A Hero To Trust In Me (3 page)

“Okay. I give up. You’ve really managed to kill me.” Hearing Laura’s sweet voice on the other end of the phone the next afternoon really shouldn’t have stirred Rick to life, but there it was. Just that one little sound put him on edge, made him want to wrap his arms around her and see where it led.

“I beg your pardon? I’m sure I haven’t laid a finger on you.”

“Your taxes! How in the world am I supposed to make any sense out of this mess? I thought you organized them.”

“I said I’d
tried
to organize them. I even told you they were probably still a mess.”

“Yes, but I honestly didn’t think you were serious. I mean, aren’t you Marines supposed to be the most organized men in the world?”

“Well, ‘organized’ and ‘men’ don’t usually go in the same sentence, but as far as men go, I supposed a United States Marine is pretty well organized.”

Laura snorted. “Except you.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to! This bundle of paper you gave me proved it for you!”

“Hm,” he said, pretending to be deep in thought when this had been his plan all along. “I tell you what. I might be able to see if I have a spreadsheet somewhere that might make it a little easier.”

There was a small silence before she said, “Oh, really. And why do I have the feeling this is going to cost me? It’s
your
taxes. And this is a freebie.”

“It’s not a freebie. It’s in sincere gratitude for me not hauling your ass to jail.”

“Officer Carver! Are you saying you took a bribe?”

“Only because I hate math and you’re obviously good at it. I look at it more like you took mercy on my poor, inadequate numerical skills.”

She laughed, the sound lyrical in a way Rick never knew existed. The sound seemed to coil around his heart and squeeze. “Fine. Name your terms.”

“A movie. Tonight.”

“A date?”

“Call it two people enjoying each other’s company. What do you say?”

With a long sigh, Laura gave in to him. “Fine. But I want extra butter on my popcorn.”

“You got it, honey. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“You don’t even know where I live.” She sounded happy despite having just being maneuvered into a date she probably didn’t really want.

“I have connections. If I can’t find the place, I’ll give you a call.”

“I just moved in here the other day. You can’t possibly be that well connected.”

“I’m connected enough to know your lodging is of the extremely temporary sort,” Rick responded smugly.

"Rick!"

"Oh, alright," he said with a laugh. "I called your lawyer, Balori. She was only too happy to give me information."

"I may have to rethink that friendship," Laura laughed. "I can't believe you went hunting information on me. Why do I have the feeling you’ve been planning this for a while?”

“I’m a Marine, baby. We are always thinking a couple steps ahead of the game.”

Again, there was a short silence; this time, he got the feeling her mood was changing. “Is that what all this is? A game?”

Rick sighed. This woman was definitely skittish. Apparently, the blow delivered by her ex and best friend faded very hard indeed. “Let me just say that, if it were, I play to win. The ultimate prize. Trust me, Laura. I have no intentions of breaking your heart. In my book, earning your trust enough for you to surrender your heart willingly is the ultimate goal. In the process, I have just as much to lose as you do.”

“So, this isn’t a case of a one-night fling then we move on?”

“Not in my book,” he answered without hesitation. “I want a chance to get to know the woman who had the nerve to tell a Kentucky State Police Officer to just ‘give me the fucking ticket so I can go.’ That woman turned me on in ways I can’t even begin to describe to you.”

Rick heard her sudden intake of breath and wondered if he’d gone too far. Given all she’d been through, it was important for him to be honest with her from the very beginning. Still, maybe TMI was TMI no matter the situation.

She cleared her throat. “Well. When you put it that way. I’ll be waiting for you at eight then. A movie in exchange for your organized spreadsheet.”

“Just how skittish are you, Laura?”

“Very. So keep that in mind.” And she ended the call.

As if he could forget. Laura was obviously a strong woman, but when it came to her heart, she was in a very fragile state. As a result, Rick was determined to make this date as positive an experience as possible.

Naturally, that goal made him more nervous than he’d ever been over a date. Why, he wasn’t sure. Only that something about Laura made him believe she was special, that she was one woman he couldn’t afford to let slip through his fingers. By the time he knocked on her door, he was a mess of nerves.

Then Laura opened the door and Rick’s breath refused to come.

She was dressed conservatively enough in black jeans and a fluffy, pale yellow sweater. The contrast between her dark skin and the material of her sweater should have been shocking, but it only struck Rick as lovely. Almost erotic. Her hair hung in a riot of curls past her shoulders, beckoning his fingers to thread through the silky-looking mass.

It took several moments for him to find his voice. “You look stunning,” he managed, not at all the smooth talker his brothers always accused him of being. Rick was all too afraid the lust that suddenly shot through him showed starkly in his eyes when he looked at her.

Instead of slamming the door in his face, however, Laura smiled shyly. “Thank you.”

Clearing his throat, Rick tried to get a grip on himself. “A movie then.” It sounded lame, but it was taking every ounce of willpower he possessed not to pull her to him and kiss her senseless. “Do you have a preference?”

“I do.” She grinned. “But I warn you, I’m a ruthless killer at heart.”

That proclamation made Rick laugh and put him at somewhat at ease. Sure, he’d go through the entirety of their date in a state of semi-arousal, but it would be worth it. Hell, just being next to this woman felt right. Even if she didn’t yet feel as comfortable around him as he did her. Rick knew he could win her, given enough time.

They settled on a film packed with action and a small amount of romance, though Rick wasn’t certain he could have told anyone what the movie was about. He was too busy watching Laura to pay much attention. The light from the big screen glistened off her skin and hair, making it seem like she had a halo around her. Or at least, that’s how Rick saw her.

When it was over and they walked out of the theater, Laura had a smile on her face so bright it seemed to light up the night. Rick knew that he would forever remember it as the moment he knew he was in love with Laura Meadows.

***

If nothing good ever happened in her life after this date, Laura knew she’d always remember this time. Rick had been the perfect movie partner. He instinctively knew when to comment and when to keep quiet. Never had she been tempted to shush him if he said anything, but then he didn’t give her reason to. He’d ensured there was enough butter on her popcorn, and made sure there were enough napkins. He’d even put his arm around her shoulders lightly. Surprisingly, Laura found herself wanting to lean into him, to encourage his physical attentions, an urge she suppressed. Barely.

Unfortunately, on the way to Rick’s car, the evening began to unravel. Three cars down in the same row, Carl leaned against his own vehicle as if he’d been waiting there for them.

“Not having an affair of your own, eh? I guess you just hid it better than me.” Laura tried to ignore him, Carl headed for them. “Look at me!”

She couldn’t help herself. Laura did look at him. What she saw was a man in the grip of some crazed state of mind. Surprisingly, Rick said nothing, merely waited, as if he wanted to see how she’d react.

“I’m not talking to you like this. If you have anything to say to me, do it through Balori.”

Carl was close enough to make a lunge for her, his hand shooting out to grab her arm. Rick smoothly inserted his body between hers and Carl.

“I believe she made her wishes clear.” He didn’t raise his voice, but there was no mistaking the fact that he had no intention of letting Carl any closer to her. To her shame, Laura found herself willingly letting Rick shield her body from Carl. This was definitely a side of her ex she’d never seen. Didn’t ever want to see again.

“She’s my wife! I can talk to her if I want to!”

“As of the other day, I believe you’re divorced. If she doesn’t want to talk to you, she doesn’t have to.”

“Like hell!” Carl made another lunge, this time trying to go around Rick. Rick simply threw out an arm to block him. He didn’t move his body, just that brawny arm and Carl was unable to pass.

“Don’t do it again, Mr. Meadows. I’ll take another attempt to get around me as a direct threat to Laura and I’ll retaliate.”

Laura stepped to the side then, still safely behind Rick. Carl met her eyes with an eerie gleam in his own. It made Laura shiver.

“This isn’t over, Laura. You’re
my wife
, goddammit!”

“No,” she said, quietly. “I’m not. Not anymore.”

Baring his teeth, Carl retreated to his little red Porsche. Rick stood there, his body always between Carl and her until Carl pulled away and left the parking lot.

Then he turned to her as if nothing had happened, a grin on his face. “Ready?” He unlocked the car door and held it while she got in, still unflappable. He trotted around the front of the car to climb in beside her. “How about a cup of coffee before I take you home?”

“That confrontation truly didn’t bother you at all, did it?”

There was a spark of fire in his eye. Just a flicker before he smiled at her. “It didn’t. Not in the sense you mean.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re frightened of Carl. He’s showing you a side of him you might have suspected, but didn’t really know existed. I’ve come across men like him all my life,” he explained. “They feel entitled to whatever they want, no matter what. The same characteristics that make him good in his business make him dangerous to anyone trying to take away what he wants. In this case, you and me.”

“So, why aren’t you at least wary? I get the feeling you could't care less.” It irritated Laura that Rick seemed not to care. Even now, her stomach knotted. Pain nearly as bad as when she’d discovered Carl and Linda’s indiscretion hit her unexpectedly.

“Why do you think I could't care less?” He looked truly puzzled, as if her observation were so off the mark, he thought he’d heard her wrong.

“You just said the confrontation didn’t bother you.”

“I said it didn’t bother me in the way you meant. I’m not afraid of Carl. That doesn’t mean I don’t think he’s a threat, or that I’m taking your safety lightly.” Again, that flash of temper showed in his eyes for a moment. The potential for violence shimmered just beneath the surface of his civility, and Laura knew she should have been afraid of him. “I’m a nice person, Laura, but I’d be lying to you if I told you I was a gentleman. I’m not. I’m a Marine through and through. When people I care about are threatened…well, let’s just say I’m not one to negotiate.”

Why did heat coil tightly inside her with every single word he said? Right now, he was looking at her with more of a possessive light than Carl ever did. She should be running away from him as hard as she could. Instead, she found herself drawn to him. There was no doubt he was different from her ex-husband, no doubt he’d treated her differently even from the beginning. But she didn’t really know this man. Yet, here she was, her heart melting and her body heating after a mere few hours in his company.