Kyra followed her gaze to the front door and had to agree. She’d seen him somewhere before but where? A looker, in a rugged kind of way, he stood about six feet tall with brownish-red hair, more red than brown. His comfortable, broken-in jeans shaped a firm ass. He wore a light jacket with a tight black tee under it, displaying a well-defined chest and abs. “Who’s he?” Kyra tried for casual.
“Jake Carrington. Lieutenant Jake Carrington. The perpetually single male. Attentive, hot and a great date, but don’t get serious—commitment phobia,” Dina warned.
“Sounds lovely.”
“Oh no you don’t. He’ll break your heart. You don’t want a relationship until you date him. Then wham—once he’s got a hold on your heart, he walks away. Oh, but what a ride.” Dina grinned like the devil.
Kyra laughed. It was something she needed after the day she’d had. “I wouldn’t mind the ride.” Laughing, they both turned back to the bar.
* * * *
The redhead caught his eye the minute that Keller from Illegals opened the door. She seemed familiar. Instead of greeting a bunch of his fellow cops, he walked up to the women.
“Want to share?” Jake asked, amused when both women jumped.
“I didn’t see you there, Jake.” Dina leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“Hi, Dina. What’s new?”
“Nothing, you?”
“Same old thing.” He stood there, looking between Dina and her friend. Years of reading people and situations told him they were up to mischief.
“Um, Jake, this is my boss, Kyra.”
“Hi, Kyra.” He held out his hand. She took it. Nice, firm handshake.
“Hello.”
Redheads weren’t his thing, too close to his own coloring, but this one… He realized he’d held her hand a little too long and dropped it.
“You’re Dina’s boss. You work at the cemetery, right?”
“I do.”
“What do you do there, Kyra?” Her name rolled off his tongue. He liked the sound of it.
“This is a conversation stopper. I cremate people for a living.”
“Where’s the joke?” He stared into her eyes, waiting for the punch line.
“No joke.” The corner of her mouth tugged up.
“Interesting.” He reached behind the bar, grabbed the bourbon, poured four fingers. For the life of him he drew a blank, words escaping him.
“What do you do, Jake?”
“I’m a homicide cop.”
“Interesting.”
He liked a woman with spunk and this one oozed it. “I asked for that one.”
“You did.”
“You look a little nervous. Don’t like cops?”
“I have no problem with them. Never talked to one before.”
“Ouch.” Jake frowned.
He had a live one here, but she was hiding something. Something about him made her nervous. It must be his job. Even in social situations he read people. It was what made him a good cop and what had annoyed Mia. She was trying to camouflage her nerves. It might be fun to discover her secrets.
“I’m told I can be a bit abrasive.”
“Yeah? Who told you that?”
“My soon-to-be-ex-husband.”
Another conversation stopper. The three of them stood there in an awkward silence.
“Who wanted the divorce?” Jake asked. Both women looked at him like he’d grown a third eye. Oops, wrong question.
“He did, but it’s mutual,” she said, annoyance clear in her tone.
She offered no more. He should move on, say hi to the guys. But Kyra held his attention, and few had since Mia.
“Kyra—Gaelic isn’t it?”
“Yes. My name warns you, in case you missed the red hair and freckles.”
Laughing, he said, “Me too.”
“You don’t say.”
“You don’t take any guff, do you?”
“I always imagined if I was interrogated, there’d be a bright light,” she halfheartedly joked.
“Interrogated? I can accommodate you.” He winked. “Handcuffs and all.”
Kyra choked on her drink. “Thanks, I’ll pass on both.”
She was fire and playing with her might not be smart. He’d find out soon enough.
“We’ve met before.”
“Have we? Where?” Kyra studied his face.
“At the pet shop. You had an active kid with you.”
“My son Trevor. I remember now.”
Neither noticed Dina move on to another group. Jake looked down into Kyra’s sad, vivid green eyes. For some reason, they tugged at his heart. Great, Jake, how stupid—just what I need, more baggage. He hadn’t gotten over Mia. They still hadn’t talked since the night she walked out. But still, he had no business flirting with another woman. It meant nothing, but how long should he wait for Mia to make up her mind?
“I lost you there for a moment. Where’d you go?” Kyra said, snapping her fingers.
“Oh, nowhere important.” He shrugged.
“Fine.” She looked embarrassed, turned away from him. Jake laid his hand on top of her arm to get her attention.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. I’ve no right to be talking to you. You’re in the process of a divorce. I recently broke up with someone.”
“It’s okay, a little conversation never hurt anyone. Do you want to grab a drink somewhere?”
“Yeah, I’d like that,” Jake said, as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. An entanglement wasn’t what he need right now, but he enjoyed the banter with Kyra.
“Okay, where?”
“Is the Holiday Seasons good?”
“Yes.”
Chapter 4
“I’ll see you in the morning, Dina. Thanks again for the invite.”
“Take care. I’ll want details tomorrow,” Dina whispered into Kyra’s ear.
“Good night, Dina.” Jake kissed her cheek.
“Be good.” Dina smiled.
“Why? That’s no fun.”
Jake walked Kyra to her car. “I’ll meet you there,” Kyra said.
“You don’t want to take one car?”
“No, it’s wise to take both.” In case I want to do something foolish and go home with you. He tapped her roof. “Lock your door.”
“Thanks, copper.”
Climbing into her car, she watched him in the rearview mirror as he walked away laughing. She pulled out of Dina’s condo parking lot.
What the hell are you doing, Kyra? He’s a cop…a freaking cop, for God’s sake. How did I come from talking to… What do I call you, Joe—a hood, a criminal, the mob—to talking to a cop? Not talking, but going out for a