate. He learned of a large shipment. The DEA moved in on the cargo ship and broke up the ring, all because of the lip-reader. You’d have to get your name out there, but you’re perfect. Well, what do you think?”
“I think you’ve been doing some research.”
She smiled. “A little, maybe.” He didn’t say anything, and in a moment of insecurity she wondered whether she’d overstepped some imaginary boundary. Then Luke spoke.
“I’ve always enjoyed working crime scenes. I haven’t thought about redirecting my focus. But, yeah, I suppose it might work.”
Abby didn’t know how Luke would react to her meddling in his life, but hearing his positive reaction made her glad she did.
“Then you’ll think about it?”
“I’ll talk to the captain, see what my options are. I know they want me out, but this is a way to keep me without agonizing over a discrimination lawsuit if they fire me. I’d hate to do that, but I would. I want to keep my job. I might even win in this disability-sensitive age.”
He slipped his hand around the back of her neck. “Thanks for caring. I mean that.”
A ripple of excitement flickered in a place that hadn’t been flickered in a long time. Lucy would be glad to know her daughter’s sex drive was still in working order. After an awkward moment, she raised her hands to stroke the side of his face. “You didn’t shave this morning.”
“If I’d anticipated this, I would have.”
She caressed his lips, tucking one finger inside.
He sucked on it, grabbed her hand, and kissed it.
“I’ve gotta tell you, this is really turning me on.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. I’ve never been excited by someone touching my face before, but I’ve got a hard on that’s about to rip my pants.”
She laughed. He pulled her up and placed one of her hands on his bulge to prove his claim. He left it there, drawing her closer, his strong hands all
Abby didn’t answer.
“Say what you mean, Abby, because I’m not sure I understand.”
She drew a deep breath and considered what she wanted to say. “There’s a lot of anger inside you. You’re going through traumatic changes. If you lose your career, you’ll have questions of self-worth. I don’t want your anger erupting again when I’m around. I’ve been there before. I’m not going through it again.”
He knelt down beside her. “Do you think I’m capable of hurting you?”
She shook her head. “No, but I think you’re capable of hurting yourself.”
The silence in the room spoke volumes.
“Luke?”
“I’m past that. I’ve spent the last few days thinking about so many things. I can deal with what’s happened. I have to.” He took her hand, still resting on the computer desk. “You give me strength.”
She rolled the desk chair away and pulled her hand with her. “I can’t be anyone’s crutch. I have a hard enough time being me.”
“You’re not a crutch, but you can’t help setting an example.”
“Outwardly, maybe, but inside I’m still groping around in the dark trying to make sense of things. That’s my edge and why my patients relate to me.” Rolling toward him, she said, “Sit down. Please. I have something I want to run by you.”
She listened while Luke settled into the other chair.
“I’ve given your situation a lot of thought, and I’ve come up with a couple of ideas. Don’t say anything until I finish, okay?”
“Go ahead.”
“First, do you remember the first time my house was broken into?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“I was impressed with the way you handled the crime scene. You know your stuff. Only lab work requires specialized training. Your experience is valuable in dissecting a scene.”
“And the second idea?”
“The FBI and police departments all over the country employ lip-readers for undercover work. Usually, they hire outsiders. You’re good and you’re a cop. In New York , the police hired a lip-reader to watch a drug dealer talk to an associate. He learned of a large shipment. The DEA moved in on the cargo ship and broke up the ring, all because of the lip-reader. You’d have to get your name out there, but you’re perfect. Well, what do you think?”
“I think you’ve been doing some research.”
She smiled. “A little, maybe.” He didn’t say anything, and in a moment of insecurity she wondered whether she’d overstepped some imaginary boundary. Then Luke spoke.
“I’ve always enjoyed working crime scenes. I haven’t thought about redirecting my focus. But, yeah, I suppose it might work.”
Abby didn’t know how Luke would react to her meddling in his life, but hearing his positive reaction made her glad she did.
“Then you’ll think about it?”
“I’ll talk to the captain, see what my options are. I know they want me out, but this is a way to keep me without agonizing over a discrimination lawsuit if they fire me. I’d hate to do that, but I would. I want to keep my job. I might even win in this disability-sensitive age.”
He slipped his hand around the back of her neck. “Thanks for caring. I mean that.”
A ripple of excitement flickered in a place that hadn’t been flickered in a long time. Lucy would be glad to know her daughter’s sex drive was still in working order. After an awkward moment, she raised her hands to stroke the side of his face. “You didn’t shave this morning.”
“If I’d anticipated this, I would have.”
She caressed his lips, tucking one finger inside.
He sucked on it, grabbed her hand, and kissed it.
“I’ve gotta tell you, this is really turning me on.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. I’ve never been excited by someone touching my face before, but I’ve got a hard on that’s about to rip my pants.”
She laughed. He pulled her up and placed one of her hands on his bulge to prove his claim. He left it there, drawing her closer, his strong hands all
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