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“Where’s your baby?” he asked.
“She fell asleep shortly after Colonel Edgington arrived. I expect we’ll have just enough time to sneak in a meal before she wakes. At least I hope. Mind pouring us each some water for dinner? Glasses are to the right of the sink.”
“You got it.”
By the time he finished and they danced around each other in the small kitchen, she pulled the meatloaf from the oven. She’d made it big, hoping she’d have leftovers tomorrow. Wishful thinking now, but she was safe tonight, and she had Zy to thank. If Cash made the mistake of coming back, the sight of her temporary bodyguard would have her ex pissing his pants.
She laughed.
“Something funny?” Zy asked.
Tessa looked up from whipping her potatoes. “I was just thinking that if Cash returns, he’ll be mighty surprised.”
“He won’t find me very welcoming.”
“I’m pleased as punch to hear it.” She put a heap of butter on top of the potatoes, added a bit of pepper, then stirred, grabbed a pair of plates, and dished up their dinner. “Honestly, I don’t know why that man thought I’d welcome him back in the first place.”
“Some men have difficulty with the word no. But if he turns up and struggles to comprehend, I’ll set him straight.”
She believed he would, and his protectiveness made something in her belly flutter.
Oh, hell. Don’t start that business. Giving in to flutters over a fine form and a pretty face is how you became a single mother in the first place.
“Thank you.” She set the plates on the placemats, then reached for her chair.
Zy sidled beside her and pulled it out. “Let me.”
As Tessa sat, she couldn’t seem to unglue her stare from him. That flutter strengthened to something more like a kick. “Thank you.”
Just because the man has manners doesn’t mean he likes you. And you don’t need another Romeo.
He sat beside her and dropped his napkin in his lap. “Everything looks and smells fantastic.”
“Dig in,” she encouraged, doing the same.
He forked in a bite of potatoes, then moaned. The sound was so sexual it sent a shiver down her spine. “This is amazing. I’d forgotten how much I love good mashed potatoes.”
“You didn’t eat them much in the service?”
“Their version, sure. But comparing yours to those would be like comparing a da Vinci to a kindergarten art project.”
Tessa laughed. Zy had a sense of humor, too? Where had he been when she’d had the misfortune of meeting Cash?
In retrospect, she couldn’t be altogether sad about that. Without him, she wouldn’t have Hallie, and she loved her daughter almost more than her heart could contain.
“I don’t know if I’ve mastered potatoes the way da Vinci mastered art, but I appreciate the compliment.”
He took a bite of the meat and shook his head as pleasure spread across his face. “And I might have to compare your meatloaf to a Shakespearian sonnet because it’s that damn good.”
“Now you’re just buttering me up. If you were hoping for dessert, sorry. I didn’t make any. I’m still trying to lose baby weight.”
He lowered his fork and stared. “You look good to me.”
Tessa turned hot all over. “Thanks.”
The moment hung between them. Silent. Still. Full of awareness. Or was that in her head?
It doesn’t matter, girl. Stop making eyes at the man. And remember the rule about fraternizing with the operatives? The colonel had it written into his employee contract, so he must take that seriously. You need this job. Don’t screw up. Besides, Zy can’t possibly find you attractive when you’re dirty and half-awake.
She cleared her throat. “So where are you from?”
“California. Bay Area. You?”
The way he spit out the words suggested he had no intention of going back, but she didn’t pry. “Never been there.”
He shrugged. “There’s some good stuff, but mostly…you’re not missing much. Where are you from? Where did you get that soft drawl?”
The caress of his voice made her shiver. “Rocky Top, Tennessee.”
“Never been there.”
Tessa couldn’t help but smile. “It’s beautiful, and I have to be honest. You’re missing a lot.”
“I probably am.” He shoveled in another couple of bites. “Tell me what I need to know about your ex.”
She hated talking about him, but Zy should know the basic facts in case Cash wasn’t in the mood to give up. “We met at the post office. The colonel asked me to mail some things for him, and he was picking up a package. We got stuck in the same line…”
“So you started dating?”
She nodded. “I hadn’t lived here long, and he seemed nice enough. It probably sounds stupid now, but the fact that he knew a lot of the locals and always had a wave and a smile convinced me he was a decent guy.”
“How long before you suspected he wasn’t?”
“That happened over time. I didn’t like the way he treated waitstaff. He was dismissive, like they were beneath him. I waitressed a lot in high school, and I knew the type. But I made excuses for him. In every other way, he seemed all right.” And she’d been so lonely, the pain of being a stranger when she’d always had so many friends had made her vulnerable to Cash’s smooth words.
