“Looking back, I wish I had the balls to talk to you then.”He returned his attention to his crepe while my jaw hit the table.“But youwere with Kevin and…yeah, that’s not my style, you know?”He glanced in mydirection.“You’re going to eat the crepes, right?”
“Yeah,” I murmured, cutting into one side.I forced myselfto eat a bite, and it was like heaven just orgasmed in my mouth.Wow.That wasinappropriate.I resisted a giggle.“What about you?You’ve been a cop thiswhole time?”
“Yep.It’s what I always wanted to do.Started off as adeputy, then became a detective for the county before transferring to the city.I love working as a detective, but with my hours all over the place, Reece, mybrother, has pretty much straight up adopted my dog.She doesn’t even stay atmy house anymore.”He finished off the second crepe with an impressivequickness and then settled back against the chair, stretching out his longlegs.“Almost got married.”
Thank God I had just swallowed a piece of crepe becausethere was a good chance I would’ve choked.“Almost?”
“Was engaged.”He grinned, and I felt my tummy dip inresponse.“Nicole and I were together for…hell.”He glanced up at the ceiling,pursing his lips.“For about six years.”
Holy crap, six years?That was a long time.I wondered ifshe was the woman I’d seen him with at the movies that one time, but that waslike, maybe a year ago.
“Got all the way down to planning the wedding date when wecame to the realization that we wanted different things in life.”
I picked up my coffee, more intrigued than I should be, butI couldn’t imagine what more this mystery woman could’ve wanted beyond havingColton putting a ring on it.Granted, there was more to life, to arelationship, than having a hot guy to wake up to, but Colton and his youngerbrother, Reece, had always given the good-guy vibes.Colton could’ve changedsince high school, but I didn’t think so.“How so?”
“At first I think Nicole liked the idea of dating a cop.”Helaughed as he ran his finger along the rim of his cup, and damn, he had longfingers.“But it’s not an easy life.Odd hours.Then there’s the danger factor.I make decent money, but I’m never going to be rolling around in it.I thinkshe hoped that I’d grow tired of being a cop.”
I didn’t understand.“But you guys were together a longtime.Why would she think it was something you’d grow tired with?”
He raised a shoulder.“I think some people pretend at beingokay with something because they think there’s some kind of payoff in the end.That they’ll eventually get what they want, and when they realize that’s nevergoing to happen, they just can’t pretend anymore.”
I shook my head.“I still don’t get it.Why would someonewaste their time pretending—waste the other person’s time?There’s no point inpretending in a relationship.It’ll never work.”
His dark lashes lowered, shielding his eyes as a small smileplayed across his lips.“Agreed.”
Sipping my coffee, I tried to ignore the wild fluttering andthe thousand questions whirling around in my head.I peeked over at him as Ilowered my cup, and our gazes locked.Air leaked out of my parted lips.Coltondidn’t look away, and neither could I.Absolutely struck helpless by theintensity in his stare, the wisps of excitement building in my belly gave wayto a slow burn that got my pulse pounding.How could a single look from himdraw such a response?That gaze of his dipped, and I drew in a shallow breathand felt the warmth travel through my veins.Was he looking at my mouth again?Oh Lord, it was getting hot in here.
Goodness, this man…even his stare was pure…pure sin.
I cleared my throat.“So…um, when did you and Nicole partways?”
“About six months or so ago.”
Ice chased away the warmth as I schooled my expressionblank.Six months?That wasn’t a long time ago, especially considering theywere engaged to be married and were together for six years.Six months was…wasnothing.After I lost Kevin, six months had changed nothing for me.How couldhe be over the failure of a relationship in six months?
And why did it matter?No, it didn’t, but there was nomistaking the rise of disappointment.I wanted to smack myself.
Colton leaned forward.“I did have another reason forstopping by.It’s about what happened last night.”
“Of course,” I murmured, slapping a smile across my face asanother surge of dismay made itself known.
He looked at me strangely.“I don’t want to go into the gorydetails—”
“I can handle them.”Or at least I thought I could.I waspretty sure I could.
That half smile was back.“When I got called out when I wastalking with you, it was because the coroner had picked up the…body and hadsome evidence.Obviously, we know what the cause of death is, but I wanted tostop by and let you know that we are probably going to have an ID sometimetoday.”
“Oh.”I took a drink of my now lukewarm coffee.
“I also want you to contact me immediately if you seeanything weird, okay?”Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a business cardand placed it on the table.
My gaze fell to the card.So formal.“What could be weird?”
“Just if you notice anyone hanging around here that you’renot familiar with.Anything that gives you a bad vibe.That sort of thing.”
I glanced up at him, the unease from earlier returning.“Should I be worried?”
“No.”The smile he gave me this time didn’t reach his eyes.“Just careful.”
