"Casey?"

"Hmm?"

"It's not always going to be this awkward between us, is it?"

"I don't think so, no."

Leslie finally turned away from the window, shifting in her seat. She reached across the console and touched her arm. "We need to talk, I know. However, I can't seem to get past the fact that I want to make love to you again."

Casey smiled. "Yeah, I was trying to decide if we could possibly sit on the sofa and talk like mature adults, or if I would just rip your clothes off and drag you to bed."

"I vote for the latter."

Casey didn't say anything as she turned on her street. She didn't know why she was so nervous. Whether they talked first or last, it didn't matter. But at some point, they were going to be naked. Naked, touching...and making love. She pulled into her driveway and stopped. They both sat still, waiting. Finally, she turned. Her breath left her as she saw the unguarded look in Leslie's eyes.

"Are you scared?" Leslie whispered.

Casey nodded. "A few days ago you were wearing an engagement ring. Yes, I'm scared to death."

Leslie smiled. "I was scared too. This morning, I was scared. What have I done? What happens next? Will people know? Did Casey enjoy it? All random thoughts running through my mind." She took a deep breath. "But then you came into the ladies' room, and just your presence calmed me. You were trying to be confident, in control." She smiled. "You had that attitude going. But then I looked into your eyes and saw that you were as nervous as I was. And when you left, I think I was more scared than before. Because I realized I was falling in love with you and I was terrified." She took Casey's hand and squeezed. "I'm not so terrified anymore," she said. "Because you're falling in love with me too. Aren't you?"

Casey couldn't pull her eyes away, and she certainly couldn't deny the statement. Was it too soon to feel that way? Could one weekend of passion propel them into love?

Years ago she would have scoffed at the idea. Sex was sex. And the part of her that was terrified wanted to claim that it was only sex. Of course her mind was still cogent 159*enough to realize the reason she was terrified in the first place. She was scared because it wasn't just sex. So she gave in to what her heart already knew. It would serve no purpose to deny it.

"Yes, I'm falling in love with you."

Relief shone in Leslie's eyes, and she wondered if perhaps Leslie thought she might refute it.

"Can we go inside now?" Leslie asked quietly. "I'll tell you why I'm not wearing a ring anymore, and I'll tell you what I told Michael." She squeezed her hand again.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know. We can talk as much as you like." She smiled. "Or as little."

Yes, Casey wanted to know about the ring. She wanted to know what Leslie had told Michael. But that could wait, she thought, as she pulled Leslie through the house and into her bedroom. Talking could wait. They'd be stuck together in a car for twelve hours. They could talk then. Now, she just wanted her naked.

When she stopped and turned, Leslie was there, slipping into her arms. Their kiss was not gentle. It was hungry and demanding, needy and insistent. And as intoxicating as she remembered. They pulled apart, their breath uneven, both gasping for air. Without a word, they tugged at clothing, tossing it where they may, hurrying to get naked, to feel skin on skin, wetness on wetness.

Casey guided Leslie to the bed, a blinding need coursing through her as her fingers found Leslie, filling her, watching her face as pleasure transformed it. Leslie's hips rose, taking her inside, and Casey glided into her, her hand pumping faster, meeting each stroke as Leslie's hips rocked against her.

"Yes," Leslie breathed. " Take me..."

Casey did.

Chapter Thirty-Six.

The quiet beeping of her phone roused her from sleep and she rolled, gently untangling Leslie's arms as she reached for it.

"O'Connor," she said sleepily.

"It's me."

She opened her eyes, squinting at the clock. Had they overslept? "Uh-huh."

"I thought I'd wake your ass up," Tori said. "You were asleep, right?"

"Right," she said around a yawn.

"But not alone, I'm guessing. Hope it was fun."

160.*"Shut up, Hunter." She rolled her eyes as Tori's laughter rang out.

"Sorry, kid. Couldn't resist."

"Any luck?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Nope. We've driven a twelve-block radius all day and not one sign of the little bastard. Twenty-four hour tag only works if we're actually tagging him."

Casey's comment died when she felt a warm hand slide across her stomach and cup her breast. She rolled her head, finding Leslie's eyes half-closed, a sated look on her face as her fingers gently traced her hardening nipple. It was after five, they'd only slept a few hours, and still her hunger for this woman was as fresh and raw as if they'd never touched. She felt the phone slipping away as she leaned closer, finding soft lips, touching them lightly with her tongue.

"O'Connor? Did you fall back to sleep or what?"

She felt Leslie smile against her mouth and she picked up the phone which had slid down between them.

"Yeah, Hunter. Sorry. What did you say?"

"Forget it. But you don't have time for sex, O'Connor. Pull away from her, take a shower- alone-and try to keep your hands off each other tonight." She laughed.

"Sikes wants a full report in the morning."

Casey smiled. "You're evil. Both of you."

"Yeah, yeah. But...well, be careful, O'Connor."

Casey nodded. The words had a double meaning, she knew. "I will. Thank you."

She closed the phone and pulled Leslie closer, sighing as she felt her lips move across her breast.

"I take it they know," Leslie murmured as her tongue raked across her nipple.

"Mmm. Yes, they know."

Leslie lifted her head. "Are we in trouble?"

"No. Not yet. Not until Malone finds out." She rolled them over, pressing her weight into Leslie. "Tori informed me we don't have time for this. But we must take time for a shower." She raised her eyebrows. "Share?"

161.*"My God, there's so many," Leslie said, her eyes scanning the dining room of the shelter. Row after row after row sat people-mostly men, mostly disheveled-quietly eating their dinner.

"Yeah. You don't see all this when you're just cruising the streets." Casey pointed to the serving line. "There's Maria."

"We stick out like a sore thumb, you know." She could feel eyes on them.

"I know."

Leslie caught Maria's attention, who nodded at them, motioning them to the side.

They waited patiently while she found someone to relieve her in the serving line.

"I told Sammy you wanted to speak with him. It's only fair he know," she said.

"I understand. Is he still willing?"

"Yes. Rudy was a friend of his. I told him you had questions about that. I didn't mention John."

"Good. Thank you." Casey looked over the crowd. "Where is he?"

"Oh, no. He won't meet you in here."

"How will we know him?"

"He'll find you outside." She shoved a paper bag into her hands. "He left without eating. Please give him this."

Leslie nodded. "Of course, Maria."

"So he doesn't want to be seen talking to cops?" Casey asked. "Should we have been more discreet coming in here?"

"No, it's fine. Cops come in all the time. Mostly uniforms, but still, after what happened to Rudy, it's not unusual for there to be questions." She turned to go, then stopped. "Sammy's a good man. But like the others, he's more afraid of the evil on the street than he is the cops. He'll only tell you what he wants."

"We won't harass him, if that's what you're alluding to," Leslie assured her. "We want to get the evil off the street as much as anyone."

"Yes. I believe you do." She motioned to the door. "Just walk back to your car. I'm certain he watched you arrive. He'll find you."

"Thank you, again, Maria." Casey nodded curtly at her. "Again, if you hear anything that might be useful to us-"

162.*"I'll be certain to let you know." She wiped her hands on her apron. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back to work."

Leslie followed Casey outside, pausing to look back into the shelter. "I admire people like her," she said. "I doubt her salary is much above the minimum, yet she probably cares about her job more than most people making four times as much."

"Yeah. I wonder if it's personal for her."

"What do you mean? Like her father or something?"

Casey shrugged. "Perhaps. I knew a woman once whose older sister lived on the street. She didn't have to. The family had money. But the sister, I think she was diagnosed as bipolar. She would pop in and out of their lives. They'd get her on medication for awhile, then she'd disappear back to the street." She stopped at the truck and pushed the remote to unlock it. "They'd be driving along and they'd see her panhandling."

"What happened to her?"

"She died. She was buried as a Jane Doe. When they found out, they had her body moved, but it was all very sad. But anyway this woman, Sharon, she volunteered every spare minute she had after that. It consumed her."

"All their faces. They just looked so hopeless."

"And maybe they are," Casey said as she opened the door. "Living day to day. No happiness, no love. Just existing."

Leslie got into the passenger seat and closed the door. "Of course, you don't have to be homeless to have those symptoms."

"No, I guess you don't."

They sat quietly for a moment, then Casey started the truck. "What do you think?

Drive around the block or something?"

"It's still daylight. If he doesn't want anyone to see him, I doubt he'll be waiting on the curb for us."

"Then let's make the block."

But they didn't have to go far. At the next intersection, he was leaning against the stop sign. Full beard, the skin around his eyes weathered, his long hair hidden by an old cap. Casey stopped and lowered her window.

"Sammy?"

He stared straight ahead, not looking at them. "Meet me on the corner of Walton and Worth."

163.*Casey nodded. "That's just a few blocks north of here. What time?"

He shrugged. "Don't own no watch." He turned without another word, walking slowly back toward the shelter.

"I forgot his bag," Leslie said, holding it up.

"We'll give it to him later." She looked at her watch. "Six thirty. I guess we go to Walton and Worth and just wait for him."

"You want me to check in with Hunter?"

"Yeah. And see if they ever found John."

"Here he comes."

Casey glanced in the mirror, nodding. They'd been waiting forty-five minutes. Long enough for them to doubt he'd show. Hunter and Sikes had spotted John finally. They caught him buying a burrito from a street vendor on Elm and followed him to the old historical cemetery that hadn't seen a burial since way back in the Sixties. There on a wooden bench, he sat and ate his dinner. From there, back on the street, he disappeared into one of the alleys in Deep Ellum.

"We might be better served to follow Sammy tonight instead of looking around for John," she suggested.

"Of course there's always the possibility that John is out cruising apartments. Let's don't forget, he likes to watch girls."

Casey lowered her window, waiting until Sammy passed by. Again, he didn't stop to look at them.