Saving Rose Red - Maggie Dallen Page 0,26

his glass and moved away, toward the counter where the wine bottle sat. “Do you need more?”

“I’ll wait. Dinner’s almost ready, I just need to set the table.”

Soon they were sharing a dinner together. There were no candles but it was still the most intimate, romantic dinner he’d had in… maybe ever. She was just so easy to talk to. So quick to open up about herself and her own life, making it nearly impossible to not do the same when she asked quiet, tactful questions.

“So how did you become an undercover cop? Did you go straight into the police academy after high school?”

He gave a snort of amusement. “Hardly. I was definitely not what you would call a ‘good’ kid.” At her questioning look, he told her about his juvenile delinquency. Told her stories that surprisingly had them both laughing. It had been a long time since he’d thought much about his high school days. At the end he shrugged, “Finally, my dad had enough. It was either shape up or ship out.” He took a sip of his wine. “I got shipped out. I ended up in the military and, much as I hate to admit it, my dad was right. The discipline and structure helped me get my head on straight.”

Before he knew it, he was talking about himself like it was his job. Chattering away about his life in the military. A cold, distant part of his brain watched him from a distance in shock.

But as surprising as this twist of events was, he couldn’t bring himself to shut it down. Not when she was smiling up at him with that crinkly-eyed smile of hers and not when her laughter and soft voice were so compelling.

She was a siren, he decided as the meal came to an end and they still sat there talking like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He had no idea how long they might have gone on like that if they weren’t interrupted by the sound of a soft knock at the door.

After an initial look of puzzlement, Andie’s face lit up. “Must be Kate. You’re going to love my neighbor.”

He followed her to the front door just in case it wasn’t Kate. He couldn’t be too careful. He should be grateful that they’d been interrupted. It was for the best. He should thank this Kate woman for saving him from himself.

That was what he told himself, at least. But try as he might he couldn’t ignore the disappointment that left him feeling deflated.

Kate, he soon discovered, was Katherine Ashton, daughter of the tech tycoon, Hamilton Ashton. He tried not to stare as the pretty redhead walked in hesitantly. “Are you sure this is still a good time? I could come back—”

Andie reached out and dragged the petite young woman into the apartment by the arm. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know you’re always welcome here. Besides, it’s Dancing with the Stars night. It would be sacrilege to miss it.”

Kate’s smile faltered as she spotted him down the hall behind Andie.

“Oh, don’t worry about him. He’s just my personal bodyguard,” Andie joked, giving him a wink. He rolled his eyes but he was struggling not to return her smile.

“Oh. Okay.” Kate seemed to accept that as normal and she gave him a shy smile and a small wave. He supposed personal bodyguards were the norm for someone like Kate. He was far from well-read on high society but he would have had to be living under a rock if he didn’t recognize the notoriously camera-shy daughter of the wealthiest family in New York City.

Andie, still holding Kate’s arm, led the younger woman into the living room, leaving Cole to trail behind.

Feeling suddenly out of place, he mumbled, “I’ll, uh, just clean up the kitchen and then I’ll get out of your hair.”

Andie spun around and gaped at him as Kate settled in on one of the couches. “Are you kidding me? You’d rather go hide out in your room rather than hang out with us?” She pursed her lips in an over-the-top scowl. “Careful, Cole, or you’ll hurt our feelings.”

Kate smiled prettily up at him. Apparently she was used to Andie’s ways because she went along with it without hesitation. “I know I can be intimidating but please don’t run away on my account.”

He gave the redhead a grudging smile at that. She couldn’t have been more than five feet tall and was nothing more than a wisp of a