Read Online Deadly Pursuit (SCVC Taskforce) by Misty Evans - Free Book Online
Authors: Misty Evans
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below the Child Services building they’d just left. “Makes me want to get back on the first plane to San Diego.”
“We’re here for the food, not the décor.”
“True, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re afraid to be seen with me.” He wished she’d lose the sunglasses so he could see her eyes. Those eyes that had been so much a part of his fantasies in the past year. “Afraid some of those suits in your office will see you having dinner with a DEA man?”
Celina removed her glasses like he wanted. Her brows flexed down as she tried to decide if he was joking. “There are only two things I’m afraid of, Cooper, and neither of those concerns what my coworkers think about my personal life. I admire and respect you and if you’d prefer a nicer building, I’ll take you across town, but the food and the service won’t be as good.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Your choice.”
He didn’t give a rat’s ass where they ate so long as he got to look into those eyes and feed another fantasy. She was still pissed about the Dyer thing, and, like Quarters had mentioned back in the parking garage, she had been shot at earlier. With a sawed-off double-barreled cop killer. That wasn’t an experience most people shrugged off easily. Even experienced agents like him.
On top of that, she was still upset about her bosses’—former bosses, now—poor judgment calls. What she needed was a hot dinner and a cold beer. “Are we going to stand here in the freezing cold and yak at each other, Agent Davenport, or are we going to go in and eat?”
Cooper let her lead him between two pickup trucks and fell into step beside her. “I’ll see what I can do about getting you a job when I get back to California.”
She stopped and turned her gorgeous eyes on him. “Technically, I didn’t quit.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“I only quit the Des Moines unit. Says so in my written resignation. Tomorrow I’ll place a few calls, see where I can transfer to. This was never meant to be a permanent assignment and I’m done hiding. And just so you know, if there’s an opening on your taskforce any time soon, I plan to fill it.”
No doubt about it, Celina always gave it to him straight. Not an ounce of coyness when she knew what she wanted. “Look,” Cooper started, but she cut in.
“I know what you’re going to say. That I can’t come back yet, but—”
Now Cooper cut in on her. “I apologize for being a rude ass earlier today,” he said, before he could talk himself out of it. “And I’m sorry I never called and told you about Dyer.”
Her surprise was genuine. One glossy corner of her mouth rose. “Really?”
Shifting his weight, Cooper tried not to appreciate the relief in her eyes too much. He’d said what he’d wanted to. If he were a smart man, he’d forget about having dinner with her and head back to the hotel. Time and distance hadn’t changed the fact that she was still too young for him and he still wanted her too damn much.
If he were a smart man. “Yes, Celina, really.”
“Okay then,” she said, giving him a wink. “Are we going to stand here and yak all night, Agent Harris, or are we going to eat?”
The place was cleaner and neater than Cooper had expected. The smell of seared meat and stale beer mixed with cigarette smoke. A lone mariachi player strummed a guitar in the far corner, a man and a woman moving in time to the guitar player’s rhythm on a miniscule square of floor in front of him.
There was a host, a guy who’d tried to make up for his lack of stature by beefing up his biceps. Cooper gave him a back-off narrowing of his eyes after the guy looked Celina over. Leaving her name with the host, Celina motioned Cooper to the bar area. Finding a high table at one end of the room, they ordered drinks from a stocky waitress who left them a basket of freshly fried tortilla chips.
Celina shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the back of her chair before sprinkling
“We’re here for the food, not the décor.”
“True, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re afraid to be seen with me.” He wished she’d lose the sunglasses so he could see her eyes. Those eyes that had been so much a part of his fantasies in the past year. “Afraid some of those suits in your office will see you having dinner with a DEA man?”
Celina removed her glasses like he wanted. Her brows flexed down as she tried to decide if he was joking. “There are only two things I’m afraid of, Cooper, and neither of those concerns what my coworkers think about my personal life. I admire and respect you and if you’d prefer a nicer building, I’ll take you across town, but the food and the service won’t be as good.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Your choice.”
He didn’t give a rat’s ass where they ate so long as he got to look into those eyes and feed another fantasy. She was still pissed about the Dyer thing, and, like Quarters had mentioned back in the parking garage, she had been shot at earlier. With a sawed-off double-barreled cop killer. That wasn’t an experience most people shrugged off easily. Even experienced agents like him.
On top of that, she was still upset about her bosses’—former bosses, now—poor judgment calls. What she needed was a hot dinner and a cold beer. “Are we going to stand here in the freezing cold and yak at each other, Agent Davenport, or are we going to go in and eat?”
Cooper let her lead him between two pickup trucks and fell into step beside her. “I’ll see what I can do about getting you a job when I get back to California.”
She stopped and turned her gorgeous eyes on him. “Technically, I didn’t quit.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“I only quit the Des Moines unit. Says so in my written resignation. Tomorrow I’ll place a few calls, see where I can transfer to. This was never meant to be a permanent assignment and I’m done hiding. And just so you know, if there’s an opening on your taskforce any time soon, I plan to fill it.”
No doubt about it, Celina always gave it to him straight. Not an ounce of coyness when she knew what she wanted. “Look,” Cooper started, but she cut in.
“I know what you’re going to say. That I can’t come back yet, but—”
Now Cooper cut in on her. “I apologize for being a rude ass earlier today,” he said, before he could talk himself out of it. “And I’m sorry I never called and told you about Dyer.”
Her surprise was genuine. One glossy corner of her mouth rose. “Really?”
Shifting his weight, Cooper tried not to appreciate the relief in her eyes too much. He’d said what he’d wanted to. If he were a smart man, he’d forget about having dinner with her and head back to the hotel. Time and distance hadn’t changed the fact that she was still too young for him and he still wanted her too damn much.
If he were a smart man. “Yes, Celina, really.”
“Okay then,” she said, giving him a wink. “Are we going to stand here and yak all night, Agent Harris, or are we going to eat?”
The place was cleaner and neater than Cooper had expected. The smell of seared meat and stale beer mixed with cigarette smoke. A lone mariachi player strummed a guitar in the far corner, a man and a woman moving in time to the guitar player’s rhythm on a miniscule square of floor in front of him.
There was a host, a guy who’d tried to make up for his lack of stature by beefing up his biceps. Cooper gave him a back-off narrowing of his eyes after the guy looked Celina over. Leaving her name with the host, Celina motioned Cooper to the bar area. Finding a high table at one end of the room, they ordered drinks from a stocky waitress who left them a basket of freshly fried tortilla chips.
Celina shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the back of her chair before sprinkling
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