and she’d be stupid to deny herself something she wanted so badly. But she needed to hold on to the stark truth that for Mike, this thing between them was all about sex. And Cara had never been much good doing sex without emotion.
She bit the inside of her cheek and decided to put all those feelings into a little box, shut the lid, and push them aside to deal with when this relationship was over or Mike left town, whichever came first. She was good at compartmentalizing and shutting down emotions she didn’t want to deal with. She’d had an entire lifetime so far to develop the skill.
“So tell me about this contact,” she said to Mike.
“Someone I know from my undercover days. I’m hopingI can be convincing enough to get my friend to dig into the database without raising a red flag. Last thing I need is to put this case on anyone else’s radar,” he muttered.
“Do you really think Simon knows what happened to those bills?” she asked, unable to reconcile the upstanding police chief and man she knew with someone who’d hold back crucial information on any case.
“Can you think of another reason he’d go silent on me or Sam?”
He had a point. “I guess not.”
The rest of the ride passed in surprisingly comfortable silence. As they drove into the heart of Manhattan, Cara sat up higher in her seat to look out the window. Tall buildings and so many people bundled in their winter coats, some walking their dogs, their kids, and even babies in covered strollers.
“I can’t imagine living here,” she said, when they stopped at a traffic light.
“It’s constant activity.”
A car horn blared in the distance, followed by the wail of a siren—ambulance or police, she couldn’t be certain. “How do you sleep at night?”
“You get used to it.”
“I don’t think I could.”
“Maybe one day you’ll get to find out.”
She leaned her head against the cool window. “Doubtful. The few times I’ve been here I couldn’t wait to get away from the crowds and all the activity.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Small-town girl, remember?” She turned to look at his surprised expression and raised a hand in a wave.
His answering low, sexy chuckle echoed throughout the car. “We’re here.” He turned into a parking garage in the middle of the busy street and pulled down a long, steep ramp, ending where a man waited to take his truck.
She hopped out and met Mike around the back of the vehicle.
“Ready to brave the big bad city?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a farmer girl, for God’s sake.” And she had her mini Glock holstered behind her.
His small laugh turned into a bigger one. Next thing she knew, he’d grabbed her hand and walked up the steep incline to street level. “The place we’re going isn’t too far. Just around the corner.”
She nodded and kept pace with him, surprised he hadn’t let go of her hand. A definite spike of awareness settled low in her stomach at the prolonged contact, heating her from the inside out and helping ward off the cold winter wind. Serendipity was just as chilly, but the wind swirling between the high buildings lent a bite to the air, and she was grateful when he paused in front of what looked like a bar and grill.
He pulled open the door, holding it for her to step ahead of him. Inside, the place was small and dark, with low lighting and what appeared to be wooden booths lining the walls, but there was a warmth to the overall look.
“Mikey!” A booming voice greeted them, taking Cara off guard. She’d have thought their contact would be someone quieter, maybe sitting back in a booth somewhere waiting to talk. Instead a large man with salt-and-pepper hair and a large paunch strode up to Mike, a big grin on his face.
“Bill Carlson, you old son of a bitch. How have you been?” Mike slapped the big burly man on the shoulder, but Bill apparently wasn’t satisfied because he pulled Mike into a brotherly hug.
“I’m
She bit the inside of her cheek and decided to put all those feelings into a little box, shut the lid, and push them aside to deal with when this relationship was over or Mike left town, whichever came first. She was good at compartmentalizing and shutting down emotions she didn’t want to deal with. She’d had an entire lifetime so far to develop the skill.
“So tell me about this contact,” she said to Mike.
“Someone I know from my undercover days. I’m hopingI can be convincing enough to get my friend to dig into the database without raising a red flag. Last thing I need is to put this case on anyone else’s radar,” he muttered.
“Do you really think Simon knows what happened to those bills?” she asked, unable to reconcile the upstanding police chief and man she knew with someone who’d hold back crucial information on any case.
“Can you think of another reason he’d go silent on me or Sam?”
He had a point. “I guess not.”
The rest of the ride passed in surprisingly comfortable silence. As they drove into the heart of Manhattan, Cara sat up higher in her seat to look out the window. Tall buildings and so many people bundled in their winter coats, some walking their dogs, their kids, and even babies in covered strollers.
“I can’t imagine living here,” she said, when they stopped at a traffic light.
“It’s constant activity.”
A car horn blared in the distance, followed by the wail of a siren—ambulance or police, she couldn’t be certain. “How do you sleep at night?”
“You get used to it.”
“I don’t think I could.”
“Maybe one day you’ll get to find out.”
She leaned her head against the cool window. “Doubtful. The few times I’ve been here I couldn’t wait to get away from the crowds and all the activity.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Small-town girl, remember?” She turned to look at his surprised expression and raised a hand in a wave.
His answering low, sexy chuckle echoed throughout the car. “We’re here.” He turned into a parking garage in the middle of the busy street and pulled down a long, steep ramp, ending where a man waited to take his truck.
She hopped out and met Mike around the back of the vehicle.
“Ready to brave the big bad city?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a farmer girl, for God’s sake.” And she had her mini Glock holstered behind her.
His small laugh turned into a bigger one. Next thing she knew, he’d grabbed her hand and walked up the steep incline to street level. “The place we’re going isn’t too far. Just around the corner.”
She nodded and kept pace with him, surprised he hadn’t let go of her hand. A definite spike of awareness settled low in her stomach at the prolonged contact, heating her from the inside out and helping ward off the cold winter wind. Serendipity was just as chilly, but the wind swirling between the high buildings lent a bite to the air, and she was grateful when he paused in front of what looked like a bar and grill.
He pulled open the door, holding it for her to step ahead of him. Inside, the place was small and dark, with low lighting and what appeared to be wooden booths lining the walls, but there was a warmth to the overall look.
“Mikey!” A booming voice greeted them, taking Cara off guard. She’d have thought their contact would be someone quieter, maybe sitting back in a booth somewhere waiting to talk. Instead a large man with salt-and-pepper hair and a large paunch strode up to Mike, a big grin on his face.
“Bill Carlson, you old son of a bitch. How have you been?” Mike slapped the big burly man on the shoulder, but Bill apparently wasn’t satisfied because he pulled Mike into a brotherly hug.
“I’m
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