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“A completely normal reaction, I’m sure,” Grady said. Lake wondered if he was imagining the slight husk in his voice. “Why are you calling me? I thought you said you were on a date tonight?”

Lake looked around to make sure Marlie wasn’t on her way back yet. She’d made him put his phone away earlier because she wanted the focus on her, which he didn’t have a problem with because he thought the same—what was the point of a date if you weren’t there to spend time with the person? It was common courtesy—but the delivery could have used some work. And the bossiness could have stopped there. Instead, she ordered for him because she didn’t like the smell of certain foods, told him what drinks he was allowed to drink and what he couldn’t because she didn’t like the taste, and sneered at the server when they’d ordered because he’d almost fumbled the water. So many red flags and Lake wanted to leave now. Only standing up and walking away seemed like an impossible task—what would he do if she made a scene? He could handle that kind of attitude at work and shut it down quickly, but this was different—and sneaking out while she was in the bathroom would makehimthe dick.

“You have to come save me.”

“I have to what? Hold on, I can’t hear you properly.” There was some shuffling and a sliding door, and then the background noise was gone. “Did you just say I have to come save you?”

“I’m on a date with a 1,” Lake said.

“I wasn’t expecting you to make a judgement on a person based on looks,” Grady said shortly. The tinge of disappointment made a tendril of shame curl around Lake’s heart like a vine, even though he absolutely hadn’t been basing any of his opinions on how she looked.

“I’m not,” he insisted, needing Grady to know that hedidn’tjudge based on looks. “She’s very pretty. I like her red hair. It’s her personality that makes her a 1.” Looks werenothis priority. But asking for a person who was a decent human being was not too much of an ask. “Please,pleaseget me out of this. I don’t care how you do it.” He spied her pretty red hair moving through the restaurant at a rapid pace. “Shit, she’s coming!”

“I need to know where you are if you want some kind of rescue. And Quinn lives half an hour out of town, so I might be a while.”

Lake managed to spit out the address and hang up just as she got back to the table. She frowned at the phone.

“I thought I told you to put that away.”

“Sorry, it was just my mum,” Lake lied. He made a show of putting it back in his pocket and sent out a silent prayeranda telepathic distress call to Grady, hoping he heard it and would hurry.

LAKE'S SENSE OF RELIEFwhen he saw Grady walk through the glass front doors of the restaurant would have made him need to grab hold of something if he’d been standing. He’d barely been able to stomach his food as he listened to the woman telling him all the things he would be expected to do, andnotdo, while they were dating. It was their first date. A horrific first date. Why did she think there would be more? Zach was definitely getting punched.

Their eyes locked, and Lake swallowed hard. Grady looked like he always did, a frown on his face surrounded by his thick beard. Something inside Lake jumped as he watched Grady purposefully stride across the dining hall. He was wearing a suit, which meant he’d gone to Quinn’s straight after he’d finished work. The tie was twisted, and every time he had to move around a table, his jacket shifted to reveal his holster and gun.

It only just occurred to Lake, as he watched him come closer, that Grady was a really attractive guy. After knowing him for over a month, Lake probably should have worked that out before that moment, but it wasn’t like he had activelylooked.But Grady was built like a line-backer, had a smile that—while given sparingly—was enough to put you on your ass, and had a sexy broody thing going on when he wasn’t smiling. Lake could see why men would want him. He was a great kisser too, which Lake could confirm based on their New Year’s Eve midnight kiss. He hadn’t thought about it since then, but watching Grady walk towards him, suddenly he was thinking about it, the feel of his lips and the way his tongue had expertly stroked Lake’s.

A server stopped Grady halfway, giving Lake time to compose himself and wonder what the fuck was wrong with him. The kiss hadn’t meant anything. It was a rule that he’d needed to abide by, and Grady had been the closest victim.

Grady flashed the badge on his hip and said a few clipped words. The man’s eyes widened before nodding and moving out of his way.

“Lake McKenna?” Grady said as he stopped at their table. He was looking at Lake like he’d never met him before in his life, and Lake blinked in confusion.

“Yes?”

“Excuse me,” Marlie said rudely. “We’re having a private dinner; can’t you see you’re interrupting us?”

Grady lifted his jacket to show his badge again—and okay, the movies had it right, and that move was definitely sexy. Lake wished he had a badge that he could flash.

“I’m Detective Sergeant Grady Donehue,” Grady said. “I’m going to have to ask you to come with me, sir.”

“Um…” Lake felt a little tongue-tied, and he wasn’t sure why.

“Let’s not make this difficult,” Grady said. “I’m sure we don’t want to cause a scene.” His face was completely impassive, total detective mode, and it was doing something to Lake’s insides. It was like a mask, hiding the real Grady underneath. He wasn’t Lake’s Grady; he wascopGrady.

Lake slid to his feet, and Grady took hold of his elbow.

“Are you in trouble with thelaw?” Marlie said in disgust, wrinkling her nose. Lake had a feeling she wouldn’t be calling him. She couldn’t anyway since he definitely hadn’t given her his number, but even if he had, she definitely wouldn’t be calling. Which worked for him.

“This way,” Grady said, squeezing lightly as he steered him.

Lake just shrugged apologetically as Grady walked him away. He was just glad that he’d paid when they’d ordered because even though she was terrible, he would have felt even worse if he’d left her with the bill.

Once they were outside, Grady let go of him.

“Car’s this way,” Grady said, heading down the sidewalk to their left.

“Are you allowed to touch people like that?” Lake asked curiously.