Witness Protection: Hide and Seek by Ursula Dukes Read Free Book Online Page B

least
bit happy.”

 
    “No. I’m not happy. She lost the love of her life Faith, why
the hell would I be happy?”

 
    “She lost the love of her life over a year ago.”

 
    “What are you trying to say?”

 
    “I’m not trying to say anything, but this. If you don’t see
all of this as more than just a coincidence, well then… I just don’t know
buddy.”

 
    Cole motioned to the bartender to send over another drink.
    “What do you want me to do Faith? I’m leaving for
Summerbridge in a couple of days. So even if I wanted to see if there was
something between us, I couldn’t.”

 
    “Why not?”

 
    “Because it wouldn’t be fair to her. She deserves someone
who will be there for her, not someone who is leaving in a couple of days.
Look, she isn’t ready to get involved with me or anyone else right now. And
even if she were, it couldn’t be me. She deserves someone who can be there for
her." He repeated the words.
    "I'm not exactly the best person when it comes to
providing emotional and physical support, and if you need proof, just ask my
ex-wife. In fact, I was so lousy at it that she looked elsewhere and found it
in the arms of the contractor that I hired to re-model the master bedroom!”
Cole slammed his fist down hard.
    “Take it easy buddy,” Faith patted him on the back.
    “All I’m saying is that you’re both single now. Just play it
by ear and see what happens. That’s all I’m saying.” Cole followed Faith’s gaze
to the back door where Madison was standing.

 
    “Alright,” he said full of liquid courage. “Here goes
nothing.”

 
 
    After saying goodbye to the last of the partygoers, Hank and
Donna closed the bar for the night. As the waitstaff began to clean up, Hank
put on a fresh pot of coffee and left Madison and Cole alone, so that they
could talk.
    She put some money in the jukebox and soon, an upbeat melody
poured out of the speakers. The song reminded her of Tristan. She remembered
how she tried teaching him how to dance.
    Although he wasn't much of a dancer, he had moves. She
smiled again at the memory. I wonder if
Cole likes to dance, she thought to herself as she made her way over to the
table.
    He smiled back and pulled her chair out so that she could
sit down. "Do you like to dance?" The question came out in a mumble
and Cole had been so enthralled with her being there, that he wasn’t paying
attention.
    "What's that?" He said.
    Madison grinned and waved it off. "Nothing," she
said and patted him on the hand.
    “You really do look beautiful,” he said.
    “You’ve got beer goggles on.” Madison giggled and looked
away.
    Cole shook his head. “No I don’t. I can see clearly and what
I see is Madison West sitting at the same table as me.”
    His words sounded like that of a lovesick teenager and she
was flattered by them.
    “I think you need some coffee,” she said and got up from the
table.
    Cole couldn’t help but stare as she made her way behind the
bar. Her curvaceous body was that of perfection. The jeans she was wearing fit
her like a glove and the spaghetti strap of her silky tank top fell lazily off
her smooth, shoulder.  
    He struggled to maintain control of himself.

 
    “Here you go. Cream, no sugar right?” She set the hot mug in
front of him.
    “You remembered.” He smiled.
    “Of course I remember. You are not an easy man to forget
Cole Harding.”
    “Neither are you.” He raised his mug to her.
    "I’ve never seen you act this way before.” She grinned
easily at him.
    “Well that’s because before, the circumstances were
different. I was on the job. I was on duty. I had to protect you and I still
want to.”
    His eyes bore into hers and she thought about making up some
lie so that she could escape.
    “It’s not your job anymore.”
    “I know it’s not. Especially now, but just because I’m no
longer a marshal doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped worrying or thinking about
you.” The words came out before he