the way Dax had spoken to her, and threatened her. She’d thought for sure that Roman would find something incriminating in the files.
She had hoped she would wake up this morning and it would all make sense. Now she was more confused than ever. She was tempted to give Dax the flash drive and just be done with the whole thing, but intuition told her to wait and let Roman dig deeper. She trusted him, and she knew that if anyone could figure this out he could. And if she really was in some sort of danger, he would keep her safe. Despite all that they had been through she had never once doubted that he would sacrifice his own life to save hers.
There had been an incident back in college, when they were still just friends. They had been studying at the university library for finals and he was walking her back to her sorority house when a strung-out-looking guy, not much older than them, pulled a gun on them and demanded Gracie’s purse and Roman’s wallet. Without hesitation Roman had stepped in front of her. Whatever the guy had been on, his hands had been shaking and he’d been visibly agitated. Roman had spoken to him in a very calm and rational voice and done as he’d asked, handing over the requested items. As soon as the guy had them, he’d run off. He was never caught, and it had been a pain in the butt having to replace everything in her purse, but Roman’s cool head and quick thinking had saved them from further trouble.
Still, she hated that she needed someone’s protection. It was just all so confusing and disturbing, but she trusted Roman to do the right thing.
When he walked into the kitchen fifteen minutes later he was freshly showered, clean-shaven and dressed for work in black slacks and a black cashmere sweater, carrying a black blazer that he hung over the back of a chair at the kitchen table. “Something smells good,” he said.
“Bacon, eggs sunny-side up, raisin toast and juice. And of course coffee.” She had the feeling they were both going to need it. “Have a seat.”
He took a spot at the table while she fixed their plates, and he asked, “What did you want to talk about?”
Here we go, she thought, and the knots that had begun to loosen in her belly cinched tight again. What if she poured her heart out to him, and he rejected her? What if to him this was just a fling? What if he was content being single and on the market?
But what if he wasn’t?
She served the food and sat down, taking a deep breath for courage. “The last few weeks have been wonderful,” she said.
He nodded and smiled, but his eyes were serious. “I think so, too.”
“Despite everything that’s happened between us, I feel as if we’ve really reconnected.”
“I feel that way, too.”
She was so nervous the smell of the eggs was upsetting her stomach so she pushed her plate away. Why couldn’t she just say it?
“Obviously something is on your mind that you’re hesitant to talk about,” he said. “Whatever it is, good or bad, I want you to tell me.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “If that’s what you want.”
For a big tough guy he was so damned sweet sometimes.
She swallowed her fear, and her pride, and said, “I know we agreed on our friends-with-benefits arrangement, but everything feels different now. I feel different. But before I get in any deeper I need to know if you feel the same way. If you think we have a future together. I know it’s only been a few weeks, and I don’t want to rush you—”
“Yes.”
She blinked. “Yes?”
“Yes,” he said, still holding her hand, and the affection in his eyes was so nakedly honest her heart shifted in her chest. “I see us having a future together. I want us to be together. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, Gracie. Hard as I tried to forget you, I never could. You’re a part of me. I know there’s bad feelings, and it will take time, but not being with you isn’t an option anymore. We can just take it one day at a time.”
She was so relieved, and so happy that she’d had the courage to ask.
“I can do that,” she said. Hell, in the past she had waited two years for their relationship to bloom into something more than friendship.
“I do have one more question,” she said. “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
“I was kind of hoping someone would invite me to Nora and Reid’s wedding,” he said with a grin.
His smile warmed her from the inside out. “Would you be my date?”
“I would love to,” he said, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, then letting go. “But right now I have to eat and get to work.”
“This early?” she said, feeling disappointed. She had been hoping they might have a little time to fool around before he left.
“My day is booked solid. How about you?”
The truth was, she had more work than she could handle. They were obviously both workaholics, but she was sure they could make that work. “I’ll probably shower and get to the office early, too.”
“Not gonna happen.”
“I have to go to work.”
“And you will, but I’m sending a car for you. It will take you to and from work, or anywhere else you need to go. I don’t want you going anywhere alone. Understand?”
“You don’t think that’s excessive?”
“Not at all. A threat is a threat.”
“But if there’s nothing on the flash drive—”
“This is not negotiable,” he said firmly. “We’re not taking any chances.”
“Maybe I should take a look at that flash drive again and see if there’s something you missed. I know that campaign like the back of my hand.”
“Actually I was going to take them with me to work. I want to make a few inquiries and take another look at them. Besides, if the senator really is determined to get them, his ‘associate’ will never get past my building security. They’ll be safest there.”
“Should I maybe call the police? Like you said, a threat is a threat.”
“They’re going to want proof. I hate to say it, but it’s your word against a state senator’s, and you might not be taken seriously. He has connections. It might only make the situation worse.”
Roman was probably right. Dax was extremely well liked. And well connected. “It’s just so frustrating that he can get away with that. That he can threaten and bully me with no consequences. I did so much for him. I really believed in him. I feel so betrayed, and so stupid for not seeing who he really is.”
“You could only see what he let you see. He’s a politician, and sadly most of them will say or do anything to appeal to the base and get elected. And they’ll do anything to avoid a scandal. This is why I stay away from clients with political motivations.”
“I’m sorry you had to be dragged into this. I’m pretty sure
