by Low, Gennita
Trish shook her head and waved her back down. “Everything’s taken care of since you two brought most of the meal already prepared.”
Once again she wondered about the invitation. Had Langley called Hawk during his therapy? Or had Hawk called him?
Every evening since he’d kissed her, she swung back and forth between anxiety and excitement as she anticipated being alone with Hawk. And each evening she’d tried hard to ignore the disappointment and hurt that lingered at his eagerness to spend the evening with friends, and now Langley and Trish.
God, she was pathetic. Lusting, longing, for a guy completely wrong for her. He wore a uniform, was an expert at hand to hand combat, weapons, explosives, and several other things she didn’t have a clue about. And he could be shipped out of the country at a moment’s notice. And he’d probably run the other direction if he ever once caught a glimpse of her scars or her leg.
Or would he? If he didn’t run like every other man, what then? Would she become a clinging, love-starved ninny willing to put up with months of separation and uncertainty for the intermediate bouts of celebratory sex that would follow every time he came home? And how long would it last once he saw some other woman who had two beautiful undamaged legs and no scars?
Fear gripped her by the throat, as powerful as the longing twisting her stomach into knots. She flinched at the familiar pain that pulled at her leg as she hugged it to her chest. She couldn’t even outrun the threat of so many possibilities. But she couldn’t embrace them either. She closed her eyes trying to suppress the painful ache her thoughts triggered.
She was probably reading more into the kiss than he’d intended. She was agonizing over things her overblown imagination was creating. Otherwise he would want to spend evenings alone with her instead of inviting over friends or beating a quick retreat to the Marks’ backyard.
Had he read what she was thinking in the way she had acted? Had she totally misread the entire situation? Was that why he had found a way to avoid being alone with her? God, how embarrassing to be the recipient of someone’s unwanted interest and have to live in the same house where you couldn’t avoid them.
She opened her eyes as she became aware of the lessening glare of the sun through her eyelids.
Langley stood beside her. “You okay, Zoe?”
She forced a smile to her lips though bile rose in her throat. “Yes, I’m fine.”
“Just thought I’d warn you, a couple of the guys and their dates will be joining us. I’ve slapped a couple more burgers on the grill.”
“The more the merrier.” With more people around them perhaps she’d have some time to figure out how she was supposed to behave around Hawk, so he’d know she wasn’t going to inflict her unwanted attentions on him.
“Yeah, that’s what Trish always says.”
She rose. “I’ll go help her add some more lettuce to the salad and see if she needs me to run to the store for anything.” She could use a few minutes alone.
Langley grinned. “Thanks, Zoe.”
A few minutes later, gripping a shopping list with attached directions to the store in one hand, and her keys in the other, she opened the front door. Derrick Armstrong stood on the porch a slender, dark haired young woman, at his side.
“Hi.” she stood to one side and held the door open for them. “Trish is in the kitchen and Langley and Hawk are in the backyard with the children.”
“Thanks.” Derrick and the woman stepped inside. “This is Marjorie, my girlfriend. Marjorie, this is Zoe, Cutter’s sister, and Hawk’s girlfriend.”
Zoe opened her mouth to contest the statement.
“Are you leaving?” Derrick asked.
“I’m just running to the store. I’ll be right back.”
“We’ll see you later then.” Derrick turned, and with his girlfriend in tow, disappeared down the hallway.
She paused next to the car as a Toyota Camry pulled up behind her.
Bowie stepped out of his vehicle and smiled, flashing his dimples. “Need a ride, sweetheart?”
Was he the one who had hurt her brother? She forced a smile to her lips, though instant feelings of hurt laced with suspicion seemed lodged like a knife beneath her ribs. “Said the big bad wolf.”
He pointed at himself with a thumb. “Who, me?”
Zoe smiled at his expression of exaggerated amazement. “I’m just going to the store for Trish. I’ll be back in just a moment.”
“Hop in and I’ll take you. I’ll push the buggy.”
Was it wise to get into the car with him? Unable to think of a polite way to turn him down, she limped to the passenger side of the car and opened the door.
“Alone at last.” Bowie smiled again and taking her hand in his, waggled his eyebrows at her.
She shook her head at him. Being on the receiving end of his flirtatious teasing, Zoe found it difficult to imagine him hurting her. But then, all the men were trained to kill, even Hawk. “Heel, Wolfman. If we don’t get back pronto with the groceries, we may find ourselves going hungry.” She withdrew her hand to fasten her seatbelt.
“I promise I’ll feed you if we do.”
“Thank you, Bowie. I can’t promise to protect you from Trish though.” She waved the grocery list back and forth.
“Can’t say I blame you. Trish is tough. I’d put her up against any officer in the division.” He started the car and backed out of the driveway.
“So how’s Cutter doing?” he asked.
“He’s about the same. He turns over in his sleep but he just doesn’t open his eyes.”
Bowie shook his head his features growing solemn. “He’ll pull out of it. He’s tough,” he said after a moment’s silence, but his tone lacked conviction.
He eased the vehicle to a stop at a busy intersection and signaled a right turn. “So when are you going to go out with me?”
She studied his attractive even features and killer dimples. Would she have been attracted to him had Hawk not caught her interest first? Possibly. Could she find out if he was the one who had hurt Brett if they did go out? Probably not. It would be dangerous if she did. If Brett couldn’t defend himself against whoever had hurt him, she didn’t stand a chance.
“I’m not very good at the dating thing, Bowie.”
“What’s to be good at? We eat, watch a movie, talk. And other things if you feel comfortable with it.”
Her face grew hot and she studied the houses they passed with desperate interest.
“There wouldn’t be any pressure, Zoe.”
She struggled to unglue her tongue from the roof of her mouth. “You’re a really nice guy.”
“God, don’t say that.”
“Why not?”
“Because every guy knows when a woman calls you a nice guy she’s going to turn you down.”
She laughed. “Isn’t it better to be turned down as a nice guy than a jerk?”
“It’s better not to be turned down at all.”
She smiled. “I’m sorry. It isn’t you.”
“Then who is it?”
Her cheeks burnt.
“LT tried to warn us off, you being Cutter’s sister and all. Maybe you better let him in on the fact that you’ve hooked up with someone.”
The words struck her with the force of a medicine ball to the chest. “He warned you off?”
His brows shot up and he turned his head to look at her. “Well, it was worded as a suggestion, but the gist was clear.
“I see.” Her earlier hurt slid right into a deep anger flushing her cheeks with heat and making her feel as though her ears might blow off her head. The idea of accepting a date with Bowie flitted through her mind, but it would just complicate things. Pay back seemed so petty, too.
“If you haven’t hooked up with anyone—”
Despite her anger, she forced a smile. “You keep your eye on the prize and you never give up.”
“Hooyah.”
She shook her head. “It wouldn’t be fair to you. You deserve to be a
first choice, not a substitute.”
“Who is this fool?”
A bark of laughter escaped before she suppressed it. “I’d rather not say. I’m not even sure he knows I’m interested, and I’d like an opportunity to work my way up to cluing him in.”
His warm, chocolate brown eyes held a smile. “I have to tell you this shy stuff you got going on brings out all my big, bad, male protective urges. If this guy doesn’t do right by you, you just let me know.”
Could this all be a con? Could he be that good at hiding another personality behind all his charm? “Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Making a right hand turn, he pulled into the grocery store parking lot and whipped into an empty slot. He removed the key from the ignition and turned to look at her. “After I’ve cleaned his clock, you can give me a shot at that date.”
The need to come straight out and ask him about his involvement was right on the end of her tongue. Was she looking into the face of a man who could betray one of his teammates?
Studying his open gaze, she just couldn’t believe it. She had nothing to go on but instinct, and every instinct she had said Bowie wasn’t involved. But could she trust her intuition when Hawk couldn’t trust his?
“We’d better get this shopping done and get back.”
He nodded and flashed his sexy grin. “Let’s do it.”
She shook her head at his continued flirtation and exited the car.
“Hooyah.” She heard the word from inside the car.
Chapter Ten
‡
All the way back from the store the questions burned on the tip of Zoe’s tongue. She had to ask him. Her heart beat high in her chest and she couldn’t seem to get enough air into her lungs.
Bowie parked the car in front of the Marks’ house and released his seat belt, but didn’t move to get out of the car. “It isn’t Derrick, is it?” He rested his hands on the steering wheel, then ran his fingers over the rubber casing that covered it.
Zoe eyed him, confused.
“Derrick’s not the one you’ve hooked up with, is he?”
“No. It isn’t Derrick. He’s already got a girl friend. I just met her a few minutes ago.” Zoe gestured toward the house.
The tension in his expression relaxed. “I didn’t have anything to do with Brett’s injury, Zoe.” He leaned back in the bucket seat and rested his hands on his thighs. “Maybe you should ask Derrick about Cutter.”
Zoe studied Bowie’s face. Was he saying he’d witnessed something between Brett and Derrick?
He gripped the steering wheel and turned it. “If anyone knows anything about Cutter, it will be Derrick.”
The rumble of a powerful engine growled and Zoe glanced over her shoulder. A bright red Porsche glided into the slot behind Bowie’s Toyota.
“Jesus! That’s Flash,” he breathed.
Zoe swung out of the bucket seat with a practiced grip on the doorframe. Bowie, his cheeks flushed with excitement, popped out of the car and started circling the Porsche like a shark circling prey.
“What did you do man, rob a bank?” Bowie asked as Flash unfolded his lean frame from the car.
“Naw. I got a really sweet deal and I wiped out my savings. Hey, Zoe.”
“Hi.”
Flash’s blond hair reflected in the car’s bright cherry red exterior as he braced a hand on the front quarter-panel. He looked tan and fit as though he’d been spending a great deal of time out in the sun. And he aimed a sexy smile at her and said, “Want to go for a ride?”
Zoe laughed and shook her head. “There are three hungry children and several adults waiting by the pool to eat. Maybe later.”
Flash seemed a nice guy, they all did, but—How did Hawk stand this constant doubt? She leaned back against the rear of Bowie’s car and watched the two men as they studied the sleek lines of the vehicle and discussed every virtue of the engine.
“You got to show the guys,” Bowie said as he slammed the hood closed.
“Later.” Flash patted the hood. “I’ve worked up an appetite just driving around town. I’m starving.”
“We’ve just gotten back from the store. You can help carry the groceries in,” Bowie said.
Bowie strung the plastic bags of groceries on his arms like oversized Christmas ornaments.
“I can carry some,” Zoe said.
“We’ve got it covered,” Flash said as he stretched to retrieve the last bag from high up in the trunk. A light thump had Zoe leaning forward to see if something had fallen out of a bag. A small cylindrical stone lay in the trunk near one of the rear lights. A stone just like the ones Brett had brought home. Zoe reached for it, but Flash scooped it up with a speed worthy of his call sign.
“That’s my lucky charm. I’d hate to lose it,” he said with a grin. “You can close the trunk and get the door.”
Instead of making a comment about the stone, she slammed the trunk and went ahead of the two men.
As they came into the kitchen, Hawk stood at the counter pouring drinks for the three children clustered around him. A pair of cut offs hugged his legs and a t-shirt hung over his shoulder.
“Looks like you arrived just in time, guys,” he said.
The door slammed behind the three children as they trooped back outside.
Bowie smiled as he lowered the bags to the floor. “What can I say, my timing’s always been perfect. You know that, LT”
Zoe started unloading the bags. Flash placed his on the bar.
“I bought a car, Hawk. A really sweet ride. You’ll have to check it out after we eat,” Flash said.
While the two men talked about the vehicle, Bowie came to stand next to Zoe and lifted one of the bags on the counter. He took out a basket of fresh tomatoes.
“Thanks for making the grocery run with me, Bowie.”
“Any time, Zo.” He rested a hand against her waist and brushed a kiss on her cheek.
Startled by the gesture she looked up at him.
His brown gaze looked down into hers. “Remember what I said in the car.” He ran the back of his fingers against her cheek in a brief caress. “You need any help here?”
Struck speechless, she shook her head.
As he and Flash sauntered out onto the deck, her numbed brain kicked into overdrive. Which bit of advice had Bowie meant? About talking to Derrick?
Or was it that she should be straight forward with Hawk about her interest in him? Was she really ready to leave herself open to hurt again by doing so? Should she keep Bowie in mind if things didn’t work out between them as he’d suggested?
“What was that all about?” Hawk moved to stand next to her.
Surprised he had noticed the exchange, she glanced up at him. “Nothing. Did you really warn all of the men to stay away from me?”
His expression grew guarded. “Not exactly.”
She folded her arms and leaned back against the counter. “Then why don’t you explain to me exactly what you did say.”
His features tightened. “I told them I didn’t think Cutter would appreciate one of his fellow teammates trying to nail his sister. And I told them to keep in mind, if they were thinking about asking you out, that you weren’t the type for a one night stand.”
She shook her head, unable to decide whether to be angry at his interference or touched by his protectiveness. Was he keeping his distance for the same reason, or because he just wasn’t interested?
“My brother doesn’t live my life for me, Hawk. I’ll sleep with whomever I want, when I want.” She pointed a finger at him. “And Brett’s approval or disapproval won’t have a damn thing to do with it when it happens.”
He caught the waving finger, and his lips quirked with amusement. “Understood.” His gray eyes focused on her face and his smile died.
Zoe’s stomach quivered at the sudden intensity of his expression. “I’m not looking for your approval either,” she said. Her voice sounded weak and breathless.
“All right.”
H
is acquiescence fired her temper and hurt her feelings. She tugged at her finger, breaking his grip. He stepped close and surprised, she tilted her head back to look up at him.
Placing an arm on either side, he hemmed her in against the counter, his body a breath away from hers. Her pulse leaped and she pressed a hand against his chest. The heat of his skin seeped into her palm like liquid fire.
Hawk’s gray eyes narrowed. “I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place here. I promised your mom I’d look out for you.” His throat worked as he swallowed and his voice grew husky. “I don’t think fantasizing about taking her daughter to bed was exactly what she had in mind.”
The knot of tension in the pit of her stomach dissolved as excitement raced through her to settle, tingling and hot, between her legs. Was it possible to have an orgasm just thinking about making love? If he plastered that long, lean, masculine body up against hers, she might just achieve her very first one without his ever having to touch her.
“I’m trying to take things slow here, Zoe.”
She bit back a groan. If he went any slower, she might just dwell on all the reasons she shouldn’t get involved with him, and chicken out all together. Her eyes fastened on the hard, fast beating pulse just beneath the skin of his throat. She rose on tiptoe and pressed an open mouthed kiss there. His skin tasted of chlorine and heat.
He caught his breath, and his hand splayed against the small of her back and pulled her against him. The firm ridge of his arousal pushed against her stomach. When she leaned back to look up at him, he kissed her, the hungry pressure of his lips hot and insistent.
The tempting touch of his tongue against hers intensified the empty ache inside her. Zoe slid one arm around his neck and strained upward to fit herself against his tall frame more fully. She ran the other hand up his back, caressing his smooth, muscled flesh.
He cupped her buttocks guiding her closer, urging her legs apart as he thrust one long thigh between hers. Though she ached with need, she fought the compulsion to rub against the steady pressure of his leg. Hawk had no such reservation. He rocked against her, and Zoe groaned as the movement titillated the over-sensitized area between her thighs driving her closer to the edge.
