Counting On Cole (Wilde Ways #8) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,8
my previous kidnappers.”
“The driver wasn’t caught.”
“He fled the scene.” A firm nod. “But the police have a description of his vehicle. I have faith in the NYPD. I’m sure they will turn up something.”
He stared at her.
“Thanks for stopping by.”
Cole shook his head. He crossed his arms over his chest.
“I would love to say catching up with you was fun,” Evie added.
He quirked one eyebrow.
“But I don’t like to lie. In fact, I try to never lie. Mostly because I’m really bad at it.” She sniffed. “It wasn’t fun. It was as uncomfortable and awkward as I feared, and I hope our paths don’t cross again.”
Well, damn. She’d just cut him up as her voice stayed sugary sweet.
“Now, I’m going to shut the door. If you try to throw your hand up again, I’ll just shove harder. Your hand may get broken.” A shrug. “You’ve been warned.”
She slammed the door.
He heard the lock click. “That’s good,” Cole praised, raising his voice so that she’d be sure to hear him through the thick wood. “Always lock the door. Set your alarm. Be alert and vigilant. Because if you are being hunted again, you need to be on guard every single moment.”
Silence.
Was she staring at him through the peephole? Watching him?
His hands dropped back to his sides. He glanced to the left, to the right. No one else was there. They were on the top floor of the building, and she was the only tenant on that level. It wasn’t an overly fancy place, not like the high-rise where her brother lived. No, Evie had made her home in a hip, casual apartment building.
Cole had never been hip a day in his life. He was battles and bloodshed. Tattoos and fist fights.
But Evie…Evie was sophistication. Class. She was Broadway and lights. She was the kind of woman who always seemed to fit in wherever she went.
She was the woman who’d fit him. Until, of course, he’d fucked everything to hell and back. Totally part of his charm.
“Evie…” His right hand lifted and pressed to the wood of the door. “I’m sorry.”
Silence. The door didn’t open. But then, he hadn’t really expected it to open.
***
Her eye pressed to the peephole. Her left hand pressed to the door, uncomfortably close to the spot where Cole was pressing his own hand.
Damn him. He wasn’t supposed to be sexier. Time wasn’t supposed to have been kind to him. He should have gotten out of shape. Should have developed some thinning hair. Lots and lots of wrinkles.
He should not still have thick, luxurious, run-your-hands-through-it hair. He should not still have a hard, muscled body that made her quiver. He shouldn’t have seriously sexy stubble on his jaw. And no way should his eyes be that electric shade of blue. She’d convinced herself that she’d imagined just how gorgeous his eyes were. A figment of her overstressed imagination. She’d learned that, in times of stress, people tended to overemphasize certain things. Reshape some memories.
She thought she’d imagined his incredible eyes.
She hadn’t.
He was even better looking now than he had been before because, obviously, fate hated her.
She kept right on peering through the peephole. His tattoos were new. Cole wore a short sleeved, black T-shirt, and swirling, dark tattoos covered his arms. The tats looked seriously badass. Not that she was in to badass guys.
Not anymore.
Badass guys did nothing but bring trouble into her life. She was way over trouble. She wanted a nice, ordered routine. Was that so bad?
Did he have tattoos on his chest, too?
Why was she wondering about his chest?
“I’m sorry,” he said again, and a fist seemed to squeeze her heart. How often had she dreamed of him apologizing? Of him saying that he was sorry for hurting her and leaving and that he would do anything to make it up to her for—
“I’m sorry, but I was hired to do a job, and I intend to do that job.”
Her mouth dropped open. Cole wasn’t apologizing for hurting her. He was apologizing because he wasn’t leaving? What a jerk!
“I can’t leave you unprotected. I told Harrison that he could count on me, and I’m here until I can figure out just who is after you.”
He had just pushed all her buttons. Every single one with his half-ass non-apology. She nearly ripped the lock off her door as Evie flipped it and yanked that door open again—
Cole had the sheer, insane gall to toss his wide smile at her. “Figured you might open the door.”