AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But still, he hadn’t even given me a single detail about the job. What I’d be doing and what I would be getting paid, not that I really cared since I was only in this town for one purpose, but he could at least fill me in on wherever he was dragging me to.
A rough chuckle scraped the air. I swore, it zinged across my skin.
Damn him.
“I don’t think you know the meaning of overbearing, Ms. Ward.”
He strode out the door, simply expecting me to follow. Part of me wanted to pout and protest and perch myself on that couch for the rest of the day, but I at least had to give the guy a little credit.
He hadn’t charged me or even given me a fine.
I mean, I could be headed to the courthouse right about now rather than for a job interview, so I scrambled to stand, shoving my feet into my shoes as I went chasing after him, hopping on one foot while I dragged one on then doing the same with the other.
He was halfway across the room filled with desks by the time I’d made it out the door. “Can’t a woman even get her shoes on before you go stalking off expecting her to follow?” I grumbled.
“I’ve got things to do,” he said, heading for the same door he’d led me through last night. He tossed it open, and I barely caught the handle in time to pull it back open. I rushed across the lobby and out the front door and into the morning light that had begun to soak the crisp October sky.
The sky was strewn in pinks and purples and blues, and the mountains that hugged the little town jutted into the horizon.
It was so gorgeous that I almost skidded to a stop to take in the beauty.
But Ezra Patterson was already down the steps and across the parking lot where my car was parked, and he reached into the driver’s side and pushed the button to pop the trunk.
Fear sank like a stone into the pit of my stomach, that living, thriving thing that promised I couldn’t trust anyone. I’d tried. I’d taken the risk, had gone against my better judgement, and had contacted the authorities in Houston. Pain lanced through my heart as I thought about what had happened. I couldn’t take that chance again.
Racing for my car, I nabbed my bag from the trunk before Officer Patterson had the chance to get there.
That strong brow tightened, and his steps slowed in caution as he approached where I lingered behind the trunk. “Why’s it that you’re looking like you have something to hide?”
Forcing my best scowl, I hugged the bag closer. “Maybe I don’t want you rummaging around in my private things. My lacy, private things.”
I lifted my chin, daring him to invade my privacy.
In exasperation, he scrubbed a hand over his face like he didn’t know what to do with me.
Good.
He’d get annoyed or bored and forget that he’d stumbled on me.
Only my molars suddenly ground and that ball in my stomach dropped for entirely different reasons. Reasons that were so foolish and ridiculous that I couldn’t comprehend the knee-jerk reaction.
But it was the first time that I noticed that Ezra was wearing a ring around his left ring finger.
Hot Cop was married.
My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip to squelch the feeling that came a little too close to disappointment.
I didn’t do relationships or flings or even one-night stands. Not anymore. Getting that close to someone was not an option.
But there was something that twisted through my insides at the thought of him being with someone else.
Jealousy, I guessed.
Which was just plain stupid.
Swallowing it down, I plastered a bright smile on my face. “Are you going to show me that locker room or leave me standing out here all day?”
I didn’t have time to prepare myself before he reached out and snatched the bag from my arms. He turned on his heel and started back up the walk.
I hurried behind him. “Hey. That’s mine.”
He threw open the lobby door, and I followed him inside. “You already made that abundantly clear.”
He strode to the office door and punched in the code. I was right behind him. “So give it back.”
“Have you ever heard of a little thing called chivalry?” His words were gruff as ever.
I scoffed. “And haven’t you heard that chivalry is dead? Do you think I’m not capable of carrying my own bag?”
I hated the panic that locked in my chest. The feeling that I might lose something important. That he held it in his hands and there was nothing I could do about it.
He whirled on me just as I was stepping through the door. “I think you’re capable of many things, Savannah, but maybe you need to realize that just because you can do it all yourself, you don’t have to.”
