His Obsession Next Door (In the Line of Duty) by Cathryn Fox Read Free Book Online

razzed him about being off his game as Cole reached for his towel, deciding he’d had enough. “I’d better get Charlie home,” he said, knowing it was a half-truth. Some part of him was anxious to get back to his place, to catch a glimpse of Gemma before she left for her event.
    “What time are we on for tomorrow?” Josh asked, taking another shot.
    Cole might have spent the last few nights watching over Gemma but his days had been spent at the abandoned base with his comrades. Jack’s father had called in a few favors and managed to get approval to use the space. The four guys had already erected a detection wall inside one of the compounds and were now building boxes to take training one step further. Once they had everything in place they’d be able to test the dogs and determine which could be trained.
    “Early, I want to be done before the heat of the day hits.”
    After a round of agreements the guys dispersed. Cole leashed Charlie, tucked his ball under his arm and made the short trek back to his place. When he rounded the corner he spotted a limousine outside Gemma’s condo. A man climbed from the back seat. As Cole looked him over, a surge of possessiveness raced through him. Picking up his pace, he closed the distance between them and the second he caught a glimpse of Gemma exiting her condo, his breath left his lungs in a rush.
    She was dressed in a form-fitting, sexy black cocktail dress that hugged her curves and showcased a supple body. While his fingers itched to caress her, she accepted the arm of her date. At first she didn’t see Cole standing in the shadows, but then Charlie barked, excited to see the woman who’d stitched him up.
    She turned, and her hand went to her chest. “Cole,” she said, sounding breathless as she peered at him. “I didn’t see you there.”
    “Gems,” he returned and switched his attention to her date, taking note of his expensive suit and how everything about him screamed wealth—the kind of guy her mother would want her to marry.
    She quickly recovered from the shock of seeing him and said, “This is Douglas Washington. Douglas, this is Cole Sullivan.” A pause and then, “Cole and I go way back.”
    A confused look came over Douglas’s face as his glance moved over Cole’s sweaty clothes. He greeted Cole with a curt nod before he put his mouth close to Gemma’s ear and said, “We’re running a bit late, darling.” She nodded and he slipped his hand around her back to guide her to the waiting vehicle.
    Seconds before she got into the car she said, “If you change your mind, we’ll be at Grand Union Ballroom and there’ll be an invitation waiting for you at the doors.”
    Charlie barked and Cole watched her drive off. While he should walk away, considering Douglas Washington was the kind of guy she should be going out with—rich, sophisticated, a guy from the right side of the tracks—he couldn’t bring himself to back off. Truthfully, he should be blessing the union, yet there was something about the guy that rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it was his arrogance, or perhaps it was simply because he was escorting Gemma to her event.
    Either way, he didn’t like the guy, and if he wanted to keep the vow he made to her brother, he had no choice but to go to the banquet and watch over her from a distance. He twisted back around, because while he didn’t own an expensive suit himself, he knew Jack would. After all, he wasn’t known as Jack of all trades for nothing, and as the son of a general, he attended many formal events. Ten minutes later, he and Charlie stood outside Jack’s door.
    He knocked twice, then found Jack staring at him. Colby came over to greet Charlie, and since both dogs were tired after playing in the park, they went to the water bowl before dropping onto Colby’s bed next to the television.
    “I need a suit,” Cole said, giving his friend a glance over, thankful they were the same size.
    Jack laughed. “You? In a