Page 31 of Nick
“Yes.”
“Why? Who hates you so much they want you dead?”
“Hate to admit it but there’s a rather long list. You know I’m a cop back home in Australia? Well, I’m not exactly a regular cop. I handle special cases. I’ve done a lot of undercover work, things others can’t or won’t because it tends to be dangerous. I’ve been instrumental in putting a lot of bad guys behind bars for the rest of their lives, and they tend to hold grudges.”
She didn’t say anything for a long time, and Nick waited, letting her process what he’d shared. Watched her twine her fingers together, then worry at the edge of her blouse, pulling at a ragged thread.
“I knew a little about the Brashear case. Ms. Patti talked with me when Antonio was in the hospital. She was so happy to have found you again after all those years, but she was also scared.”
“Of me?”
“No, no! Afraid of losing you because of your work. Afraid that Brashear would somehow manage to hurt you because you betrayed him. And he’s just the tip of the iceberg, right?”
He nodded and could no longer resist, capturing one of her hands between both of his, stilling her frenetic movements. “I’m afraid so. My boss and good friend back in Australia, Grant Calvin, has been working on putting together a list of people who have the wherewithal to have made the attempt.”
“Is there anything I can do? That sounds strange, doesn’t it, asking if there’s anything I can do to help you figure out who’s trying to kill you? No, I mean now. Physically you’re hurt. What can I do to help?”
Lifting his hand, he brushed back the curls that had sprung to life in the breeze, loving the soft feel of her hair.
“I appreciate the offer. The best thing you can do for me is exactly what you are doing. Right here. Right now. Although I probably should tell you, I’m not going to make it to dinner tonight.”
Her soft giggle was like music to him. Lately it seemed like everything about her appealed to him. How was it possible he’d only known her a few short days and yet it seemed as if she’d been in his life for much longer?
“Raincheck?”
“I’d love that.” He leaned back against the cushions of the loveseat and felt a moment of shock when she snuggled against him. It felt amazing that she’d trust him enough to know he wouldn’t hurt her, especially after what she’d gone through with Brewster.
“Whenever you’re ready, you let me know and it’s a date.”
“Sounds nice. Let’s pretend we’re at your apartment. What are we doing?”
He toyed with the stray curl that kept twirling against her cheek, twisting it around his fingertip. In this moment, with Gracie, he felt more at peace than he had in a long time. She granted him a kind of serenity, and he was afraid the more time he spent with her, the more he’d crave it. Because it felt…nice.
“I hope you like Tex-Mex because I was making homemade guacamole with crispy tortillas. Then I planned beef enchiladas with beans and rice and a flan for dessert. My mother always said she won Daddy’s heart through his stomach.”
“Sounds like she’s right, because that meal sounds delicious.”
“It’s one of the few things that I can make well, so it ends up being my go-to meal when I have friends over. My mother taught me, and her mother taught her. It’s a family recipe.”
“Um, sounds nice. After dinner, what’s next?”
“Do you like to dance? I thought maybe we might—dance that is. You’ve seen my place, it’s small, but there’s enough room. It’s been a long time since I’ve even wanted to dance with anybody.”
He rested his chin atop her head, savoring the fresh herbal scent of her shampoo. Noting movement in his peripheral vision, he caught Nica sneaking toward the kitchen door. She shot him a thumb’s up as she tiptoed past. Glad to know he had her blessing.
“I haven’t danced in a long time. Not much time when I’m on the job. And not much inclination for it when I was home. There wasn’t anybody I cared to dance with.” He paused a second before adding, “But I want to dance with you, Gracie.”
“After we dance, then we’ll have dessert. Something sweet.”
“I admit I have a bit of a sweet tooth, though I usually limit it to the sugar in my coffee. What did you have in mind?
“I was going to make flan, but now I’m thinking brownies with…homemade ice cream. Nothing too heavy, but it’s chocolate. You can’t go wrong with chocolate. I thought maybe we could share a dessert. I might even throw in some hot fudge or whipped cream if you’re still craving something sweet.” She glanced at him through half-lowered lashes.
“It sounds perfect, Gracie. I’m definitely holding you to that raincheck.”
Straightening on the loveseat, she turned until she was facing him. “You know a bit about my past, from Rafe, right?”
“Only the bare bones. Enough to know Brewster is a threat.”
