Rebecca walked around the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room and opened the fridge. Thankfully, although Paula was a beer drinker, she never finished the cases she’d brought for their girls’ nights in. Rebecca pulled a cold one out and twisted off the cap. When she turned, the sergeant was sitting on a stool on the other side of the counter.
“Would you like a glass, Sergeant?”
“No, but I would like for you to call me Nick. Please.”
She chuckled. He’d asked probably a hundred times, but she was still referring to him as Sergeant. She slid the bottle across the counter and rested on her elbows. “Thanks for this.”
“This?”
“Looking out for me,” she clarified.
He granted her a sexy, lopsided grin that showed just a peek of his perfect smile. “No worries. After all, I feel a little responsible.”
She pursed her lips. “How?” she scoffed. “I kissed you.”
“Still,” he countered with a shrug. “When I’m not working, I’ll be right outside, and every watch will have a squad car paying special attention. Robinson won’t be coming anywhere near you.”
He twisted the cap from the beer bottle and lifted it to his mouth. She couldn’t help the throb in her core when he pushed the mouth of the bottle to his lips. His eyes never left hers as he took a generous gulp. It wasn’t until he pulled the bottle from his lips that she was able to speak.
“Out there?” she asked. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll be in my car, watching the house.”
She pushed off the counter to stand straight. “Aren’t you working days and afternoons?”
“Mostly. Why?”
“So, you plan on staying out there in a car overnight?”
He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s cool. I work narcotics. Overnight surveillance isn’t new to me.”
He pushed sandy, wavy hair out of his face, giving her an unobstructed view of his chiseled masculinity. His thick, dark lashes blinking over striking blue eyes were mesmerizing. So much so, she could watch the simplicity of just him blinking for hours.
Rebecca broke free from the haze of his male beauty and walked around the counter. “Nick, I have a guest room. You are more than welcome to protect me from in here.” She walked over to the wine rack and picked a decent Pinot Noir. “I wouldn’t feel right knowing you’re sitting in a car all night.”
She grabbed a corkscrew and pulled a large-mouth wine glass from the rack.
“Rebecca, it’s really no big deal,” he said before taking another swig.
She returned to her spot at the counter and fiddled with the cork. “You’ll stay in the guest room,” she insisted, unwilling to take no for an answer.
He returned the bottle to his lips. “Got a bit of a bossy streak, I see,” he muttered before drinking.
Rebecca giggled. “A little bit. When you finish that, I’ll show you the guest room.”
CATO
“Your place is really nice. It’s very… artsy.”
She laughed. “Artsy? Yeah, I suppose.”
Halfway down a hall, she opened a tall wooden door, flipped on a light switch, and stepped inside. “Welcome to your temporary quarters.”
Nick stepped inside and found himself surprised at how big the room was.
“That door right there is your bathroom. That door is a closet. If you need anything, I’m at the end of the hall.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
