Overcome by Annmarie McKenna

too.
    Before she could shut the car door, a shadow fell over her. The second she glanced up, her breath left her. He wore a cocky smile that said in the end he’d win and have her served up on a platter for their enjoyment.
    Damned if she didn’t have to clinch her thighs together.
    “Albatross.”
    That got him. His eyelids drooped low, and he glared at her from beneath incredibly long lashes.
    “It won’t be long before I change your mind about what you call me, sweetheart.”
    Anna stiffened. “Not sweetheart. Anything but sweetheart. You call me that again and I’ll punch you. I don’t care if you are a cop.”
    He threw his hands up in surrender. “Understood. No sweetheart. A particularly bad memory, or is that name reserved for use by someone else?”
    She slammed the door closed and forced him to walk backward to the sidewalk. “ He called me that before we got married. It’s one of the reasons I was swayed into his web of lies and deceit.” The thought actually made her shiver. “The way men call their women little pet names as if they’re something special. I felt special, too, until I found out how gross he really is.”
    “Gotcha. No sweetheart. Fine.” He opened the door for her and pressed her forward with a hand at the small of her back, and she wondered why she was blindly allowing him to go to lunch with her.
    “Then I expect no more words of special love from you also, Anna.”
    She stopped dead in her tracks, and he bumped into her from behind. She had to crane her neck to look back at him. “I’m not sure I recall ever calling you a pet name.”
    The corners of his mouth, the one she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to kiss or smack, lifted. “Ah, but you do.”
    Anna snorted and turned her attention to the waitress waiting ever so patiently to seat them. The woman, maybe in her early twenties, couldn’t take her eyes off of the detective hovering so close, Anna could feel his heat.
    “Hello, Alpha Montross. Just two?”
    “Yes, Sherry. How’s your dad doing?”
    Anna was once again shepherded by Albatross to the table the girl led them to, a space against the picture window. The red vinyl seat gave a funny squeak when she sat down, and Anna crinkled her nose. Bite me, seat.
    “He’s doing better. Momma says his leg is almost healed.”
    “Good to know. Let him know if there’s anything else we can do to give us a call.”
    Sherry nodded vigorously and her cheeks reddened. “I will. He says you saved his life.”
    Anna lifted an eyebrow. She supposed saving someone’s life was something he did in his line of duty, but still. Albatross’s gaze shifted to her, though he continued to speak to Sherry.
    “Nah. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
    “Well, thanks, all the same.”
    “It’s my job to take care of my people, Sherry.” Colton’s voice dropped an octave, and his gaze remained riveted on Anna. She had a feeling he wasn’t just referring to his people but including her also. As in, he’d take care of her too if she’d only move back into his house. Maybe she was hallucinating. She shook her head and looked away. He’d totally had her snared. So much so she’d even thought of him by his given name.
    The whole notion made her squirm in her chair. Which caused another creak of the vinyl that sounded ominously more than a creak. Her face flamed, but she did her best to pretend as if nothing had happened. If he didn’t know it was the chair, he could stuff it. The curve of his mouth upward told her he knew. Good thing. She really dreaded having to smack the man in public.
    “Okay. What can I get you to drink?”
    “I’ll have an ice water, please. Anna?”
    “A Coke, thank you.” She had a feeling she would need some caffeine fortification for the coming hours.
    Sherry walked away, but not before giving Colton another longing glance.
    “She’s in love with you, Albatross,” Anna said deliberately, trying to bring herself back