know of classical music, other than his dad’s favorite operas?
“Didn’t your friends help you unpack?” She gave Alex’s back one last pat and straightened.
“Friends?”
Cool blue eyes scrutinized him. “The two girls who were leaving as I drove up?”
The question tickled him. “I love it when you get jealous.”
One finely shaped eyebrow twitched. Man, she had pretty eyebrows.
“You wish.”
Did he? Maybe. “Want me to take Alex down to my place while you grab a nap?”
She was shaking her head before he could finish. “Thanks but no.”
He knew she’d say that. She didn’t want Alex out of hersight. “All right then. Come on down when you’re ready. I have a present for you.”
Surprised interest lit her expression. “A present? What is it?”
Nic grinned. A present was always good for persuading the reluctant. “You’ll find out. See you in a few.”
Cassidy plopped down on the couch for fifteen minutes with her feet up while she stewed about the problem of Nic Carano. Having him pop in or call had been bad enough, but now the guy was right downstairs and showed no signs of leaving her alone.
To make matters worse, she liked him. Somewhere beneath all that fun-and-games charm was a solid man, maybe a little off-center but dependable in the most surprising manner. She didn’t much like thinking of him that way, but what else could she think? He’d been there when she needed him. Even with his reputation as a loose cannon, he’d saved Alex’s life. How much more responsible could you get than that?
The thought depressed her. There was the main reason she couldn’t let herself get too involved with Nic. Besides the females flitting around him like pretty painted butterflies, his career put him in danger every time he went on duty. She couldn’t bear the thought of caring about someone else who might die tragically.
Yet, Nic was here, there, everywhere. What was she supposed to do about that?
Rubbing the ache in her temples, she came to a decision. There was nothing she could do about having Nic Carano as a neighbor. She couldn’t very well have him evicted. So, she would simply block out any knowledge of his profession and be a good neighbor, a friend, but nothing more. As long as she kept an emotional distance, she was safe.
She hoped.
By the time she and Alex arrived at Nic’s apartment nearly an hour later, Cassidy felt better, at least enough to look forward to eating a real meal for a change. There was something about having a man cook for her that inspired a surge of energy.
When he spotted Nic, Alex went into his usual ecstatic bounces and squeals. Cassidy, in spite of her good intentions, couldn’t really blame him, though she kept her reaction under better control.
“The lasagna smells incredible,” she said, nose tilted as she sniffed the air.
“Mama’s special recipe.” He waved them inside with a loaf of Italian bread. “She learned it from her mama who immigrated from Sicily after the war.”
“Not many guys can make lasagna.” Going down on one knee, Cassidy settled Alex on the carpet next to the couch. From there she could see him no matter where she was in the combination living/dining room.
“All five of us kids cut our teeth in the family bakery. A Carano who can’t cook would have to change his last name.”
“Where’s my present?”
“Impatient woman.” Shaking his head, he tsk-tsked. “Later, gator. If I give it to you now, you might run off.”
With a smile acknowledging the humor, Cassidy quickly and, she hoped, surreptitiously surveyed the room in search of a smoke detector. The apartment layout was similar to hers, so escape routes would be the same. Reassured, Cassidy pushed up from Alex’s side.
“I brought one for you.” She offered Nic a small potted plant from her collection.
He looked at it as if it were the mystery meat in the school cafeteria. “What’s this?”
“A plant, you goob.”
“I figured out that
“Didn’t your friends help you unpack?” She gave Alex’s back one last pat and straightened.
“Friends?”
Cool blue eyes scrutinized him. “The two girls who were leaving as I drove up?”
The question tickled him. “I love it when you get jealous.”
One finely shaped eyebrow twitched. Man, she had pretty eyebrows.
“You wish.”
Did he? Maybe. “Want me to take Alex down to my place while you grab a nap?”
She was shaking her head before he could finish. “Thanks but no.”
He knew she’d say that. She didn’t want Alex out of hersight. “All right then. Come on down when you’re ready. I have a present for you.”
Surprised interest lit her expression. “A present? What is it?”
Nic grinned. A present was always good for persuading the reluctant. “You’ll find out. See you in a few.”
Cassidy plopped down on the couch for fifteen minutes with her feet up while she stewed about the problem of Nic Carano. Having him pop in or call had been bad enough, but now the guy was right downstairs and showed no signs of leaving her alone.
To make matters worse, she liked him. Somewhere beneath all that fun-and-games charm was a solid man, maybe a little off-center but dependable in the most surprising manner. She didn’t much like thinking of him that way, but what else could she think? He’d been there when she needed him. Even with his reputation as a loose cannon, he’d saved Alex’s life. How much more responsible could you get than that?
The thought depressed her. There was the main reason she couldn’t let herself get too involved with Nic. Besides the females flitting around him like pretty painted butterflies, his career put him in danger every time he went on duty. She couldn’t bear the thought of caring about someone else who might die tragically.
Yet, Nic was here, there, everywhere. What was she supposed to do about that?
Rubbing the ache in her temples, she came to a decision. There was nothing she could do about having Nic Carano as a neighbor. She couldn’t very well have him evicted. So, she would simply block out any knowledge of his profession and be a good neighbor, a friend, but nothing more. As long as she kept an emotional distance, she was safe.
She hoped.
By the time she and Alex arrived at Nic’s apartment nearly an hour later, Cassidy felt better, at least enough to look forward to eating a real meal for a change. There was something about having a man cook for her that inspired a surge of energy.
When he spotted Nic, Alex went into his usual ecstatic bounces and squeals. Cassidy, in spite of her good intentions, couldn’t really blame him, though she kept her reaction under better control.
“The lasagna smells incredible,” she said, nose tilted as she sniffed the air.
“Mama’s special recipe.” He waved them inside with a loaf of Italian bread. “She learned it from her mama who immigrated from Sicily after the war.”
“Not many guys can make lasagna.” Going down on one knee, Cassidy settled Alex on the carpet next to the couch. From there she could see him no matter where she was in the combination living/dining room.
“All five of us kids cut our teeth in the family bakery. A Carano who can’t cook would have to change his last name.”
“Where’s my present?”
“Impatient woman.” Shaking his head, he tsk-tsked. “Later, gator. If I give it to you now, you might run off.”
With a smile acknowledging the humor, Cassidy quickly and, she hoped, surreptitiously surveyed the room in search of a smoke detector. The apartment layout was similar to hers, so escape routes would be the same. Reassured, Cassidy pushed up from Alex’s side.
“I brought one for you.” She offered Nic a small potted plant from her collection.
He looked at it as if it were the mystery meat in the school cafeteria. “What’s this?”
“A plant, you goob.”
“I figured out that
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