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Authors: Carly Phillips
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about to head upstairs when her doorbell rang. Erin stood, but Cole held up a hand to stop her.
“I’ve got it. Stay here.”
She scowled, but again let him take charge. Her arm throbbed and burned, she was exhausted, and appeasing him seemed easiest, at least for now.
Once at the door, Cole looked out the glass on the side and opened the door a crack, his hand on his holstered weapon.
Jeez,
she thought.
Overkill much?
He spoke to someone through the small crack in the door, then opened it wider and returned with a vase full of yellow roses. Her favorite.
“I wonder who they’re from,” she said, excitement in her voice, since what woman didn’t like receiving roses?
Cole’s expression darkened as he placed them on the table. She reached for the card, reading the short inscription:
Take care of yourself and don’t rush back till you’re up to it. Evan.
“Well?” Annoyance threaded through Cole’s tone.
“No one important.”
He reached out and snatched the card from her hand.
“Hey! That’s private!”
“What if it’s from the shooter?”
He read the words and his scowl deepened. “Who the hell is Evan?”
“Evan Carmichael. My boss.”
Cole muttered something under his breath.
“What did you say?” she asked, attempting for civility. At this rate they were going to kill each other.
“Nothing.” He sat back down in front of the television and didn’t say another word.
Erin rolled her eyes. If she didn’t know better she’d think he was jealous. But Cole’s past actions taught her he wouldn’t get jealous of anyone or anything in Erin’s life. And he never would.
• • •
A couple of days into their new living arrangement, Erin’s head cleared enough for her to remember she had someplace to be on Thursday night.
She knocked on the guest room door. “Come in.”
She stepped inside to find him doing push-ups on the floor. He was wearing black gym shorts and no shirt, his muscles flexing and bulging with every move he made.
She swallowed hard. “I forgot, but I need to go out.”
He easily maneuvered to his feet. “I see that.” His gaze took in her jeans, black silk top, and ballet flats. “Where are we going?”
The
we
reverberated through her. “I meet clients on Thursday nights at an office downtown.”
“You’re not supposed to work for a week,” he reminded her.
“It’s just tonight, and I don’t want to argue about it.”
He raised an eyebrow and asked, “How far downtown?”
“All the way. Next door to Lynette’s Diner.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Not a neighborhood I want you in at night.”
“Too bad. I’m going. Which, as you so eloquently told me, means you’re going. It’s bad enough to bail on my day job, but these people count on me in a whole different way.” Without explaining further, she started to leave, but turned back for a minute. “Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.” She paused. “Please.”
He hadn’t expected to go out tonight, but one look at her determined expression and he decided not to fight this particular battle. A little while later, Cole parked Erin’s jeep in a dimly lit parking spot and walked with her into a small office next door to Lynette’s.
When he reached the entrance and looked up at the writing above the door, the name explained everything. “Pro bono, huh?”
Erin shot him a proud grin and grabbed the door handle before he could do it for her.
Inside, the waiting room was full of people, mostly women, many of whom had young children with them. Although some didn’t look up when they walked in, and others glanced warily at Cole, the kids all perked up when they saw Erin.
“Erin!” A little girl with two missing front teeth ran up to her with a huge grin.
“Hi, Merry!” Erin knelt down so she was eye level with the child. “How are you?”
“Good. Mommy said if you can get money from my dad, then maybe we can leave the shelter soon and find a real ’partment
“I’ve got it. Stay here.”
She scowled, but again let him take charge. Her arm throbbed and burned, she was exhausted, and appeasing him seemed easiest, at least for now.
Once at the door, Cole looked out the glass on the side and opened the door a crack, his hand on his holstered weapon.
Jeez,
she thought.
Overkill much?
He spoke to someone through the small crack in the door, then opened it wider and returned with a vase full of yellow roses. Her favorite.
“I wonder who they’re from,” she said, excitement in her voice, since what woman didn’t like receiving roses?
Cole’s expression darkened as he placed them on the table. She reached for the card, reading the short inscription:
Take care of yourself and don’t rush back till you’re up to it. Evan.
“Well?” Annoyance threaded through Cole’s tone.
“No one important.”
He reached out and snatched the card from her hand.
“Hey! That’s private!”
“What if it’s from the shooter?”
He read the words and his scowl deepened. “Who the hell is Evan?”
“Evan Carmichael. My boss.”
Cole muttered something under his breath.
“What did you say?” she asked, attempting for civility. At this rate they were going to kill each other.
“Nothing.” He sat back down in front of the television and didn’t say another word.
Erin rolled her eyes. If she didn’t know better she’d think he was jealous. But Cole’s past actions taught her he wouldn’t get jealous of anyone or anything in Erin’s life. And he never would.
• • •
A couple of days into their new living arrangement, Erin’s head cleared enough for her to remember she had someplace to be on Thursday night.
She knocked on the guest room door. “Come in.”
She stepped inside to find him doing push-ups on the floor. He was wearing black gym shorts and no shirt, his muscles flexing and bulging with every move he made.
She swallowed hard. “I forgot, but I need to go out.”
He easily maneuvered to his feet. “I see that.” His gaze took in her jeans, black silk top, and ballet flats. “Where are we going?”
The
we
reverberated through her. “I meet clients on Thursday nights at an office downtown.”
“You’re not supposed to work for a week,” he reminded her.
“It’s just tonight, and I don’t want to argue about it.”
He raised an eyebrow and asked, “How far downtown?”
“All the way. Next door to Lynette’s Diner.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Not a neighborhood I want you in at night.”
“Too bad. I’m going. Which, as you so eloquently told me, means you’re going. It’s bad enough to bail on my day job, but these people count on me in a whole different way.” Without explaining further, she started to leave, but turned back for a minute. “Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.” She paused. “Please.”
He hadn’t expected to go out tonight, but one look at her determined expression and he decided not to fight this particular battle. A little while later, Cole parked Erin’s jeep in a dimly lit parking spot and walked with her into a small office next door to Lynette’s.
When he reached the entrance and looked up at the writing above the door, the name explained everything. “Pro bono, huh?”
Erin shot him a proud grin and grabbed the door handle before he could do it for her.
Inside, the waiting room was full of people, mostly women, many of whom had young children with them. Although some didn’t look up when they walked in, and others glanced warily at Cole, the kids all perked up when they saw Erin.
“Erin!” A little girl with two missing front teeth ran up to her with a huge grin.
“Hi, Merry!” Erin knelt down so she was eye level with the child. “How are you?”
“Good. Mommy said if you can get money from my dad, then maybe we can leave the shelter soon and find a real ’partment
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