Shadow of Doubt

by Abbie Zanders

  She was still seething when her phone vibrated a short while later.

  “What?” she growled into the device. The ensuing silence was her first clue that she should have checked the caller ID.

  “Kate?”

  Her anger was immediately replaced with mortification. “Chris?”

  “Is everything all right?”

  “Yes, fine. I’m sorry. What’s up?”

  Her heart pounded as she waited for him to answer, counting three beats and then four. Not a long time in the overall scheme of things, but it felt roughly the same length as an eternity.

  “Are you free for dinner on Friday?” he finally asked.

  Her relief was instantaneous. “Friday is perfect.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that. Since you’re more familiar with the area, why don’t you pick the place?”

  She leaned her hip against the counter, her earlier angst gone, replaced by anticipation. “Hmm, okay. Got any preferences?”

  He laughed. “I’m not picky. Whatever you want is fine with me.”

  She tried to imagine the type of place he’d like. He struck her as a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Simple but substantial fare. And big guys usually had big appetites.

  “I know just the place. Great food, lots of it, and very casual.”

  “Sounds good to me. Pick you up at six?”

  “Perfect. I live right across the street from the store. Two-story gray American Foursquare. Can’t miss it.”

  “See you then.”

  “See you then.”

  She disconnected the call, feeling almost giddy. Her good mood carried her through the morning. Even her father noticed when he came in from plowing the lot.

  “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

  “I’ve got a date this weekend.”

  “Glad to hear it.” He beamed. “Where’s Luther taking you? Someplace nice, I hope.”

  She hesitated, debating on whether or not to tell him the truth. It was a brief debate. She might not tell him everything, but she’d never lied to him, and she wasn’t about to start now.

  “I’m not going out with Luther, Dad.”

  “Oh?” He raised his eyebrows. When she didn’t say anything more, he added, “Are you going to tell me who, or do I have to guess?”

  “I’ll tell you, but fair warning: you’re probably not going to like it.”

  “Tell me anyway.”

  “Chris Sheppard.”

  His brows pulled together. “Don’t recognize the name. Do I know him?”

  “Kind of. He was in the other morning. The one who bought the tickets to the spaghetti dinner.”

  His frown deepened. “You’re right; I don’t like it.”

  “You haven’t even met him.”

  “No,” he agreed. “What about Luther?”

  She exhaled. “I know you’ve pinned your hopes on us getting back together, but it’s not going to happen. He’s not the man for me.”

  “And this guy is?”

  “I don’t know, Dad. I barely know him. What I do know is, he’s been very nice, extremely polite, and well mannered.” She smiled wryly. “He’s also the only man who’s asked me out in two years. Trust me, okay?”

  “I do trust you. It’s him I don’t trust,” he grumbled. “But ... it’s also been a long time since I’ve seen that sparkle in your eyes. You really like this guy, huh?”

  “Too early to tell, but he shows promise.”

  “All right, Katy-belle.” He pulled her in for a quick hug. “Just be careful, okay?”

  “Always. Thanks, Dad.”

  ~ * ~

  When five o’clock on Friday rolled around, Kate zipped home and took a quick shower. She dressed in the one pair of jeans she had that made her ass look fantastic and paired it with a tank top beneath a light three-quarter-sleeved V-neck sweater. A bit of mascara and lip balm, and she was ready to go with twenty minutes to spare. After setting out fresh water and kibble for Duke, who’d been MIA all day, she paced anxiously in front of the window, waiting for Chris to arrive.

  His truck rumbled up fifteen minutes early. She wondered if that meant he was looking forward to dinner as much as she was.

  I can hope.

  She grabbed her coat and scarf and met him as he was coming up the steps.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi.” He smiled. “I’m a little early.”

  “That’s okay. I was ready early.”

  He offered her his arm in an old-fashioned gesture, which she thought was a nice touch. “Shall we?”

  “We shall.”

  She held his arm down the steps, acutely aware of how solid it was beneath the layers of outerwear. She wasn’t petite by any means, but she felt like she was when she was next to him. She didn’t want to let go when they reached his truck.

  Keeping with the gentlemanly theme, he opened the passenger door and then waited for her to get in before closing it and walking around the front to the driver’s side. Instead of getting in, however, he held up his index finger in a wait gesture and then crossed the street and went into Handelmann’s.

  He came back out a few minutes later and slid his big body behind the wheel.

  “Do I want to know what that was about?”

  “I saw your father watching us through the window. I wanted to reassure him that you were in good hands.”

  Her heart melted a little. “I’m sure he appreciated that.”

  Chris shrugged and pulled out onto the street. “If you were my daughter, I would. So, where are we going?”

  She directed him past the Sumneyville town limits and into the next town. Andy’s was exactly the kind of place she thought he’d like—with the added bonus of fewer prying eyes. She wanted the chance to get to know him without being under the scrutiny of the town watchdogs, and Andy’s was, by unspoken rule, considered neutral territory. It was kind of like Vegas that way, only on a much smaller scale. Everyone minded their own business. If you were there and saw someone else, you didn’t talk about it.

  Plus, the food was fantastic. For locals, it was the best place for burgers and beer.

  To his credit, he didn’t question her choice when she led him into the sketchy-looking building. He did, however, stay close by her side and protectively place his hand at her lower back. She liked that. She liked it a lot.

  Fortunately, the inside was nicer than the outside. Also nice: he didn’t remove his hand when they got inside.

  Dark wood and low-level lighting gave the place a cozy feel. The high-backed, roomy booths also afforded some privacy.

  Kate requested a table in the back. Chris waited until she was seated to slide in across from her. This courtesy was something she could quickly get used to.

  “What do you recommend?” he asked.

  “Honestly, everything here is good.”

  He put his menu back in the wire holder. “Why don’t you order for both of us?”

  “Challenge accepted.”

  His eyes shone with approval when she ordered a plate of mango-habanero wings, two Angus burgers—a half-pounder for him and a quarter-pounder for her—a basket of thick-cut fries, and coleslaw. To drink, she went with a pitcher of locally brewed beer and one of ice water as well.

  “How did I do?” she asked as the waitress walked away.

  “A-plus.”

  She smiled, but inside, she was fist-pumping. “You seem like the kind of guy who can appreciate a hearty meal.”

  He grinned. “You’re not wrong.”

  Their drinks arrived first. He poured beer into frosted mugs for each of them while she did the same with the water.

  “Tell me about Kate,” he said.

  “There’s not much to tell.”

  “I doubt that.” He looked at her with penetrating dark blue eyes, giving her his undivided attention.

  An old saying came to mind—still waters run deep. She was pretty sure she’d need scuba gear to explore those depths. Also, she was an excellent swimmer.


  “I’m a local girl, born and bred. I’ve worked in my father’s store since I was a kid.” Even as the words came out of her mouth, she realized just how boring and uninteresting she was and attempted to spice things up with some self-effacing humor. Placing both hands under her chin, she batted her eyelashes and channeled her inner game-show hostess. “Kate likes cooking, DIY projects, and hiking local mountain trails. She tends to avoid any situation that requires wearing pantyhose or high heels. Her turnoffs are posers, liars, cheaters, and people who think salads are actual meals.”

  His lips quirked.

  She dropped her hands and returned to her regular voice. “See what I mean? Totally underwhelming.”

  “I disagree.”

  “Oh?”

  “Do you want to know what I see?”

  She didn’t think it was possible, but his eyes grew even more intense, and her heartbeat kicked up.

  “I’m not sure. Do I?”

  “I see a woman who is loyal and loving and cares about her family. One who takes in stray dogs and delivers meals to others on stormy nights. She’s confident and comfortable in her own skin. Beautiful and funny and refreshingly down-to-earth.”

  She sucked in a breath. “That’s what you see?”

  He nodded.

  “Wow.” That might have been the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her.

  She was going to have to be very careful, or this guy would charm the pants right off her. Not that she was wholly opposed to the idea. Holding on to pants in a situation like this was vastly overrated. He was very attractive in a rugged, masculine sort of way and growing more so by the minute.

  She cleared her throat and swallowed the urge to say so. “Your turn.”

  He shrugged and leaned back. “I grew up in a small town in the Midwest. Joined the Navy and got a degree.”

  She waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. Their wings arrived, temporarily halting the conversation. In retrospect, she probably shouldn’t have ordered something so messy for a first date, but the wings were good enough to overlook the potential embarrassment factor. Besides, she wasn’t exactly the dainty, sip-and-nibble type. He should know up-front what he was getting himself into.

  “What is your degree in?” she asked after making prudent use of the wet wipes that had come with their food.

  “Architectural engineering.”

  “Impressive.”

  “Not really. I like drawing, and I’m good at math, so it seemed like a good idea.”

  She was fascinated by the way he tried to downplay himself. His modesty was just as sexy as the rest of him.

  “How did you become involved in the Sanctuary project?”

  “I met Matt Winston on the teams.”

  “SEAL teams?”

  He nodded. “After my time was up, he called me, told me about his vision, and asked if I wanted in.”

  She grinned. “And you said yes.”

  “Without hesitation. Matt’s a good guy, and I couldn’t think of a better way to put my skills and education to use.”

  Before she could stop herself, she asked the question that had been rattling around in her mind since the last time she saw him, “Why do they call you Mad Dog?”

  He didn’t answer right away. She could practically see his wheels turning, deciding whether or not to tell her.

  Then, his eyes locked on to hers, and he said very softly, “Because when something is important to me, I’ll go to any lengths to protect it.”

  “Oh.”

  “Does that scare you, Kate?”

  “No,” she answered honestly. It probably should have, but it didn’t. In fact, she felt perilously close to swooning. At least, she thought that was what the light, tingly sensation was. It wasn’t something she’d ever experienced before.

  “Good.”

  Their meals arrived, and over burgers and beer, they got to know each other better. They took turns in asking each other questions and sharing, keeping the subjects light and not too personal. By the time they left the restaurant and drove back to her place, she found him even more attractive. Another first. Usually, when guys started talking, their appeal took a nosedive.

  “I had a wonderful time tonight, Kate,” he said as he walked her to her door.

  “I did, too.” So much so that she wasn’t ready for the night to end. “Would you like to come in and have some coffee?”

  “I would, but I think it’s better if I don’t.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because I like you, and I find you incredibly attractive. If I go in there with you now, I won’t come back out until morning.”

  She inhaled sharply, her core and nipples tightening at his words. “You sound pretty sure of yourself, Mr. Sheppard.”

  He grinned. “Hopeful. May I kiss you good night?”

  “I’d be insulted if you didn’t.”

  He lowered his head. She closed her eyes, her entire body vibrating in anticipation as she waited. And waited. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face but no actual kiss. She opened her eyes to find him watching her, his lips poised just a hairbreadth away from hers.

  “There you are,” he whispered and then closed the distance between them.

  She’d been kissed before but never like that. Like, the moment his lips touched hers, the rest of the world ceased to exist. In the span of those precious seconds, she no longer felt the cold or heard the sounds around them. Every sense grew sharper, more acute, all focused solely on him. His taste. His scent. The way he held her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

  When he pulled away, she felt light-headed and off-balance.

  Yep, totally swooning.

  She licked her lips and tried to catch her breath. “Wow. Are you sure you don’t want to come in?”

  He chuckled softly and kissed the tip of her nose. “Good night, Kate.”

  “Good night, Chris.”

  Chapter Nine

  Mad Dog

  Mad Dog shifted in the seat in an attempt to alleviate some of the discomfort he felt down below. He also put the window down, hoping the frigid air would have the same effect as a cold shower. The woman had no idea what she did to him or how hard it had been for him to walk away—hard being the operative word.

  He only knew that if he had taken her up on her offer, it would have elevated things to a whole new level, and he wasn’t sure she was ready for that. Hell, he wasn’t sure he was ready for that.

  He hadn’t been lying when he told her why he’d gotten his call name, though he didn’t think she truly understood. Most of the time, he was a pretty chill guy. But when something he cared about was threatened, a switch flipped inside him, and he turned into the rabid animal the nickname suggested. He became of sole mind and purpose, and everything else was secondary until his objective was achieved.

  That might work well on the teams but not so much in the civilian world. Most people couldn’t handle that kind of intensity.

  He sincerely hoped that Kate was one of those who could because he was already starting to feel pretty territorial where she was concerned. He needed to calm down, take a step back, and think about something besides her pretty eyes filled with desire, her soft lips, her luscious curves ...

  Fuck.

  When he got back to Sanctuary, he stopped by the main building to pick up the sketches he’d left there. His best chance of getting his mind off of Kate and the things he’d like to do to her was by losing himself in some designs.

  He should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.

  His plan was to get in and get out, but Sam was lying in wait for him.

  “Well? How’d it go?” she called out as he walked past the decompression room where Sam, Sandy, Heff, and Smoke were playing some kind of card game.

  In retrospect, he shouldn’t have told them about his date with Kate beforehand.

  He could have kept walking but had a feeling Sam would come after him if he did. The shy, quiet woman Smoke
had first brought to Sanctuary had turned into somewhat of a mother hen where they were concerned, and Sandy was fast becoming her partner in crime. While Mad Dog knew their interest came from a good place, he also wasn’t accustomed to sharing personal details.

  He stopped in the doorway, aware of Heff’s and Smoke’s amused expressions. Well, Heff looked amused. Smoke looked empathetic. Good man, Smoke.

  “It went fine,” he answered. Better than fine. She’s fucking amazing.

  “And?”

  “And nothing. It went fine.”

  Heff smirked. Smoke’s empathy turned to sympathy.

  “Where did you go?” Sandy asked.

  “A place called Andy’s.”

  Sam grinned widely. “She took you to Andy’s? She must really like you.”

  “Isn’t that the place you took me?” Smoke asked Sam.

  “Yep.”

  “She can’t like him that much,” Heff quipped, making a show of looking at his watch. “It’s barely ten o’clock, and he’s here with us instead of sealing the deal.”

  Mad Dog glared at him. “Not everyone is a man-whore like you. Sorry, Sandy. No offense.”

  Instead of being offended, Sandy laughed. “None taken. I can’t really say much since his methods worked so well on me.”

  Heff grinned. “That they did.”

  Sam rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Mad Dog. “So, are you going to see her again?”

  That would be a great, big fuck yes.

  “Probably,” he answered. Then, he changed the subject and addressed Smoke, “Do you know if Church has had a chance to look over those draft revisions for the new greenhouse design yet?”

  Sam’s lips turned down at the corners. She opened her mouth to say something more, but Smoke had his six.

  “Yeah, they’re in the war room.”

  “Thanks.”

  He left before any further interrogation could ensue, but inside, he was secretly pleased with Sam’s comment about Andy’s.

  Cage and Doc were there when he walked in, checking out something on Cage’s laptop screen. They acknowledged his presence with looks and nods, which he returned.

  That’s the way it should be, he thought. No cross-examination, no questions about his date with Kate.

  He grabbed the designs from the table, rolled them up, then put them into one of the carrying tubes to take back to his trailer. As he was on his way out, the image on Cage’s screen caught his attention. It looked like a series of maps superimposed over one another. He’d seen similar layouts before, usually before heading out on a mission where knowing the lay of the land was imperative.