LITMIR.BIZ

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okay, I’ll wait.”

      “You don’t have to wait in the lobby,” she said, feeling uncertain that inviting him up was wise. Still, she did. “I’ll buzz the lock on the lobby door. I’m in the second-floor front apartment. Just walk in. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

      “Gotcha.”

      That was what she was afraid of, and if he did have her, what did he intend to do with her?

      Thinking she must either be nuts or self-destructive, Kate unlocked the front door and, turning, dashed back into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

      She heard the front door open and Hawk call out, “I’m here, Kate. Take your time. I’m in no hurry.”

      In the process of fastening her belt, Kate had to smile. Hawk was—or at least appeared to be—so nice, pleasant. But then appearances, she reminded herself, were deceiving. She sighed, fully aware that she knew that better than most.

      When she entered the living room, Hawk was standing with his back to her, perusing the books on her five-shelf bookcase. He looked gorgeous from the rear.

      “See something you like?” she asked, her face growing warm from merely thinking about his tight rear.

      He turned to smile at her before replying. “Now I do.” He ran a slow look over her, which parched her throat and moistened other places she didn’t care to think about at the moment.

      “Ready to go?” she asked brightly, perhaps a bit too brightly.

      “Ready for anything,” he said in a tone that was darn close to a purr. “What about you?”

      So am I. The thought zapped into her mind and she immediately zapped it back out. “Uhh…” She stalled, trying to think of a reply, then improvised. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’m not ready for lunch…at least not in a restaurant.” She dragged up a facsimile of a smile. “I’ll be spending most of the rest of the day in a restaurant.”

      He shrugged. “Okay, what would you rather do?”

      She didn’t have to think about that one. “It’s such a mild and beautiful day. “I’d like to spend some time outside. What do you think?” Kate watched as he pondered her suggestion for all of a few seconds.

      “I think it’s a great idea,” he said and arched one brow. “Do you like hot dogs?”

      Kate had to smile. “I love hot dogs, especially dogs loaded with chili.”

      “Well…” he said slowly, “how about we drive to town, park and stroll around the outside of the casino hotels. Some of the grounds are beautiful. When we’re ready, we can go into one of the hotel food courts, have our dogs and, if we still have time, maybe check out some of the upscale shops.”

      Kate came to a halt, staring at him as if he had two heads.

      “What?” Hawk said, frowning.

      “You like to shop?” She managed a fake note of awe.

      His frown turned into a wry expression. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say I like it, but I don’t mind shopping occasionally…like two or three times a year.” He grinned at her.

      Even as she shook her head in despair at him, Kate grinned back. “Okay. Let’s roll before you change your mind.”

      “Good idea.” As if unconscious of his move,

      Hawk curled his hand around hers, laced their fingers together and led them out the door.

      Kate’s hand tingled with warmth as they rode the elevator to the ground floor. When the doors slid apart, she immediately felt both chilled and angry all over at the sight that met her eyes.

      Jeff…What was he doing there? Her earlier fear coursed back. She could hardly miss his hand reaching for the buzzer to one of the apartments. She felt Hawk stiffen beside her, as if readying for a fight, either verbal or physical.

      “What are you doing here, Jeff?” she said, trying to tell Hawk to keep his cool by squeezing his hand.

      Without taking his hard-eyed gaze off Jeff, Hawk tightened his grip on her fingers.

      “I came to invite you to brunch,” Jeff answered, his tone of voice demeaning. “But I see you obviously have already eaten.”

      Steel infused Kate’s back and her head lifted, propelled by pride and anger at the insult in his double entendre. A low, almost growling sound in his throat, Hawk took a step forward.

      “Don’t,” she said, yanking his hand to hold him back. “He’s not worth your time and energy.” She looked at Jeff with distaste. “I saw a lawyer today. He is going to swear out an order of restraint against you.”

      “You bitch,” Jeff snarled. “And you think that should worry me?” His laugh was harsh, demeaning. “I should have taught you who’s boss long ago.”

      Kate felt the simmering anger inside Hawk with the tremor that flashed through him from his rough hand in hers.

      “You gutless bastard.” Hawk’s voice was very soft, controlled and somehow terrifying. He again took a step forward, loosening his fingers to draw his hand away from hers.

      Kate clasped his arm with her free hand, holding him in place next to her.

      “I’d advise you to leave, Jeff, while you are still in one piece,” Hawk growled.

      Though Jeff sneered and put on an act of bravado, as if unimpressed with the six-foot-six-inch Hawk, he cast a disparaging look at Kate as he turned, yanked open the lobby door, then paused to glance back this time in clear fear and anger. He glared at Hawk. “You have no idea the trouble you’re going to be in.” He sneered. “I have friends in this town.”

      “Yeah, yeah,” Hawk drawled, obviously neither impressed nor intimidated. “And all of them in low places, I’m sure. You know what you can do with your threats and your friends. Get lost.”

      His face looking like it was about to cave in on itself, Jeff tore out of the lobby. The swiftness of his steps as he headed for his car was proof that the bigger man had more than intimidated him. He had scared the hell out of him.

      “Son of a bitch,” Hawk said softly between his teeth, harsh anger in his voice. Tension hummed through his taut body. He made another move, as if to follow after Jeff.

      “Hawk, please don’t,” Kate said, tugging his hand.

      He paused, but his hard-eyed gaze remained fixed on the other man until he drove away. Only then did he shift his gaze to her. “I’m not a violent man, Kate,” he said, his voice still threaded with anger. “But I’ll take only so much, be pushed only so far…”

      “Not today,” she said, smiling in hopes of cooling his temper.

      “No?” Hawk raised one brow. “Says who?” The tension and anger were gone; his eyes teased her.

      “Me…I…” She shook her head. “Whatever. I’m ready for a walk in the sunshine…I need a breath of fresh air after that nasty encounter.”

      Hawk’s expression was sober, but his eyes continued to tease. “Okay, but this jaunt better be good.”

      “Or?” Kate asked in challenge.

      “Or it won’t be,” he said, grinning, an invitation for her to join him.

      Her relief palpable, Kate laughed.

      The tension gone, they had a brief tug-of-war over whose car they were going to use. Hawk won with the simple offer to drop Kate off at work afterward.

      The hours they spent together seemed to fly by. They talked practically the entire time, except while they were devouring the chili dogs, sharing one order of French fries and sipping on iced tea.

      In a boutique in the Forum Shops at Caesars, they

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