Part 1 (1/2)
Ready to Run.
by Kinsey W. Holley.
Dedication.
To the Diva, who will never be allowed to read Mommy's books, even after she's an adult, and who was more jealous of the time I spent on this one than the previous ones.
I hope she'll understand it was the werewolf lovin' that paid for a very good school.
Chapter One.
Sara's hands shook as she applied her mascara. With the wand halfway to her eye, she stopped and stared at herself in the mirror, watching a flush bloom across her face. Thinking about the night ahead made her neck burn. A hard, tight knot lay coiled in the pit of her stomach. She felt like she might be sick.
She grinned at her reflection. There was no way this could last, but she planned to enjoy every minute for as long as it did.
s.e.x. They were going to have s.e.x tonight, she'd decided. She'd never done it on the third date, but her life was getting ready to take a big turn and the time felt right for doing stuff she'd never done before. She knew once she left Luxor, she'd never see him again, and she didn't want to spend the rest of her life wondering what it would have been like.
Nash Keeton knocked on the door at six-thirty sharp. She loved that he didn't try to play it cool by keeping her waiting. When he'd asked for her number a couple of weeks ago-after two months of sitting in her section for breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner-he'd called her the very next day. When he'd said, two days ago, ”Maybe we can do something Friday night,” he'd called her later that evening to see if they could do something Friday night.
He didn't pretend he didn't think she was hot. Which was kind of amazing, considering how incredibly hot he was.
”I knew it,” he'd said when he'd picked her up for their first date two weeks ago.
”Knew what?”
”That you had a smoking hot body under that G.o.dawful uniform they make you wear.”
And then he'd flashed the c.o.c.ky grin that made her stomach flip over.
Sometimes she was actually glad she could remember every detail of every moment she experienced. Some memories, like Nash Keeton, she'd be revisiting forever.
Now she opened the door to see him standing on her front step, rocked back on his heels with his arms folded across his chest. Nash's biceps looked chiseled from smooth, tan stone. His black T-s.h.i.+rt was just snug enough to signal the firm pecs and six-pack underneath.
She'd never seen him with his s.h.i.+rt off, and that was a d.a.m.n shame.
The flush returned as he looked her up and down with that grin.
”You look kind of delicious.” He had a lovely, slow Central Texas drawl, not the East Texas tw.a.n.g she had and hated.
”Thank you.” She wanted to say, ”So do you,” but was afraid it would sound stupid, so she just smiled.
He slipped an arm around her as they walked to his motorcycle. Handing her the extra helmet, he asked, ”So what's it gonna be tonight? Italian? Thai? Sus.h.i.+?”
She rolled her eyes at him. ”What, so we're going to Marshall for dinner? I have to work a double tomorrow, you know.” Marshall was an hour away.
”Okay. Guess it's Cafe Caddo, then.”
It was always, only, and ever Cafe Caddo.
She wondered what he'd say if she told him she'd never tasted sus.h.i.+ or Thai food in her life, not even when she went to Marshall. Or that the closest she'd ever been to an Italian restaurant was Olive Garden-in Marshall, of course. She'd never been to Dallas or Fort Worth. She'd never even been to Longview. What would Mr. Big City think if he knew that, she wondered as they roared off into the night.
The Cafe was the finest dining establishment in Luxor, which was only one of many reasons Sara couldn't wait to leave her hometown of seven hundred and thirty-six.
She knew every person in the place. She'd waited on all of them in the four years she'd been working here. Having dinner at the Cafe was as interesting as eating in her own living room, except that she couldn't do it in her pajamas.
”What is it?”
”Huh?”
”You're making a face like something smells bad. Is it me?”
”Oh. Sorry.” She smiled guiltily. ”I was just thinking that I wouldn't miss this place. When I get to Marshall, I won't be working anywhere that serves chicken fried steak.”
”Chicken fried steak's one of my favorites.”
”I smell it everywhere, no matter where I am. I swear I smell it on myself when I'm getting out of the shower. I probably smell like it right now.”
”Wait. Hang on.” He got up and came around to her side of the booth, sliding in and pressing her all the way up against the part.i.tion.
”Hey!”
He buried his face in her neck and took a deep, loud sniff. It tickled and she giggled, both embarra.s.sed at the attention they were attracting and, at the same time, proud of it. The hottest guy to come through Luxor in probably forever wanted her. And he was from Houston, home to s.h.i.+fters and people of fae ancestry, so everyone in Luxor viewed him a little suspiciously despite his fancy motorcycle and topnotch hunting skills. Dating him made her feel like she was saying ”screw you” to Luxor-something she'd dreamed about for years but would never have the nerve to do.
He sniffed again. ”I don't smell any chicken fried steak in there. Just some girly perfume. I like it.” He kissed her neck.
”Stop!” she squealed softly, not really meaning it. ”Everyone's staring!”
”All right, all right,” he said with mock sadness. He sat up straight but didn't return to the other side of the table.
”You two need a room?” Susan asked with a smile. Neither of them had heard her approach the table.
”Nah. We'll get a room later.” He twisted away as Sara jabbed her elbow into his ribs. ”Meantime, Susan, we'd love a pitcher of s.h.i.+ner. That all right with you?”
Sara nodded.
When Susan left, Nash turned to face her with his arm across the back of the booth. ”So. Marshall. You still on track for that?”
She nodded. ”Yep. Sent in my apartment deposit this week. Cla.s.ses start the first week of January.”
Texas State Technical College, where she'd been taking online courses for three semesters, had approved her for financial aid. She'd be moving right after Christmas.
”It's gonna be here before you know it.”
”I know. I can't wait.”