other than her companion to think about, she found her brush and began working to tame it.
Watching her, Slade noted that in spite of her recent bout with death, she stood tall and straight. She was a strong, independent woman. Claudette hadn’t been. Herfeelings had been easily bruised and physically he’d seen her as delicate, even fragile. Guilt washed over him. He’d let Claudette down. Not wanting to think about that, he rose. “How about dinner and a movie? We managed to get out of Seattle without a tail. And I haven’t seen anyone suspicious today. It should be safe.”
Anything was better than being sequestered in this room with him until morning, Lisa decided and agreed.
They asked at the desk about restaurants and chose a highly recommended Italian place.
Sitting there eating in a quiet, discrete corner, chosen because it had a view of the door and a wall at their backs, Lisa was reminded of their first meal together.
They’d been working on a case and had chosen an out-of-the-way table with a clear view of the door and the wall to their backs. They had been there waiting for the drug dealer Marcos Lane to arrive. Lisa had had a close friend die on the orders of Lane, who had been singled out as the key target of the drug task force operation. In spite of the rage she’d felt toward Lane and the single-mindedness of her desire to see him behind bars, she had found her attention wavering to her companion.
Then, too, she’d known about his devotion to his departed wife. It had been common gossip. He had dated, but only with the stipulation that the woman understood he would never become emotionally involved. Lisa found herself wondering if maybe he’d simply come up with the perfect line. A great many women would see him as a challenge…one they couldn’t resist. He was good-looking in a rugged sort of way, strongly built and had the most charming smile when he chose to use it.
However, she was not a game player when it came to men. Other women might see him as an irresistible challengebut she’d prided herself on being smarter than that. She’d worked with him for a couple of weeks by then and knew how stubborn, demanding and authoritative he could be. He was, in her book, nothing but trouble.
Her mind snapped back to the present. And he still is , she added, forcing her attention back to the menu.
Slade, too, had been recalling the first time they’d eaten together. He’d known she didn’t like him. He’d gone out of his way to make her angry with him. He’d wanted her to resign from the task force. From the moment she’d walked through the door of the drug task force briefing room, she’d made him uneasy. Her air of confidence irritated him. Confident rookies had a way of getting themselves killed. He’d double checked her credentials. There had been nothing there he could use to have her removed. She’d been second in her class and an expert marksman.
But twice he’d had a nightmare about her getting shot and woken in a cold sweat. He’d never had nightmares about any of his men before. He’d told himself it was because she was a woman and his chauvinist side was showing.
Slade took a terse breath. He should have kept his distance. His instincts had warned him she could be dangerous. Then he thought of Andy and his heart swelled with pride. Whether she liked it or not, he would always look after his child and Lisa, and he would find a way to be a part of their lives…a significant, daily part of their lives.
“Have you decided on what you would like?” the waiter asked, breaking into his thoughts.
Slade jerked his mind back to the menu and ordered.
Much later that night Lisa lay in her bed staring at the ceiling of the darkened room. She didn’t want to, but shecouldn’t stop herself from remembering their first embrace. It had been a scene right out of the movies or one of those detective shows on television…the stereotypical embrace to keep from being noticed by the
Watching her, Slade noted that in spite of her recent bout with death, she stood tall and straight. She was a strong, independent woman. Claudette hadn’t been. Herfeelings had been easily bruised and physically he’d seen her as delicate, even fragile. Guilt washed over him. He’d let Claudette down. Not wanting to think about that, he rose. “How about dinner and a movie? We managed to get out of Seattle without a tail. And I haven’t seen anyone suspicious today. It should be safe.”
Anything was better than being sequestered in this room with him until morning, Lisa decided and agreed.
They asked at the desk about restaurants and chose a highly recommended Italian place.
Sitting there eating in a quiet, discrete corner, chosen because it had a view of the door and a wall at their backs, Lisa was reminded of their first meal together.
They’d been working on a case and had chosen an out-of-the-way table with a clear view of the door and the wall to their backs. They had been there waiting for the drug dealer Marcos Lane to arrive. Lisa had had a close friend die on the orders of Lane, who had been singled out as the key target of the drug task force operation. In spite of the rage she’d felt toward Lane and the single-mindedness of her desire to see him behind bars, she had found her attention wavering to her companion.
Then, too, she’d known about his devotion to his departed wife. It had been common gossip. He had dated, but only with the stipulation that the woman understood he would never become emotionally involved. Lisa found herself wondering if maybe he’d simply come up with the perfect line. A great many women would see him as a challenge…one they couldn’t resist. He was good-looking in a rugged sort of way, strongly built and had the most charming smile when he chose to use it.
However, she was not a game player when it came to men. Other women might see him as an irresistible challengebut she’d prided herself on being smarter than that. She’d worked with him for a couple of weeks by then and knew how stubborn, demanding and authoritative he could be. He was, in her book, nothing but trouble.
Her mind snapped back to the present. And he still is , she added, forcing her attention back to the menu.
Slade, too, had been recalling the first time they’d eaten together. He’d known she didn’t like him. He’d gone out of his way to make her angry with him. He’d wanted her to resign from the task force. From the moment she’d walked through the door of the drug task force briefing room, she’d made him uneasy. Her air of confidence irritated him. Confident rookies had a way of getting themselves killed. He’d double checked her credentials. There had been nothing there he could use to have her removed. She’d been second in her class and an expert marksman.
But twice he’d had a nightmare about her getting shot and woken in a cold sweat. He’d never had nightmares about any of his men before. He’d told himself it was because she was a woman and his chauvinist side was showing.
Slade took a terse breath. He should have kept his distance. His instincts had warned him she could be dangerous. Then he thought of Andy and his heart swelled with pride. Whether she liked it or not, he would always look after his child and Lisa, and he would find a way to be a part of their lives…a significant, daily part of their lives.
“Have you decided on what you would like?” the waiter asked, breaking into his thoughts.
Slade jerked his mind back to the menu and ordered.
Much later that night Lisa lay in her bed staring at the ceiling of the darkened room. She didn’t want to, but shecouldn’t stop herself from remembering their first embrace. It had been a scene right out of the movies or one of those detective shows on television…the stereotypical embrace to keep from being noticed by the
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