Cops 02 - Love on the Run Read Free Page A

Together, he and Jack made a stunning — and intimidating — pair.
    Tony’s face suddenly split into a grin as he began to laugh, and Bianca knew exactly what it would sound like, was convinced that she could actually hear it from all the way across the room — so rich, so sexy, and so utterly masculine. She groaned inwardly as a shudder raced through her. God, even the thought of hearing his voice turned her on.
    Bianca closed her eyes briefly and swallowed hard as she shook her head to clear away thoughts of Tony. “God, I am so losing it,” she muttered.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Bianca’s eyes snapped open, and she looked up to find Clarke, a concerned expression on her face, standing in front of her table holding a plate of food. “Nothing,” she said quickly, and smiled. “Just thinking about…stuff.” Her explanation sounded flimsy, even to her own ears. And from the way Clarke studied her, Bianca knew she wasn’t buying it, either.
    “Are you…” Clarke began, and Bianca almost breathed a sigh of relief when Jack appeared behind her and interrupted the conversation before she had a chance to finish speaking.
    “Time to go, baby.” Jack took the plate out of Clarke’s hand. Smiling, he sat the plate in front of her. “How’s it going, Bianca?”
    “I’m doing better now that I see you’re going to take Clarke home so she can get some rest.” Bianca barely refrained from laughing. From the look on her face, it was obvious Clarke wanted to protest.
    Ever since Clarke’s attack, Jack had become fiercely protective, and Bianca knew that his protectiveness drove her crazy. Personally, Bianca thought it was great. She liked that Jack took such good care of Clarke. It showed just how much he loved her. And, in spite of her claims otherwise, Bianca knew that Clarke liked it, too.
    Jack barely gave Clarke time to say her good-byes and get her things before he ushered her out of the door.
    Once they were gone, she glanced in Tony’s direction again. She saw him talking to Clarke’s father. She stayed seated a few minutes more as she gathered up her courage.
    Finally, after a few minutes ticked by, Bianca took a deep breath. “It’s now or never,” she muttered. She stood up and headed toward Tony’s table.
     
    *
     
    Tony stared into the face of Clarke’s father, only half-listening to him. The closest thing Tony had to a father, he loved and respected Pops dearly. But at the moment, Tony found it next to impossible to focus on anything he was saying.
    Although Tony wasn’t looking in her direction, he knew that Bianca was approaching his table. From the moment she walked into the restaurant, he’d been aware of her presence and had been discreetly observing her the entire time.
    That was nothing new. He’d done more than his fair share of staring at Bianca during the past few months. She was, by far, the most beautiful woman he’d ever met, the type of woman that made men and women stare when they saw her.
    She reached his table just at Pops finished speaking. “How are you, Pops?” She smiled at Pops, but Tony noticed that her gaze kept darting to him.
    “You know, Bianca, I do believe that you get more beautiful every time I see you.”
    “Well, thank you, Pops.” Bianca laughed and gave him a brief hug. “You always know exactly what to say. I bet you were quite the ladies’ man in your day.” Pops leaned near Bianca and whispered loud enough for Tony to hear, “Don’t tell anybody, but I still am.”
    Tony’s laughter joined theirs as he shook his head at Pops’s comment.
    “Now I see where Clarke gets her personality from,” Bianca told him. Her laughter died off as her focus shifted back to Tony. “Hi. Can I…would you mind if I joined you?”
    Tony’s brow arched as he stared back at her. He saw Pops looking from him to Bianca; his face registered surprise, the same as Tony felt. This was definitely a first. Bianca never voluntarily approached him or started up a