Page 156 of Hidden Ties

“That’s too hot for you,” he told her.

Tears coursed down Tinsley’s cheeks.

Kent desperately flagged the waitress down for a milder sauce.

The tears didn’t stop until the sauce was set down in front of Tinsley.

Sage almost felt sorry for him when she saw the triumphant look on his face.

“Want mustard!” Tinsley bellowed.

Kent paled when customers at other tables turned to gawk at them.

Flagging the waitress down again, Sage asked for mustard.

Tinsley continued to cry until the waitress hurried back to the table. Once Sage squirted some mustard into the buffalo sauce, Tinsley quit crying to happily eat her food.

Warily, Kent resumed eating his fries, not touching the tenders.

Chewing the last of the tender, she lifted soulful eyes to Kent. “Want more—”

Kent didn’t let her get the rest of the sentence out before giving her another tender.

Sage couldn’t hold back. “What were you saying about the alpha?”

“She’s cute but ruthless.”

“Welcome to the terrible twos. She can have a meltdown in two point three seconds, then wrap herself around your finger in half the time.”

Accusatory, he nodded his head at her plate. “That’s why you ordered the barbeque sandwich and corn.”

“She thinks they’re yucky.”

Tinsley’s hand came out with a squished piece of corndog. “I share.”

Kent slid his whole plate toward her. “I’m good.”

THIRTY-ONE

When she opened her eyes, it took a moment to realize where she was. Then she contently felt the strong arm curling around her waist. Kent had brought her to his hotel room after treating her to a romantic dinner and a movie. Making love with Kent was everything she had dreamed of. He was gentle, considerate, and so passionate she gave a small shiver when she remembered the ecstasy she had experienced just hours ago.

Carefully, she reached for her cell phone, not wanting to wake him. She would have to wake him soon to take her home, but she wanted to wait until he got more sleep. He looked exhausted.

Kent never discussed his cases with her, so she didn’t know if it was his clients who were causing his sleepless nights or the fraud case the firm was having to defend itself against. Probably the case against the firm, Sage surmised.

The first two weeks of the trial, all the attorneys in the firm had seemed upbeat, as if they were going to win the case easily. The last week, all of them seemed on edge, all except Kent. The only difference she had been able to notice was how tired he looked.

She checked at the time and made sure there were no messages from Glory or Tayla, then placed the phone back on the nightstand. Wide wake, she grew thirsty and gingerly slid out from under Kent’s arm. The white dress shirt she had worn that evening was on the floor; she slid it on and buttoned it as she walked into the other room, closing the bedroom door in case she accidently made a noise that could wake him.

She took a bottled water out of the mini fridge and unscrewed the cap on her way to the balcony doors; the twinkling lights called to her. Unlocking the door, she took a deep breath before walking out onto the balcony. All the rooms on this side of the hotel had a good-sized balcony, large enough to hold a small table and two chairs. She could imagine many couples spending their mornings eating breakfast or dinner at night out here.

Making sure she didn’t look down, she concentrated on the lights from the city. When she turned her head to look to the side of the hotel, she spotted another part that was much higher.

“I thought you were afraid of heights?”

Smilingly, she turned her head to see Kent in the balcony doorway, wearing a pair of shorts. “I’m getting braver about things that scare me.”

She was unable to read his enigmatic expression as he remained in the doorway watching her.