Did he speak from experience? Could be as she’d known a lot of foster kids who carried their issues with them. “I can’t say that it hasn’t had a part in who I’ve become. Maybe even why I’m still single.”
“You said you want to get married and have kids, right?”
“I do, but only if I can do it the right way. I want to be sure whoever I marry will be a forever husband. I don’t want to put a child through divorce.”
“I get that. I want the same thing. Which is why it’s so hard to see my sister’s husband take off when a big problem struck. We all thought he wasn’t the running kind.”
This man’s actions made her stomach turn. He was exactly like the guy she hoped to avoid. “How can a person ever really know?”
“They can’t, which is why any relationship is a risk.”
She loved how much Micha had thought about this and that he was willing to sideline himself while he had to turn his commitments elsewhere. Proved he wouldn’t want to hurt a woman by neglecting her.
Was he a risk or a sure thing?
She let her gaze linger on his face, searching for answers. Finding only one. He’d already found his way into her heart. “I could fall for you, Micha Nichols. Quite easily, I think. You have to know I’m very attracted to you.”
His eyes darkened. “But you won’t do anything about it because you don’t think I can be that guy you’re looking for?”
“No, I think you have the potential to be a forever kind of guy.” She smiled when her heart was aching. “But I’m not a forever woman right now. Not with this murder charge hanging over my head. No point in starting anything until that’s resolved in my favor.” Her mood darkened. “Ifit’s resolved.”
He cupped the side of her face. She should pull away but leaned into his affectionate touch and reveled in the tenderness coming from such a powerful man.
“I’ll solve it and won’t fail you.” His words came out on a whisper. “I promise.”
No way he could promise such a thing, but his touch and his utter confidence gave her enough hope that she let go of everything, including her common sense, and leaned forward to kiss him. Just a soft pressing of her lips against his before sitting back and releasing his hand.
Oh, wow, she hadn’t expected such surprising emotions from a simple kiss. Her thoughts. Heart. Body. All jumbled up with something she couldn’t name. Not when she’d never felt like this before.
He drew in a long breath and let it out. “Does that mean you believe I’ll help you?”
Oh, she did. Sure, she did. But that didn’t mean he could keep his promise. “It means I know you will do your very best, and that’s all I can ask.”
Micha had just made a promise he had no idea if he could keep. But how could he not with those big eyes trained on him? The soft, gentle kiss pressed against his mouth, firing off all of his senses. And now he wanted to sweep her into his arms and promise her the moon.
Cheesy, he knew, but she brought up feelings new to him, and he felt like a teenager with his first crush, though more intense and driven. But she’d made it clear he was to stay at arm’s length right now, and he would respect her wishes. After all, that was what he wanted, too. Noneeded,too.
Before he did something she wouldn’t appreciate, he opened his computer and notified the team of an impromptu meeting. “Let’s follow up with the team. See if Dev got an appointment with the ME and if the guys have any idea what to do about the major cache of weapons we had to leave behind. ”
She looked at the wall clock. “Isn’t it getting late for a call?”
“No worries. We work all hours.” He arranged a video conference call and sent the link to the guys. Whoever was up, which was bound to be most of the team, would answer soon.
Colin came out of the bedroom and plopped down on a swivel chair, moving it around to face them and setting his laptop on his knees. “I hope this is important.”
Micha ignored his comment and nodded at Colin’s laptop. “You find something?”
“Yep.” He tapped the closed computer. “First, the video seems legit. Not altered at all, and I suspect the one we get from the center will match.”
Ava pounded her fist on the arm of her chair. “I hoped he’d modified it somehow, and the police couldn’t use it.”
“Sorry,” Colin said.
“And second?” Micha asked, hoping to hear something that might boost Ava’s morale, not take it down even more.
“I made some progress on the suspect background checks. Specifically Buck. I found posts he made on the dark web. Subversive, anarchy kinds of posts. They’re from last year, and I haven’t found anything current, but it was all about overthrowing our government and white supremacy.”
Ava cringed. “Makes me want to have Ryan ditch the guy in the wilderness.”
