“Yes. I was taken hostage during a bank robbery. The getaway car tried outrunning the police in a high-speed chase, but the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned.”
“Were you hurt?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “Just bruised up a little, although the impact knocked me unconscious. There were three bank robbers. One was killed when he was thrown from the vehicle, and the other two received serious injuries and were arrested. I had to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. A couple FBI agents came to my room to take statements. They were nice.”
“Sounds like it was a pretty scary ordeal.”
“It was, but luckily for me the bank robber who handled me was nice. For some reason, I felt safe with him.”
“Safe with a felon?”
“Yes. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s how I felt. Sadly, he was the one who was killed.”
Deciding to end this conversation, he changed the subject, “Ready to go inside?”
A smile curved her lips. “Definitely.”
KENNEDY TOOK A SIP of her wine, then put her glass down and glanced around. The interior of the restaurant was just as beautiful as the exterior. She couldn’t help but smile when she looked back at Haddison. “You said you had inside connections, but you didn’t tell me that you knew Ramone personally.”
He smiled back at her, taking a sip of his own wine before setting his glass down. “I’ve known him my entire life. He and my father were in the police academy together and were partners for years on the streets of St. Louis.”
Kennedy nodded. “Well, he certainly was glad to see you.”
He chuckled. “And he was just as glad to see you,” he countered. “He thinks I don’t have much of a social life. I have to keep reminding him that I haven’t been in town that long.”
She took another sip of her wine. They’d discussed his lack of social life the day he’d joined her for lunch. She couldn’t help wondering if that meant she would be just one of many dates to follow, once he got settled. Why she was slightly annoyed by the thought? She’d been on the dating scene before and knew how it worked. A date was a date and not a prelude to anything else. And so far, the evening was going just as she hoped it would. He seemed to enjoy hearing about her family and she had no problem sharing a few of their dramatic escapades with him. She’d even managed to impress him when she told him that she was related to Grammy-award-winning singer Alexia Bennett-Masters.
“I just bought her new album,” Haddison told her. “It’s awesome.”
She chuckled. “I know. I got it, too. And you’re right, it is awesome. She’s awesome.”
“This peach wine is good,” he said smiling. “I would never have tried it if you hadn’t suggested it.”
She nodded. “When Dad and I moved to Atlanta, it seemed everything was about the Georgia peach. I fell in love with the scent, the flavor, and the fruit itself.” She chuckled. “I guess you could say I like it when things are peachy.”
Over dinner, which was simply delicious, they shared more stories with each other. She loved hearing him talk, and not for the first time, thought he had a sexy voice. “What did you enjoy about the FBI and why did you leave?”
She watched him take another sip of his wine, before he said, “I enjoyed being a cop and felt becoming an FBI agent would be even more challenging. And it was. I found the cases I was assigned rewarding. It felt good knowing that what I was doing was making our country a safer place for people to live.”
He paused a moment and added, “But I was beginning to get burned-out, which was nobody’s fault but my own. Since I was single and had no family in the area, more often than not, I would volunteer to work holidays so my fellow agents could enjoy time with their families. I didn’t mind that so much as I did the extra assignments I’d get. I guess you could say I didn’t have a life, and knew I probably wouldn’t ever get one at the rate I was working.”
He paused. “For a while, I thought about teaching at the FBI academy, or offering criminology courses at a university. Then I heard about the job here and decided a move to St. Paul might just be what the doctor ordered. What about you? What do you do outside of work?”
She smiled. “That’s a good question. For the last few months, I’d forgotten I could have a life outside Rivers. I’ve been working a lot of overtime lately. You know you said you felt burned-out as an FBI agent? Well, I am feeling that way, too. That’s one of the main reasons I’m leaving. I need a life outside of work.”
She took a sip of her wine, thinking that she’d had a life outside of work before Larry Matthews had become her boss and started doubling up her workload. She was tired of helping him look good at her expense.
“You shouldn’t have to quit a job just to have a life,” he said.
“True. But I feel like I do. I used to go to the gym a few times a week, and even take enrichment classes in the evenings. But not now. Not since…”
She stopped talking. She’d almost said, “Not since Larry had become her boss.” She had to remember that Haddison also worked for the company. The last thing she wanted to do was complain about the working conditions at Rivers.
“Not since what?”
She shrugged. “Nothing.” She didn’t have to look at him to know he was studying her. She could feel his gaze moving over her face, looking for…what?
“What sort of enrichment classes did you take?”
She looked at him again, and the moment their eyes connected, she felt a stirring in the pit of her stomach. “I took several, but my favorite was cake decorating.”
“Cake decorating?”
She smiled. “Yes. It was a six-week class that I just loved. It was fun and relaxing.” She paused for effect. “I also took belly dancing.”
“Belly dancing?”
“Yes. It was challenging, but I really enjoyed it.”
“I bet. Is there anything you would like to do but haven’t yet?”
Kennedy thought about that for a moment, then said, “Yes. My dad is a pilot and he loves to fly. I always wanted to learn but never have. He offered to teach me, but I was always busy with schoolwork. After college, I moved here and got a job, and just never got around to doing it. Now that I’m quitting my job, maybe I’ll have the chance to try it.”
He nodded. “I think you will love flying. I do. I’ve had my pilot’s license for years and don’t fly enough for pleasure. I did it off and on for the Bureau.”
She smiled. “My dad would love to meet a fellow pilot.”
But Kennedy knew there was no reason Haddison and her dad would ever cross paths, so she pushed that thought to the back of her mind. Besides, her father had liked Charles, a fellow pilot, and looked how that had turned out? She had a feeling her father would reserve his opinion about the next guy she got involved with until he had a chance to get to know the guy better.
“Are you a registered voter?”
He lifted his brow. “Yes, why?”
“We have a local election coming up. You might want to get to know the candidates.”
He chuckled. “Anyone I need to know better than the others?”
“Yes, now that you asked,” she said, smiling sweetly. “I’m supporting Fran Beets for mayor. It’s time for another woman to take charge. There hasn’t been a female mayor in St. Paul in more than one-hundred years.”
“Are you voting for her because she’s qualified, or because she’s a woman?”
“Both. No offense to your gender, but if you want something done, you need a woman. So far, the men in charge haven’t accomplished much.”
Kennedy was fired up about the election and couldn’t help giving Haddison her opinion about the candidate she was supporting. She was glad he seemed interested and asked questions, which she gladly answered, maybe with more enthusiasm than was necessary. She was giving him a clear view of her feisty side, but she didn’t care. That was her, and if he wanted to be around her, he’d have to get used to it.
They also disc
ussed their favorite television programs and the movies they loved. He told her that he hadn’t been to the movies in years, preferring to watch Netflix.
Kennedy shook her head. “There’s nothing like going out to the movies, Haddison. And stuffing your face with popcorn and gulping down a large soda.”
He leaned back in his chair. Their empty plates had been removed and they were enjoying coffee with dessert. She had ordered peach cobbler and he, a slice of chocolate cake. “You think so?”
She smiled at him. “Yes. You don’t know what you’ve been missing. Some of the cinemas even have seats that recline.”
He lifted a brow. “Recline?”
“Yes. It feels just like you’re sitting in your favorite chair at home. You can’t beat the experience.”
“Then I would love to try it…with you. Would you go to the movies with me this coming weekend?”
Her smile widened. “I would love to.”
By the time Kennedy got home that night, she’d realized she really liked Haddison. He was good company and a great conversationalist — an all-around nice guy.
He’d told her he lived in Grove Park, which was a nice area of St. Paul. She knew it well and was aware the condo complex where he lived was in an upscale, gated community. She’d explained to him that the house where she and her cousins lived had once been her parents’ home, and where she’d lived for the first thirteen years of her life. When she and her father moved to Atlanta, he never sold it and surprised her with the deed to it when she graduated from college.
“Thanks for such a wonderful evening, Haddison,” she said as he walked her to the door. “Ramone’s was everything I thought it would be. The food was simply amazing.”
“Glad you thought so. Thanks for agreeing to go out with me again.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I can’t have you going through life believing that watching a movie in your living room is as good as going to a movie theater. That’s almost un-American.”
He grinned. “Un-American?”
“Yes. Going to the movies is right up there with baseball, apple pie, and Prince.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Glad you gave me a warning. And I’m doubly glad you’re keeping me from making such erroneous assumptions.”
She couldn’t hide her smile. “You are welcome, Mr. Wolf.”
They were standing on her porch where her cousins had left a light on for her. He didn’t say anything for a minute as he stared down at her, though she felt the heat of his stare everywhere. If he kept this up, she would burn to a crisp.
“It’s not nice to stare,” she finally heard herself saying.
“Sorry. Maybe I should do this, instead.”
He reached down and cradled her face in his hands, and her heart started beating frantically. And when he lowered his head down to hers, she was more than ready. She’d been waiting for this kiss since the moment she’d first met him.
The moment their lips touched, she moaned and he used that opportunity to slide his tongue inside her mouth. Then he dropped his hands from her face and wrapped his arms around her waist, allowing their tongues to tangle in a way that was sending her hormones into a frenzy.
Kennedy forced the thought away that there was something about this kiss that reminded her of the time she’d kissed “him.” Why was she letting thoughts of a dead man cloud her thinking and muddy what she was feeling now, in Haddison’s arms?
She shifted her body closer, wanting more of his heat and settling in as close, as intimately, as a woman still wearing clothes could get to him. She wanted him. He wanted her. She felt evidence of that the moment his hard erection pressed against her.
It was times like this she regretted living in a houseful of people. One of the house rules that she and her cousins had established in the beginning was that no guys could spend the night. Not even for a quickie. If things got out of control, then they were either to get a room or go back to his place. Doing anything else would be disrespectful to the others there.
At that moment, his kiss was overwhelming her senses, and the thought of suggesting that they go to his place was a heady temptation.
She’d never slept with a guy on the first date, but if Haddison continued kissing her like this, she could be convinced into making him an exception. She shifted, and his erection nudged her again, harder than ever.
At least she knew this blazing desire wasn’t one-sided. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him.
Suddenly, he broke off the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers. Their breaths mingled in choppy gasps. Then he licked his tongue across her lips, as if he needed one more taste.
“You’re killing me,” he groaned in a deep, husky voice.
She hoped not. She wasn’t sure how long they would be seeing each other, but she definitely wanted to keep him healthy. “I can’t kill you.” She smiled against his lips. “We have a date next weekend, remember.”
“Trust me, I won’t forget. I will be counting the days.”
So would she.
Haddison let himself into his condo and tossed his keys on the table. Removing his jacket, he went straight to the kitchen to grab a beer out of the refrigerator. He would have preferred something stronger, but this would have to do. It had been damn near impossible to not give Kennedy one final kiss before stepping back and letting her go inside her home.
He took his beer and walked through his living room, opening the French door and stepping out on his patio. Kennedy Bennett was something else. He’d detected some of that feistiness he’d seen back at the bank when she was telling him why she felt the person she was supporting was the best candidate, and why she was determined to become more active in the woman’s campaign. He’d seen it again when she’d told him of her feelings about watching a movie at the theater versus Netflix. Kennedy was a firecracker, he thought with a smile.
Screwing off the cap of the beer bottle, he took a slug of his beer and then licked his lips. Damn, he’d enjoyed kissing her. Too much. And he’d wanted to go farther. And though it looked like she’d been right there on the same page, he’d known he had to slow down. And he had. But next time…
And there would be a next time.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and then he remembered he’d turned the volume down before entering the restaurant. Checking the ID, he saw the call was coming from Dwight Harris, his good friend and former colleague at the FBI. After researching Kennedy’s HR files, he’d come across something that bothered him, so he’d reached out to Dwight to check out a few things.
“Dwight?”
“Yeah, man. You okay?”
“Fine, and you?”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t know how much longer I want to work inside, though. It’s boring as hell.”
Haddison nodded, understanding. For years, Dwight had worked undercover, but right now, he was stuck behind a desk. Haddison hoped it wouldn’t be for long, for Dwight’s sake. Working undercover was risky. It meant constantly putting one’s life on the line. But it gave the agent the chance to really understand how a criminal’s’ mind worked. Haddison had found it fascinating, which was probably the reason he’d done it for as long as he had.
“I feel your pain,” he said.
“Think you’ll ever come back?”
Haddison knew the answer immediately. “No. My days there are over. The bad guys aren’t just bad anymore — they’re getting twisted. Crazy as hell sickos.”
He thought of Vince Sherwin. He’d heard that he and Andy had taken a plea deal. As a result, there wouldn’t be a trial for their part in the robbery. Haddison was glad — that meant Kennedy wouldn’t have to testify. Even better, Andy and Vince were still facing a slew of charges from previous crimes, so it was almost guaranteed they’d do time.
He recalled Kennedy telling him about the bank robbery. Little did she guess that he’d been right there with her. How would she feel if she ever found out? It was his intent that she never did.
“Did you find out anything?” he asked Dwight.
“Nothing major, other than Matthews and Whitworth have known each for a long time. Matthews is the son of one of Whitworth’s frat brothers from college. He probably hired him on as a favor, and promoted him for the same reason.”
Haddison heard the shuffling of papers, then Dwight was back.
“Matthews wasn’t highly thought of by his last employer, and went months without a job after he left there. Bad work ethics. His last employer noted he was lazy, unmotivated, an ineffective leader, and was notorious for pawning his work off on others and taking the credit.”
“I figured as much,” Haddison muttered. Typical corporate America BS. But not on his watch, and not with his woman.
His woman?
One date and one hell of a kiss and already he was claiming Kennedy as his? How crazy was that? No woman had ever had him thinking of her as his before.
“Need anything else?”
Dwight’s question reeled his thoughts back in. “No, I can handle things from here. It was just as I suspected.”
“What about the woman, Kennedy Bennett? You want me to check her out, as well? To see if there’s any evidence that she’s leaving with plans to take Rivers’s clients with her, as Matthews and Whitworth claim?”
“No. I can see where Matthew and Whitworth are trying to go with their allegations.”
“And you plan to shut them down.”
It was a statement and not a question. Dwight knew him well. “Yes, those are my plans.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. Out of curiosity, I pulled up an image of Ms. Bennett. She’s a looker.”
He thought so, too. And he knew it would be a waste of time to deny his interest in her because he was interested. “Glad you think so. I do, too.”
“It’s a good thing she has you in her corner, Haddison.”
Later that night, as Haddison prepared for bed, he thought about Dwight’s words. Little did his friend guess that Kennedy had him more than just in her corner. She was getting to him in a big way, and there wasn’t a single thing he could do about it. And even more surprising? He didn’t care.
THE BENNETTS' WEDDING (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 5) Page 8
