“Milestones are important,” Simone replied softly.
Nick looked up as the waitress arrived to take their drink orders. Simone ordered sweet tea, while he chose lemonade.
She smiled. “You must have spent time with Kent and Lotus. They serve lemonade all day and night.”
“Yes, I’ve had lemonade at the Bakers. It’s very good.”
“I’m from LA, we usually have real drinks, but I’ve become fond of the sweet tea down here.”
“Everything is better in the South,” Nick told her.
Simone gave him a look. “Oh, really?”
“Trust me,”
She removed her sunglasses and looked at him. “I don’t do that easily.”
“I won’t make it hard,” Nick assured her.
“How do you know I’m even interested?”
He held her gaze. “You told me.”
Their drinks arrived and Simone took a small sip of her tea to calm herself. Nick’s self-assurance did something to her insides. She watched him drink from his glass and swallow. Her attention was drawn to his neck and she sipped the ice cold drink again, to cool herself.
“I honestly wonder what that is all about,” Nick told her quietly.
Simone gave him her attention. “What?”
“The way you stare at my neck,”
She traced the condensation on her glass. “It’s a fetish.”
Nick nodded. “Hmmm…I’m acquainted with those.”
After removing her own glasses, Simone connected their gazes. “You say that you know I’m interested. Are you?”
“A beautiful woman who dives into a burning building?” His eyes caressed her face. “A former Diamond, who undresses me with her hands, and her eyes?”
Nick looked away to calm himself. “Yes, Simone…if there’s any doubt, then let me rectify that right now.” He looked into her face. “I’m interested in discovering everything about you, including why a woman who’s so strong, seems unsure of her own strength, and why a woman that’s so beautiful and sensual, doesn’t have a man who would object to me having lunch with her.”
Simone crossed her legs underneath the table to guard from his deeply spoken words, because that part was ready to let him discover whatever he wanted, however he wanted. Reaching for her glass, she took a large swallow to cool herself.
“How do you plan to discover those things?” she finally asked.
Nick sat back and folded his arms. “By spending as much time with you, as you will allow, and by listening to all those things you try to refrain from speaking.”
The waitress reappeared to take their lunch orders. Nick waited while Simone quickly looked over the menu, then placed her order. He ordered his usual and returned his attention back to her.
“If you don’t approve of my methods, you should tell me now,” Nick informed her.
“If I don’t approve, what will you do?” Simone inquired, lifting a brow.
“Change my methods, but not my goals.”
She nodded slowly. “I approve, for now…”
With his mission solidified, Nick moved in. “What would you like to not tell me, right now?” he questioned, with humor in his dark eyes.
“I’m sure you know a lot more than I’ve relayed.” Simone said pointedly.
He agreed. “Yes, I’ve checked you out.”
“I expected no less…” She toyed with her glasses on the table. “And yet, you’re still interested?”
“I’m sure that won’t diminish,” Nick said slowly. “Just like I’m sure, that what I learned on paper isn’t half of the woman sitting across from me.”
Simone looked at him. “What did you learn?”
“You’re thirty-two, no husband, no kids…parents live in LA,” Nick began. “You have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, because you were studying to become a therapist, but something happened during your last year of college and you changed course.”
Simone held her breath as she listened.
“I’m assuming it had to do with the deceased individual, you mentioned yesterday. I’m also assuming that your move to Atlanta also has something to do with that incident,” he finished.
“You’re quite the detective,” Simone commented softly.
Nick sat up and reached for her hand that was still toying with the glasses on the table. He covered it gently, and she looked at him.
“I’m not going to pry, or snoop about something so private.” He assured her. “I hope that one day you will feel comfortable enough to share the dark things in your past, and that I’ll be able to do the same.”
“You have secrets?” Simone asked quietly.
“You can’t do what we do, and not have a multitude of them.”
She looked out at the scenery. “Sometimes, it all seems like a bad dream.”
“But you can wake up to whatever reality you choose,” Nick told her.
Simone shook her head. “I really wish Lotus would’ve warned me about you.”
“Why?”
“Then I could’ve prepared myself…”
He gently squeezed her hand. “Neither of us could’ve prepared for this, Simone. It’s unexpected and puzzling, like following a suspect that disappears into thin air in the middle of a park…”
She smiled. “Or getting knocked out by one of your own team members, when your assignment was to help protect them…”
Nick agreed. “Exactly…” He lifted a hand and touched her face. “Like showing up at a burning house and finding a perfect Diamond…” he whispered. “Unexpected and puzzling…”
He moved away as their food arrived and Simone still felt the heat from his touch on both her hand and her face. Quietly, she picked up her utensil and began to eat. They watched each other across the table until Simone spoke again.
“I have to ask,” she paused. “You’re thirty-five and never been married, with no kids. You’re a very handsome, sophisticated, successful man. Why is there no Mrs. Webster?”
Nick continued to move his food around his plate with a fork. “Women think that they want a dangerous man, but there’s a lot that comes with that. I’m not your everyday businessman or accountant. Danger is now a part of me…”
Simone felt the heat begin to start.
“I don’t go looking for it anymore, but when I come across it…I handle it.” Nick said firmly. “And I need a woman that can handle me and any situation.”
“You don’t want a damsel in distress?” Simone asked.
He looked up. “She can be in distress, but she’d better be able to try to get herself out, and me too, if necessary. I’m not trying to be the superhero all the damn time.”
Simone lifted a brow. “You want her to be able to rescue you?”
“If I need her to, hell yes…” he said adamantly. “A strong woman is the sexiest thing on this earth.”
He looked her over slowly. “And you, Simone Jenkins, are one of the sexiest I’ve ever seen.”
Simone closed her eyes. “I swear you’re going to make me do things to you, that I promised to never repeat,” she whispered. “I’m going to need to speak to my therapist again.”
“Hey,” Nick called softly, and she opened her eyes. “You can do whatever you want to me, as long as you know that I give, as good as I receive.”
She groaned. “Stop…” Simone sat her utensil down. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Hurt me how?” he inquired.
Simone took a breath. “In the past, I’ve used men…to get back at him.” She looked at him. “I’ve been in therapy for two years to deal with my sexual issues.”
Nick sat back. “Thank you for your honesty.”
“I don’t want to waste either of our time,” she told him.
“Then I should tell you, that I also spent a few years in therapy over the loss of my partner, to deal with my anger and guilt,” Nick confessed.
“She was your partner?”
He nodded. “I loved her…and when I lost her, I lost myself for a while. She was killed by her husband.”
“You were in love with a married woman?” Simone questioned.
Nick shook his head. “I wasn’t in love with her, I loved her. She was the most beautiful person. Kind, loyal, strong…” he trailed off and looked away. “The first two got her killed, because although, she was expertly trained…she was still unsure of her own strength, enough to use it to save her life.”
“I’m sorry…” she said quietly.
“She believed that she could handle him, that he loved her and wouldn’t hurt her.” Nick explained. “I warned her not to go back, and I should’ve killed him when she was alive, but I knew that she would’ve never forgiven me.”
Simone heard the anguish in his voice at the situation.
He looked at Simone. “Now, I wish that I had…and I’ll never second guess that choice again.”
This time, she reached across the table and placed her hand over his. “You were in a no-win situation, Nick. I work with women every day and I see this. I try to warn them too, but I’ve come to understand that at the end of the day, it’s their lives and their choices. We can’t make them for them.”
“At least she’d be alive,” he argued.
“But to her, would that have even been living?” Simone questioned. “You would have taken the man she loved unconditionally, and she would have lost both of you at the same time.”
“I don’t understand why she didn’t kill him?” Nick said, shaking his head again.
“I didn’t kill my attacker,” Simone told him. “Because, even though I had the skills…I still was afraid of him. What he’d done, had made me feel powerless against him.”
Nick squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry that happened to you. I want you to know that even though I’m a dangerous man, I would never hurt you.”
Simone gave him a sexy smile. “I might just hurt you though…and enjoy every minute.”
“I might just let you, and also enjoy every minute.”
She sighed and moved her hand away. “Well, that was light, lunch conversation.”
Nick reached for her hand again. “I hope that we can always be straight forward with one another, Simone.”
Simone looked at her hand in his strong one. “That would definitely be a change for me…”
“For me too…” Nick confessed. “I don’t normally start spilling my guts at lunch.”
She laughed softly. “Well, let’s see what you do at dinner.”
He looked surprised. “Are you asking me out?”
“Are you available?”
“If you’re asking, then…yes,”
“What time?”
Nick looked at his watch. “I have some business this afternoon, that shouldn’t take too long, and I can meet up with you around six?”
“Okay, that gives me time to handle some business of my own. I’m going to speak with Mrs. Polk later, so since you wanted to ask her some questions, why don’t we meet there and go to dinner afterward?”
“I will be there,” he assured her.
“I’m certainly looking forward to it.”
After lunch, Nick drove Simone back to his gun range and presented her with the weapon, she’d selected, along with ammunition and all the accessories.
“Nick, you didn’t have to do all this,”
He looked down at her. “You thought I was just going to have you put it in your purse and walk out the door?”
“Thank you,” Simone said, softly looking up at him. “I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Keep it close to you.”
She smiled. “I promise that I will.”
Nick walked her out to her car and stood looking down at her for a minute. “Thank you for lunch,” he whispered.
“I think you took me, so I should be thanking you.”
“I’m thanking you for being such an incredible woman. One that I can’t wait to see again.”
Simone lifted a hand to his face. “You’re going to set me back, years of counseling.”
She stretched on her toes and lifted her lips to his, touching them softly. “I’ll see you tonight,” she whispered against his mouth. Opening her door, Nick glanced inside her car and saw a pair of heavy combat boots on the back seat.
“Are you going hiking?” he asked.
Simone smiled. “No, those aren’t for hiking.”
Nick watched her get into the car and eventually drive off. He touched his full lips that still tingled from Simone’s kiss before heading to his own vehicle. Sliding inside, he added sunglasses and a baseball cap, then went to handle business.
Nick arrived at his destination and parked around the block. Dressed in his jeans and T-shirt, he fit in with the neighborhood and didn’t draw much attention as he walked down the street. The weapon in his back wasn’t noticeable underneath his shirt unless you were looking for it.
Walking slowly, surveying his surroundings, Nick walked around to the back of the house and looked around before he heard a man screaming in pain. Kicking in the back door, he rushed inside with his weapon drawn, then froze at the sight.
“You want to hit women, you little bitch!”
The man on the floor screamed as he was struck with a kick to the ribs from a pair of familiar combat boots.
Nick replaced his gun and waited while the man squirmed on the floor.
“Hey Nick,” Simone said, tossing her hair back over her shoulder with one hand, and the weapon Nick had given her in the other.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Nick asked. “We could’ve just driven over together.”
He frowned. “And how did you beat me here?”
Simone smiled. “You drive really slow.”
Nick walked over to were Ja’Traveon laid on the floor groaning. “No, you drive too damn fast.”
He looked at the man then at Simone. “I told you, I could get him for you,” he reminded her.
She shrugged. “I know, but like you said, sometimes a damsel needs to handle her own shit. Can’t expect a superhero all the time...”
Nick shook his head. “How did you find him?”
“Trent found him for me.” Simone glanced down and frowned. “His dumb ass was using his cell phone from here, calling his wife.”
“That’s how I found him, too.”
“So much for Atlanta PD police work,” Simone said with a sigh.
“They have budget constraints, so I’m told…”
Simone crouched down to Ja’Traveon. “So here is what’s about to happen, the police are coming to take you.”
He watched her with angry eyes.
“The only reason I didn’t kill you is because of your wife and those three little children, but if you lay a hand on your wife again, I won’t have this same charitable spirit.” She leaned closer. “Because punk ass bastards like you, really deserve to die.”
She stepped away from Ja’Traveon as Nick pulled the injured man to his feet then looked into his face. “I hope you heard what she said, and if you think she kicked your ass…you don’t want to tangle with me.” He pressed him tightly against the wall.
“What happened here Simone?” Nick asked.
She made her voice tremor. “I heard Mrs. Polk get a call, asking her to meet Ja’Traveon here. She’s afraid of him, so I came instead to try to talk to him, but then he tried to attack me and I had to protect myself.”
Nick nodded and continued their story. “I followed you here because I was concerned. He was trying to attack you, so I knocked him out cold.”
Ja’Traveon’s eyes widened, right before Nick punched him in the face and everything went black.
He let the man’s body slide to the floor, while Simone made the call to 911.
When she was done, she walked over to Nick and smiled up at him. “I think I know where I want to go for dinner.”
He placed a hand on her waist. “I will take you wherever you want to go, beautiful damsel.”
******
Both Simone and Nick went home to change before heading over to the Center to meet with Mrs. Polk. Simone summoned the woman down to her office where Nick sat, dressed in another dark suit. While they waited, Simone studied him from her desk.
“If you’re thinking of undressing me again, don’t…” he warned.
She smiled. “Not yet…”
“Where are we going for dinner?” Nick asked.
“You’ll see…”
Mrs. Polk knocked on the door and Simone stood to answer. She felt Nick’s dark gaze on her long shapely legs in the short dress she wore, as he got to his feet. The spandex hugged her ample ass and breasts and she was receiving the perusal that she’d expected, except it didn’t make her feel angry and want to lash out at him.
His gaze was adoring, and made her feel like something beautiful and special. Before she reached the door, he said softly. “You look very beautiful.”
Simone grinned. “Thank you.”
She opened the door for Mrs. Polk and showed the woman inside. Waiting until both women were seated, Nick sat again. Simone watched Mrs. Polk stare at Nick then introduced them.
“Mrs. Polk this is Nick Webster, he is working on the security here at the Women’s Center,” she told the woman then Nick extended his hand. “And he rescued your mother and children the other night.”
“It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Polk,” he said quietly.
She took his hand. “Thank you for helping my family.”
“I’m glad I was there,” Nick told her, removing his hand.
Mrs. Polk turned back to Simone. “I’m leaving today.”
“Okay,” Simone nodded. “Do you have a plan?”
She watched the woman swallow. “Ja’Traveon has been arrested, so it’s safe for me to go back home.”
Simone sat back. “Are you leaving to bail him out?”
“He needs my help,”
Nick watched the woman and remained silent.
“What he needs Mrs. Polk is to get some help,” Simone counseled.
“The kids miss their Daddy.”
“Is it the kids…or you?”
Mrs. Polk shook her head. “I know this is your job Ms. Jenkins, but this is my life.”
Simone nodded. “You’re right, but it’s not only your life. There are three other lives involved.”
“I’ll take care of my kids, I always have.”
“By leaving them at a drug house?” Simone questioned.
Mrs. Polk frowned. “What? I’ve never left my kids at a drug house.”
Simone looked at Nick.
“Mrs. Polk, do you know someone named JP?” he asked.
“JP?” She shook her head. “No, why?”
“Mrs. Polk, aren’t your husband's initials JP?” Simone questioned.
She nodded. “Yes, so are mine.”
Simone frowned. “They are? All of your paperwork says Meka.”
“My full name is Jameka Polk.”
Nick watched the woman. “I was told that drugs were being sold out of your grandmother’s home,” he informed her.
“You must be mistaken,” Jameka said, shaking her head.
“They had no reason to lie,” Nick pointed out.
“Ja’Traveon wasn’t selling drugs and nobody was selling them out of my grandmother’s house!” She jumped to her feet and Nick stood as well.
“I’m leaving here tonight!” She told Simone. “You’re trying to send him to jail because you don’t like him.”
Simone shook her head. “No, I don’t like him and I’m not trying to send him to jail. Jail is where he belongs for abusing you…and if you don’t stop him, he’ll be going for your murder. What will happen to your children then Mrs. Polk?”
“You can’t keep us here,”
“No, I can’t. Although, I wish I could, because I know what you’re about to do.” Simone told her.
“Goodbye Ms. Jenkins,”
Jameka headed to the door.
“Goodbye Mrs. Polk.”
Nick watched the woman walk out and close the door behind her, before turning to Simone.
“You have a hard job,”
Simone covered her face. “She’s going back to him…”
He walked around her desk and moved her hands away. “You did everything you could. She’s right, you can’t keep her here.”
Simone looked at him. “Those kids…”
“I know,”
Simone sighed. “I don’t think Mrs. Polk was telling us the truth.”
“I know she wasn’t.” Nick confirmed. “She’s protecting somebody,”
She looked confused. “Is it her?”