Winterfall (7 page)

After grabbing her only purse, a black satchel that had seen better days, she went downstairs to the living room at ten to six. Nerves jumped around in her stomach, but she ignored the butterflies. She’d almost forgotten to check her cell phone to see whose phone call she’d missed. When she realized Jeeter had called, she frowned. He never called her, so she assumed it had to be about work. Perhaps they were calling her back. Despite the fact they’d almost had to force her to stay away from work, she
wanted
this time with Mark, a little light-hearted fun. She called Jeeter back and he picked up immediately.

“Hey Juliet.” Jeeter sounded grave. “Thanks for calling back.”

“What’s up?”

“How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“I’m great.”

The pause puzzled her. “Is there something wrong? Why did you call?”

He made a half-laugh. “You almost got buried under a building the other day. I thought I’d check on you.”

“Sorry, you just surprised me.” She smiled and wandered to the front window to look outside. “I’m good. Thanks for asking. I’m a little stiff and achy but nothing major.”

“You’re sure?”

“God, Jeeter, you’re like a mother hen.”

“Sorry, but I just worry about you.”

Could Mark be right about Jeeter being interested in her romantically?
He’d never paid that much attention to her. At least not until now.

“That’s sweet Jeeter. Very thoughtful.”

He cleared his throat, as if he felt uncomfortable. “Everyone was worried about you and I said I’d call.”

“Say hi to everyone. I wish I was coming back right away.”

“Nope. Chief also told me to remind you that you’re off for a week. He doesn’t want to see your face in here.”

She took that the right way. “Okay, I promise. But you guys call me if you need me.” She saw Mark’s SUV drive up to the curb. “Hey, there, I’m sorry to cut this short. A friend just drove up.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Can I call you back tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

After they hung up, she wondered if she’d made a mistake promising to call him back. She didn’t want to encourage any relationship beyond friendship and coworkers. She decided not to worry for now, since Mark had walked up the sidewalk to her door. She opened the door before he could use the old-fashioned knocker. Tonight he wore a long-sleeve lightweight sweater and dark slacks with casual dark dress shoes.

Damn. He’s hot.

“Hey,” she said, a little breathless at the sight of him. “Come in.”

With a warm smile, he entered the house, and she shut the door. His gaze took her in, a blatant once over that didn’t give her any doubt how much he appreciated her form-fitting sweater dress.

He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back. “You’re beautiful.”

Heat filled her face, beyond flattered. “Thank you. You’re looking very handsome.”

He grunted, a sound of disbelief. “Thanks. Ready to go?”

“Absolutely.”

He opened the SUV’s passenger door for her, and she couldn’t recall the last man who had ever done that for her.

As they drove across town, she said, “Things are pretty calm tonight. It doesn’t feel as scary being out at night.”

“Yeah, I thought about whether I should just invite you to have dinner at my place at Sentry Security.” He threw her a glance, and she caught the concern in his eyes. “If you’re not feeling safe, I can take you to Sentry or back home.”

She did feel safe, and that surprised her a little. “No, I’m fine. I haven’t been out to eat since last Christmas when I had dinner at Chief Krisky’s house.”

The remainder of the drive they talked security, how Mark and the other men at Sentry Security had dealt with recent events in Buckleport and Bangor. When they reached the restaurant, the parking lot was rocking.

He found a parking spot and unhooked his belt. “I’ll get your door.”

He raced around the back of the car and opened the passenger door, putting out a hand to take hers.

She looked up into his intent eyes. “Aren’t you the gallant one?”

He kept her fingers in his, his big hand swallowing her much smaller palm. “Wait. Are you offended? I’ve run into women that don’t like men to open doors for them.”

She smiled. “No, I’m not offended. And I open doors for men all the time. It’s just a polite thing to do.”

His returning grin had an intensity and warmth that sent flares of heat through her. “I agree.”

He kept her hand in his, and that surprised her a little, but the contact kept the slow burning heat in her belly on simmer. He only released her hand when he opened the restaurant door. A host with a heavy Italian accent, one of the four brothers who owned the restaurant, took them to a booth. As they settled down and ordered wine from the waiter, she glanced around the place. It hadn’t changed much over the years. Decorated with old wine bottles and Tuscan colors, the restaurant’s cozy ambiance appealed to her, with its limited seating, intimate booths and low lightning. The muted, romantic music in the background and the dance floor at the side inspired two couples to take a turn about the floor. Oh, man. She hoped Mark didn’t want to dance. If he took her in his arms for a slow dance she’d probably combust on the spot.

She took stock of the patrons and the room, too aware of the gorgeous man sitting close. He’d left enough space not to crowd her, but he sat near enough to imply a dating relationship. Well, that’s what this was, right?
Great. I have a case of nerves.
She buried her face in the menu and decided on a penne ala vodka dish. He wanted lasagna, and the waiter came over quickly to take their orders. They sipped their merlot, chatted and traded horror stories from when Long Valley had erupted.

“I was afraid,” she said, then confessed, “I felt alone.”

“I wish I’d known you then. Maybe you wouldn’t have felt so alone.”

She rubbed the back of her neck, which still felt sore. “Does anyone feel safe when they know a volcano is going to blow thousands of miles away and it’s still going to screw up their world?”

“Maybe not, but I still wish I could have been there for you.”

She tossed him a doubtful look. “Are you too good to be true, O’Day?”

He leaned in a little closer, and his nearness started that little fluttering sensation low in her belly. “I hope not. I’m honest, honorable, and I try to treat people right. But I’m not perfect.”

Maybe he’d put a spell on her with his brand of charisma because she said something she normally wouldn’t. “You’re looking pretty perfect right now.”

“Oh yeah?” He lowered his voice, and the intimate rumble sent tingles across her body.

His eyes were hooded, almost drowsy looking. It sent her libido into a riot again. “Um…that was a compliment, O’Day. You’re a nice man with manners. Women must be climbing over each other to get to you.”

He laughed softly. “I’m flattered you think that, but no they aren’t.”

“I can’t believe it.”

He shifted nearer.
Oh, boy. What had she started?

“So does that mean,” he said huskily, “if I tried to kiss you right now in front of everyone, that you’d let me?”

The waiter interrupted, and she almost moaned, admitting to herself that she
would
love his kiss.

After the waiter topped off his water and left, Juliet drew in a breath to calm her heart. This man was too potent. Yet she craved him.

“If you kissed me right now,” she said, “I wouldn’t object.”

He leaned in, and when his lips brushed tenderly over hers, she felt her womb tighten. She sucked in a soft breath. He drew back slowly, those sexy eyes doing funny things to her insides. Her body reacted, nipples tight and heat tingling throughout her body.

“Everything all right?” he asked when they’d stayed quiet too long.

“I count about ten times this week that people have asked me that.”

He sipped water. “You almost had an entire house fall on you. Damned scary stuff. Back in April the SUV I was in almost got blown up by an RPG. Sometimes you have to give yourself a little recovery time.”

“Oh my God. Were you hurt?”

“I was knocked out cold.”

The thought of this strong, vital man harmed in that way made her stomach drop. “Was it serious?”

“A mild concussion. But I was out of the hospital fast. Mally and Adam were with me, but luckily they didn’t have a scratch on them.”

“You make it sound like you stubbed your toe.”

“Oh, if it had been a direct hit probably all three of us would have died.” He stared into his water glass. “It’s not something I think about too often.”

She took a couple of sips of water. “Okay, Mr. O’Day. You’ve managed to keep a lot of your past under wraps while earlier today I spilled my guts.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked.

“Tell me what your life was like growing up.”

His eyes clouded a little with memories as he looked away for a few moments before turning his gaze back to her. “I told you about that already.”

“You told me about your sisters, your parents and the good parts. Are you saying your life was peaches and cream growing up?”

“No.” He grimaced a little. “My father could be a real bastard.” Surprise kept her quiet and he continued. “Dad had some good qualities but most of the time he complained a lot, he was controlling, he didn’t like the fact I wanted to join the army. He wanted me to go to college and become something more worthwhile…according to him. He used sarcasm and backhanded comments…sometimes humor to hurt people.”

“That must have hurt.”

“My mom took the brunt of it, but he was pretty ruthless with me…he harangued me off and on about the military.”

“Why was he so against it?”

“Good question. He worked as a civil servant at Alamogordo, New Mexico.”

“Not exactly a good place to work if you’re against the military.”

“He was an engineer and that’s what he wanted me to be.”

Her curiosity deepened. “Did you ever give in?”

He turned his water glass around and around. “No. I was angry and started getting in trouble with the law.”

Now that surprised her. “You?”

“Oh, yeah. I went from being a good kid with good grades when I was twelve to a wreck. Dad and Mom were fighting off and on about how to help me…and that made things worse. Dad just believed in more punishment.”

“I sense a deeper story in there.”

He shifted again, and this time he leaned closer and his voice went softer. As if he didn’t want anyone to hear what he said next. “This one boy was bullying a girl I had a crush on. I beat the shit out of him.”

She winced. “Ouch.”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “I’m ashamed to say it felt damned good. But I was a kid and didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I smoked a little pot, shoplifted once. My parents…especially Dad…well, he was freaking out. When I was fourteen, I attended a scared straight program at a prison.”

Juliet tried to envision him as a juvenile delinquent, and remembered his slight swagger, the strength and power she’d seen in him. “I’ve seen those programs on television. I’m always happy when I hear the kids turned out all right. Obviously the program worked for you.”

“Yes and no. It worked because reality was thrown in my face. Second, I figured that Dad would divorce Mom eventually. I wanted to take care of her, so my goal to join the military solidified. I couldn’t get into the military if I accumulated a record.”

Juliet stared at him, imagining him as a boy with attitude. She could see it, even though most of the time his eyes were filled with good humor and warmth. She could feel the danger under his good-humor, the lion restrained. When he’d told those rednecks at the fire to back off she’d seen no softness within him.

“When I joined the military at eighteen I told my father…pardon the language…to fuck the hell off,” he said.

Before she could comment, their dinner arrived. They enjoyed their delicious meals silently and when they’d finished, the music turned soft and sultry.

“Room for dessert?” he asked.

“I’m stuffed.”

“Mm, I was thinking of dancing as desert.”

As new warmth enveloped her, suddenly her earlier apprehension about dancing evaporated. “All right.”

Once on the dance floor, he gathered her in a loose, respectful hold. He didn’t press himself against her. Yet his barest touch filled her with excitement, until she wished he would hold her tighter. Two other couples on the dance floor were draped all over each other, with barely room for a breath between them. Juliet fell into the magic and tried to forget where they were and the world they lived in.

*

Mark was tempted as hell to move closer to Juliet as they circled the dance floor. He wanted nothing between them, no clothing to block the sensual slide of skin against skin. It was like torture to cup her hand in his, to keep his hand on her waist without giving into the raw temptation to draw her closer. Her vulnerability called to the barbarian in him, the part wanting to claim, to protect. The material of her sweater dress clung to her just enough to drive him crazy as it revealed her sweet curves.

From the first moment he’d seen her at that fire months ago, he’d felt that surge to shield her from anything and everything. Right now he had to grit his teeth to keep a respectable distance. He felt the hesitation inside her, the reluctance any smart woman would have about becoming too involved too soon with a man she barely knew. He couldn’t blame her. Slow and sure, they circled the floor twice. She smiled, laughing at a couple of his jokes.

When she let out a yawn and went a bit red with embarrassment, he leaned in to speak in her ear. “Tired?”

“I hate to say it, but yeah.”

“You’ve had a crazy few days. I should probably take you home.”

Part of him wanted her to say that she wanted more time with him tonight. Instead she said, “I think you’re right.”

On the way home she remained silent and the awkwardness bothered him. A traffic jam on the main street made him impatient, even though he’d taught himself a long time ago to chill out.

He decided to take a different route. He glanced over at her and realized she’d fallen asleep.
Wow.
He didn’t know what to feel. Yeah, maybe she felt comfortable enough to fall asleep, because that meant she trusted him. Or maybe she was bored as hell.