Shar didn’t appreciate him taking this tactic, but she admitted, “Made her quit her acting career and go into hiding in Costa Rica.”
He nodded, his dark eyes begging her to understand. “It’s rough, Shar. I’ve had a stalker since college. You admitted to worshipping me in college, you had all those posters, and you acted off when I first met you. Now that I’ve gotten to know you, I would never have suspected you, but honestly, I’m so sick of this stalker messing with my life, threatening women who go on one innocent date with me. I’d do a lot just to live a normal life. I’m not even sure I know what normal is any more.”
Shar’s heart went out to him even though she still wanted to feel hurt. Kim’s stalker had messed with her head and disrupted her entire life. Mike was still playing professional football, being successful, and putting himself in the public eye all the time. Even with threats and the feeling of someone stalking him lingering over his head. She couldn’t imagine.
“Logically, I understand,” she said quietly, wishing everyone wasn’t listening in. “But inside, it still hurts. I know exactly what Kim’s stalker did to her and to imagine I could try to mess you up like that …”
His eyes had such a meaningful, longing look in them that it made her heart race. He ran his fingers down her arm and then wrapped his hand around hers. Shar’s body seemed to light up from his touch, and him staring at her as if … as if she were his world. Mike Kohler. Forget all the stalker business and the accusations and the hurt. Mike Kohler was holding her hand and staring deeply into her eyes. That was all that mattered for a moment or two.
“I can understand why you’d feel that way.” His voice deepened and got quieter as if he didn’t want to be overheard either, but there was little chance of that with how quiet the room was. “Can you give me a chance to prove I would never hurt you intentionally?”
Shar swallowed hard and said flippantly, because it was all getting much too serious for her, “I might let you audition for the part of my boyfriend.”
He chuckled, but Ally was shaking her head so quickly that Shar could see it out of the corner of her eye.
“No, Shar. His crazy stalker threatens women he goes out with once, and then things start happening to them: a near-miss with a car in a crosswalk, a paint can almost hitting one of their heads as they walked past a construction site, a couple of ‘food poisoning instances in reputable restaurants’. And that’s just the ones we know about. There could be other near-misses that the girls either didn’t notice or didn’t tell Mike about.”
“How do you know about all of that?” Gunner pinned Preston with a look.
Preston shrugged. “Bucky confided in me.”
“You can’t date him,” Ally continued. “Not until she’s caught. I’m sorry.”
Gunner nodded. “I’d have to agree with that Shar.”
Mike’s hand tightened around hers. Shar turned to him. They hadn’t even been on a date. Their walk on the beach was the closest thing to it, and now everyone was agreeing they couldn’t date. Not until a stalker who’d been after him for four years was caught.
“Would you … have to agree as well?” she asked.
Mike’s eyes swept over her face, and she now understood the longing in them. He wanted to date her, but he wouldn’t put her at risk. “I can’t risk anything happening to you.”
The way he said it made her heart threaten to burst, but there was still the fact that he wasn’t going to date her. Despair seemed to cloak the room. She glanced at Gunner. “How long have you been on the case?”
“A couple of weeks. We’re just getting started and we’ll find her, Shar.” He cracked a grin, which was rare for Gunner. “And then you can let Mike audition for the part of your boyfriend.”
Lily winked. “Y’all are adorable. We’ll find her, Shar. I promise.”
Gunner nodded to Shar and then stood as if that was the end of it. He took Lily’s hand and said, “Shar, we’ll keep an eye on you and the restaurant. If you feel worried at all, you call me.”
“Thanks, Gunner.” She prayed she wasn’t a target now from one innocent walk with Mike. In her mind, they had much more between them than the walk, but hopefully, the stalker didn’t know that.
“Mike, we’ll meet you out front.” He turned to Preston. “Would you and Ally walk with us out front? I think these two need a minute.”
Preston stood with Ally still in his arms and set her on her feet. “Sure.”
Ally squeezed Shar’s arm as they walked past. “We’ll be right back.”
The two couples walked outside, talking about the boys’ little sister, Lottie. It seemed all was well with the Steele family, despite Ally coming unhinged, calling Gunner a lot of names, and Lily threatening to take her out. Shar hoped all was well with her and Mike, but even if it was he still had to leave her.
Chapter Seven
As soon as the front door closed, Mike turned to Shar on the couch, still holding on to her hand. “I want to apologize again, for even suspecting you.”
Shar shook her head. “Thanks for bringing Kim into it. That helps me understand how hard it would be and how desperate you would be to catch her. Have you had other protection?”
He nodded. “My family hired private investigators initially, then as soon as I got with the Patriots, Bucky Buchanan, the owner, hired bodyguards and investigators, but nobody’s found anything. When Preston suggested Gunner and Lily would help me, I reached out to them at Preston’s wedding, but they had to finish another job, so they’re just getting started as Gunner said.”
“They seem confident they can catch her.”
Mike nodded. “They’re good. I’m hopeful they can end this.”
Silence fell, and Shar bit at her lip. She’d gotten pretty bold with Mike about auditioning to be her boyfriend, and she wondered what he was thinking. He was a world-famous, ultra-perfect man, and she was a workaholic chef without much acclaim.
Mike released her hand, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and drew her closer to him. Shar glanced up into his deep brown eyes, wanting to be with him, but knowing she needed to let them find the stalker first. She didn’t want some deranged woman after her, though she’d take the risk to be with Mike.
“Has your stalker ever actually hurt any of the women you’ve dated?”
Mike studied her, his beautiful mouth pursing. “A lot of near misses.”
“Then maybe it’s worth the risk.”
Mike smiled, but it fled quickly. “No way am I risking you.” He leaned down closer to her.
Shar’s body arched up toward his without conscious thought as Mike’s hands urged her closer still. In one swift movement, he placed his hand under her thighs, and the other hand dropped down to her lower back. He swooped her off the couch and against his chest, holding her tightly. Shar let out a small gasp and Mike smiled.
“You were too far away,” he murmured.
“Well, I’m glad you remedied that problem as now there is no space between us at all.” She loved every second of feeling his strong body wrapped around her. She wrapped her right hand around his shoulder and placed her left hand on his well-built chest. His clean scent washed over her. She didn’t know if it was a type of cologne or just the scent of his soap, but she loved it, so manly and fresh-smelling like pine trees after a rainstorm.
“Better,” he said with a deep rumble in his voice. “Much better.”
“I don’t know,” Shar said, running her right hand across his shoulder and his neck, cupping the back of his head and tugging his mouth closer to hers. “I can think of something that would be even better than this.”
“Oh yeah?” He quirked an eyebrow at her, his breath warm on her lips. “What’s that?”
“You could put my head in the clouds with that beautiful mouth of yours.”
He grinned. “You like my mouth?”
“Your lips were carved by angels,” she said.
Mike chuckled. “I’d better use them on an angel then.�
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“Aw, you big sweetie.”
Mike smiled but didn’t reply. Instead, he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers. An explosion of desire and warmth ensued. Head in the clouds was so understated that Shar was embarrassed she’d used the term. Being in heaven, experiencing the most euphoric moment of her life, knowing nothing and no one could ever compare to Mike’s kisses, were closer to the truth.
Shar’s arms encircled his neck, and she clung to him as their lips worked in synchrony to produce the most beautiful kissing session. The passion in his kiss was unrivaled, but then he slowly, tenderly opened her mouth with his tongue and traced it along the inside of her lips. Her mouth tingled, and all she wanted was more, more of Mike. Nonstop kissing from Mike.
She pulled back slightly, panting for air. Mike gazed down at her with eyes full of love. Was she insane? Love? They hardly even knew each other. She was just caught up in the passion of that kiss, and the insane miracle that the man she’d fantasized about for years was holding and kissing her.
Mike murmured, “Shar,” in a beautiful husky tone, and she had never loved the sound of her name so much.
“Can I record you saying my name like that so I can replay it over and over again?” she asked him, hoping she hadn’t just ruined the moment.
“Sure. We’ll do that later.” He smiled slightly, and then he was kissing her again.
Shar knew nothing and nobody could ever pull them apart. They were meant to be together, and this kiss to end all kisses was showing her the path to her life. Mike. He was the one she was meant to be with. Gunner and Lily would find that stalker, and then she and Mike could be together.
A door opened and closed, and she would’ve ignored it, but a throat cleared. Mike released her from the kiss but kept her securely in his arms. “Yes?” he growled, clearly perturbed. Shar had never heard him disgruntled like that, and it made her laugh.
Mike smiled at her, laughing at him, then tenderly traced his finger along her jaw. His eyes were completely focused on her.
“We’ve got to go,” Gunner said from much too close by.
Mike rolled his eyes and lifted Shar to her feet. Standing next to her, he took her hand and faced Gunner. “If you ever interrupt me kissing Shar again, I’ll fire you.”
Gunner’s face twitched in what might have been a smile, but he spoke rapidly. “You received an email through your fan page tonight. It had your picture on it, with a target over your face.”
Mike reared back. “She’s always threatened the women I date, not me.”
“There was a note too, ‘You claimed you loved me, but you always loved football more. Now, I’m going to kill you’.”
Mike’s eyes widened. He cleared his throat and said, “My ex-girlfriend always claimed I loved football more, and when I broke up with her, I used my career as my excuse.”
Gunner nodded. “With you talking to Meredith Ulysses tonight, it’s just all too coincidental. We’re leaving now, and Sutton is sending Colt to ensure Shar stays safe.”
Mike’s grip on her hand tightened, and his jaw became iron. “I thought Meredith had been checked into, and Sutton’s men had cleared her.”
“Cleared, but some people are experts at deception.” Gunner shook his head. “I don’t like her randomly showing up, on the night this email comes in, and especially at Shar’s restaurant. Meredith lives in Birmingham. Why would she be here?”
Mike shrugged. “She was with a guy. They looked like they were dating. She seemed better than she usually seems when I see her.”
“I still don’t like it. Let’s go.”
“Not if she’s coming after Shar.” Mike’s hand was strong around hers. He wouldn’t desert her.
Gunner’s forehead wrinkled, and he seemed to be thinking. “It gets messy with family,” he muttered.
Shar ignored Gunner and asked Mike, “Who’s Meredith Ulysses?”
“My college girlfriend,” Mike said. “She’s been a suspect as the stalker, but there’s no proof besides her being ticked when I broke up with her. There are so many fans who could be the stalker. It’s hard to know who to pin it on.”
Shar nodded her understanding but sort of commiserated with the college girlfriend. If she had Mike as her boyfriend then he dumped her, she might go insane too. She also knew how it felt to be suspected by Gunner Steele. Not fun at all. “She was at my restaurant?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re right, Mike.” Gunner nodded decisively. “I don’t like it. We’re all clearing out. We’ll have Preston and Ally meet Colt in Atlanta. Colt will stay with them until this is resolved, and Kim will stay at Sutton’s. She’ll be safe there if anyone thinks to involve her.” He focused on Shar. “Pack a bag. I don’t know when we’ll be back.”
Shar didn’t move, just blinked at him. “I can’t just … leave. I’ve got my restaurant to run.”
“I’m sorry, Shar. Hopefully, we won’t be gone long, but …” He shook his head. “Something’s off, I feel it.”
Shar wasn’t leaving. This stalker didn’t even know she and Mike liked each other. All the blinds had been closed tight when they kissed. This was overkill.
Lily burst into the room. “I sent Preston and Ally to Atlanta to meet Colt,” she said quickly.
“Without even getting their stuff or saying goodbye?” Shar thought Gunner and Lily were much too intense. She didn’t see her sister near enough, and they’d just sent her and her husband away?
“They’ll have to get it later. Let’s go,” Gunner said.
“No,” Shar said.
Mike glanced down at her. “We’d get to be together.”
Shar smiled at that, but she knew he had responsibilities too. “You’re just going to ditch out on football and go wherever Gunner tells you to go?”
Mike’s brow furrowed. “I thought Shar was coming to Atlanta with us. She can stay at my house in Marietta, and you both can protect all of us.”
“No,” Lily said shortly. “A note just got delivered to the hotel. I was the emergency contact when you didn’t answer. I had the manager send me a picture of it.”
Mike looked embarrassed. “I felt it buzz in my pocket, but no way was I interrupting that kiss.”
Gunner kept a straight face, but Lily’s eyebrows shot up.
“What does the note say?” Gunner asked.
Lily held up the screenshot. He read it aloud, “Do you think your beautiful chef likes poison, or would she rather be burned alive? Ditch her … unless you want to find out.” It had a picture of the two of them leaving the restaurant toward the beach path. “And I just got word from Sutton. A dumpster started on fire behind your restaurant. They put it out, no worries, but …”
Shar’s stomach pitched. “Why didn’t they call me?”
“The chef said it was small, and they were able to put it out. Sutton checked in with them because of the cameras Gunner had set up. Unfortunately, they didn’t get any angles of the dumpster before the fire started, but you can see the glow of it burning in one of the feeds. Sutton simply told them he was from the security company that monitors the restaurant.” She looked at Shar. “We’ll keep those camera feeds going and get a few more installed to make sure your restaurant and home are protected.”
They wouldn’t dare burn her restaurant. It made her sick, but it also meant they were playing a more serious game than she’d realized.
Mike released her hand and pulled her into his side. “I can take a break from football,” he said.
Shar stared up at him. “You would do that, for me?”
Mike nodded seriously.
“What do you think, Shar?” Gunner asked. “We can take you to Atlanta to be with Colt, Preston, and Ally. Colt’s one of the best, and I trust him implicitly, but I’d feel better about getting you to a safe house since you now have a target on your back. That way, Colt would only have to watch out for Preston and Ally.”
Shar glanced at that note again then around at all the concerned face
s, settling on Mike. It would give her time alone with him, and she definitely wouldn’t feel safe knowing someone was threatening to poison or burn her or her restaurant. “Is someone following this Meredith?”
Gunner nodded. “We’ll get someone on her. It seems really suspicious that she’d show up here and with the two threats, the pictures, and the fire coming in tonight.”
“But what if it’s not Meredith and you don’t find the stalker? How long do we just hide out? And what if they burn down my restaurant?”
“We’ll watch the restaurant. I’m betting if we go, they’ll spend their time trying to find Mike.” Gunner shrugged. “I don’t know how long we’ll have to hide out, but I’ll keep you both safe, and Sutton’s techs and field guys will work hard to find her, or him.”
Mike pulled her in close, bent, and brushed his lips across her forehead. “Please come with us, Shar. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
Shar glanced up at him, so strong, so handsome. The thought of leaving her restaurant made her slightly panicked, but she couldn’t resist the safety and excitement Mike offered, so she found herself nodding.
Mike gave her a relieved smile and a soft kiss. Shar melted against him.
Gunner interrupted, issuing orders. “Lily, take the Escalade and meet at the destination we discussed. I’ll follow these two in a vehicle Sutton is sending over. Shar, go pack a bag. Mike, give her some space.”
Shar rolled her eyes at Mike, who gave her one more hug before letting her go. Lily saluted Gunner mockingly. “Aye, aye, sir.”
He gave her a quick kiss and a gentle nudge toward the front door. “Love you.”
Shar hurried up the stairs to pack. She was deserting her house and her restaurant, but she was going to be with Mike. It was foreign to her to not take care of her responsibilities, but she didn’t want to go to Atlanta or stay here. Even if she hired protection or Sutton sent someone, it would be terrifying to think a stalker was watching her. Mike and some safe house sounded like pretty good options at the moment.
The Pursued Patriot: Georgia Patriots Romance Page 6
