Page 38 of Mine To Break
“I’ll be honest, ma’am. I’m not your guy.”
Her eyebrows rose with surprise. “You’re turning us down already? Why? If I may ask?”
He shrugged and stepped up into his truck. “I’m getting out of law enforcement entirely. But if I change my mind, I’ll give you a call.”
She nodded and waved as she turned away. “I appreciate it. Good luck, detective.”
He reached for the door to shut it, but noticed a black Lexus parked across the street. He checked his phone and had a text from Mal.Thought I’d surprise you.
Grinning like an idiot, he climbed back out and hurried toward the car. As he neared, her window rolled down, but the look on her face made him hesitate. Eyes tight and narrow, lips hard, and even her voice was wintry cold. “You move fast, detective. Who the hell is she?”
It took his brain a second to catch up. He hadn’t even registered that Agent Archer had been female, not really. Only that she had to work for the government.
His knee-jerk reaction was to retort that it didn’t matter who the woman was because he wasn’t interested in anyone else, but something registered in his head that that would be a mistake. Hurt shimmered in Mal’s eyes, not anger. The Mistress of Dallas didn’t succumb to petty jealousy. That was beneath her, he knew that much. No, this went much deeper. Even when he’d almost kicked her in the head on accident, she hadn’t spoken to him so harshly. Her icy voice cut to the quick, but it was brittle. A crack in her formidable exterior. A woman like her wouldn’t like exposing any cracks to him. So he’d better treat that vulnerability with extreme care.
She hadn’t just “caught” him with another woman. She’d caught him with a white woman. Like her father.
“Special Agent Archer came to offer me a job.” He leaned down, crossing his forearms on her car door. “But I turned her down flat. I’ve got my hands full with a certain Mistress and don’t have time for anything or anyone else to distract me.”
Some of that ice thawed in Mal’s eyes, but she remained guarded, watching him very closely. “Figured a man would like to work for a woman with her kind ofassets.”
Colby chuckled, shaking his head. “Truth be told, I didn’t even notice her assets. I was too pissed that I missed dinner with you.”
She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes a moment. He waited silently, but didn’t withdraw. Finally she sighed again and opened her eyes. “I’m sorry that I leaped to conclusions. I didn’t like the idea that my soldier boy might be panting after a sexy blonde. Not one bit.”
He deliberately lowered his voice to that drawl she liked so much. “Now, ma’am, surely you must know after I let you put a bridle on me and tie me up that I’d never go panting after anybody but you.”
“Get in the car.”
He ducked his head a bit to show that he loved that tone, even though he couldn’t do as she asked at the moment. “My truck’s already started. You want to follow me, or ride with me? I need to stop by home first.”
“Why?” Though she grabbed her purse and started to roll up the window. He opened the door for her and stepped back, taking her hand as she stepped out. So he could pull her up against him. She glanced around quickly to see if anyone was watching. “I didn’t think you’d want me to come in and find you. Not here.”
“I want to ditch the gun in my safe at home so you don’t have to worry about it and I don’t have to worry about my truck getting stolen just to get the weapon.” He lowered his head so his mouth hovered near hers, though he didn’t press the advantage. “Why wouldn’t I want you to come in?”
“You work here.”
“So?”
She arched a brow at him. “I’m pretty sure somebody would recognize me as the Mistress of Dallas. Elias sure would and then everybody would talk.”
“So?”
She started up at him, eyes wide, lips parting on a soft sound that made him want to sweep her up into his arms and toss her in his truck. Or maybe just kneel right here on the pavement and profess undying love. Or better yet…
For the first time in his life, he let the idea of buying a ring and asking her to marry him form in his head. Though he wasn’t sure how one proposed to a Mistress. Maybe she did the proposing?
“That wouldn’t bother you?”
For one thing, he didn’t plan on sticking around for more than a couple of weeks, but he didn’t admit that out loud. Not yet. He wanted the moment he told her to be special and significant. Not something casual he just blurted on the street. But even if he was staying on the force, people would know eventually. He wanted to marry her, for Christ’s sake. Not hide her. Never. “The Policemen’s Ball is in two weeks. Would you be free to be my date?”
Her hand locked on his nape, her grip strong and unyielding. He closed his eyes, soaking it in. Peace. Everything would be all right. Everything would work out for the best. Everybody was safe. He could close his eyes and rest. Because his Mistress had him by the neck and wasn’t letting go.
She leaned up and nipped his earlobe, making him growl. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away, sugar.”
