“Tell me about him,” Sebrina said, after Monica and Victoria left for the ladies’ room.
Kennedy glanced over at her cousin and smiled. “There’s not a lot to say, other than I think he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. He was hired as head of security a few months ago. I’d heard women all over the office raving about him, but I hadn’t seen him for myself until today. We bumped into each other. Literally. Then we ran into each other at lunch and dined together. He’s hot.”
Sebrina chuckled. “You’ve met hot men before.”
Kennedy smiled. “Yes, but he’s different. And about ten years older than me.”
“You’ve never dated guys that much older than you before.”
“I know. But maybe, he’s exactly what I need, a more mature man. Haddison takes being hot to a whole other level for me. And we have chemistry. I’ve never been attracted to anyone, so intensely and so quickly.”
“Umm, what about that bank robber?”
Kennedy didn’t say anything for a minute. Sebrina was the only one she’d told about her feelings for the bank robber. “It’s just as powerful, though I think it’s even stronger because there’s no fear involved. In fact, when I looked into Haddison’s eyes today, they reminded me of the robber. And no, I’m not getting the two confused.”
Sebrina eyed her speculatively. “And you’re sure about that?”
“Positive.”
“Hmm, so if this much older, drop-dead gorgeous security expert calls and asks you out, you’d go?”
“In a heartbeat. Why else would I have given him my number? Rivers doesn’t have a fraternization policy about employees dating. And even if they did, I’m only there for four more weeks.”
“How did Larry Matthews handle your resignation?”
Kennedy shrugged. “He asked if I could extend my time and I told him no. Then he asked where I’d be working.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t tell him.”
“Good for you.”
Kennedy was pretty sure she’d done the right thing. Her horoscope that morning had said ‘Get ready to expand your horizons’. She took it as a sign that today was the perfect day to submit her resignation. However, now she wondered if it had anything to do with Haddison.
But she didn’t have any time to worry about that possibility since Victoria and Monica were returning to the table.
Later that night, after Kennedy had gone to bed, she stared up at the ceiling, thinking. It had been a wonderful evening. She’d enjoyed dining with her cousins as they celebrated Victoria’s birthday. And no one brought up the subject of her and Haddison again, for which she was glad.
After dinner, with the help of Skype and her laptop, they’d connected Victoria with various members of the family who’d wanted to join in when they sang happy birthday. Kennedy was glad they’d reserved a private room so the noise wouldn’t bother the other restaurant guests.
Although it was getting late, Kennedy wasn’t sleepy and was about to grab her e-reader off the nightstand when her phone rang. She had a feeling it was Haddison. She had a special ring tone for anyone in her family who might call her after nine o’clock at night. It wasn’t one of those.
She grabbed the phone off the night-stand. “Hello?”
“Hello, Kennedy. I hope I’m not calling too late. How was dinner tonight with your cousins?”
She had told him about her plans for the evening on their walk back to the office. “It’s not too late. I was just about to read for a while.” She thought he had a nice phone voice. It was just as sexy as the rest of him.
“And…how was the birthday celebration?”
“Great. Everyone had a nice time.”
“Glad to hear it.” Then, without missing a beat, he asked, “Would you go out to dinner with me on Saturday?”
And without missing a beat, she replied, “Yes. I’d enjoy that.”
“Does seven o’clock sound okay?”
“Yes, seven is fine.”
“Good. I’ll make reservations at Ramone’s.”
Ramone’s? “Good luck on getting reservations. I’ve heard it’s booked months in advance.”
“Yes, it usually is. But I have inside connections.”
“Lucky you,” she said, though really, it was ‘lucky her’. That restaurant had been on her list of places to try since it opened last year. It never failed to receive rave reviews on the food and service.
“I am looking forward to Saturday, Kennedy.”
She loved the way he said her name. “So am I, Haddison.”
“I’ll let you get back to your reading. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” When she hung up the phone, she couldn’t stop smiling.
After hanging up the phone, Haddison rubbed an agitated hand down his face. He’d just done the one thing he’d promised himself he wouldn’t — ask Kennedy Bennett out on a date. She wasn’t just any woman, she was a woman connected to his past life as an undercover agent.
Granted, she hadn’t put two and two together, and chances were she never would, but still, why take a chance? An undercover agent never knew when something he said or did would give him away. So why was he risking so much, especially since the Bureau had gone to great lengths to make sure his true identity was never compromised?
The only reason he could come up with was that this woman was temptation personified. He’d known why Vince had wanted her taken as a hostage. He wasn’t stupid. Haddison doubted she’d ever known just what kind of danger she’d truly been in, or how sick of a mind Vince had.
Frustrated at the thought that he had no willpower where Kennedy was concerned, Haddison stood up from the table and crushed the beer can in his hand before tossing it in the recycle bin. A part of him realized that she’d never actually been in his life. She had been in Addison Bracey’s life. And in his mind, they were two different men.
Kennedy had just shy of a month left to work at Rivers. What he should have done was ignore her during her remaining days, and then when she left, accept the fact that she was gone. It would have been for the best. But it was too late now, he’d asked her out. And he could tell from the sound of her voice that she was excited about going to dinner with him at Ramone’s.
That reminded him…he needed to make reservations if he intended to take her there on Saturday.
He clicked on his phone to call Ramone Gaskins, the man who’d been his father’s partner and best friend. Ramone had taken Bracen Wolf’s death hard, and for years, he’d blamed himself. His wife Marie had chosen that particular night to go into labor, and Ramone had gone to the hospital with her. The force had replaced Ramone with a rookie cop as Bracen’s partner that night. And both of them had been gunned down by a couple of punks as part of a gang initiation. Both teens had been arrested, thanks to a tip the authorities received, and were later convicted. Justice had been served, but it hadn’t brought back Bracen Wolf, the father Haddison had adored.
“Hello.”
“Uncle Ramone, this is—”
“Hell, I know who you are. And I hope this call means you’re living a normal life and are finally coming to see us.”