Chapter Five
The man wasn’t just any sailor, but him. Brett. Her date from seven months ago who’d gone AWOL. Her date was apparently a chief in the Navy. Even as a civilian, she knew that was a big deal. Just as rapidly as the shock at seeing him set in, it faded. She was good at landing on her feet.
Drawing in a quick breath, she did the same thing she’d done to the other sailors. She thrust out her hand and shook his. Keeping her expression blank, she murmured, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Craven.”
Don’t look him in the eyes.
Despite her vow not to, her gaze slid up from his broad chest, only to quickly make eye contact.
A mistake. There was a flash of surprise there—as if he were shocked she hadn’t smashed him over the head with a glass, before his expression became a mask of politeness.
“Nice to meet you as well, Kenzie.”
The bastard didn’t even have the balls to call her out on her pretense that they didn’t know each other. She’d expected a clever remark like “we’ve already met” or something. But then that would make him the type of man who dealt with his problems.
And that’s what she was to him. A big old awkward problem who was about to plant herself firmly at his table.
“Have a seat. We’ve got plenty of room.” Brett gestured to the two empty spots, not next to each other, of course.
This was turning out to be a piss-poor date.
At the last moment, two of the sailors jumped up from their seats to switch and give her and Tad seats next to one another. Though she wasn’t sure if that was such a good thing, because right now he wasn’t winning any points with her. Not to mention the switch put her directly across from Brett.
She hardly expected him to play footsies, but if he so much as tried anything he’d better be prepared to receive a foot in the balls.
Menus were passed their way as someone mentioned the rest of the guys had already ordered. In no time there were beers in front of them as conversation flowed.
Or rather, conversation flowed between the sailors, while she remained mostly silent. They made half-arsed attempts to include her, but it was clear the group hadn’t seen each other in a while and were excited to catch up.
She snuck a glance over her menu at Brett, cursing her luck that while she was on her second date of the year, Brett—her first date of the year—was right across from her.
He cradled a water glass in his large hand, almost lounging in the wooden-backed chair. His position managed to be lazy and predatory at once.
She lifted her gaze higher, for a moment, and found those pale blue eyes watching her. His gaze was narrowed and heated.
Anger flashed through her and her lips tightened. He had no right to watch her this way—as if he were regretting standing her up. As if he were thinking about what she’d look like naked. He’d made a choice to walk away, so let the arse stew in his regret.
She tossed her hair over her shoulder and lifted her beer, arching a brow at him as she took a slow sip. Hopefully he could hear every blistering curse she was blasting him with in her head. Or at least imagine them.
His lips twitched into a grimace and he glanced away.
Aye, he knew.
The waitress arrived, and Kenzie put in an order for the fried pickles.
“Hey, you sure you want to get that?”
For a moment she wasn’t sure she’d heard right, but sure enough, as she cast her date a disbelieving glance, she found him watching her with a critical frown.
“Excuse me?”
“The fried pickles.” Tad leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Look, you’ve been doing great with those ab workouts—you don’t want to blow it for five minutes of greasy food that you’ll regret.”
Her face flushed with a stain of anger and embarrassment. This wanker had just called out her food choice at a table full of men. While they were on a first date. Clearly he wasn’t gunning for a second one.
“I won’t regret it. I’ll work out another hour at the gym if I have to.” She glanced around the table. “Or does anyone else feel I have some problem areas I should be working on?”
“Hell no,” one guy chortled.
“You just keep doing whatever you’re doing,” the guy next to Brett muttered. “You’re fucking hot.”
In an instant Brett had smacked the guy lightly in the back of the head.
“Have some respect.”
The sailor blushed. “Sorry, Chief.”
“It’s not me you need to apologize to.”
“Sorry, Kenzie.”
Most of them were drunk, she realized. The beer had kept coming, pint after pint. “It’s all right. It’s probably my fault for asking such a ridiculous question.”
“Well, it followed an asinine comment,” Brett murmured, casting a hard glance at Tad.
There was one thing they could agree on right now, but Tad didn’t notice Brett’s death glare because he was ordering another beer from the waitress.
Shite. She really ought to cut her losses and simply text one of the girls for a ride home, but there was food on the way and her beer to finish. No doubt about it, she would finish the beer because she’d sure as hell need it to get through this night.
An hour passed with more beer and food devoured. She’d picked at her own order, all too aware of Brett’s heavy gaze on her most of the evening.
She’d felt the heat in it and was a bit shocked by the way her body responded. The heat that flowed through her veins and the quickening thud of her heart.
Why did it have to be him who affected her? After all this time of being numb to any kind of feminine reaction to a man. She had to get her knickers twisted over the one guy who’d made it painfully clear he didn’t want to get involved with her.
Even if the way he watched her now clearly spoke otherwise. Had the others noticed the way Brett was watching her? Wouldn’t they find it strange?
Then again, did it really matter? Once she left here tonight she had no intention of seeing any of them again. Though the gym might be difficult with Tad. Time to switch gyms. Oh hell, she hated working out, she may as well quit.
She cast Tad a sideways glance and sighed. Her date was now completely piss drunk. Fuck it all, she would have no choice but to call someone to give her a lift. There was no way she was climbing into a car with an intoxicated driver.
While the bill was settled, Kenzie sent a text to Hailey, hoping her future sister-in-law was still awake.
Minutes ticked by and no reply came. Her heart sank.
“You ready to go?” Tad’s words were slurred as he pushed back his chair and reached for her hand.
“I’ll be taking her home.”
Holy date hijacker, what? Kenzie swung a gaze toward Brett. What was he trying to pull?
Just barely, she managed to keep her tone polite. “That won’t be necessary, thank you.”
“Perhaps it’s not, but I insist.”
“Well insist all you want, I’ll get my own bloody ride.” Unable to control her temper any longer after such a shite evening, she shoved back her chair and stormed off to the bathroom to call Hailey.
*
Brett watched her stride off away from the table, her hips swinging as she walked in those tiny heels. She was furious, and wonderfully sexy at it.
The pure male response slammed through him in a wash of desire that made his blood pound and his dick take notice. His awareness of her had been simmering all night and was damn near at boiling point.
It was more than her beauty. She had so much attitude and confidence. That confidence and somewhat lack of filter on her thoughts drew him to her even more.
He laid down some bills for the check, making sure he paid for Kenzie’s dinner as well, seeing that her date had screwed that up.
Glancing at the sailor who’d been deemed designated driver, Brett asked, “You’ll be able to take Tad home too?”
“Sure, Chief, not a problem.”
Confusion flashed across Tad’s face. “Hey, wait a minute, that’s my date. You’re not really going to take her home are you?”
“If she can’t find a ride from someone else, then yes.” And he was hoping like hell she didn’t, because the thought of her walking out that door and out of his life again made his chest tighten almost painfully.
He pushed back his chair, said good-bye to the group and made his way to the front of the restaurant.
Kenzie had disappeared into the bathroom, and he waited in the hall for her to reappear. When she finally did, she looked ticked off to the max. When she saw him her scowl deepened and her mouth compressed.
“You find a ride?” he asked quietly.
She lifted her chin and gave him a cool look. “I’ll find one. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s in my nature to worry. Let me drive you home. You’ll be safe.”
“I don’t doubt that, I simply don’t much like you, Brett,” she said bluntly. “I would rather ride on the back of an arthritic porcupine than drive home with you.”
“Arthritic porcupine?” He blinked. “Slow and painful? Is that what you were going for in that statement?”
“Sure, why not.”
Her quirky sense of humor. Another check under reasons he was attracted to her.
“My truck’s out front. How far are you from here?”
She hesitated, shaking her head. Finally: “Only a few miles.”
“Let me drive you home.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “It’ll give me a chance to apologize.”
Her eyes narrowed and she made a tiny sniff of disdain. “Little bit late, don’t you think, Chief?”
There was no respect in the title, just derision.
“It’s a lot late, but I’d really appreciate the opportunity regardless.”
She pressed her lips together and he could see her internal argument. She gave a small, terse nod.
“Fine. I can’t get ahold of my friends, would rather not call my brothers, and hate spending the money on a cab. Not that you can ever bloody find one around here.”
He let out a breath of relief, not realizing he’d been holding it. He’d wanted this moment more than he’d imagined.
By habit, he placed a hand on the small of her back to guide her toward the door. The withering look she shot him had him starting to remove it, until a mocking voice stopped him.
“Well I’ll be damned if my Highland hottie doesn’t get around.”
The tension in Kenzie’s body was instant. He felt her spine stiffen against his fingertips, before she shocked him further by stepping backward, closer to him. As if seeking protection.
Brett turned to seek out the voice and found a man who looked to be in his early thirties coming down the hall from the bathroom.
“Arriving with one guy, leaving with another.” The man grinned and took a step forward. “Actually, I’ve got to say, I’m surprised you didn’t take the whole group of men home with you.”
Oh the hell he did. Dropping his hand from Kenzie’s back, Brett approached the other man.
“Is there a problem?” The blood in his veins began a hot, furious throbbing. “Just what the hell makes you think it’s okay to talk to a lady that way?”
“Lady? Oh, Kenzie’s no lady, are you, baby? Tell him about that time—”
Instinct had Brett’s fist flying, but Kenzie grabbed his arm in record speed, barely stopping the punch. The man flinched and stepped back, looking completely shocked that someone would try and hit him.
“Stop,” she pleaded, her words ragged. Pained. “He’s not worth it, Brett. I promise.”
Shit. She’d probably saved his ass. He blinked, realizing how close he’d come to giving this guy the beat-down he deserved. It might’ve gotten him dishonorably discharged from the Navy too.
One glance at Kenzie’s white face and he realized his priorities needed to be her, not this piece of shit.
Taking a step toward the man, he said quietly, “You’re lucky, douche bag. Damn lucky I’m not adding to those ugly scars on your face.”
The man’s expression turned to one of fury, as he reached up and touched a scarred cheek.
There was already a growing audience of people watching them with a fascination that was a bit unnerving. With Kenzie still clutching his arm, her expression furtive, Brett backed away.
“Let’s get you home.” He gave a terse nod and led her outside the restaurant.
When they were far enough away from the building he gave her a sideways glance.
Her face was still pale and her eyes had an alarming vacantness that was completely uncommon from what he knew of her.
“Are you all right?”
“Fine.” The one word was devoid of emotion.
“The hell you are. Who was he?”
She gave a bitter laugh and a shake of her head. For a moment he figured she’d blow him off and give him some bullshit answer.
“Kenzie?”
“Charles Richland, otherwise known as the man who roughed me up and attempted to rape me about a decade ago.”
The truth knocked Brett sideways. He stumbled to a halt and caught her arm again, turning her to look at him.
“You’re serious?”
“Aye. People generally don’t encourage rape humor.” She gave a twisted smile, and for a moment there was a flicker of emotion in her eyes.
“Jesus.” He stopped and glanced back inside, almost wishing he’d punched the guy after all.
“If you don’t believe me, it’s fine. I’m quite used to it by now.”
What the hell kind of statement was that? “Why would I not believe you?”
“Why would you? Either way, you don’t really know me.”
Crap, and that was completely his fault. “Maybe not, but you’re not a complete stranger to me, and it’s obvious that guy’s a first-class D-bag.”
“He is,” she agreed.
“And I know enough about you to realize you wouldn’t lie—especially about something this serious.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Kenzie. Both what happened five minutes ago, and back then.”
She glanced up, seeming to search his face to see if he was being honest. She must’ve decided he was, because she relaxed a bit and nodded.
“Thank you. As I said, it was quite a while ago.”
“Still, I hope he nearly rotted while serving time.” He unlocked his truck and helped her in. “Though clearly if he’s out now he didn’t serve nearly enough.”
She climbed past him into the cab of the pickup. “He didn’t serve any.”
His vision went red. “How in the hell does that happen? Did he get some bullshit community service sentence or something?”
“He was found not guilty. Technically, that upstanding citizen you had the pleasure of running into just now has a pristine record.”
Brett’s teeth snapped together as he shut Kenzie’s door and moved around the truck to the passenger side.
Pristine record? Bullshit. If the man had gotten away with nearly raping a woman once, there was a good chance he’d succeeded after Kenzie.
Charles Richland. He’d have to remember that name and face.
Once he was settled behind the wheel, he hesitated before starting the ignition. Another thought began to creep in.
Kenzie had been almost skittish on their one date all those months ago. Seeming to fear being alone with him, and especially when he’d walked her out to the car. She’d almost gone into a panic.
Now he suspected the reason was because of an attack by that Richland guy.
“Are you waiting for something?”
He started the truck and shrugged. “Just lost in thought. Where are we going?”
She gave him directions to where he had a general idea of where to go. Driving down the highway, he murmured, “You seem to have bad luck with men.”
Kenzie gave a choked gasp of disbelief. “Really? You’re going to say that to me?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t,” he agreed. “It just started to sink in.”
“Aye, well include yourself among that bloody list of men then.”
He didn’t even deflect that blow, because he deserved it. “I do, and I’m sorry.”
He felt her gaze on him. Hard. Questioning.
“I know it’s been over a half a year since that night, but are you going to tell me why, Brett? I thought we had a pretty good connection. I had fun. Silly me, but I thought you enjoyed yourself too—”
“I did enjoy myself.”
“You did,” she repeated hesitantly. “Then why did you drop me on my arse? When you were so persistent in getting me to go out with you in the first place? Was it because I didn’t sleep with you that night?”
How did he answer that? He’d been raised in a family where he was taught the truth was the easiest answer. Not always the most pleasant, but often the easiest. When you were honest, you didn’t have to keep track of the lies you told.
“Partly, yes.” He glanced over in time to see hurt flash across her face.
“Well, I’ll give you credit for having the balls to admit it,” she muttered, looking away.
“It’s not in my nature to lie. I did want to sleep with you, Kenzie. When I came there that night, the only thoughts in my head were of finding you and ultimately getting you into my bed.”
She made a soft grunt of disgust and kept her gaze out the window.
“But then there was dinner and we connected on this deeper level. Then there was the tiny kiss that turned out to be so fucking hot. And you were just too sweet. Too vulnerable.” His voice roughened as he made the acknowledgment to himself and to her.
He’d sensed that about her before knowing why. Though he knew better than to call her out on it.
“Turn here, and it’ll be the last house on the right,” she instructed tersely. “And those aren’t words people usually associate with me. I’m not vulnerable.”
The hell she wasn’t. Clearly she hated the idea of being vulnerable, but she was. Maybe she hid it well, but her guard had come down that night, and then a few minutes ago inside the restaurant when Charles had taunted her.
He parked outside her house and sighed. “Regardless, Kenzie, I liked you a little too much. I couldn’t get involved with you and hurt you that way, because I don’t do permanent.”
She tilted her head, giving him a blistering look. “And you made the bloody assumption that I was looking for a husband and passed me by because of it?”
Maybe? Shit. He wasn’t even sure. When she climbed out of the car, he followed after her.
“I don’t know what I assumed, I only knew that you deserved more than a one-night stand.”
She turned around, nearly causing him to ram into her. “Maybe a one-night stand was what I was searching for.”
Once he acclimated to the temptation of her being so close, he focused on her words. They were almost convincing, but he was skilled enough at reading people to see past her bluff. But he’d play along if that’s what she wanted.
“Was it?”
Her cockiness vanished and she bit her lip. “No, but I’m not looking for anything serious yet, either. I want something in between.”
“And that’s why you went out with this clown tonight?”
Her chin came up. “Tad is a nice guy. He simply made a few bad choices tonight.”
“You think? I sure as shit wouldn’t tell you what to eat. Or bring you on what equates to a group date. Or—”
“You sure as shit have no place to judge.” Her eyes flashed a warning.
Tad had been kind of an asshole while serving in the Navy, and tonight Brett had realized he had only gotten worse. Yet here she was defending him.
Irritation slid through his veins and he took a step forward, bringing them even closer together.
“Maybe not, but I know you deserve better. I didn’t walk away so some other asshole could scoop you up.”
“Scoop me up? FYI, I’m not an ice cream cone. Step one in the asshole rehabilitation process is admitting you’re one—so kudos to you.” Her green eyes were sparkling with anger now, and another emotion he knew she wouldn’t want him to see.
There was a hint of awareness. Of heat that had nothing to do with anger. She was still attracted to him and probably hated herself for it.
He was out of line; there was no doubt about it. Still, he placed his hands on the door on either side of her body, lightly trapping her. He waited for the slightest hint of fear or unease in her eyes. If he saw it, he’d step back. There was none, only the slight hitch of her breathing and the flare of anticipation in her gaze.
“You’re right. I’m a complete asshole, because all I can think about right now is this.”
He dipped his head, claiming her mouth in a kiss that he had no right to take. It was the only place their bodies touched, their lips fused together as he braced himself against the door.
Needing more than that first, almost innocent kiss they’d shared, he teased the seam of her lips apart and slid his tongue inside to discover the taste of her.
She was as sweet as he’d imagined, and not for the first time he kicked himself for walking away. He deepened the kiss, all the while keeping in mind that he had to give her space to say no. To push him off her.
But right now she was making no move to do either. Instead she was kissing him back, almost tentatively. Her tongue meeting his in small, hesitant strokes.
Need coursed through his body, heavy and demanding, and he couldn’t help but release a small groan against her mouth.
It took a moment for him to register her hands on his shoulders, gently pushing him away.
“Enough,” she said raggedly.
Struggling to focus, he stared down at her. Her lips pink and moist, her gaze lowered beneath her lashes.
“Kenzie?”
“My roommate’s not here. I don’t have to work tonight. I could invite you inside and we’d have the house to ourselves.”
He moved a hand to cup her face, unable to resist touching the softness of her lips. Yet his gut clenched, because he knew where she was heading with this.
“You could, but you won’t.”
“I won’t. Because nothing’s changed in seven months. I’m still not that girl. Not the kind who sleeps with a guy right away.”
“And what if I said I’d wait until you were ready?”
She gave a disbelieving laugh. “You didn’t wait the first time before you ran out to find someone else. You’re hardly going to wait a second.” She fished her keys from her purse.
He latched on to one thing she’d said. “Hold on a moment. What makes you think I found someone else?”
She shrugged, shoving the key into the lock. “I saw you guys at Safeway. Does it matter?”
What the hell? Safeway. He racked his memory, but was coming up empty.
After pushing the door open, she hesitated.
“At one point there was a real window of opportunity for something between us. But…it’s closed now.” Her gaze lifted to his once more, and her expression was resolute, if not a little sad. “Thanks for the ride.”
The door closed in his face a moment later. Brett stood there staring at the dark wood, a frown tugging at his mouth.
Who the hell was the woman she’d seen him with at Safeway?