Unfortunately, she wasn’t.
During the course of Coulter’s research for the role he was currently playing he’d learned a great deal about Crawford. The guy was a virtual god, and an endorsement from him was an artist’s golden ticket to guaranteed fortune and fame.
So Alex was right. She couldn’t cancel their plans, or he might get spooked and call off the upcoming auction. And though he didn’t want her anywhere near Crawford’s vicinity, Coulter couldn’t forget?—
The case above all else.
He’d first heard the mantra on day one of his training at The Farm. The belief had been drilled into him and every other man and woman there. Over the course of their schooling and grueling, physical tests, Coulter and the others were conditioned to believe asingle life meant nothing when it came to the greater good.
But this wasn’t just any life. This was Alex.
My Alex.
She wasn’t his, but it didn’t matter. She meant more to him than she or anyone else would ever know. If he didn’t want this dinner to happen, he needed to do something to disrupt Crawford’s plans.
With a new goal in mind, he acted as though he were conceding the fight. “Let me know when you get up in the morning, and I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
Her tired eyes shone with a look of surprise. “You’regoing to take me shopping?” Alex chuckled. “I appreciate the offer, Colt, but it’s not necessary.”
“Actually it is.” Coulter shoved his hands into his pockets with a sigh. “Look, I get that Crawford runs a legitimate art business, and he was right to notice how incredibly talented you are. But I know the horrors that man has forced onto others. I’ve seen the aftermath of his terror with my very own eyes. I know things he’s done. Things he’s planning to do. And the idea of you spending any amount of time with him is . . .” His voice trailed at the terrifying thought. “The bottom line, Alex, is that keeping everyone in this country safe from people like Crawford is quite literally my job, and that includes you.”
Alex’s expression fell. “Do you think I’m in some sort of danger?”
“At the moment? No. But I can’t take that chance. If anything happened to you, and I was in the position tohelp prevent it, your sister and my brother would never forgive me.”
If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.
“It’s just shopping, Colt.”
“I know.” He didn’t argue the woman’s point. “Doesn’t mean you don’t need protection. If for no other reason than to put my mind at ease.” While she appeared to be taking a moment to consider his side of things, Coulter prodded her with a softer, “So what do you say? Just this once, do you think you can take off the gloves and maybe meet me halfway?”
“You’ll be bored out of your mind.”
“I have a government credit card with no limit.” His brows waggled up and down.
A sparkle of interest flashed but then, “Wouldn’t that be illegal? Or at the very least, ethically wrong?”
“You’re having dinner with my target, and there’s a chance you could glean intel that’s helpful to our investigation.”
Alex sent him a tiny smile. “You were pretty quick on the draw with the justification of using government money to buy me a new dress. You sure you aren’t really a politician disguised as a government spy?”
“Is there much of a difference?” He chuckled.
“Probably not.” Alex started to laugh but ended up covering another large yawn with her hand, instead.
Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Do not . . . look . . . down.
Coulter couldn’t help himself.
He looked down.
She’d kept herself covered before with her tightlycrossed arms, but even with the thin cotton shirt, the outline of her protruding nipples was plain to see.
“Sorry.” She sighed.
His eyes flew up at the same time hers reopened. Coulter schooled his expression in record time, flashing what he prayed was an innocent smile.
“I should go so you can get some sleep.”
