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He shrugged. “I volunteer to stick around on holidays and put out the occasional fire so they don’t have to.”
    “That’s thoughtful of you.”
    One shoulder hitched in a casual shrug. “When you have kids, you should be there for them.”
    “That was my philosophy.”
    But now it was her turn to do something solely for herself... The problem was, this part may have been a mistake.

Chapter Five
    Holt gave her credit for a gentle interrogation style, but he recognized the effort for what it was. It might only be first-date protocol, but maybe Isely had been right and Casey had started moving to intercept him already.
    How to ask her what she knew without blowing it all to hell? That was the real question.
    He started to ask then paused when the phone Isely had given him shivered in his pocket. It would likely be the address where he was supposed to stash Cecelia tomorrow night. He’d spotted a couple of Isely’s men in the area already and the idea made him wary about being tailed.
    “Excuse me one second.”
    He checked the phone and his stomach clutched when he read the terse message and recognized the address of a local warehouse. His worst fear confirmed. Isely’s men had informed their boss that Holt and Cecelia were together and Isely wanted her tonight. Damn it. Holt needed to slow things down or his whole counter-operation would crash and burn. Isely might get a measure of revenge moving in on Cecelia tonight, but he wouldn’t get the full effect Holt had promised when they’d been planning and negotiating terms.
    “Problem?”
    “No, not at all.” He smiled and put the phone away. “Just a work thing.”
    “I understand. It happens.”
    She looked more disappointed than understanding. Her late husband had probably ruined many personal evenings with sensitive work distractions. Holt had the strange urge to show her a different side of men in security-related careers.
    Not smart.
    He turned the phone off and showed her the black screen before tucking it into his coat pocket. “There. I’m off the clock. Meant to do that earlier, but I needed the navigation app.” Her smile was worth the lie. Worth all of the lies he’d been telling lately.
    The appetizer sampler arrived and for a few minutes they just indulged in the cheese and cured meat selection. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this comfortable, this normal with a woman. Especially a woman who was a target.
    Her manners were perfect society matron, but her little hum of appreciation as her lips closed over her fork had him thinking of other things. Things he had no business thinking about with a woman like Cecelia Manning.
    She was a gorgeous, walking temptation with her feminine curves, long golden hair and wide blue eyes. He knew from her profile and additional background searches she kept herself fit with tennis and yoga. Yoga meant flexibility.
    A few images from the Kama Sutra zipped through his mind like a slideshow and he nearly choked on the cracker in his mouth. Giving in to lust wouldn’t do either of them any good. If he lived through the next forty-eight hours, he might ask her for a do-over and take her on a real date that didn’t involve looming thugs happy to do the bidding of a famous crime boss.
    Of course, dating her for real meant Director Casey would definitely kill him. The entire concept was irrelevant. His career allowed no time for the sort of commitment a woman like her would require.
    He caught her checking her watch. “Am I boring you already?”
    “No, not at all.” Her smile was apologetic. “Just a mother’s habit. My daughter’s new husband is flying in tonight. I’m expecting her to call or text and let me know he arrived.”
    “They came to support you for tomorrow’s gala?”
    “And an early Christmas weekend, just the three of us.” She sipped her wine. “They’ll spend the real holiday with his mother in Florida. None of them are much for cold weather.”
    “What about