by Codi Gary
“What?”
“Well, we came by to drop off a present—”
“Unannounced,” Hannah muttered.
“We tried to call, but you’ve never minded us dropping by before.”
“I’ve also never had a guy over when you’ve dropped by.”
Her mom grimaced, as if she’d tasted something foul. “Do you . . . have men over often?”
“God, Mom! No, but even if I did, I am an adult, and this is humiliating. How would you feel in my place? You meet this great guy—”
“Is he great? I know he saved your life, but you never said you were interested in him. Why didn’t you tell us about him?”
“Because I wasn’t sure there was anything to tell, and there probably won’t be anything ever if you don’t get Dad and go!”
Hannah could tell she’d hurt her mom’s feelings, but honestly, at some point they had to treat her like a grown-up and respect her boundaries.
“You know I love you guys, but next time, if I don’t answer, please don’t just drop by.”
“But what if there was something wrong? On ID—”
“Mom . . . ”
Her mom huffed. “Oh, all right, we won’t just drop by anymore, but if you’re killed by a sadistic serial killer who eats livers, don’t come crying to me.”
Hannah refrained from explaining if she was killed, she wouldn’t be crying at all.
Now she just had to get her parents out of there before Blake bolted.
BLAKE SAT IN the living room with Hannah’s dad, eating a slice of pizza silently. The pizza guy had shown up several minutes after Hannah’s parents, and when her dad had snatched the pizza and settled into the big easy chair, Blake’s plans for the rest of the night had seemed to go up in smoke.
To top it off, Milo sat at the older man’s feet, mean mugging Blake as only a little twerp pup could.
“So you’re army?”
Her dad’s voice was loud and booming, like he imagined a giant’s would be.
“Yes, sir. I train dogs at Alpha Dog Training Program.”
“I saw that on the news broadcast. I’ve heard good things about it.” Her dad took a bite of pizza, chewing slowly. “I guess I should thank you for saving my daughter’s life.”
Blake swallowed, his own bite almost lodged in his throat. He didn’t know what was worse; having her dad resent him or admire him.
“Although, I should point out that it takes a special kind of man to have more guts than brains. You took on an armed assailant with my daughter in the crosshairs. She could have been killed during your rescue.”
Well, the admiration was short-lived, at least.
“I had the situation under control, sir, and would never put Hannah in harm’s way. She’s really special.”
“I know she’s special.” Her dad pinned Blake with another piercing stare. “What I want to know is, how special is she to you?”
“I’m not sure what you mean, sir.” Blake knew exactly what he meant, but he wasn’t going there.
“I mean, how long have you been seeing each other?”
“Since last night. I made sure Hannah got home from the ball okay and asked her out on our first date for tonight.” There was no point in mentioning the other night with the bookstore, as Blake was trying for a redo.
Her dad shot him a pointed look. “When I used to ask a girl on a date, we always left the house.”
“Yes, sir, that was the plan, but Milo peed on my shirt before we could leave, and Hannah offered to toss it into the washer. We were just waiting for it to finish.”
Her dad stroked Milo’s head, as if rewarding the dog for pissing on him. “Wouldn’t it have just been easier to go home and get another shirt?”
“Yes, sir, I suppose it would have been,” he said, silently praying for Hannah to rescue him.
Hannah and her mom came back into the room, and Blake stood up, grateful.
“Come on, Gilbert, we’re leaving,” Hannah’s mom said briskly.
“I haven’t finished my pizza yet.”
“Gilbert York, stop torturing this young man, and get your wrinkly old ass out of that chair.”
Hannah covered her mouth, and Blake glanced at her. Yep, she was laughing behind her hand.
Hannah’s dad stood up slowly, giving him one last warning look before he kissed his daughter on the top of her head. “Behave yourself.”
“Shut up, Gilbert,” her mom said.
“Woman, I’m getting tired of the way you talk to me.”
“Then stop being an old fool and embarrassing your daughter.”
The two walked out, and Hannah locked the door with a groan.
“I am so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” The buzzer for the washer went off, and Hannah beat him to it, transferring his clothes to the dryer.
“No, it’s not, but I love them. We’re just really close, and there’s never been a reason to tell them they couldn’t stop by—”
“Really, Hannah, I get it. I’ve got to say, your dad is pretty intimidating.”
“Oh God.” She spun around and looked at him with wide-eyed panic. “Did he ask you one question after another, as if he was a CIA interrogator?”
“Yes, pretty much.”
“Damn it.” She leaned over the back of the couch, her hair falling down over her face.
Blake took a few steps closer, lifting her hair with a grin. “Hey, it’s not exactly the first date I had planned, but we’re both still here. Wanna finish the movie?”
Hannah stood up and came around to flop on the couch. “I would love that.”
This time he didn’t have to say anything, she just snuggled into his side.
WHEN THE MOVIE finished, Hannah went to pull Blake’s shirt out of the dryer while he used the bathroom. She laid the shirt and jacket over the back of the couch and went into the kitchen to chew on a leftover candy cane can she had from Christmas, trying to freshen her breath after the pizza.
She heard him come out of the bathroom and chewed faster.
“Hey, thanks for washing these for me.” She turned to find him pulling his collared shirt into place. “I love warm clothes right from the dryer.”
“Me, too. I actually heat my blanket up every night before bed just so it’s warm when I snuggle into it.”
“That’s pretty smart,” he said.
As he drew closer, her heart kicked into high gear. He brushed her hair back behind her ear and asked, “So, should we call it a night? Or can I take you out for ice cream?”
“Ice cream sounds amazing.”
“Good. I think for my shirt’s sake, though, you should put your dog in the crate.”
She laughed. “Let me take him out to go potty first.”
Getting Milo’s harness and leash, she took him out front to do his business and brought him back inside, locking him in his cage.
“I’ll be home soon, love.”
Milo whimpered, and Hannah waved Blake out the door quickly, flipping off the light before she shut it behind her.
“I’m hoping he isn’t making too much noise when I leave him for short periods of time. He stays with my parents when I’m at work, but sometimes I have to run an errand. My landlord is okay with dogs as long as they aren’t noisy.”
“I’m hoping this house goes through, so I can have a hundred-and-eighty-pound hound,” Blake said, holding the door open for her.
“I didn’t know you had a dog.”
He came around the front of the car and slid into the driver’s side. “I didn’t until Best sprung him on me. If I want to stay at Alpha Dog, I have to train Charge.”
“The dog’s name is Charge?”
“Yeah, ’cause he likes to Charge everywhere.” Blake started the car and backed up.
Hannah laughed. “That is funny. I would love to own a house someday, but even if I get a full-time teaching job, all the places I’d want to live are pretty expensive. I want to live comfortably without paying out the nose.”
/>
“Well, I was lucky to talk him down a bit by offering him cash. I have to call and get some things moved around to make it happen, but I love this place. It’s in Orangevale, almost a quarter of an acre, four bedrooms, two bathrooms with a decent-size kitchen.”
“Wow. Sounds amazing.”
“Yeah, and with no payments, I won’t have to have a roommate,” he said.
“I had a roommate for several years, trying to save money but still live on my own, but it wasn’t worth it. I’d rather pay more for rent and have my own space. If I ever live with anyone again, it will be my husband.”
She noticed him stiffen before she realized what she said.
“Relax, I wasn’t proposing.”
Blake gave a stiff laugh, and it hurt—she couldn’t deny it. She knew this was only their first date and that he was still working through his issues, but in her mind, a husband, house, and babies were all a part of her future, and if she couldn’t talk about that stuff, how were they going to give this a real shot?
“Out of curiosity, why did you want such a big house for just you and a dog?”
Blake shot her a quick glance, and she stared back mildly. He must have decided there was no hidden agenda with the question, and he finally answered, “I don’t know. I guess I figured, if I’m going to buy a house, I want it to be one I can grow in.”
She stayed quiet until they reached Cold Stone Creamery, thinking about that answer. She took it as Blake might get married and have a family someday, and he wanted the room to do it. She wasn’t going to come out and ask, though, at least not after the whole parent fiasco.
She climbed out of her side of the car before he could get her door and headed toward the sidewalk.
“Hey, hey, hang on a second.” Blake reached out and grabbed her arm, gently bringing her in against him. “Did I say something wrong?”
Screw holding back. If he’s going to run, it’s better he does it now.
“I just don’t want to walk on eggshells around you. I know you want to take this slow, but I have an idea of what I want already. I want a full-time teaching job, maybe a little house, and I definitely want a husband and kids. We can take it slow, but I don’t want you freaking out every time I talk about what I imagine for my future. Believe me, it’s too early to picture you in it yet.”
Hannah waited for him to say something, never expecting it to be an apology.
“I’m sorry. This is new for me, believe it or not. I’ve only ever dated one woman, and she was . . . ”
Blake didn’t finish the sentence, and she wanted him to so badly. Maybe if he could talk about her, he would really start to move forward.
“Anyway, I’ll try not to be so damaged.” He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ears. “So, are we good?”
She caught his hand and held it to her cheek. “Believe me, Blake, we’re good.”
He held on to her hand and grabbed the door with his other, leading her into the empty ice cream shop. He ordered a Love It of mint chip and Hannah got a Like It of peanut butter and chocolate. While he paid, she sat down, staring out the window at the busy street.
She shouldn’t be so sensitive. Blake had lost his wife only two years ago, and if he was just starting to date, she needed to be patient. It wasn’t as if she was in any rush.
“You know, I’d love to watch you train Charge sometime. Maybe you could help me with Milo.”
“I think that little demon is a lost cause.”
Hannah laughed, waving her spoon at him like she’d wag a finger. “You be nice. He just needs to get used to you.”
“That puppy has a mean streak a mile long. You wait. When he’s eighty pounds, he’s going to tear my throat out.”
Hannah tried not to react to his comment, just silently celebrated that even if he didn’t know it, he was thinking of a future with her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
BLAKE WALKED HANNAH to her door after ice cream, holding her hand in his. Compared to his first date with Jenny, this one was a lot more interesting, but it was still nice. Better in some ways, because even though he was a little nervous about what would happen next, he wasn’t pumped up with teenaged hormones and insecurities. And Hannah had been honest about what she wanted, had called him out on his bullshit, and he liked it. He didn’t have time for games, and he appreciated Hannah’s candor. He could tell at the time she hesitated saying anything, but he was glad she had.
“So, what are your days off this week?” she asked.
“Well, we’re not exactly on a military schedule, but my days vary. Most of the time, I get Sundays off.”
“That’s it?”
“Being in the military is not like a normal job. I’m lucky at Alpha Dog because we do shifts, usually ten hours for six days, but if I was doing guard duty or any other job, it could be twelve hours or even twenty-four and nine days on.”
“That is crazy.”
Hannah leaned her back against the door and gazed up at him. The way the porch light shone down on her, brightening her hazel eyes, distracted him until he just repeated, “Yeah, crazy.”
He should walk away and leave her with just a peck on the lips. That would be the smart thing.
At least, he’d intended to kiss her chastely.
Instead, he’d put his hand on the wall above Hannah and leaned in. His body pressed her back into the door, and his mouth covered hers, his tongue sweeping inside her already parted lips, tasting the sweet mix of chocolate and Hannah.
Hannah’s hands cupped the back of his neck as he kissed her. He was dying to slide his hands around to cup her ass but, leery of someone coming up or driving by, he kept them at her waist.
She was the one to break the kiss, pressing a hand to his cheek. “I should go inside.”
He released a breathless chuckle. “Yeah, you probably should.”
Hannah kissed him again and whispered, “Text me.”
“When?”
That sweet smile was all Hannah flashed. “Anytime.”
As she slipped inside and out of his reach, he laid his burning forehead against the cool wood of her door and breathed deeply. He felt like he should congratulate himself for making it through such a crazy first date.
When he climbed back in his car, he called Best.
“Yo, man, what’s up?”
“What are you up to?” he asked.
“Dani and I are watching Netflix. Your date over already? How was it?”
“Her dog pissed on me, so I had to wash my clothes at her place. We ordered a pizza, and then her parents showed up, and I had to sit through an awkward interrogation from her dad. We watched a movie and went for ice cream after—where I freaked over an off-the-cuff remark she made and she put me in my place—and finally, I kissed her good night and she went to bed.”
“Well, that sounds like a fucking nightmare,” Best said.
Blake thought back to when Hannah had wiped his chest, to the adorable horror on her face when her parents walked through the door, and that last look of longing right before she closed the door.
“Actually, parts of it were kind of nice.”
“Well, all right,” Best drawled like Matthew McConaughey. “When are you going to see her again?”
“Not sure. She said to text her anytime.”
“Ho! You know what that means? You got an open-ended invite to get freaky over text message. Ow! Babe, I’m talking about him. No, I don’t talk about our sex life.” His voice grew muffled as he spoke to his girlfriend. Finally, Best came back on the line, his voice hushed, “I’m in trouble. Got to go.”
Best hung up the phone, and Blake grinned, contemplating his friend’s assessment.
Was it too soon to send a text?
When he pulled into his parking spot at his apartment complex, he texted her.
Had an amazing time. Can’t wait to take you out again.
Shoving his phone in his pocket, he whistled all the way up the stairs . . .
Until
he saw his front door hanging off the hinges.
Stepping inside cautiously, he looked around at the destruction and cursed. Everything was gone. His TV, his laptop. Even his fucking microwave. At least his iPad had been in his duffle in the trunk of his car.
Then a thought occurred to him, and he raced inside to his bedroom.
They had ripped up his mattress and tossed his bed, which made no sense. What the hell had they been looking for?
His gun safe, which was at the back of his closet, was unharmed. They hadn’t gotten to his guns.
Dialing 911 on his phone, he waited until the dispatcher answered before he spoke. “Yes, my name is Sergeant Blake Kline of the United States Army, and I need to report a break-in at my apartment.”
“All right, Sergeant, what is your address? Is there anything missing?”
He rattled off his address and kept looking around, searching for anything else missing. “Yeah, they took all the electronics and tore apart my bedroom. Looks like I’ve got a couple pairs of shoes missing.”
“Okay, have you searched the house to see if there is anyone left inside?”
“Yeah, they’re long gone.”
“Good. Sergeant, I’ve dispatched officers to your home. They should be there in approximately thirty minutes.”
“Thanks, appreciate it.”
Blake hung up the phone, looking around the place in disgust. His phone beeped, and it was Hannah.
I can’t wait either.
Blake took a picture of his bedroom and typed, What a way to end a night, huh?
His phone started ringing a few minutes later, Hannah’s name flashing across his screen.
“Pretty sight, isn’t it?”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe that! Are you okay?”
Blake laughed bitterly. “Besides being pissed off, yeah, I’m good. Glad to be getting out of this hellhole. Just waiting on the police and then going to get comfy on my shredded bed.”
There was quiet on the line for a half a second, and then she spoke rather softly. “If you need a place to crash, I’ve got a pull-out bed in my couch.”
Blake knew the offer was just Hannah being kind, but he couldn’t help thinking about staying over with Hannah, imagining sleeping on the couch and having her come out in something sexy, inviting him to share her bed.
