He threw an arm over her shoulders, leaned in and spoke into her ear. “Then it was a good day.”
She turned a fraction. His face was so close to hers. She held her breath. Waiting, for what, she wasn’t sure. This close, the dark blue of his eyes mesmerized her. She couldn’t have moved if she wanted to.
She felt him go still. His warm breath brushed her cheek, yet he continued to stare down at her. Seeing what? she wondered. Then, just as quickly as the moment began, it ended when he moved away.
He smiled. Hitched his shoulder and she fell into step beside him.
Before long she was enjoying a tasty barbecue beef sandwich, the bold spices exploding with flavor in her mouth. She sipped a cold beer like her teammates—again, not her thing—and switched to bottled water. Found herself involved in conversation not involving the job and realized, I’m part of a team.
The reality shook her. Made her wonder why she’d shied away, especially once she was on her own and away from her parents’ negativity. Old habits? Fear she’d mess up and hear her parents’ voices in her head saying, I told you so? Suddenly she looked at her coworkers in a new light. She had friends, she realized. Strange, but wondrous at the same time.
“I thought I saw you on the course,” a male voice said over her shoulder. She turned. Tom Bailey was there, surprise etched on his face.
“Tom. Hi.” She waved. “It was a last-minute thing.”
“How’d you do?”
She held her arms out at her sides. “I’m in one piece.”
He chuckled. His warm eyes met hers. “Want another drink?”
She checked her water bottle. “I’m good.”
“Have you eaten?”
She nodded.
“How about getting away from this crowd?”
She blinked.
“It’s hard to talk over all the conversations.”
“Okay.” She joined him as he headed a few feet away and found a quiet bench far enough from the noise but still in sight of her teammates.
“I was hoping you would have run with me,” he said.
“For another PD? I don’t think that’s how it’s done.”
Tom chuckled, a pleasant sound. “No, I suppose not. Guess I was being selfish.”
“How’s that?”
They glanced over the scene before them: police officers enjoying the spring day, the mild temperatures and a time of relaxation away from the demands of the job.
“I was hoping you’d like to go out with me sometime.”
Her mind went blank. He was asking her on a date?
“Tom. I don’t know what to say.”
“How about yes?”
It had been a while since she’d been out with a guy. Work kept her busy and now she was focused on the promotion. Then there was Dante’s blue eyes...
“Tom, I have to turn you down.”
She glimpsed embarrassment in his eyes and, hating that she put it there, quickly laid her hand on his. “Not because I don’t like you. I’m getting ready to go undercover and I don’t know when I’ll be free.”
His face brightened. “But you’d think about it? After?”
Would she? She looked back at the crowd. Dante stood talking to a tall, leggy blonde, probably his type of woman, and decided, Why not?
“Sure. If you don’t mind waiting?”
“No. I mean, it’ll give me time to plan something fantastic.”
She chuckled. “Dinner and a movie is fine.”
“Not for you.”
She smiled at him. He was handsome, with round cheeks, nice green eyes, sandy-blond hair. All in all pleasant, but nothing to get her heart racing like when she was with Dante. The few occasions she’d spent with Tom, they’d had a decent conversation. No witty banter, but still...nice. So why wasn’t her tummy doing somersaults at the thought of dating him? Her heart not pounding out an excited rhythm?
“Listen,” she said, troubled by the direction of her thoughts. She’d said yes about going out with Tom and had meant it. “I should get back.”
“Sure. Okay.” They rejoined the crowd. “Call me when your assignment is over.”
“I will,” she said, watching as he walked backward, waving goodbye.
“What was that all about?” Dante asked as he sauntered over to her side.
“Tom asked me out on a date.”
Dante glanced in the direction of Tom’s path and back to her. “Told you he was an admirer.”
“I suppose.”
“Tell him we have an op coming up?”
“Yes. He was cool about it.”
Dante raised a brow.
“What?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t seem like your type.”
“I have a type?”
“Everyone has a type.”
Hers seemed to be Dante, she realized. A depressing thought because she was no competition for the leggy blonde.
“Look, who I go out with shouldn’t be of any interest to you,” she said with a little starch in her tone.
“Are you kidding? Monday you become my wife.”
Her heart shivered. “For the op. Not real life.”
“Still...”
“Leave it alone, Dante. Let’s enjoy the day.”
“Sure.” He glanced over at the blonde he’d been chatting up. “I’m going out for drinks later, anyway.”
“Great. Have fun.”
He scowled at her. “I will.”
She stood her ground. Waited for him to leave.
He stared back, then finally shook off his mood. “Go home and get some shut-eye,” he suggested before walking off. “We’re setting up house bright and early Monday morning.”
RISING AT DAWN to get his five-mile run in for the morning, Dante had taken a quick shower afterward. Now, with a mug of aromatic, freshly brewed coffee at his elbow, he scanned the computer screen after signing into the videoconference call with his brothers.
Since his siblings were scattered along the eastern seaboard—Derrick in DC, Deke in Atlanta and Dylan on the other coast of Florida—this was the most efficient way to meet at an agreed upon time and carry on a conversation. All accounted for, they could discuss their mother before he left the house to pick up Eloise and start their undercover married life.
His pulse kicked up, but he ignored it.
“Hey, guys. I’m starting my undercover assignment today. I’m on the clock,” he said in lieu of hello.
“Dangerous, Pretty Boy?”
Derrick always managed to annoy him. You’d think he would be used to it by now.
“Shouldn’t