Page 20 of Fall Into Temptation
“I don’t ever remember not wanting to be a cop,” he admitted. “And I always wanted to be one here. This place is home. These are the people I care most about. It’s an honor to protect and serve here.”
“Damn,” Eva shook her head slowly. “You’re a really good guy, Cardona.”
He laughed. “I don’t know about that. I’m sure there are some tarnished spots on this armor,” he joked.
“We all have our secrets, I suppose.”
The way she said it made him wonder exactly what her secrets were and how long it would take before he could find out.
Their food arrived, and they talked between bites. He watched her closely, finding it interesting that she seemed determined to get to know him while keeping him in the dark about her.
“Why do you do that?” he asked when she brushed off a question about childhood.
“Do what?” This time, he could tell she wasn’t pretending to misunderstand.
“Why are you so interested in learning about me but dodge all questions about you?”
She flushed, light pink high on her cheeks, and picked up a soup spoon.
“Old habit, I suppose.”
“See, like that. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Why do you want to know, Sheriff? Am I under investigation?”
“Say my name.” He gave the order quietly.
“What?”
“I want to hear you say my name. Not Sheriff. Not Cardona. My name.”
“Donovan.” Her voice was silky soft.
The blush on her cheeks deepened. But her eyes. Oh, those eyes. They delivered a message. Interest, trust, heat. That had been a mistake, but he wasn’t going to waste time regretting it.
“How old were you when your mother left?” He shifted gears fast enough that she didn’t have time to put her walls up.
“Eight.” She blinked as if surprised that she’d answered the question.
“I bet you got tired of having everyone ask you if you were okay all the time back then.”
She was studying him now. “You’re an interesting man, Donovan.”
“You interest me, Eva.”
“I do? In what way? Am I a puzzle to solve? A victim to save?”
He sidestepped her questions. He wasn’t sure how she’d react to the blunt honest answer. That he wanted to take her to bed and then learn everything there was to know about her before potentially marching her down the aisle. There was something here. Something in her that called to him. Despite her evasive answers, despite her veneer of mystery, he recognized something inside her. And he wanted it. He just needed to find the key.
“I want to know what goes on in that dizzying mind of yours,” he confessed.
She grinned at him and lit up the room with the smile. Honest, genuine, sweet. “You wouldn’t survive an hour in there,” she predicted.
He leaned in. “Try me.”
She bit her lower lip, considering. And he felt his eyes narrow. Despite the food on the table in front of him, Donovan Cardona was hungry.
CHAPTER TEN
