“You like your food,” he commented neutrally as she finished the last bite of her waffle.
She eyed him carefully. “I do. Do you have a problem with that, Colter?”
“Nope. I like it. I can’t stand it when women pick at their food and profess not to be hungry when they actually really are starving.”#p#分页标题#e#
“You do?” Lara looked at him, perplexed.
Tate looked into her chocolate brown eyes and surveyed her confused expression. “I do.”
“My ex used to say I ate like a pig.” She placed her napkin and fork gently on her plate before she picked up her coffee mug to finish the beverage.
“I think a woman with a healthy appetite is sexy,” he rasped. Watching her eat was like watching her come: a look of complete ecstasy on her face. It just made him want to be the cause of that particular expression himself. “Your ex was a douche.”
“Agreed,” she answered happily.
She looks so much more relaxed today. Happier than she was yesterday.
Lara was dressed casually in jeans, sneakers, and a dark green sweater that made her eyes look even larger than they already did.
“What are your plans for the day?” Tate hoped it was for her to follow him back to his place and spend the day with him in bed. He needed to fuck this woman so badly that his balls were turning blue. Regrettably, he was doubtful that idea was on her radar.
“I already have plans.” She looked deliberately at her watch. “In fact, I have to go.” She jumped up as if her ass were on fire. “Thanks for telling me about breakfast.” She waved at him as she strode across the room like a woman on a mission—another thing he liked about her.
Tate watched; his eyes narrowed as she disappeared into the elevator. “Go ahead and run away, sweetheart. You won’t get very far.”
Determined to figure out the mystery that was Lara Bailey, he rose from his chair and followed her.
“Lara!”
The sound of a feminine voice calling her name made Lara stop and turn, even though she was impatient to get outdoors. Chloe Colter rushed across the lobby to meet her, dressed in much the same outdoor gear as Lara wore: ski pants, a sweater, a jacket, gloves and hat slung over her arm. Although Chloe was dressed mostly in red, and Lara wore black.
“I’m so sorry about earlier. I just talked to Tate, and he said you were okay,” Chloe said in a rush as she reached Lara.
She and Chloe were about the same height, around five foot four, but Chloe had a more feminine frame than Lara, curves that most men enjoyed. Lara noted the distress in Chloe Colter’s gray eyes as their gazes met.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have injured your fiancé.” Even though the bastard deserved it. “Is he okay?” Not that I care. Lara plastered a concerned look on her face as she really hoped James was at home in bed, still whining over his probable damaged nose, sprained foot, and sore back.
Chloe fidgeted nervously. “He’s all right, but pretty angry right now. He’s mad all the time lately. I don’t understand what’s wrong with him. He’s been acting strange since I got back to Rocky Springs last year.”
He’s an asshole. More than likely, he’d always been that way, but Chloe hadn’t seen her fiancé enough to recognize that he was a jerk while she’d been busy with college. The veterinary program had to be intense. “Did you go to the same college?”
“No.” Chloe lowered her eyes. “He’s four years older than I am, and he was already done with his undergraduate work when I graduated from high school. We were in separate states after that summer. He was in med school the same year I started undergraduate work at college. We dated during the summer before we both had to go our separate ways for school. We saw each other when we could.”
“People change,” Lara said cautiously. “Maybe it’s time to re-think marrying the guy.” It was none of her business, but Lara didn’t want to see Chloe Colter married to an abuser. She didn’t want to see any woman married to an abusive male.#p#分页标题#e#
“He apologized. He says he’s under a lot of stress,” Chloe explained hesitantly.
“That’s no excuse. Dump him, Chloe. You’re educated, beautiful, and young.”
Chloe sighed. “Tate said the same thing.”
“I’d listen to him,” Lara said emphatically, surprised that she and Tate Colter were actually in total agreement on something.
“I’m definitely giving up trying to learn any martial arts with him,” Chloe told her adamantly. “I was wondering if you’d teach me.”