Winterfall (13 page)

She rubbed one hand over her face. “The timing is strange. I can’t blame the authorities for looking sideways at me.”

“I’m impressed,” he said.

“By what?”

“How you’re handling stress. Many women would be a puddle right now.”

“Just women?”

He drummed his fingers on the counter. “Hell no. People in general. I’ve seen men in the military crumble under less pressure. You’re a strong woman.”

When she gazed into his eyes, she saw admiration. “Thanks. I do my best.”

“Your best is pretty hot.”

She laughed, a short, surprised sound. “Flattery, sir?”

“No. Truth. You’re strong, and I like that in a woman. It’s a turn on for me.”

His approval made her tingle in all sorts of girly, forbidden parts. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

He smiled. “Yeah, right. I’m nothing to look at.”

She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Give me a break, O’Day. Do you ever look in the mirror?”

He shrugged. “Usually to shave and that’s about it. I’m not interested otherwise.”

“I’m not sure you’re for real.”

“I’m nothing but real. I spent too much of my life when I was a kid pretending to be something I’m not. Since the day I went to basic training, I’ve been as genuine and honest as I could be right up front.”

She leaned one forearm on the counter and tilted her head to inspect him. “How come some lucky lady hasn’t snatched you up? You’ve never been married?”

“Nope.”

“And?”

“I never let myself get close. It’s been too tough to keep a long-distance relationship together, and most of the women I ran into wanted marriage and babies. When I was in the army I was
in it
. I didn’t play games, and I worked hard. It was my life.”

Disappointment threatened to derail her light-hearted feelings.
Oh, please, Juliet. Just because he’s a nice man doesn’t mean he’s marriage material. You don’t want marriage and babies any more than he does.

“And now?” she asked.

He leaned toward her a bit, and she caught his fresh and clean scent. “I’m working hard for Sentry Security because I’ve got a strong work ethic and I like the work. Especially since Long Valley erupted.” He looked around. “I’m blessed. Good work, excellent pay and great digs. What else is there?”

Something drew her closer to him. That slight edge forward. “Companionship.”

His mouth twisted a little. “I haven’t had time to date since the volcano erupted.”

“We had a date.”

“True. First time in a long time I’d enjoyed myself like that. But you’re a special lady.”

“O’Day, you’re laying it on thick.”

“Nah. I’m telling it how I see it.”

God, he was delicious in so many ways, she was having a hell of a time believing this wasn’t some dream she’d awaken from soon. If he’d used false modesty, and if she’d seen deception, she would’ve called him on it. Instead she saw sincerity in his eyes and heard honesty in his voice.

“We need to spend a day somewhere without a bunch of people around. Somewhere we can talk,” he said.

“We’re talking right now.”

“I’m thinking like a park or somewhere secluded. So there isn’t the city distraction. I’ll see what I can think of.”

“Well, that would be a miracle since I’ve been told not to leave town.”

“Maybe someone has a secluded garden we can borrow.”

Her mouth popped open. “A secluded garden?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I’ll look into it.”

“Okay…I’ll go with you to this secluded garden if you can find it. But I’ll make you a bet. You won’t be able to find one.”

His grin produced a hint of dimples, and her attention snagged on how his eyes sparkled with amusement, and the way he was checking her out. Mark O’Day had a way of paying attention to a woman. Her female bits were taking notice with three-alarm bells.

“You’re on. But if I win, I’ll make you pay up.” The teasing tone in his voice contrasted with the heat in his eyes.

“Oh?” she asked.

“Yeah. Maybe a kiss or two.”

“Oh, well. That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“
Too
bad?
Too
bad?”

They laughed, and she caught herself staring at his mouth. Oh, a kiss would be good. So good right
now.

He sobered. “Look, if you need to talk more, you know you can, right? I’m a good listener. In the Army other soldiers asked for my advice.”

“They trusted you?”

“Yeah.” He gestured toward his face. “Must have been this ugly mug.”

“Or maybe they could tell you’re a good guy.”

“I don’t know. People have always asked me for advice.”

Impressed again, she asked, “It doesn’t suck you dry?”

“When I was a kid it used to. I learned boundaries.”

“It’s an extraordinary man who can get through a war and escape the other side without scars.”

He held up his hands. “Who said I don’t have scars?”

“Do you ever confide to anyone?”

He stared into space before meeting her gaze. “I haven’t for a long time. Until you.”

“Why?”

“Why haven’t I confided? Or why you?”

“Both.”

“Maybe because discussing war with anyone is heavy. Sometimes what I’ve seen is so dark I want to pretend I
haven’t
seen it.”

“Let’s make a deal right here.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll be a good listener for you if you’re a good one for me.”

He put out his hand for her to shake. “Deal.”

The caress of his palm over hers made her skin tingle, and she drew her hand back. She groaned. “All of this is distracting me from my accounting work. I need to contact my clients, let them know what’s happening and get some work completed.”

“Are your clients in Maine?”

“Two are in Bangor, the rest are in other parts of New England.” Another pause started between them, and she felt the need to fill it. “We know so little about each other.”

“But we’re learning. Slowly and surely.” He didn’t sound worried. “I already know a lot about you.”

“Oh? How do you figure?”

“By what I’ve seen you do and say.”

“Such as?”

He crossed his arms. “You’re strong. A very strong woman with a lot of convictions. Yet you’re open to learning things, to exploring. You aren’t certain you’re the one with all the answers. Haven’t you noticed that when shit hits the fan a lot of people come out of the woodwork to tell people the answers?”

She smiled. “Oh yeah. The “end of the world” people since Long Valley. They conveniently forget this has happened before and the world didn’t end.”

“Yep. That’s a good example. Even in smaller ways there’s a lot of people trying to control others. Then the people who allow tragedy and deprivation turn them into animals.”

“I’ve been lucky. I don’t want for much.”

“I’ve been fortunate, too. We have to keep on striving. Living. It’s all we’ve got.” His eyes held intelligence, and not a hint of wariness when he revealed his thoughts.

She shivered. “This world is…it’s scary and there’s so much going on.”

“The world has always been scary.”

He meant war of course. How could she have forgotten? “I’m sorry. I’m thoughtless.”

Quirking an eyebrow, he leaned forward, eyes intent on her. “Thoughtless? How?”

“You lived through war. This volcano disaster must seem like peanuts.”

He shook his head. “Hell, no. It doesn’t. I’ve seen other countries torn apart by war. War that maybe could have been prevented if humans weren’t…who they are. This…this disaster just is. We couldn’t do a damned thing about it. Nothing. Mother Nature, if you’ll pardon the expression, doesn’t give a fuck. She does what she does. We couldn’t control it, so now a lot of people want to control everything that happens after. They want the market on certainty, even if they have to make stuff up to get that certainty.”

“Now
that’s
scary.” She drew in a slow breath. “It’s hard seeing our town struggle. Seeing our country struggle. People want answers when there are none.”

“Right.”

Another silence started. “I should probably get to work or my clients will start calling wanting to know what’s going on.”

“Of course.” He stood and placed his plate and glass in the dishwasher. “I’ll let you go so you can work and rest. You know where to find me.”

She followed him to the door, but when they arrived she touched his arm. Hard muscles moved under her fingers, and a shiver of pure female awareness made her nipples tighten.
Oh.
Just touching him affected her on levels she’d never experienced before. Today had been tough, and what she wanted…

“Mark.” She heard the huskiness in her voice. “Thank you for…” How did she say it? “For throwing your support behind me. You’ve gone above and beyond.”

Mark’s gaze took her in, and she fell into those dark eyes. Heat filled her as Mark looked down on her with a sexual awareness that supercharged the air between them.

“You’re welcome, Juliet.”

His hand slid slowly up to her shoulder. Her skin tingled as his strong touch glided until his fingers slid into her hair. Gently he cupped the back of her neck, and she sank into his tender grip, wanting it so much the feeling staggered her. He leaned in, and she didn’t resist.
Oh, yeah.
When his head dipped and his mouth slid warm and soft over hers, she tingled from head to toe. Warmth surrounded her as she reached for him. She burned, suddenly and brightly with a desire she couldn’t deny. Yet he teased her with a light touch, his mouth coaxing. She knew if she wanted more, she had to let him know. Juliet arched and she slid her arms around his neck. With a low groan he drew her against him. Her lips clung to his, and when he stroked his tongue into her mouth, hot arousal went straight to her core and set it on fire. She met each thrust of his tongue, dying to know more, to experience everything he had to give. His palms slid down to her hips, and when the thick bar of his arousal pressed into her stomach, it made her need stronger. She writhed in his hold, the sinuous movement uncontrolled and uninhibited. She was alive, wanting it all.

When he drew back slightly, he said, “I’d better go.”

“Or?”

He drew her into a hug and whispered into her ear. “Or I’ll be deep inside you. I don’t think either of us is ready for that.”

A quiver raced along her skin as the image of such a scenario made her desire claw forth and beg. But so did reality, and it came crashing down.

She drew away and out of his arms. Although her body pulsed and wanted, she smiled. “You’re a tease, O’Day.”

He laughed. “It’s always better to wait.” He unlocked the apartment door and stood with his hand on the doorknob. “See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” she said softly, when she wanted desperately to say
now
.

Wait? Did that mean he still saw sex in their future?

When the door closed behind him, and Juliet relocked it, she wanted to groan. She balled her fist and laid it against the door, half tempted to pound on it in frustration. She leaned her forehead against the door, and the cool wood eased the flush in her face. Good thing Mark had his head on straight, because
she
certainly didn’t. If he hadn’t pulled away, would they have gone the distance? Of course she could have said no, and he would have stopped. But right now, right this crazy second, she would have gone there, gladly, openly taken him into her body.

It’s always better to wait.

* * * *

Mark groaned as the ringing went on and on. At first he thought the obnoxious noise came from his cell phone. His eyes flew open and he rolled to his left side, blinking in the dim light. He flipped on the bedside light and his cell phone was dark.

“Damn it.” He snatched the cordless phone off the base. “Yeah?”

“Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?” Juliet’s voice spilled over him like delicious wine on his tongue.

He was immediately lucid. He glanced at the bedside clock. Eight in the morning. “Yeah, but it’s eight o’clock. I never sleep this long.” He scrubbed his face. “Stayed up too late.”

He wasn’t about to tell her that sex-laden dreams had awakened him more than once last night. Not
any
garden variety sex dream, but cock-exploding dreams featuring him buried deep inside Juliet. Fuck if his Johnson wasn’t hard now just talking to her. His thoughts reeled. After he’d left her last evening he’d doubted his sanity. When he’d kissed her, their embrace had gone from zero to sixty. Potent and drugging, her touch had lured him straight toward heaven.

“Something wrong?” he asked on instinct.

“Yes…well, not really.” Her voice had a broken quality.

Caution and concern tensed his shoulders. “Okay.”

She sighed. “Detective Morrison called. He said they found my father. He’s…uh…he’s in the hospital. In a coma.”

“What?”

“He was at a homeless shelter in Buckleport. He came in two days ago and stayed, then he collapsed. They don’t know what’s wrong with him. I think it’s pissing off Morrison that he can’t ask him questions.”

“I’ll bet. Do you want to see your dad?”

“I don’t know. Morrison wants me to.”

“He’s hoping your father will wake up while you’re there so he can see what happens.”

“Bingo.”

Mark closed his eyes and lay back on the bed. “I’ll get a shower and come over. We can talk about it.”

“I’ll be here with coffee on and breakfast ready.”

He rushed through a shower in record time. When he arrived at her door, he knocked. She allowed him inside, the scent of eggs and toast immediately grabbing his stomach’s attention. Her appearance worried him. Not that she looked any less beautiful than before, but dark rings under her eyes drew his immediate worry. He closed the door and reached for her.

“Hey.” He cupped her face. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

She clasped his wrists and held him there. “About three hours.”

He kissed her forehead and released her. She blushed, and he liked the fact his show of affection could affect her. “Then I guess we’d better get you to the hospital to see your Dad.”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

“The detective is expecting you at a certain time, right?”