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“Would you like to come in?” She shouts, now using a broom handle to try and silence the alarm, so I happily take the invitation, hurrying to help her.
Reaching for the broom, our fingers brush, and the connection of her skin against mine sends that same electric spark through my veins that it did when I touched her last. Our eyes lock, and the moment fills with tension. She’s tall for a woman but still several feet shorter than me, and looking down into her pretty baby blues, I fall in love all over again. I remember when she rushed to my side the night those mob goons were about to do the unthinkable. Bowling the worst game in the history of bowling before the FBI ripped us apart. The look on her face when she was forced into a waiting and the door slammed between us still makes my heart ache.
“Hi,” she says, still staring up at me in shock. Her teeth then bite down on that luscious lower lip I’m dying to taste again.
“You said that.”
“I’m still not fully convinced I’m not dreaming.”
“You’re not. I’m really here. Almost as surprised as you.”
“What do you mean, almost?”
“I mean, believe it or not, I’ve been hiding in the mountains of North Carolina under the protection of the FBI since I’ve seen you last.”
“That seems like a weird line to pull on me right now, but considering how we met and how we parted, I’m inclined to believe it.”
“I decided to cooperate in the investigation against Joseph Moretti so I can live a normal life. So, I could see you again. Maybe take you on a date…anything but bowling.” I say, stepping into her space and breathing in her cinnamon scent. She’s got flour and cinnamon dusted all over her fitted tank top and pajama pants covered in reindeer. Her hair is down, and her wild curls beg me to touch them. I reach out, the blonde strand soft under my fingers, and rest my knuckle against her cheek, feeling her soft skin.
“I’ve missed you,” I whisper across her face.
Her cheeks blush, and she gives me the most adorable grin, making me smile too.
“Is it crazy if I missed you too? The guy I saved from the mob, then ran off and had the most epic date of my life with, only to never see him again…except here you are.”
“Are you happy to see me?” I ask cautiously, needing to know if she still wants me after all this time or if things in her life have changed. This probably shouldn’t be the first time I consider whether she has a boyfriend, but it is. Still, I can’t pull myself away.
“Yes, but how did you find me?” Her questioning eyes search mine for an explanation for this crazy meeting.
“Honestly, I didn’t. I made the deal to come to look for you but did not know where to start. I was placed here through protective services and can’t leave the property. I’ve been helping Fitzy out in exchange for the room next door. Not that I’m any good at being a handyman.” I tell her truthfully, then hit the button, successfully silencing her fire alarm.
“So now you’re here hiding from the bad guys?”
“Basically. The FBI has a solid case thanks to the books I took with me when we ran off, but I might have to testify how I got them.”
“And that’s why you’re still hiding.”
“Yeah. I needed out of Sycamore Mountain, but they still aren’t ready to move on the Moretti family.”
“Wow. Ok.”
I hear the fear in her voice and immediately drop my hand. I wasn’t ready to find her because I still have dangerous people looking for me. They know everything about my life as Dalton Andrews, and if they find her, she’ll be in danger…so as much as I want to kiss her, I step back.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I shouldn’t be here. I can’t have you…at least not yet.”
Chapter Five
Blair
December
I take a hardy gulp of my cocktail while Fitzy shakes up another for herself and pours it into her martini glass. We’re sitting poolside, waiting for the other girls to join us. She called for an emergency meeting after I texted her about her new hunky handyman, who’s been avoiding me for days.
“Hey, sorry I’m late. The meeting ran late, and baby daddy is getting increasingly obsessed,” Ivy says, pulling out a bottle of water from her purse and sitting next to me.She’s staying in my guest room while here on business, but I suspect she’ll be moving to the upstairs penthouse sooner rather than later, and I’m here for it. I understand her reservations, but Cor is her perfect match, and his persistence is exactly what she needs to get out of her own head.
