Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott Read Free Book Online

his daughter to pick him
up."
    "Great. Bye." Finally, I've reached the damn store. I
grab a basket and move toward the back, hoping he doesn't follow me. It just
figures that he's a cop. It really does.
    The seafood counter is crowded, but the cop appears to be done
talking to me. Good. Really, it is. If only he wasn't so cute. I wait while
someone buys cod and someone else buys scallops and then someone complains
about crabmeat. I don't look around to see if a certain Mr. Strange Hair is
nearby. When it's finally my turn I order the lobsters and am told I have to
wait while they're steamed.
    "Fine," I say, pasting a smile on my face, and wander
around the frozen fish section. At least this way by the time I'm done the cop
will be gone. I can't believe this. I wish we'd never come to Heaven.
    The seafood counter lady calls me over and hands me the lobsters,
all wrapped up and ready to go. I
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    wait in line to pay and pick up a couple of magazines for Mom--she
likes presents--and then head back to the car.
    The cop is there, sitting on my car with three bags of groceries
around him.
    "Get off my--"
    "No. No. Wrong. I can't let him know I'm mad because he's
cute. And a cop. Be polite, get gone. Low profile.
    "Is there a reason you're sitting on my car?" Better.
Nice. Polite.
    "Got lobsters, huh?"
    "Yes. And I really need to...uh...get them home." Even
though they're already dead. And cooked. Maybe he hasn't noticed.
    "So, you live around here?" I think he's noticed.
    "If I say yes, will you get off my car?"
    "Is that a yes?"
    "What do you think?"
    He grins at me and gets off the car. That was easier than I
thought.
    "I'm Greg. And you are?"
    "Leaving." I unlock my door. "Can you move your
bags?"
    "Sure." He picks one up. "Anyway, like I was
saying,
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    I'm Greg. I work--" He points at the police station.
    "Yeah, I think I figured, that one out already."
    He grins at me again and picks up the other bags. "So where
did you go to high school?"
    I ignore him.
    "I went to North Stonington. Graduated two years ago and then
went to the academy."
    "Right out of high school? Why?" I ask before I can help
myself. I mean, I know cops have to become cops, but I always figured they did
it after they failed at selling shoes or something.
    "I don't know. I guess because my dad was a cop."
    Oh goody, a law enforcement family. This just keeps getting better
and better. His father is probably the sheriff or something.
    "So you're telling me you and your family are cops and I'd
better, what? Watch my step? Stay on the straight and narrow?"
    "'Stay on the straight and narrow'? I've never heard anyone
say that before. Other than on television, I mean. Anyway, I suppose I could
put out a bulletin on you if you wanted. But then I don't have a name to
give."
    "Gee, too bad."
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    "You're not going to tell me your name?"
    "That's right," I say, and open my car door. "But
if there's anything else you want to tell me, you just go ahead and keep
talking. When I drive away, I'll still be listening, I promise."
    "What do you want to know?"
    "Oh, where to start? Blood type? Birth sign?"
    He holds the door open for me as I slide inside, causing my
insides to go all fluttery, and drops one of his bags. I hear the distinct
sound of glass breaking.
    "Very smooth," I say, and my voice actually sounds a
little fluttery too.
    "Hey, at least I'm trying here. Also, AB and Gemini."
    "I was kidding. Now if you don't mind--"
    "Okay," he says, and steps away from the car. "You
have got to be a Cancer. Please notice that I'm not making any crab
jokes."
    "Except that you just sort of made one, didn't you?" I
shut the door, start the car. He knocks on the window. I ignore him.
    He knocks again. I put the car in reverse.
    "See you around, Hortense," he says.
    I stop. I roll down the window. "Hortense?" My
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    God, that's worse than Helen.
    "Well, since you won't tell me your name, I have to call you
something."
    "And that's the best you could come up with?"
    "For now.