What they had was still searing hot. But this humming feeling inside him, even when she wasn’t looking at him, was what she did for him. He was one mangy lovesick sorry-ass bastard not to own it all along. She made him feel worthy.
No one before Nicole Jamieson had ever made him feel worthy. Not his parents. Certainly not his untouchable older brother, Gabe. Only Cole did that for him. And he was grateful enough to learn that lesson a second time. He would never, no matter what happened now, squander it with less than his best.
X was after Cole, had been stalking her while Scott hadn’t even considered that possibility after his parents’ home was wrecked. Once again he’d allowed passion to overrule methodical good sense. Gabe would be laughing his ass off at the mistake.
Scott swallowed hard, forcing down personal emotions as he tried to think objectively. X had not succeeded. Cole was not helpless. Twice she’d made the correct judgments. He could trust her professionalism and instincts to keep her safe now that she was aware of the danger X presented.
They had talked after they got home last night. He’d told her about X, and his suspicions about the reason his parents’ home was wrecked. She was surprised but not frightened. Law-enforcement professionals, particularly local police officers, knew it was just a matter of time before they were confronted by a felon they had had a part in putting away. Occasionally one of them came looking for vengeance. Most of them could be faced down by simply calling them out on the spot. Big talk was cheap. Even felons knew that taking on one police officer meant taking on the entire force. The Blue took care of their own.
So now Cole was warned.
But that didn’t exactly solve the problem.
Dave was right. He should tell Lattimore about X. But if he did so, Lattimore might pull him, probably would pull him, off the task force. The Pagans ran drugs, among other things, for a living. If X continued to track him he could learn enough to jeopardize the task force operation. However, if he, Scott, bowed out there was no guarantee that X would follow him and leave Cole and the operation alone.
Scott rubbed his jaw, trying to think dispassionately like the DEA agent he was. He’d never before let personal feelings get between him and cold hard reality.
But Cole had never been up against anyone like X.
And that made it personal.
He was probably breaking protocol, maybe even DEA rules, but he needed to stay very close to Cole until he had neutralized X. He wasn’t going to give Lattimore an excuse to pull him. He’d deal with the consequences if and when he needed to. Until then, Cole’s welfare was his main objective.
His past couldn’t be allowed to further jeopardize his family or Cole. He’d have to find a way to take X out before the prick had a chance to make his next move.
X wanted his attention? He had it. One hundred and fifty percent. He just hoped the bastard made it easy for him to take him down the hard way.
Cole came running up with Hugo bouncing along beside her as if he not yet had a workout. Cole was another story. Sweat plastered her slant of bangs to her forehead and made her face gleam. But it was her smile that pushed the air from his lungs.
“Help me gather the Weave poles?”
Scott spread his legs and pulled her in between them. “What do I get for helping?”
Laughing, she pushed against his chest. “You’re awfully sure of yourself today.”
“Believe it.” He was in deep trouble, and about to go deeper. All to protect the woman in the circle of his arms.
“You’ve been idle too long. Want to let me beat you at a game of racquetball later on?”
“Maybe another time. Tonight I’ve got to see a man about a dog.”
Cole’s smile disappeared. “If this is about X—”
He put a finger to her lips. “You need to trust me.”
She frowned. “I do. But—”
He cut off her protest with a kiss so long and deep a couple of teenagers on skateboards passing by started making kissy sounds of derision.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Hey there. Your girlfriend’s up next, gorgeous.”
Jennifer and Lorene waved at Scott as he cut across the grass toward the Agility ring. The two women were again decked out in sunshades, matching floral this time, bright solid tops and khaki capris. As he recalled, Jennifer was the talky one. Great. She’d want to chat.
He tossed a wave in their general direction. In no mood to be social, he increased his pace.