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Of course, Zane had no say over who Caroline dated. Although she better not go out with a horndog like Raymond Stone.
Zane shrugged. “Caroline can go out with whoever she wants.” He forced his jaw not to lock up as he said it and carefully kept his fists unclenched. “Does she come in here a lot?”
Damn it. Zane wished he could cut off his own tongue. Why was he asking about her? But no one seemed to make anything of his interest.
“Not as much as we would like,” Wade said. “I know Kimmie, her partner, invites her all the time.”
“Kimmie’s her partner? How long?”
“Awhile now,” Captain Harris answered this time. “I talked it over with the hospital staff and we thought Kimmie would be a good professional fit for Caroline.”
“What sort of professional fit?” Maybe Kimmie had some sort of specialized training Caroline didn’t have. But she looked awfully young for that to be the case.
Harris fidgeted just a little in his seat before looking away.
“What?” Zane asked. “Did Caroline need help? This Kimmie have training or something Caroline doesn’t?”
Captain Harris shook his head. “No. Kimmie was pretty much brand-new. Anything she’s learned outside schooling, Caroline has taught her.”
That didn’t surprise Zane. Caroline was stellar at her job as a paramedic. Could spot potential problems or injuries others would miss. Kept her head in a crisis. Had a way about her that kept people calm.
“So what was it about Kimmie that was a good fit for Caroline?”
Wade and Raymond glanced over at the captain, who was looking away. Then it hit Zane.
“Oh, Kimmie’s a woman. That’s why she was a good fit for Caroline. I guess nobody could blame her for asking for a female partner.”
Now all three men refused to look at Zane.
Not all his detective skills had left him. “But she didn’t ask for a female partner, did she? You just assigned her one.”
Captain Harris pointed toward where Caroline and Kimmie sat, obviously easy and friendly with each other. “I’ve known Caro since she was born. Her parents are some of my best friends. So I did what I thought was right for her. She and Kimmie are a good team. It wasn’t the wrong choice.”
But it hadn’t been Caroline’s choice. And he would bet she hadn’t liked it, no matter how chummy she and her new partner looked now. If Zane had been there, he would definitely have spoken up, at least told Captain Harris to talk to Caroline about it.
But he hadn’t been there, had he? Zane grimaced.
“I’m glad they get along,” he muttered.
He saw Caroline glance over at them before quickly looking away and taking a casual sip of the beer the waitress had brought. She was just as aware of him as he was of her, although he doubted her awareness of him stemmed from attraction. Disgust at best, possibly even hatred.
So they both ignored each other, which everyone in the entire bar seemed completely aware of.
“I’m glad Caroline is finally going on a vacation,” Wade said, trying to break some of the obvious tension. “She deserves it.”
That was good news. “Where is she going?” Corpus Christi was a beach town and she’d always loved it. Did she still after what had happened? She used to live near the beach but had moved after the attack. Nobody in their right mind blamed her after someone had broken through her front door and viciously attacked her. Zane didn’t know if she still even liked the beach at all.
Wade looked like he didn’t want to answer. “How hard a question is it, Wade?” he asked the younger man, smiling. “A cruise? Tropical island? The mountains?”
Oh, hell, maybe she was going with another man. Maybe that was what Wade didn’t want to answer.
“Who is she going with?” Zane could feel his jaw clench but couldn’t seem to stop it.
He knew he had absolutely no right to be upset if she was going with another man somewhere. It was good—healthy—for Caroline to have other relationships. Someone important enough for her to move on with, to go on vacation with.
That was why he’d stayed out of her life for so long, right? So she would have a chance to move on, to put the past—including him and his part in her nightmare—behind her?
But damned if his hands didn’t clench into fists as he waited for Wade’s answer. As he prepared himself to hear the news that she really had moved on. That he had officially missed his chance.
“Just say it, Wade.”
“She’s not going with anybody, Zane. That’s her whole deal. She said she wants time to be alone. Get away from the frantic pace for a week.”
Zane refused to acknowledge the relief that poured through him at the knowledge Caroline hadn’t found a man she was comfortable enough to vacation with.
He turned to Wade, rolling his eyes. “Why are you jerking my chain? I don’t blame her for wanting peace and quiet. I guess that means she’s not going to visit her family in Dallas. It’s never peaceful around them.”
Wade shrugged. “Nah, she’s going hiking at Big Bend. She’ll get plenty of quiet there.”
Zane set the glass of beer that was halfway to his mouth back down on the bar. “She’s going hiking in Big Bend Ranch State Park?” One of the largest parks in Texas, covering over three hundred square miles. Breathtaking views, multiple types of terrain. A hiker’s dream.
Wade nodded. “Yeah.”
“Alone?”
“Yeah, but she’s been planning it for months. She’s got a GPS that will let the park rangers know where she is at all times and has a course all planned out. She’s super excited about it.”
Wade continued to talk about how prepared Caroline was, how thrilled, but Zane tuned him out. He stood up. “Excuse me.”
He turned and strode toward Caroline’s table with definite purpose. There was no way in hell she was going on a weeklong camping trip by herself. Obviously none of her colleagues or friends were willing to tell her how stupid an idea this was.
Zane had no such problem.
Chapter Three (#uf1013233-bc21-5782-ba30-641a26ae6dc7)
Her body was aware of Zane. She’d been conscious of him the entire time they’d been here, ignoring each other while totally mindful of each other’s every move. They’d always been like that. Whether they’d been about to kill each other or fall into each other’s arms, they’d always been attuned to one another.
She was attuned to him now. Aware of how damn virile and sexy he was. Not working for the Corpus Christi Police Department hadn’t turned him soft or dimmed the edge of danger that had always surrounded him.
It drew her, just like it always had.
Damn him. Because the only thing that matched her passion for Zane Wales was her fury toward him. She’d like him to come over so she could slap him across his perfectly chiseled cheek.
And as if he could hear her and was going to call her bluff, he stood up and began walking toward her table.
“Holy cow, who is that?” Kimmie asked. “The guy that was talking to Captain Harris.”
Caroline didn’t say anything. But Kimmie’s friend Bridget, sitting across from them in the booth, spun her head to the side so she could get a look at the eye candy.
“Ohhh.” Bridget’s eyes flew to Caroline. “That’s Zane Wales. He’s Caroline’s.”
Kimmie’s face swung around to look at Caroline, shock evident in the wide circles of her eyes. “What?”
Caroline shook her head, her own eyes rolling at Bridget’s remark. “He’s not mine.”
“Are you sure about that?” Kimmie looked back at Zane. “He sure is looking at you like he’s coming for you.”
“We used to date back in the day. It’s been over for a long time.” Zane had made sure of that.
Although she had to admit, it did look like he was coming directly to their table. But it most certainly would not be to talk to her. He’d gone out of his way to avoid her for the past eighteen months.
But five seconds later he stood right in front of their table, looking ridiculously sexy in his jeans and dark blue, long-sleeved collared shirt with sleeves he’d rolled up halfway to the elbow. November in Corpus Christi wasn’t cold enough for a jacket.
He wasn’t wearing his hat—that damned white cowboy hat he’d worn all the time. He was a Texan through and through and wearing it had been as natural to him as breathing.
He’d taken it off when he’d quit the force and she hadn’t seen him in it since. Not that she’d seen him much at all.
He didn’t need the hat. He wasn’t hiding anything but thick, gorgeous hair underneath it. But Caroline missed him in it. Missed what its presence had stood for.
“Hey, Zane,” Bridget purred. Caroline resisted the urge to slap her. Barely.
“Hey, ladies.”
Caroline didn’t know why Zane was at their table, but on the off chance it was to ask Bridget or Kimmie out, she couldn’t stick around and watch.
“Excuse me.” Caroline started to stand. “I’ve got to get going, you guys.”
“Actually, I’m here to talk to you, if you don’t mind,” Zane said. He was looking directly at her now, closer than he’d been in nearly two years. She slid back into her seat, unable to draw her eyes away from his.
“Um, Bridget and I have to use the restroom anyway,” Kimmie said, standing and grabbing the other woman’s arm before she could protest.
Zane nodded at them as they left, then slid into the booth across from Caroline.
“Hi.”
Of all the things she’d been expecting tonight, Zane coming over to chat with her hadn’t been one of the possibilities. He’d withdrawn from her so completely over the past months that a conversation hadn’t even been on her radar.
“What are you doing here?”
As far as greetings, it wasn’t concise or friendly, but hell, nothing about Zane made her feel concise or friendly.
“I had some errands to run in town and thought I would grab a bite to eat.”
He deliberately wasn’t answering the question he knew she was asking. “Yeah, it looked like you were pretty close to done when I arrived.”
He nodded and eased himself a little farther back in the booth, raising one arm up along the edge and knocking his knuckles gently along the column behind him. Damn the man and his comfortably sexy pose.
And damn sexy wrists exposed by his rolled-up sleeves. How could she have such a reaction from wrists, for heaven’s sake?
“I wanted to talk to you,” he finally said.
Her eyes flew to his face at that, in time for her to see his gaze slide over to his fingers that were still tapping against the column.
So whatever it was he wanted to say, he wasn’t exactly comfortable with it.
“Spill it, Wales. Just say what you came to say.” She honestly had no idea what it was. Her heart fluttered slightly in her chest that maybe he wanted to apologize for being so distant. For pulling away from her when she’d needed him. For keeping himself away.
Not that she’d forgive him and just let it go. Too much time and pain had occurred. But at least it would be a start.
His arm came down from the back of the booth and he leaned forward, placing his weight on both elbows. She couldn’t break her gaze from his brown eyes even if she wanted to.
“Caro...”
Now she almost closed her eyes. How long had it been since she’d heard him call her by her pet name? The name he’d called her when they were alone. The name he’d called her when they were making love.
Unbidden, she felt herself leaning closer, desperate for his next words. It didn’t have to be an apology; she knew the attack had cost him almost as much as it had cost her, although in a different way. Just some sort of acknowledgment that something had to change.
He cleared his throat, then continued. “You can’t go on that hiking trip. Alone? That’s absolutely stupid.”
It took her a second to process his words. To realize what she’d hoped to hear from him wasn’t anywhere near what was coming out of his mouth.
The pain reeled through her and stole her breath. Zane wasn’t here to tell her they should be together; he was here to tell her she was stupid. She wrapped her arms around her middle, almost afraid she would fly apart if she didn’t.
She looked away from him now, not even able to look him in the eye. She was an idiot. Why would she think anything had changed?
“Did you hear me, Caroline? I really don’t think this solo hiking trip is a good idea.”
Did she hear him?
Did she hear him?
Fury crashed over her like a tidal wave, obviating the pain. It was all she could do to stay in her seat.
“Do I hear you, Zane?”
He had the good grace to look alarmed at her quiet, even tone. At least he still knew her well enough to know when she was about to blow a gasket.
“Caro...”
“Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you dare call me that.” The anger felt good, washed away the slicing pain of being wrong about him again. “You don’t get to call me anything with any affection ever again.”
Her words hurt him, she could tell, before he shut down all trace of emotion on his features. Good. She was glad she had hurt him. Glad she still could.
“Fine,” he said. “I don’t have to call you any friendly name to tell you that going hiking by yourself in the middle of the wilderness is just plain stupid.”
Caroline looked over at the waitress who was walking by. “I need the check, please.”
“I need mine too,” Zane muttered.
