He was glad he had kept up with the APD’s hand-to-hand combat courses, which weren’t mandatory for detectives. But Seth was an oversized, well-trained brute, and Ryan also knew he had gotten lucky. Ryan wondered if the rumors about his steroid use were true. Roid rage . It would explain the aggression.
He turned to Molly. “You okay?”
She nodded, appearing a little shaken as she pushed her long, flaxen hair behind her. She wore jeans and a low-cut McCrosky’s T-shirt. “Thank you, Ryan.”
“I’ll ask Frank to put a different server on his table.” Hopefully an ugly male one , he thought. Molly retreated to the kitchen as Ryan walked with the others back into the bar. Seth glared at him from his reclaimed seat. He made a mental note to discuss his behavior with Captain Thompson, who appeared to have already departed for the night.
A short time later, Ryan watched as Darnell took Mike outside to get him into a cab. He figured he’d get going soon, too.
“On the house.” He turned to find Molly next to him. She grinned and held out a beer. “It’s your brand, right?”
“Thanks.” Ryan accepted it, although he hadn’t been planning to have another.
“I really appreciate what you did tonight.”
His curiosity winning out, he bent his head closer to hers and lowered his voice. “So what was that all about?”
She sighed. “Seth’s been asking me out. I like cops or else I wouldn’t work here, but I don’t like knuckle-dragging assholes.”
Ryan couldn’t help but smile at her bluntness.
“He won’t take no for an answer. He was showing off in front of his buddies, saying crude things, putting his hands on me and telling them I liked it.” Her eyebrows pinched together as she spoke. “I took him down a few notches so he followed me, trying to prove a point to them, I guess.”
Ryan had heard some of the others talking about Molly in the way that men do. Tall and long-limbed like a model, she had the sun-kissed look of a California girl, where she’d lived before moving to Atlanta, if he recalled correctly. She was young but definitely attractive, as Adam had already pointed out. He glanced around the bar. Seth was still here, although he’d moved to the pool tables in the far corner. He leaned against the wall while one of his buddies racked balls for a game. His flat eyes remained on Ryan, however. Molly talking to him now was probably only adding fuel to the fire. “Do me a favor?”
“Absolutely.”
“Don’t leave by yourself tonight. I don’t want Kimmel following you out to pick up where he left off. Someone can make sure you get to your car.”
He had rolled up the sleeves of his blue dress shirt, and Molly laid her fingers on his forearm.
“I take MARTA, actually, but I could still use a walk to the station,” she suggested almost shyly. Her green eyes were vivid under long lashes. “We’ve never had a chance to get to know each other, and you really were my hero tonight.”
Ryan realized he was being flirted with—not the first time since his divorce, although he’d never quite gotten used to it. He tried to form a suitable response, but his thoughts fragmented as Lydia emerged from the crowd. He hadn’t seen her come in, and he gave a hoarse greeting, surprised.
“I know it’s late,” she said uncertainly. “But I … wanted to stop by.”
Her gaze shifted to Molly, who still stood close although at some point her fingers had slipped from his arm. Ryan cleared his throat and made the introduction.
“You’re the ex-wife.” Molly extended her hand and smiled. “I’ve heard some of the guys mention you. So you must’ve known Nate?”
Lydia replied that she had. The three engaged in small talk until Ryan indicated the bottle he held. “Thanks again for the beer.”
“Sure …” Molly took a step back. “Well, I should get back to work. Ryan, I’ll let you know when my shift’s over.”
He gave a small nod. Once she had departed, he returned
He turned to Molly. “You okay?”
She nodded, appearing a little shaken as she pushed her long, flaxen hair behind her. She wore jeans and a low-cut McCrosky’s T-shirt. “Thank you, Ryan.”
“I’ll ask Frank to put a different server on his table.” Hopefully an ugly male one , he thought. Molly retreated to the kitchen as Ryan walked with the others back into the bar. Seth glared at him from his reclaimed seat. He made a mental note to discuss his behavior with Captain Thompson, who appeared to have already departed for the night.
A short time later, Ryan watched as Darnell took Mike outside to get him into a cab. He figured he’d get going soon, too.
“On the house.” He turned to find Molly next to him. She grinned and held out a beer. “It’s your brand, right?”
“Thanks.” Ryan accepted it, although he hadn’t been planning to have another.
“I really appreciate what you did tonight.”
His curiosity winning out, he bent his head closer to hers and lowered his voice. “So what was that all about?”
She sighed. “Seth’s been asking me out. I like cops or else I wouldn’t work here, but I don’t like knuckle-dragging assholes.”
Ryan couldn’t help but smile at her bluntness.
“He won’t take no for an answer. He was showing off in front of his buddies, saying crude things, putting his hands on me and telling them I liked it.” Her eyebrows pinched together as she spoke. “I took him down a few notches so he followed me, trying to prove a point to them, I guess.”
Ryan had heard some of the others talking about Molly in the way that men do. Tall and long-limbed like a model, she had the sun-kissed look of a California girl, where she’d lived before moving to Atlanta, if he recalled correctly. She was young but definitely attractive, as Adam had already pointed out. He glanced around the bar. Seth was still here, although he’d moved to the pool tables in the far corner. He leaned against the wall while one of his buddies racked balls for a game. His flat eyes remained on Ryan, however. Molly talking to him now was probably only adding fuel to the fire. “Do me a favor?”
“Absolutely.”
“Don’t leave by yourself tonight. I don’t want Kimmel following you out to pick up where he left off. Someone can make sure you get to your car.”
He had rolled up the sleeves of his blue dress shirt, and Molly laid her fingers on his forearm.
“I take MARTA, actually, but I could still use a walk to the station,” she suggested almost shyly. Her green eyes were vivid under long lashes. “We’ve never had a chance to get to know each other, and you really were my hero tonight.”
Ryan realized he was being flirted with—not the first time since his divorce, although he’d never quite gotten used to it. He tried to form a suitable response, but his thoughts fragmented as Lydia emerged from the crowd. He hadn’t seen her come in, and he gave a hoarse greeting, surprised.
“I know it’s late,” she said uncertainly. “But I … wanted to stop by.”
Her gaze shifted to Molly, who still stood close although at some point her fingers had slipped from his arm. Ryan cleared his throat and made the introduction.
“You’re the ex-wife.” Molly extended her hand and smiled. “I’ve heard some of the guys mention you. So you must’ve known Nate?”
Lydia replied that she had. The three engaged in small talk until Ryan indicated the bottle he held. “Thanks again for the beer.”
“Sure …” Molly took a step back. “Well, I should get back to work. Ryan, I’ll let you know when my shift’s over.”
He gave a small nod. Once she had departed, he returned
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