Evangeline’s gaze shifted to his for just a moment, to read his reaction no doubt. He should have stayed frozen. He should have kept all emotion out of it. That was what kept him alive and her safe. He gave the slightest shake of his head. He had to warn her. He had to keep as much honesty between them as possible. She had to know dating Brice wasn’t in the cards for her. Six months ago. Even two days ago. But he’d walked back into the bakery and she didn’t have a man. She’d said she missed him. She’d chosen him. She might not realize that was what she’d done, but she belonged to him and Brice had lost his shot.

Evangeline shook her head, her smile sweet and teasing over her shoulder as she made a drink at the machine for him. “One of these days, you keep asking, Brice, and I might scare you to death and say yes. I’d turn into a clingy, nagging witch and drive you nuts.”

“It would be worth it, sweetheart,” Brice said, his eyes on her butt, lovingly encased in those tight jeans.

Alonzo wanted to take out his gun and shoot the bastard. The man had no business ogling what belonged to him.

She laughed and set their coffees on the bar in to-go cups. Their pastries went into small paper bags. At least they weren’t staying. They’d probably wait around to follow Alonzo and his bodyguards later, but it wouldn’t get them anything. They wouldn’t want to blow their covers and in a way, that protected Alonzo.

“Throw me a crumb of hope,” Brice encouraged. “These two are going to be giving me hell for even trying again.” He jerked his thumb at his two companions, who both grinned like idiots.

Alonzo wasn’t deceived. Neither were his two bodyguards. They watched without looking, something they’d perfected from the time they were infants and had had to keep an eye on their fathers and older brothers. Their leopards never failed them.

“A crumb? Saying that to a baker is dangerous,” she teased.

Her voice didn’t have to be so damned soft. Or intimate. Alonzo imagined that alone was enough of a crumb for the cop to return. He consoled himself that he wasn’t the only one lying about his identity to her.