in his chair, he exuded confidence and calm. He seemed so laid back, as if nothing got to him. She tried to imagine him slamming a suspect against the wall and cuffing him but couldn’t quite see it. She’d bet he was slow to anger and not one of those hot heads that was easily annoyed.
“I like to hunt. My family owns a lot of acreage and it’s something we all enjoy.” His secret grin frightened her a little.
She gulped. “Um, gun or bow and arrow?”
Or did he chase women through the woods before taking them down? Maybe he was a serial killer hiding behind his badge. There would be no one to stop him as he was the law there. Her breathing became erratic as she puffed in and out.
Colin reached across the table, grabbing her hand. “Stephanie? What is it?”
She calmed as he slowly rubbed his thumb across her pulse. This was ridiculous. She had an entire story built around her crazy delusion. Why did she always do that? Every person she met was a serial killer just waiting to harm her in some horrible way. Might as well tell him now before this went any further so he could walk away, no harm, no foul.
Taking a deep breath, “I imagined you were a serial killer intent on setting me loose in your woods and hunting me down before killing me.” Now she waited for him to shake his head and leave the crazy lady sitting at the table all alone as she caught her breath.
He laughed. His laughter boomed through the room and he actually wiped tears from the corner of his eyes before catching her gaze and laughing even harder.
Stephanie looked around the room and hunched her shoulders in embarrassment, feeling their heavy stares on her back.
Now she was getting a little peeved; it wasn’t that funny. Reaching over, she poked him with her butter knife. “Stop that! Everyone’s looking at us,” she whispered furiously.
Colin looked at the small knife in her hand and almost lost it again. “Breaking news,” he said between breaths. “Sheriff killed in five star restaurant by knife wielding one hundred pound assailant.”
He wasn’t running. She didn’t know quite what to do now since most men couldn’t handle her unique brand of crazy. Wait, he said one hundred pounds? She was in love; obviously the man wasn’t good at guessing weight. But he was a trained observer. He would have to be good at describing a person when he put out an all points bulletin. She was so confused.
Colin reached for her hand and gently set the knife aside. “Baby, I don’t mean to laugh at you, but your paranoia is all kinds of bat shit crazy.”
She tried to jerk her hand away but he held on tight.
“Hear me out. I understand where you’re coming from with being a cop and all. But hearing that you think I could be that person is so far from who I am, I can’t help but laugh.”
She felt the heat rush from her chest to her cheeks, but being self aware, she owned her paranoia like a badge of honor.
“I prefer to think of myself as an informed citizen who’s well aware of all the bad things that could happen.” She huffed and crossed her arms, giving him an elegant nod to show she understood his limitations in comprehending the evil that could be lurking everywhere. He lived in a small town, obviously nothing horrendous ever happened there.
Colin grinned, flashing those dimples once again. “Baby, you are adorable.”
She gave up. He was happy in his delusion where everyone lived in harmony. She would just have to educate him on how the world worked.
Colin stroked the back of her hand. “I know there is evil in the world, but I know there are a lot of good things going on too. I deal with the bad, good, and everything in between. One thing you need to know about me is that I am a protector. You have no need to fear anything, anymore. No one will get past me to get to you.”
Stephanie pulled back, warily. “Whoa dude. This is a first date and you’re getting really intense, really fast.”
Colin raked a hand through
“I like to hunt. My family owns a lot of acreage and it’s something we all enjoy.” His secret grin frightened her a little.
She gulped. “Um, gun or bow and arrow?”
Or did he chase women through the woods before taking them down? Maybe he was a serial killer hiding behind his badge. There would be no one to stop him as he was the law there. Her breathing became erratic as she puffed in and out.
Colin reached across the table, grabbing her hand. “Stephanie? What is it?”
She calmed as he slowly rubbed his thumb across her pulse. This was ridiculous. She had an entire story built around her crazy delusion. Why did she always do that? Every person she met was a serial killer just waiting to harm her in some horrible way. Might as well tell him now before this went any further so he could walk away, no harm, no foul.
Taking a deep breath, “I imagined you were a serial killer intent on setting me loose in your woods and hunting me down before killing me.” Now she waited for him to shake his head and leave the crazy lady sitting at the table all alone as she caught her breath.
He laughed. His laughter boomed through the room and he actually wiped tears from the corner of his eyes before catching her gaze and laughing even harder.
Stephanie looked around the room and hunched her shoulders in embarrassment, feeling their heavy stares on her back.
Now she was getting a little peeved; it wasn’t that funny. Reaching over, she poked him with her butter knife. “Stop that! Everyone’s looking at us,” she whispered furiously.
Colin looked at the small knife in her hand and almost lost it again. “Breaking news,” he said between breaths. “Sheriff killed in five star restaurant by knife wielding one hundred pound assailant.”
He wasn’t running. She didn’t know quite what to do now since most men couldn’t handle her unique brand of crazy. Wait, he said one hundred pounds? She was in love; obviously the man wasn’t good at guessing weight. But he was a trained observer. He would have to be good at describing a person when he put out an all points bulletin. She was so confused.
Colin reached for her hand and gently set the knife aside. “Baby, I don’t mean to laugh at you, but your paranoia is all kinds of bat shit crazy.”
She tried to jerk her hand away but he held on tight.
“Hear me out. I understand where you’re coming from with being a cop and all. But hearing that you think I could be that person is so far from who I am, I can’t help but laugh.”
She felt the heat rush from her chest to her cheeks, but being self aware, she owned her paranoia like a badge of honor.
“I prefer to think of myself as an informed citizen who’s well aware of all the bad things that could happen.” She huffed and crossed her arms, giving him an elegant nod to show she understood his limitations in comprehending the evil that could be lurking everywhere. He lived in a small town, obviously nothing horrendous ever happened there.
Colin grinned, flashing those dimples once again. “Baby, you are adorable.”
She gave up. He was happy in his delusion where everyone lived in harmony. She would just have to educate him on how the world worked.
Colin stroked the back of her hand. “I know there is evil in the world, but I know there are a lot of good things going on too. I deal with the bad, good, and everything in between. One thing you need to know about me is that I am a protector. You have no need to fear anything, anymore. No one will get past me to get to you.”
Stephanie pulled back, warily. “Whoa dude. This is a first date and you’re getting really intense, really fast.”
Colin raked a hand through
Similar Books
Black Bridge
Edward Sklepowich
Xander (Billionaire Racers Book 1)
Anne Marsh
Taming the Dragon Collection
Jessica Ryan
On The Run
Iris Johansen
The Nefaliem's Duty (Ordinal Novella, 1)
Kelvia-Lee Johnson
A Far Justice
Richard Herman
Affair with the Rebel Heiress (2010)
EMILY MCKAY
Moroccan Traffic
Dorothy Dunnett
Chantress
Amy Butler Greenfield
