Catch (Coronado Series Book 4) Read online

  “I know you’re mocking me, and it doesn’t matter. Do you see these big shoulders? Everything just rolls off them…sticks and stones and all that.” He took her hand and started walking toward the restaurant. He knew it was going to be a long conversation, and he wanted to be heading in the direction of pizza while it happened. “I think you could accept graciously and not argue.” He wisely wrapped his arm around her before she got too mad and tried to get away again.

  “Chris Ellis, that’s rude. Just because I don’t agree with you doesn’t mean I lack manners. I guess I had certain ideas about you, and apparently, most of them were wrong.”

  “You’ve had ideas about me? You barely look at me in the office and always seem to be in a hurry to get back to your desk. I like that you’ve had ideas about me. Tell me about them.” They passed under a street light. Her face was perfectly illuminated, and he could see that her cheeks were flushed. Hot damn, I may have a chance after all.

  “I don’t think about you per se… It’s more of a general impression of you. I don’t think specifically about you.”

  He tightened his hold a little. “I think about you.” One of his specialties was interrogation, and he could easily get information out of just about anyone. He could also read people fairly well, and he knew that Ms. Rachel did think about him. Well, it was only fair, because he thought about her all the time. Pretty much every day since he’d met her. He just figured she would never be interested in a guy like him. He was big and hard and didn’t think anyone as smart and sweet as Rachel would consider him a candidate.

  He started to slow down as they approached the restaurant. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  “I haven’t had an appetite in a year.”

  “Having someone threaten and terrorize you can do that. Is that why you’re so small?” He heard her snort and felt himself smile in response. Snorting was definitely better than crying.

  “I’m not small at all. You’re just huge.” They walked into the small Italian restaurant and were directed to a table toward the back. Chris pulled out the chair for her, as he kept the chair facing the restaurant for himself. The waiter came up, and he ordered drinks and appetizers for them. “How did you know what I like to drink?”

  “I noticed what you drank at Rory and Max’s party, and I figured you’d would want the same thing.”

  “How did you remember that? I don’t think we even spoke at the party.”

  “Yes, we did. We sat at the same table. You were holding one of the twins, and I got you something to drink.” He waited as she tried to remember and liked her expression when she finally did. Her mouth lifted into a smile, and a nice flush crossed her cheeks.

  “Of course. You were so nice to me.” She put her hand over his big one and patted it. “How funny. I completely forgot about that.”

  He put his other hand over hers and fell into her pretty lavender eyes. “I remember it clearly. You sat next to me for almost an hour. You were having so much fun with the baby. I liked seeing the two of you together.”

  “That’s so nice of you…my goodness.” Her face felt flush, and her heart beat faster as she looked at him. “Thanks again for tonight.”

  “Do you want to talk about it now? Or do you want a break and we can talk about it later?”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. I have it mostly under control.”

  “Okay, so you want to talk about it later. That’s fine with me,” Chris said.

  “Why are you ignoring me? I just said I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Oh, we’re going to talk about it eventually, and then I’m going to take care of it. Once and for all.”

  “Why won’t you leave it alone? It was my mistake, and I’m handling it,” Rachel replied.

  “No offense, but what I saw tonight was not handling it. You work for one of the country’s top security firms, and you’ve never asked for help with this. Why?”

  “There are a lot of important cases, and I didn’t want to take up anyone’s time. It’s fine.”

  “Do me a favor. Take your sweater off, and let me see your arms.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Take off your sweater, and let me see your arms.”

  “No.”

  “Rachel, please do what I ask. I just want to help you.”

  “Fine.”

  “Even I know when a woman says ‘fine,’ it’s anything but. The boss always gets nervous when Rory says it because he knows he’s in trouble.”

  She looked down her nose at him as much as it was possible for a woman who was five-feet-four to do to a man who was six feet. But she accomplished it as she slipped her sweater off and showed him her arm. Dean had probably left a bruise, and she didn’t want to see how bad it was. When Chris cursed under his breath, she figured it was bad because of the string of words he let out. When their eyes met, she flinched involuntarily, because his were hard and cold.

  “Let me see your other arm, Rachel.”

  She figured she might as well get it over with, so she lifted her other arm and heard another stream of curse words. She quickly slipped her sweater back on as their drinks and appetizers were delivered. She took a healthy sip of her wine and pasted a pleasant smile on her face.

  “I’ll be paying a visit to Dean and sharing my feelings with him about his behavior.”

  “I don’t think that’s necessary. I have a restraining order.”

  “Oh, it’s definitely necessary, and I look forward to it.”

  “That’s why I never brought it up. I don’t want to involve the company in my trouble.”

  “No trouble. No trouble at all.”

  The waiter came back, and Chris ordered salad and pizza for them and then took a drink of his beer. He, too, pasted a smile on his face, because he didn’t want to worry Rachel. He wanted to care for her and take the worry out of her life. Then he was going to get to know her. “So, Rachel, what do you like to do in your free time?”

  “Seriously, that’s what you want to know? You’re going to drop the other issue?”

  “Yes, I’m out to dinner with a beautiful woman, and I want to get to know her. I thought it was a good date question.”

  “Are we on a date?”

  “Yes, we are. I know it’s not romantic, but the next time, it will be.”

  “You want to spend time with me?”

  “Of course I do. As much as you’ll let me. So what do you enjoy doing on the weekends?”

  She studied him across the table and grinned. “I play tennis, go to baseball games, and watch movies. What do you enjoy doing?”

  “I go to concerts and football games. I, also, like to go to the movies.”

  “What kind of music do you listen to?”

  “All kinds…jazz, classical, and some country.”

  “I wouldn’t have guessed that,” Rachel admitted.

  “Just because I look the way I do doesn’t mean that I’m not interested in good music.”

  “I just thought you would listen to rock, because a lot of guys in the office do and I know you all hang out a lot.” She studied him closely. “I think handsome men can have a wide variety of tastes. Where do you go to listen to music?”

  “I go to some of the clubs downtown, and I enjoy the concerts over at Balboa Park. Maybe we can go together sometime.” A smile crossed her face and it felt like when he survived the first week of BUD/S. As though he could accomplish anything and all of his dreams were within reach.

  “Can I ask you a question, Chris?”

  He put his fork down and picked up her hand. “Of course, Rach.”

  “Why did you call me your girlfriend in front of Dean?”

  “Because I wanted him to know that you have someone in your life who has a vested interest in your safety. I wanted him to see me and realize that you have someone who is going to protect you.”

  “Oh.”

  “You don’t object?” Chris asked.

  “No, I think it’s a good idea. I ju
st feel bad for putting you in the middle of this. I’ve tried to manage it on my own.”

  “I’m not in the middle of this. I’m right out front, and it’s between Dean and me from here on out.”

  She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. “I guess you really are a hero. Now eat before your food gets cold.”

  He smiled and picked up his fork and resumed his meal. If a woman thought he was her hero, then it was definitely a step in the right direction.

  ***

  “Thank you again for dinner. I wish you would let me pay. I feel like it should be my treat.”

  “You can make me dinner sometime. That will be thanks enough.”

  “Okay, just let me know when you’re available.”

  “Tomorrow night.”

  “Uh…tomorrow, it is.”

  “What would you like for dessert? I think they have tiramisu.”

  “I’m going to pass, but you go ahead.”

  He signaled the waiter for the check and took her hand. “If you’re ready, then so am I. Let’s get you home and make sure that your apartment is secure.”

  “I’m sure it’s fine. You don’t have to come over.”

  “Honey, it’s not an option. I’m sure Dean is not done for the evening, and I want to assess the security on your place so I can put a system in tomorrow.”

  She took her hand back and started looking out over the restaurant. “Fine.”

  As they waited for the check, he leaned toward her and smiled. “I just want to make sure that you’re safe. Please let me do that, Rachel.”

  Her expression softened at his words. “Thank you, Chris. I do appreciate what you’ve done this evening. It feels like too much, though.”

  He gave the waiter his card and paused until he walked away. “It’s not too much. I’m going to make sure that you’re taken care of.”

  “Thanks, Chris.”

  He signed the check, stood up, and held her chair as she got up. He took her hand and smiled as they ambled out of the restaurant. He had a date with Rachel tomorrow night.

  Being next to Chris, holding hands, was pretty much the best thing that happened to Rachel in over a year. Maybe they could just keep walking so it wouldn’t end. They could walk around and around until it felt like enough. Being in his company made her feel safe for the first time in over a year, and she didn’t want to let the feeling go any time soon. There were also feelings of desire and attraction simmering right below that, and she wanted to hold on to those as well. Glancing up, she caught his smile and gave him one in return. He squeezed her hand as they made their way into the parking garage, and it filled her up with a bubble of happiness.

  He opened her car door and made sure she got safely in. “I’m going to follow you. I’ll meet you at your place. I want to make sure that Dean isn’t lurking around anywhere.” He put his hand up as she began to protest. “Yes, it’s necessary. The guy is hopped up on steroids, and I’m not taking a chance.”

  “Thank you for doing this.”

  He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “My pleasure.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  As they walked into her building and she opened her door, she held up her hand. “I know what you’re going to say, and the parking area is secure.”

  He tried to keep his temper in check before responding. “It’s not, and I’ll be picking you up and taking you home until I solve this. Please don’t argue, because you’ll just make yourself tired.”

  They got on the elevator, and both stared ahead as the doors closed. “I appreciate your help, but you’re being a little overbearing.”

  “It’s called overprotective and paranoid.”

  They stepped out of the elevator and down the hall, and she muttered to herself about overbearing, obnoxious men and what they could do with their rules and demands.

  “You know, the last thing you said isn’t anatomically possible. But the rest probably is,” Chris replied.

  “Have a look at my condo and then leave, because I’ve had enough testosterone for one evening. I need a bath, a glass of wine, and Downton Abbey.” His charm was no longer on display as he bossed her around. Not one bit. There was no need to make the mistake of trading one problem for another. Not that Chris was a stalker, but he was a bit dictatorial.

  He followed her into what could only be described as an explosion of flowers, pink, and girl. This was the most feminine environment he’d ever been in, and he kind of liked it. He never would’ve guessed that Rachel liked pink so much. Hell, he hadn’t known there was that much pink in the world.

  As he looked around, she started laughing. “Are you afraid of what might happen to you if you sit on my pink couch?”

  “No, I like it. I don’t know why, but it’s restful.” He ran his hand over the orange pillows on the couch. There were lots of family pictures and mementos on the bookcase, and he wondered if he could look at them without her feeling uncomfortable. “I like your place. It seems like you’ve spent a lot of time decorating it.”

  “Are you saying that because I have a lot of stuff?”

  “I’m saying it because it because everything goes together. I’ve had my house for a couple of years, and it’s nothing like this.”

  “I bet you have a big couch and an amazing entertainment center with a big TV.”

  “I do. It took me a while to find a couch that was big enough. The guys make fun of it, but I notice they always want to come over and watch the games at my house on the weekends.”

  “I guess that makes sense. You’re a big guy, and a lot of the guys at the office are, too. I never thought about how uncomfortable it would be for you to sit on a small couch. You probably would last five minutes on mine.”

  He sat down on her bright pink couch and smiled. “This one’s actually comfortable. It’s really soft and poufy.”

  She looked at Chris sitting on her pink couch and realized that she’d never seen a sexier guy. He was big man with hard features, and seeing him in her feminine environment allowed her to notice it all over again. Sitting down next to him, she studied his hard face. His whiskey-colored eyes never wavered from hers as she lifted her hand and traced the scar that ran through his eyebrow and over his cheek. “Did you use up all of your good luck on surviving this?” She noticed how smooth his skin was and wondered what the rest of him was like.

  “I didn’t use it all up. I’m sitting here with you, and that means I have a ton of it left.” He took her hand and pressed his mouth against it as their gazes locked.

  Something powerful was happening between them, and she wasn’t going to take a breath for fear of it ending. She kept her hand in his as something potent shimmered between them. The air around them grew heavy with possibility and desire. At least, the air around her felt that way. But what if that was only true for her?

  Slowly, she pulled her hand away and rested it on her lap because she didn’t want him to notice it shaking. His powerful effect on her was playing out across all of her nerves. “Well…thanks for escorting me up. I should let you go.” The day’s events had overwhelmed her, and she didn’t want to do anything stupid. Like crawling into his lap and refusing to budge. That certainly wasn’t the right message to send. She should wait until they had a date and see if she felt the same way. Who was she kidding? The feeling wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Let me check your rooms, and then I’ll get out of your way.” They both stood up, and he walked through and checked the windows and doors. He made a mental note of what he was going to install tomorrow. The last room was her bedroom, and as he stepped in, he could smell her perfume. The room was all white and the most peaceful place he’d ever experienced. The only color in the room was from the flowers next to her bed. They were pink and overblown. He heard her come in and noticed she’d taken off her shoes. Her toenails were painted pink. He’d never realized feet could be sexy.

  “I bet you never expected this after seeing the rest of my place.”

  Finally able to clear his t
hroat, he said, “You’re right. I never would’ve guessed all white. What kind of flowers are those?”

  “Peonies. They’re my favorite. I like them because they’re so unrepentant, a flower with an attitude. I appreciate that.”

  He knew she was saying something important, but he couldn’t process it because most of the blood had left his brain. The only thing in his brain was the image of Rachel lying naked on the bed, waiting for him. He could see her dark hair spread out on the pillow and her startling lavender eyes staring up at him as her perfect mouth smiled at him in invitation. Yeah, he could see it all and knew it was going to take a lot of work to make that possible. But for the first time in forever, he wanted to do what it took to get that sort of invitation from her.

  “Am I secure?”

  He cleared his throat again and tried to clear the images out of his brain as he answered. “Yes, you are. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Rachel walked him to the door. “Good night. I appreciate what you did tonight. I’ve always faced him alone, and this time I didn’t have to.”

  “You’ll never face him alone again. In fact, you’ll never see him again, because I’m taking care of this.” He leaned down, pressed his mouth against hers, and felt a flash of desire so strong that he almost lost his balance. Straightening up, he smiled. “Night, Rach.” He noticed she moved her hand against her mouth and appeared as surprised as he felt. “Lock your doors.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  The next day, Chris walked up the street to Rachel’s condo and caught sight of her moving toward him, pulling a rolling basket. What the hell did she have on? He could see every curve she possessed, and she possessed quite a few. Why was she by herself? “Hi, Rach. How are you doing?”

  “I thought we were having dinner tonight…what are you doing here now?”

  “I came by to check on you, and I brought some stuff to install in your condo. Where have you been?” Her face closed down as she scowled at him. He couldn’t figure out what he’d done, but knew the explanation was coming quick and loud.