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“My dad,” I confirmed. “He taught me to drive bikes, quads, cars, the lot. Even when I was a kid. We would use his private race track behind our house. I’d happily ride anything. I even tried to ride one of our dogs more than once.” A lot of times, really.

Cole’s lips twitched. “What? You’re kidding.”

“Nope. Bronty was huge. Like a pony.”

“And so you thought you should ride him.”

“It seemed like a good idea back then. He never growled at or bit me, which amazes me, but he’d buck all over the placelike a bull and fling me off his back. I can’t say I blame him.” I set down my glass. “Do you have any pets?”

“No. Doesn’t seem fair to have any when they wouldn’t get the amount of attention from me that they’d need and deserve.” He swallowed another mouthful of beer. “You?”

I shook my head. “I travel a lot, so it’s not feasible to have a pet. I’d be dragging the poor soul everywhere.” But if I took my mother’s advice and settled somewhere, I could maybe look into getting a dog.

Cole stretched out one of my curls and then let it rebound back into place, his eyes heating. “I could develop an obsession with your hair. And with that mouth of yours—it’s straight out of every man’s fantasy.” His gaze bore into mine. “But those eyes … they take hold.”

I playfully fanned my face though, really, Iwasa little on the flustered side. “Don’t make me swoon, Cole, I’ll never shake off the embarrassment.”

He chuckled. “We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Our food soon arrived. We talked more as we ate, exchanging small anecdotes and discussing mundane matters. It was after the waitress later took away our empty plates that Cole’s face tightened as his gaze locked on something up ahead of us.

“Don’t look,” he said before I had the chance to track his gaze. “Ryland is here. He and some blonde are settled at another table. And he was staring right at you until he noticed I’d caught him at it.”

I felt my lips thin. “Ignore the pillock. He’s a waste of flesh and bones.”

Cole slid his eyes back to me. “I’m surprised any woman here would give him the time of day, since it’s obvious by the article that he’s chatty about what takes place here. He might not have explicitly mentioned the club, but he sure hadn’t held histongue about what went on within it—or what he falsely alleged went on within it, I should say. I would have thought that female members would make a point of avoiding him.”

I’d anticipated that same reaction, so it confused me that he’d have company. I frowned as a thought occurred to me. “Does the blonde he’s with have a floral tattoo on her face, by any chance?”

“Yes. You know her?”

“I’ve spoken to her once. Her name’s Karen. He was in an arrangement with her before me. Maybe they decided to pick up where they left off. Or maybe this is a public gesture that she supports him. Who knows?”

“Does it bother you that he might have moved on so fast?” Cole asked, his voice slightly stiff.

Was he kidding? “I couldn’t give a monkey’s tit.”

Cole’s mouth curved. “So that’s a no, then.”

“A very hard no. Especially since it will hopefully mean that he won’t turn up at my apartment building again. I’m sick of dealing with him.”

Cole’s smile disappeared in an instant. “He went to see you?”

“Twice. The first time, I was here with you. He tried and failed to get my friend and neighbor, Briar, to let him inside the building.”

“What about the second time?”

“That was yesterday, shortly before you texted me. He approached me in the parking lot as I was heading toward the building. He’s claiming that he had nothing to do with the article; that a friend he drunkenly confided in sold him out and twisted what he said.”

Cole’s gaze flitted over my face. “Do you believe him?”

“I don’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth.” I bit my lower lip. “You should know that he mentioned you.”

His brows dipped. “Me?”

“Someone must have told him that you and me met up here last weekend.” I paused. “He tried convincing me that you were physically abusive toward your ex.”

Cole’s expression darkened. “What?” he bit out. “That’s a load of shit.” He tensed as if to rise.

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