AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know, I would have picked you up, Cate. Ethan didn’t have to come all the way in here with you.”
“Actually, I do,” Ethan told him. “I’m her bodyguard.”
“Oh, sure. But I’m happy to help. I could even come stay at the house if you need me to,” Oliver said to Cate.
“I’m not sure why that would be necessary,” she said.
“But thanks for the offer,” Ethan added to soften the blow.
“Yes. Thank you,” she said, obviously taking a cue from him.
Oliver nodded stiffly. “I’ll be going, then.”
She glanced over at Ethan as Oliver left. “Is he upset with me? I’m not sure why he’d offer to come and stay.”
“Perhaps he thought you might be more comfortable with him there.”
“Oh. Yes. I should apologize again.”
“You can call him later,” Ethan told her as they walked to the elevator and climbed in. “Right now, I’m going to take you for something to eat.”
The doors opened into the garage and he escorted her to the car.
“To eat?” she asked.
“Yes, you need to eat, so I’m taking you out.”
“Out?” She gave him an alarmed look as he opened her door. “Eat out? I don’t usually like to eat out.”
“Then we’ll eat in. Trust me?” He held his breath. He needed her to trust him.
She eyed him for a long moment. “I suppose I could try that.”
“Good girl.”
22
The tension in her body seemed to melt.
He forced himself to shut her door and move away before he pushed his luck and did something like putting her seatbelt on.
Climbing into the driver’s seat, he managed to relax slightly when he saw she’d done up her seatbelt.
Pulling out into traffic, he searched for what he was looking for. Ahh, there was one. He pulled into the drive-through.
“Fast food?” she asked, sounding uncertain. “I don’t eat fast food. Rhodes needs to eat clean and so do I. I shouldn’t eat much sugar or red meat.”
“Not much sugar, huh?” he replied, remembering the big bowl of ice cream from the other night.
“I do like the odd ice cream.” She glanced up at the board as they approached.
“What would you like, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know what to order. I’ve never eaten here.” There was a note of panic in her voice that had him immediately reaching over to take her hand in his.
Although he didn’t want her stressing, particularly over something he’d suggested, he also realized that the fact she was allowing him to see her panic displayed a measure of trust.
She wasn’t hiding behind her mask.
