“Patek. It’s nicer than a Rolex,” he says. “It’s one of the few luxuries I allow myself.”
“Why is that?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I just don’t like the idea of flaunting my money. I don’t need to wear Gucci suits or drive Maseratis. I’m just a low-key guy.”
“A low-key guy who cooks things that smell delicious.”
He laughs. “After I quit the money game, I was bored and took some cooking classes. Found it helped me relax. Handle stress better.”
I stare at him. “So, you’re stressed.”
“I’m not stressed right now, no,” he replies. “I just thought you might enjoy a nice meal after all you’ve been through.”
A small blush creeps into my cheeks. “Thank you, Burke. I really appreciate that,” I say. “Actually, I appreciate everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I do have some questions, though.”
“I thought you might.”
“How did you know Cole is involved with human trafficking?”
“Because I looked into him,” he answers simply. “And I have a friend who works for the PD, and he let me know that Cole’s been looked at by them and the Bureau as well. They’ve never been able to make a case against him, but he’s been on their radar.”
“And… why were you looking into him?”
“Because I heard him ask you out,” he answers. “And I didn’t like the look of him when he walked in, so I figured I’d dig up what I could and…”
His voice trails off as if he just realized he’d given himself away. I know I should be pissed. Looking into somebody because he heard them ask me out is pretty invasive. It’s borderline creepy. I should be furious. But… I’m not. Maybe it’s because of how the situation played out and the fact that he saved me from some horrible fate, but when I think of it and look him in the eye, all I feel is warmth in my belly and a flutter in my heart.
I raise my eyes to his. “Why were you looking out for me?”
“Like I said, I didn’t like the look of that guy. And in my line of work, you learn to trust your gut,” he says with a shrug. “I didn’t want anything bad happening to you.”
His voice is thick and tight, as if he’s trying to bite back his emotion. But when I meet his warm, honey-colored gaze, I feel it. And a small smile touches my lips while the heat between my legs grows ever hotter.Operation Extinguish Wetnesshas failed, yet again, as seems to happen whenever I am around Burke.
“Come on,” he says, clearing his throat. “You must be starving. Let’s eat.”
More like salivating, I think to myself. But hey, sure, let’s eat
“Sounds good to me, Mr Burke”
7
CHAPTER 7
BURKE
Brynn’s been at my place for a few days now, and I’ve learned a lot about her. But it’s not enough. With every revelation, I see there’s even more of her I want to get to know. She’s like a drug. The more I get, the more I want. She is an incredibly fascinating, complex girl, and just being near her is intoxicating. I honestly cannot get enough of her.
And on the other side of that coin, I find myself opening up to her in ways I’ve never been open with anybody before. She asks questions that, if anybody else had asked me, I’d tell them to fuck off. She is getting to know parts of me I’ve purposely kept locked away and hidden from the world. She’s opened doors inside of me I thought were sealed shut forever.
I know I should shut this down. Shouldn’t be encouraging this bond that seems to be blossoming between us. The last thing I want or need is to get involved with somebody. Especially someone half my age. Romance and I go together like fire and gasoline… everybody ends up getting burned.
“When do you think it’ll be safe for me to go home?”
I frown and push my plate away. As much as I know I’m playing with fire here, I really don’t want her to go home. I’m enjoying having her here with me. But I know she has a life she’s anxious to get back to, and I don’t want to force her to be somewhere she doesn’t want to be. But I definitely cannot send her back until I know she’ll be safe.
