Kassie glanced at her watch. It was about time for Hollywood to arrive. She knew vaguely what he looked like, but not really. The picture on the dating website was okay at best. The hat on his head hid most of his face from the camera. She could tell he was tall and in shape. His arms looked buff as he held up the fish in the picture.
A trio of women entered through the front doors of the hotel and Kassie could only stare at them in awe. They were amazing. If the women she’d seen walking around were pretty, these three gave new meaning to the word.
They were all around the same height, fairly tall, especially with their heels. The tallest woman was wearing a black dress that hugged her slender body. It was the most modest of the three, as it had long sleeves, a high neck, and not an inch of skin below her neck was showing. It was sexy on her, and even though it was form fitting, it wasn’t slutty in the least. It was classy, and somehow made her tall height seem even greater.
Another was the complete opposite of her taller friend. She was also wearing a black dress that fell to the floor, as was appropriate for the formal military event, but it was sleeveless with a scoop neck. It had an empire waist and the material had several layers. The dress sparkled with the rhinestones sewn into the bodice. And where the first woman was slender, this one was curvy. The dress hid some of those, but it was obvious the woman was confident in herself and her body. She laughed at something her friend said, throwing her head back in the process, and Kassie noticed that several men turned to stare at her as a result.
The third woman was wearing a light blue gown. It had more of a mermaid skirt, the back dragging slightly on the ground as she moved, the front just high enough for the beautiful blue shoes she was wearing to peek out from the bottom of the material as she walked. She had a white shawl thrown over her shoulders, but Kassie could see the lace covering her from neck to waist underneath.
They looked comfortable with each other and not at all self-conscious about their appearance. They didn’t move into the ballroom, but instead stayed near the front doors, obviously waiting for whoever had dropped them off.
Kassie smiled to herself. Even when she’d been with Richard and had thought she’d marry him, he’d never been courteous enough to drop her off at the door of an establishment while he parked the car. The thought had probably never even crossed his mind. Kassie hadn’t ever cared before, but seeing the three friends laughing and talking together, and knowing they had men who cared enough to let them out at the front door so they didn’t have to walk through a parking lot in their heels and maybe dirty their gowns, was bittersweet.
Kassie’s eyes roamed the lobby once more. She and Hollywood had made arrangements to meet there prior to the festivities and he’d even suggested maybe getting a drink in the bar before the ball started. They didn’t have a lot of time, but Kassie appreciated the chance to talk to him one-on-one before having to go through the formalities and traditions of the ball. She shuddered thinking about the latter, but took a breath to calm herself.
Kassie hated that she was deceiving Hollywood. She’d heard all about what Richard had done to the woman named Emily and her daughter, Annie, and was appalled that her ex had lost it so badly he’d resorted to almost killing people. But a part of her was selfishly relieved that it wasn’t her who had been in that position. Richard had hit her a few times, enough to know without a doubt that if he hadn’t gone to prison, he probably would’ve ended up really hurting her…possibly even killing her.
But spying on one of the men who Richard blamed for his being in prison wasn’t something she was comfortable doing. Even though it was to keep Karina safe. Something had to change. And she’d start with telling her family about how Richard and Dean had been terrorizing her. Maybe if they knew, then the hold Richard and Dean had over her would lessen. She’d figure out what to do next after that.
The doors of the lobby opening again drew her attention, and Kassie turned her head to watch a group of men enter the hotel. Three went to the women she’d been admiring earlier. It almost felt as if she was watching something she shouldn’t, as the men greeted their girlfriends as if they hadn’t seen them in a year rather than what was probably only a couple of minutes.
The public displays of affection were appropriate for the occasion, but so intimate they somehow weren’t. A caress here, a look of adoration there, and the way they kissed their women…wow. Kassie looked away from the couples, simply for something else to focus on, and her eyes landed on the other men. They were outfitted alike, all in their dress uniforms, but in actuality were very different.
Two men immediately caught her eye. First was the tallest and biggest man of the group. He had to be at least six-seven or so, and had a fierce scowl on his face, made even scarier looking because of the scar running down his cheek. Kassie made a mental note to stay away from him at all costs. The irritated and impatient look on his face reminded her too much of Richard when he was pissed off at something she’d done, or hadn’t done.
The other caught her attention simply because he was beautiful. A man shouldn’t be allowed to be so good looking. He had dark hair that was a tad bit too long. It curled around his neck and fell onto his forehead and he had to keep pushing it back. He had strong cheekbones, full pink lips, a perfect nose, and Lord, when he smiled, Kassie swore she heard several women standing around gasp.
It was almost scary how attractive the man was. The dress uniform fit him perfectly, the black bow tie, white dress shirt, dark blue jacket and pants…if she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought he was a professional model wearing the uniform for a photo shoot. Kassie could appreciate a handsome man, but this one was beyond handsome.
She forced herself to look away. It didn’t look like he was with anyone, but she knew without a doubt he was probably meeting someone there. Men like him never went stag.
She glanced down at her watch again and sighed. She hated when people were late. It was strike one against Hollywood…not that she was counting. The more she thought about what she was doing there and what the night would entail, the more nervous she got. She couldn’t wait to get the night over with. If only Hollywood would get there.
* * *
“Hey, Hollywood, where’s your date?” Beatle asked in his distinctive southern drawl. When they were on a mission, the man could lose the accent and sound like just another citizen in whatever country they were in, but when he was home, relaxed and with friends, his natural accent came through thick and easy.
“I’m pretty sure that’s her over there on the couch,” Hollywood told his friend, gesturing toward a woman sitting by herself in the lobby.
As if it was planned, Truck, Beatle, and Blade all turned their heads in perfect tandem in the direction Hollywood indicated.
“The chick in the purple dress?” Blade asked.
Truck didn’t say a word, but his low whistle said it for him.
“Damn, you always get the pretty ones,” Beatle whined.
“Stop it, assholes,” Hollywood ordered, shoving Blade’s shoulder. “Can’t you tell she’s already nervous? You jackals checkin’ her out as if she’s a piece of meat isn’t going to make her feel any better.
“Is that her?” Harley whispered from next to him.
Hollywood turned and saw Harley grinning from ear to ear.
“Yeah.”
“Then go get her!” Harley ordered, shoving his shoulder just like he’d done to his teammate a second ago.
“You guys go on in,” Hollywood told the group. “I’ll catch up with you before it’s time to go through the receiving line. We’re gonna go grab a drink in the bar first.”
“Smart,” Rayne said. “The alcohol should relax her and you can get to know her a bit before you have to do the formal stuff.”
“Exactly. Now go,” Hollywood pleaded.
“Afraid she’ll see us and wonder why she’s stuck with you?” Truck asked, grinning.
“Stuff it,” Hollywood retorted, and turned his back on
his friends and started toward the woman on the couch.
He heard his friends laughing as he widened the distance between them, but lost interest as he saw the woman’s eyes widen comically as he came toward her.
As soon as he got close enough to see her eyes, Hollywood knew it was Kassie. He’d looked at the picture she had on the dating site so often, he’d recognize her pretty hazel eyes anywhere. She stood as he got close, but the wide-eyed look on her face didn’t change. It was a mixture of terror, confusion, and desire. He didn’t mind the arousal or confusion, but he loathed the fright he saw on her face.
“Hi. Kassie, right?” he said softly, holding out his hand in greeting.
She looked down at it, then back up to his face. For a second, Hollywood thought she wasn’t going to shake his hand, but finally she reached out to him.
“Yeah. I’m Kassie. Graham? Hollywood, I mean?”
Her hand was cold, but soft. Hollywood’s other hand came up to enclose her delicate fingers in both of his, wanting to reassure and warm her up at the same time. “That’s me. It’s so good to meet you, Kassie. You look beautiful.” And she did.
Hollywood couldn’t take his eyes off her. She’d left her hair down, and the brown tips curled around the material at her breasts. He didn’t think she knew it, and would most likely be appalled if she did, but it only brought his attention to her chest more, rather than hiding it behind the strands. The deep purple of her dress was beautiful against her skin. He wanted to steal her away, sit in a quiet room and get to know her. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with the stuffy officers and protocol of the Army Ball.
“Thanks. You look great too.”
The words were said politely, but he heard an undercurrent of what he thought was…disappointment? He dropped her hand and took a step back, giving her room. It wasn’t often he was immediately attracted to a woman, and it sucked that it seemed as if she didn’t feel the same way. He must’ve read the look of desire in her eyes wrong earlier.
“Look,” he began softly, “if you’ve changed your mind, that’s okay. I mean, meeting online is a crap shoot. I’m guessing what you thought I looked like doesn’t mesh with the reality. I was already attracted to you based on your photo on the site, but I get that just because I’m attracted to you, doesn’t mean it’s reciprocated. We can call this off right now if you want. No harm, no foul.”
She looked stunned for a moment, then looked down at her hands clutching a small purse. She fiddled with it for a moment, then raised her head, met his eyes and blurted, “You’re good looking.”
“Uh…thanks?” Hollywood said, not understanding her point.
“I didn’t expect…your picture wasn’t that clear and I…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to gather her thoughts. Then finally she said, “We don’t go together.”
“Kass, I don’t know what point you’re trying to make,” Hollywood told her.
“I just…I didn’t think you’d be as handsome as you are.”
“And that’s a problem?”
“Well…” She shrugged.
Hollywood ran a hand through his hair, sighed in frustration and said under his breath, “I hate these balls.” Then in a more normal voice, he said, “Please. Give me a chance to show you how much I like you.” He couldn’t tell her he wished he wasn’t so good looking. It would sound shallow and stupid. But all his life he’d been judged by his outer appearance. He purposely put a crappy picture on the website because he wanted a woman to get to know who he was. Not message him because he was hot.
He watched her swallow hard, then she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m being so rude. I just didn’t expect you to be so good looking. I was expecting someone more like the guy next door.”
“You want to date your neighbor?” Hollywood asked with a grin so she’d know he was teasing. He relaxed when she chuckled.
“Figure of speech. If you met my neighbor you’d know how far off that statement is. He’s in his twenties and thinks he’s God’s gift to women.” She held out her hand to him again. “Can we start over? Hi. I’m Kassie Anderson. It’s nice to meet you.”
Taking her cold hand in his once more, he returned, “Graham Caverly. You can call me Hollywood. It’s good to meet you, Kassie.”
They smiled at each other for a moment before Hollywood asked, still holding on to her hand. “Are you cold? Do you have a wrap?”
“I’m okay,” she told him. “My hands always seem to be cold. Poor circulation or something I guess.”
“Let me know if you get chilly. Once we get through the receiving line, I can give you my jacket.”
She stared up at him as if he’d just told her he’d give her a million dollars. Hating that she was so surprised by his gesture, Hollywood asked, “You want to get a drink before we go in?”
“I’d like that.”
Hollywood dropped her hand, feeling silly that he wanted to snatch it up again, and held out his arm, gesturing toward the hotel bar on the other side of the lobby. “Ladies first.”
He got to check out her ass as they headed to the bar. He should’ve felt like a letch, but Kassie Anderson had the kind of ass any red-blooded man would admire. Curvy and full. She was smaller than his six feet, but not too much so. He couldn’t see her feet, but assumed she was wearing heels, which would make her about six or so inches shorter than he was. He liked Rayne, Emily, and Harley, but preferred smaller women, and Kassie Anderson fit the bill nicely.
They entered the bar and Hollywood urged her toward a small table off to the side. He pulled out a chair for Kassie then took the seat across from her, which allowed him to see the entrance. As much as he wanted to focus solely on Kassie, the Delta Force soldier was too ingrained in him. He noted the hallway, which led to the kitchen on the left, could be a possible exit point, as well as the emergency exit door on the other side of the bar.
“Hi. Can I get you something to drink?” the waitress asked as she placed two napkins on the circular table in front of them. She smiled at Hollywood, and leaned over a bit, showing off her cleavage.
“I’d like a margarita on the rocks. No salt,” Kassie told her.
“Whatever you have on tap is fine with me,” Hollywood said, not looking at the ample female flesh being offered up from the waitress.
The waitress nodded and ran her fingers down Hollywood’s arm in a barely there caress before saying, “My name is Becky, if you need anything, just let me know.”
Ignoring the blatant flirting of the waitress, Hollywood drank in the sight of the woman in front of him. She bit her lip nervously, but otherwise held his gaze. She had the longest eyelashes of any woman he’d ever seen, and they made her hazel eyes stand out all the more. He could look at her forever, but because it was making her nervous, he said, “Thank you for agreeing to meet me. I feel like I know you really well, but in reality, we’re almost complete strangers.”
“I wouldn’t say complete strangers,” she teased. “I know you like to fish, are in the Army, and could probably quit tomorrow for a job in the movie industry if you wanted to.”
“If I could change my looks, I would,” Hollywood said in a low, intense tone. Not giving her a chance to respond, he went on. “All my life, women have seen my looks rather than who I am as a person. I’ll admit, in my twenties, I ate that shit up, but now that I’m older, I hate it. Women couldn’t care less that I love cats more than dogs, or that the best feeling in the world to me is getting up early and going for a run before the rest of the world wakes up. All they care about is taking a picture of me to post on social media, or seeing if they can get me into their beds. The best thing about meeting you online is that I could get to know you, and you could get to know me, without our outer trappings coming into play.”
He hadn’t meant to blurt all that out, but he couldn’t take it back now.
Kassie was silent for a moment before she said, “I imagine that’s what women feel like most of the time. If they’re even ten pounds ove
rweight, they’re judged because they don’t look like the actresses on the big screen or models in ads. And if a woman is fifty pounds, or a hundred pounds heavier than what the fashion industry has deemed ‘pretty,’ they’re made to feel like they’re less somehow. I admit, I’m intimidated by your looks, Hollywood. I’m not hideous, but like most women, I also don’t feel like I’m all that pretty. So you’ll have to cut me some slack as I adjust from you being the guy-next-door redneck who likes to fish, to the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.”
“I can do that,” Hollywood told her immediately, loving her candor.
“Although,” she said, wrinkling her nose at the same time she grinned to let him know she was teasing, “I’m not sure about the going-for-a-run-in-the-morning thing. I’m neither a workout nor morning person.”
Hollywood laughed with her and reached for her hand. He picked it up and leaned over to bring it to his lips. He kissed the back, noting anew how cold her fingers felt against his own, and said softly, “I’ll have you know, you are certainly not hideous; you are not only pretty, but breathtaking.”
“Wait until you see me in the morning with no makeup, hair all crazy from sleeping on it weird, and in my lounge-around-my-apartment clothes.”
Hollywood couldn’t imagine anything sexier than what she just described. He’d always preferred the natural look on a woman than the dressy, made-up, and formal look…although on Kassie, the look was amazing.
As if she realized what she’d just said was presumptuous, she stammered, “I mean…that wasn’t an invitation, it was just…”
Hollywood chuckled and tried to reassure her. “I know what you meant, Kass. But you should know, a real man loves what his woman looks like no matter what society thinks is pretty. Size twenty-eight, two, or anything in between. As long as the woman loves him, and is a good person, the packaging is just that…packaging.”
They smiled at each other for a moment, until their waitress returned, interrupting the intimate moment. “Here we are. A margarita and a Lone Star on tap for the handsome soldier.”
Rescuing Kassie: Delta Force Heroes, Book 5 Page 4
