Safeguarding Kelly(12)
Author: Zoe Dawson

 

“Are you married? Have a boyfriend? Is that the reason?”

 

“No, I’m not married, nor do I have a boyfriend.” She brought the coffee to her lips and took a sip. Her mouth looked delectable, and he watched in fascination as she swallowed.

 

“Is it your daughter? She is your daughter, right?”

 

She choked, and he switched his seat to sit next to her, patting her back. That stark look was back in her eyes and her face was so pale it was scary. Obviously struggling, she clasped his wrist, her grip strong as she coughed, the other hand over her mouth.

 

She closed her eyes, her coughing fit taking all her concentration. He got up and went to the counter and got her a cup of water. Back at the table, he sat next to her again and touched her shoulder. When her eyes opened, he offered her the cup.

 

She accepted it with gratitude in her eyes, then took a few sips. “Thank you,” she managed in a hoarse voice. She looked so brave, he would have given anything to have the right to hold her, comfort her. But that was not his right—and may never happen.

 

She never took her eyes off him, and his gut clenched when he realized she was trembling. “How do you know about my daughter?”

 

“I saw you picking her up outside the daycare center. It’s been almost six years, so a lot could have happened in that time, especially in your hometown.”

 

She nodded. “Right. She had a break in her school. She doesn’t normally go to daycare. I have her in Montessori.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Then she closed her eyes and swallowed hard, two tears spilling out. “A lot did,” she whispered brokenly. “But she’s the best part.”

 

Jason laced his hands together, interlocking his fingers tighter to keep from touching her. Clearly struggling with a whole bunch of emotions, she tipped her head back, wrestling with them. Jason watched her, his gut in a knot, waiting for her to continue. He could almost feel her internal battle, that pride and independence struggling to override whatever was keeping her locked up.

 

“You don’t have to tell me anything right now, but if you want to, I’m here, Kelly. I want us to just…move forward.”

 

“We did move forward. I had to leave, Jason. I couldn’t handle being there, seeing you every day, knowing we were breaking vows and laws, knowing that we were both on our own paths and that things were important to us. We would have eventually been separated anyway. I just did it early for both our sakes. What happened between us was a mistake.”

 

He leaned back and folded his arms. “A damn good one,” he said before he could hold the words back. “I don’t regret a minute of it.”

 

His response made her eyes widen slightly. She gave a huff of uneven laughter and dropped her face into her hands. “Oh, Jason. You’re so honest and cute. Definitely cute. So, stop it. Would you?”

 

A twitch of amusement surfacing, he watched her try to recover, not giving her an inch. “Not on your life. Not when it gets you to smile.”

 

She gave him a dirty look.

 

He grinned and took a sip of his coffee. “What is her name?”

 

She tensed. “Sakiko. We call her Kiko for short. It means child of blossom.”

 

“It’s as beautiful as she is, and you are.”

 

Reaching out, she clasped his forearm, tipping her head to one side, her expression changing as she considered him. Finally, she said, her voice very soft and very husky. “I’m so glad you like it, that you approve.”

 

He realized this was significant, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. She removed her hand before he could cover it. God, this woman got under his skin. “I do approve. I’m sure you’re a great mom. I had no doubt.”

 

Her eyes took on a sheen as she blinked rapidly. “Thank you for saying that, Jason.” She glanced down at her phone. “We’d better get going. We don’t want to be late for work.”

 

They rose together and headed for the door, Kelly slightly in front of him. Suddenly she slipped, and he caught her elbow as she lost her balance. She crowded against him, her breast pressing against his chest as she worked to regain her feet.

 

Her warmth and scent wrapped around him, and Jason froze, suddenly unable to breathe. She moved her head and her hair brushed against his jaw. Jason closed his eyes, and need roared through him like a fast-moving train, the sensation completely paralyzing him. It was as if his entire body was retaliating for the mental discipline he had managed to maintain over the past years, and he clenched his jaw, his whole body on red alert. He needed her to move away—far away. But his mind rebelled, telling him that was a lie, that he wanted her closer. Much closer.

 

She turned to look at him, her eyes reflecting everything he was feeling. She raised her brows, a bit of chagrin in her voice. “Friends, huh?”

 

She was absolutely right. He’d been a fool. Friendship wasn’t what he wanted with Kelly Hu. Feeling like he wanted to find a dark place where he could explore everything he wanted to get reacquainted with where Kelly was concerned, he wasn’t sure how he managed to dredge up a weak smile in return. But he managed. “Point taken.”

 

He got her back on her feet and then held the door for her. He hadn’t wanted to let her go. It might be difficult to be friends, but that’s all he had right now. At least she would be in his life and then maybe he could get her to loosen up a bit and give them a chance.

 

The Coast Guard would never have to know that they were ever intimate. They wouldn’t have any repercussions. All they had to do was work this out.

 

Feeling like he had a plan, he reached for the NCIS office door and entered, he had murders to solve.

 

Amber, Austin, Derrick, and Davis were waiting for him.

 

“Did you fill them in?” Jason asked. After speaking to wife number two, Davis had been his first phone call.

 

“Yeah, they were just about to tell us about their investigation.”

 

Derrick, sharply dressed in a gray suit and red and white tie, leaned his butt on the edge of the desk. “We talked to Thompson’s family and the parents said their daughter wasn’t one to engage in any kind of affair. She was pretty strait-laced. In fact, her parents are divorced, and she was disgusted with her dad who left her mom for another woman.”

 

“I would say that Crouch probably was a charming bastard, and he wouldn’t reveal he was even married. Could have been going for wife number three.”

 

Austin nodded. “It’s likely. One of Thompson’s friends said she was seeing someone, but it was early in the relationship.”