Page 45 of Love in Overdrive

Chapter 15

“Is your friend reliable?” Laney sat on a log, clumping snow in her hands.

“Yeah. He’s been my best friend my whole life.” Cade sat next to her, writing in the fresh accumulation with a stick. Tell her. He should, but he didn’t relish the thought of seeing the look of disappointment in her eyes.

“So, murder?” Her voice was so soft, he barely heard her.

At least she sat close. If she was really scared, no way she’d be thigh to thigh with him.

Cade took a deep breath and turned to face her. “It started with a girl, a dance, and a pissed-off ex.”

She nodded. “Her ex or yours?”

“Hers.” Cade watched her face for any signs of disgust. “My unit was shipping out the next day. My buddy talked me into going for a drink.”

Her brow crept up. Shouting bullshit couldn’t have gotten her thought across any louder.

“What happened next was all on me, but it wasn’t murder. It was self-defense.”

“Then why did the newscaster say you were charged with murder?”

“Because he’s an idiot. I was charged with manslaughter. The charges would have been dismissed in any other county. There were witnesses, but we were in a little, backward town just off base down south.” He gave her the condensed version of the story.

“Did you appeal it?”

“My CO got involved and got me a reduced sentence. But they couldn’t drop the charges fully because of my training.”

“Training? What? Are you some sort of blackbelt or assassin for the military?” She chuckled.

“Something like that.” When she stiffened, he took her hands, holding her in place. “I belonged to a special ops unit.”

“Oh.” She studied the snowball in her hand so intently, Cade expected her to chuck it at him. She didn’t.

“The guy pulled a knife. When I took him down, he hit his head on the edge of a table. It was an accident.”

She was quiet for a long time.

Fuck. Restless energy coursed through his body. He jumped up and paced. What if she cut him out of her life? He’d just found her. It shouldn’t matter, but this girl had wormed her way into his heart in a matter of a day. A dance, really, if he was being honest with himself.

Whack. A cold thud hit the back of his head. He whirled around to find Laney on her feet, balling up another snowball.

“You should have fought it. He started it, pulled a knife, and accidentally hit the table. You gave up your career and did time for that dumb-butt’s actions.” Another snowball hit his chest.

Cade bit back a smile. She was mad… for him, not at him. In three long strides, he closed the distance between them. He cupped her shoulders. Her eyes darkened. No scared little girl here. Nope, just a strong, caring woman. His gut knew she was special.

His mouth crashed down on hers, and she opened for him. The heat of their kiss warmed his core.

She broke the kiss but held firm to his coat. “Is that all of it?”

“Yes.”

“Have you killed anyone on purpose?” She waited.

Shit. Cade swallowed hard. “Yes.”

She bit her lips. He could see the gears turning in her head. “Have you killed anyone not in the line of duty?”

A slow smile tugged at his lips. “No, ma’am.”