Part 12 (2/2)
”This and that.”
”Acting? Modeling?”
He laughed. ”No. I may be decorative, but I prefer to be useful.”
”And how are you useful?”
”I guess you could say I'm a soldier.”
”You're in the military?”
”Kind of.”
Well, that would explain the deadly air. The physical confidence. The sharpness in his eyes.
”What branch?” Marines, she thought. Or maybe a SEAL. He was that hard.Hal's face tightened up. ”Just another soldier.”
From out of nowhere, a cloud of perfume invaded Mary's nose. It was the redheaded hostess sweeping up to the table.
”Was everything okay?” As Hal looked over, you could practically hear the woman sizzle.
”Fine, thanks,” he said.
”Good.” She slipped something onto the table. A napkin. With a number and a name on it.
As the woman flashed her eyes and sauntered off, Mary looked down at her hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her purse.
Time to go, she thought. For some reason she didn't want to watch Hal put that napkin in his pocket. Even though he had every right to do so.
”Well, this has been... interesting,” she said. She picked up her bag and shuffled out of the booth.
”Why are you leaving?” His frown made him look like true military material, taking him very far away from the s.e.xy male pinup stuff.
Unease flickered in her chest. ”I'm tired. But, thanks, Hal. This has been... Well, thanks.”
As she tried to get by him, he took her hand, stroking her inner wrist with his thumb. ”Stay while I eat my dessert.”
She looked away from his perfect face and his broad shoulders. The brunette across the aisle was getting to her feet and eyeing him, a business card in her hand.
Mary leaned down. ”I'm sure you'll find plenty of others to keep you company. In fact, one's headed your way right now. I'd say good luck with her, but she looks like a sure thing.”
Mary made a beeline for the exit. The chilly air and the relative silence were a relief after the crush of people, except as she approached her car, she had the eerie sense she wasn't alone. She glanced over her shoulder.
Hal was right behind her, even though she'd left him in the restaurant. She wheeled around, heart pounding like it wanted out of her ribs.
”Jesus! What are you doing?”
”Walking you to your car.”
”I... ah. Don't bother.”
”Too late. This Civic is yours, right?”
”How did you-”
”The lights flashed as you unlocked it.”
She moved away from him, but as she backed up, Hal came forward. When she b.u.mped against her car, she put her hands out.
”Stop.”
”Don't be scared of me.””Then don't crowd me.”
She turned away from him and went for the door handle. His hand shot out, clamping on the seam between the window and the roof.
Yeah, she was going to get behind the wheel. When he let her.
”Mary?” His deep voice was right next to her head, and she jumped.
She felt the raw seduction of him and imagined his body as a cage locked around her. With a treasonous s.h.i.+ft, her fear changed into something wanton and needy.
”Let me go,” she whispered.
”Not yet.”
She heard him take a deep breath, as if he were smelling her, and then her ears were flooded by a rhythmic pumping sound, as though he were purring. Her body loosened, heated, opened between her legs as if it was prepared to accept him inside.
Good G.o.d, she had to get away from him.
She grabbed onto his forearm and pushed. Which got her nowhere.
”Mary?”
”What?” she snapped, resentful because she was turned on when she should have been petrified. For G.o.d's sake, he was a stranger, a big, pushy stranger, and she was a woman alone with no one to miss her if she didn't make it home.
”Thank you for not bailing on me.”
”You're welcome. Now how about letting me leave?”
”As soon as you let me kiss you good-night.”
Mary had to open her mouth to get enough air into her lungs.
”Why?” she asked hoa.r.s.ely. ”Why would you want to do that?”
His hands fell onto her shoulders and turned her around. He towered over her, blocking out the glow from the restaurant, the lights in the parking lot, the stars far above.
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