Holding Her Hero

by Amy Lamont

  And if Mitch had lived through several tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, she was sure he’d had plenty of time and opportunity to perfect his blank face.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  He nodded.

  “There’s a reason I shared that.” She looked away. “The other night…in the laundry room…you know, when we….”

  When she turned her gaze back toward him, he offered her a wry smile. “I think I know where you’re going with this.”

  She nodded and pulled in a deep breath. “That was the first time. Since Will…died.” Even after all this time, it wasn’t easy to get that word out. “That I kissed someone else, I mean.”

  “Huh.” He gave a small, disbelieving laugh and shook his head. “I’m not sure I know what to say to that.”

  “You don’t have to say anything. I only told you that so you could understand why I reacted the way I did.”

  “So it really wasn’t me, it was you?” he asked, gently teasing.

  She nodded and a laugh escaped her. “It’s nothing personal.”

  “But we can still be friends?”

  This time she burst out laughing as they replayed some of the worst breakup lines of all time. She reached out and touched his hand and added to their list, “I just needed some time.”

  Mitch’s laughter faded as he caught the note of seriousness she injected into her last line, but the corners of his mouth still tilted. Was it possible the way she ended their first kiss hadn’t totally turned him off? That despite parading her date in front of him, he was still willing to take a chance on her?

  She couldn’t help but smile when she realized she’d just thought of the other night as their first kiss. “I guess I owe you an apology.”

  “For bursting into tears while I was kissing you, for suggesting we could be just friends after the heat between us, or for leaving on the arm of that lame-ass dude last night?”

  “Yes, yes, and yes. And Doug isn’t lame. He’s a nice man.”

  Mitch snorted.

  “He is!”

  “So now are you going to apologize for defending your date to me?”

  “No,” she said, her voice tinged with laughter. “What I’m going to do is promise not see Doug again, despite him being such a nice guy,” she injected when she saw him opening his mouth to interrupt, “and then I’m going to ask you what you’re doing Friday night?”

  The grin that had been playing around the corners of his mouth now spread slowly into a full-blown smile. She had to blink a few times when that dimple appeared. It was a wonder she was even able to form sentences around this man.

  “Are you asking me out on a date?” he asked.

  “I believe I asked you out on a date. Now I’m just waiting with bated breath for your answer.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and basked in all the sensations she hadn’t felt in so long—the rapid pulse, the butterflies in her stomach, the lightheadedness. She either had the flu or she was really into this man.

  “I accept.” He leaned in and wound a lock of her hair around one of his fingers. “Only, can we do it Saturday night? I have maneuvers Friday.”

  For just the briefest fraction of a second, all the fun, flirty feelings flew away. But no, she and Hal had already discussed this. The sizzle was worth the risk.

  She brushed off thoughts of how he would be spending Friday night, and instead focused on getting excited for a date with the first man to make her feel anything in what felt like forever.

  Saturday night couldn’t arrive soon enough.

  7

  Mitch stood on Miss Abigail’s doorstep promptly at six o’clock Saturday night with a slight sense of déjà vu. He’d taken a lot of flack from Cal over his plans for tonight, and as the other man harassed him, it occurred to him he hadn’t been on many dates in his adult life. Usually he met someone in a bar, they hooked up, and that was it. If it lasted beyond that, they might end up having a meal together, but that was never the point, never the main event.

  Now here he stood, surprisingly nervous, and actually looking forward to the date portion of the evening. No wonder Cal had harassed him.

  At his knock, he could hear the sound of heels clicking on the hall floor at a fast pace. Definitely not Miss Abigail.

  When Mandy flung the door open, he felt as if someone punched him in the gut. Her brown eyes, framed by the dark strands of her artfully tousled hair, shined up at him. Her mouth, shiny and moist looking, curved into a smile that told him she was as eager as he for this date. And the outfit she had on tonight…his mouth went dry.

  He’d thought she’d looked good the other night when she ambled out the door on the arm of another man. But this. Words failed him. The plum-colored shirt wrapped around her, leaving her arms bare and showing off the tempting swell of her breasts, her slim waist and the gentle curve of her hips. His eyes skimmed lower to the flirty black skirt that floated just above her knees which, with the help of some barely there strappy sandals, made her legs look about a mile long. Something about her made him think of the ‘40s movie stars from the black-and-white movies one his foster mothers loved so much.

  When he brought his gaze up to hers, he found her teeth worrying her bottom lip. Then she offered him a shy smile. “Hi.”

  “Hi,” he said. “You look beautiful.”

  Her smile grew wider. “Thanks. I bought this outfit just for tonight.” She did a quick twirl to give him the full effect.

  His heart stuttered in his chest. Most of the women he knew would rather have bamboo shoved under their nails before admitting they went out and bought a dress especially to look nice for him.

  But here was Mandy, not only sharing that detail but showing it off with a total lack of self-consciousness. Something warm unfurled inside him at the knowledge she’d taken extra care in getting ready for their date, and had been more than happy for him to know it.

  “Are you ready to go? Or do you want to come in for a bit?” Mandy asked. “Grandma is out with her bridge club tonight.”

  A little tension eased from his shoulders at that news. His attraction to Mandy was very physical, and with her leaving to go back to New York in the not-too-distant future, he didn’t want Miss Abigail to think the worst of him.

  “I’m ready whenever you are,” he said.

  Mandy turned and snatched her purse from the table by the door.

  “Ready,” she said, as she put her arm through his, leaned against him, and smiled, her wide, clear eyes shining up at him.

  He might be in trouble here.

  * * *

  Definitely full color. There was no comparing the two dates Mandy had in the past week. Mostly because it would be really unfair to Doug.

  Instead of dinner at a perfectly elegant restaurant, Mitch took her to the movies. But it wasn’t the typical movie theater. Skylight Cinema was an outdoor movie theater. It looked like a giant patio with a movie screen set up. Instead of the traditional theater seats, cozy love seats, lounge chairs and bistro tables were scattered around.

  “This is incredible.” She couldn’t help gushing and squeezing his arm as she took in the romantic atmosphere. The only light came from white twinkle lights wound around the basket-weave fencing that surrounded the place and the flickering candles on each table.

  “I was hoping you’d like it.” Mitch smiled down at her and her heart squeezed in her chest.

  He led her over to a love seat in a little private cabana, and she noticed waiters were weaving in and out. “Do they serve food here, too?”

  “Of course. Were you worried I was going to let you starve?”

  “I would have been happy gorging on popcorn just to get to be here with you.” She snuggled in next to him on the red velour sofa as she continued to take in every detail of the place. “Do you know what movie they’re playing?”

  “It’s a double feature.” He kept his eyes trained on her. “Rear Window and North by Northwest.”

  “You’re kidding! I love Hitchcock films
.”

  She tilted her head and wrinkled her nose when he seemed to let out a little breath.

  “Are you not a fan?” she asked.

  “I am. I just wasn’t sure you’d like it.”

  “This place is perfect. How on earth did you find it?” Wait, maybe this was his traditional first date spot? Had he taken lots of women here to snuggle together in the flickering light?

  “I came here as a kid sometimes.” His quiet voice and the way his eyes roamed the scene around them immediately quieted her fears and grabbed her attention. “I haven’t been here in years.”

  “Good.”

  His gaze returned swiftly to her. “Good?”

  “Yes, good. For a minute there I had visions of you bringing all your dates here.”

  “No,” he told her, staring straight into her eyes, his voice solemn. “I’ve never brought another date here.”

  “Oh,” she said, her voice almost a whisper to match his. What was happening here? She wasn’t sure, but the oddly intimate moment was causing her heart to thump erratically in her chest. And those butterflies she felt the other night when they were sitting on the floor of her grandmother’s kitchen returned with a vengeance.

  “Can I get you a drink?” The waiter’s question broke the spell and they were soon ordering drinks and a platter full of munchies.

  It was the perfect evening. She enjoyed every moment of having the length of him pressed against her side while they tried a variety of appetizers and sipped ice-cold beer. He seemed to be as big a Hitchcock fan as she was. The intermission between movies even gave them a little time to get to know each other better.

  “So you came here as a kid? Did you grow up around here?”

  His blank face slammed down so fast she almost jumped. “I lived not far from here for a while.”

  When he didn’t say more, she decided to just plow on. “Did you grow up in a military family like mine? We were always moving around.”

  “No, nothing like your family.” His voice reminded her of the first few days after she arrived at her grandmother’s house. There was a remoteness she hadn’t heard in a few weeks.

  “Sorry.” She placed a hand on his arm. Not everyone lucked out in the family department like she had. Maybe Mitch’s childhood memories weren’t filled with the same laughter and warmth she took for granted. “Bad subject?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I’m supposed to be showing you a good time here….”

  She stopped him by tightening her grip on his arm and shaking it a little.

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” she said softly. “I’m having a wonderful time.”

  “Yeah?” His eyes searched her face, seeking the truth of her words.

  “Yeah.”

  She leaned in and he met her halfway. Their lips met in a soft kiss and he shifted so he could wrap his arms around her. His mouth was oh, so gentle, and she raised her arms around his neck, wanting even more.

  Before things could heat up, he pulled his lips from her. She wanted to groan in frustration.

  His white teeth gleamed in the dim light. “I don’t know about you, but too much more of that and we’ll be putting on a different kind of show for the audience.”

  She laughed softly and moved her head to lean against his shoulder. “Good point.”

  He pulled her closer, keeping an arm wrapped around her as they snuggled in to watch the next movie.

  * * *

  The movie ended shortly after eleven, but Mitch was in no way ready to get Mandy home. Not even to get her into bed. That thought alone left him shaking in his boots.

  “Can we go to the beach or do you need to get back?” Mandy asked him when they were buckled into his car.

  Mitch smiled at the evidence Mandy was no more eager than he to end the evening. “Sounds good to me.”

  They rode in silence to the beach. He added to the list of firsts he’d experienced with her tonight. Not only was she open and honest about her happiness to be with him, she also didn’t feel the need to fill every second with nonsensical chatter. Most of the women he’d dated got uncomfortable if the silence stretched too long. Mandy’s soft sigh and the way she tilted her head to rest on his shoulder let him know it wasn’t an act. She was just as happy to simply enjoy each other’s company.

  At the beach, they kicked off their shoes at the end of the boardwalk and walked hand-in-hand into the sand. The beach was mostly deserted except for a bonfire down a ways.

  He made an executive decision and led her in the opposite direction.

  As they walked, she leaned into him, her shoulder brushing his arm. It was like foreplay.

  Oh, man, if Cal ever hears me calling this foreplay, I’ll never live it down.

  “I love the ocean,” Mandy said after a few minutes, taking a long breath of the sea air, and drawing his eyes to the deep V of her flirty little top. “Do you know my apartment in New York is just a quick bus ride from the beach, but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been there in the last couple of years?”

  “New York beaches have nothing on this.”

  She laughed and bumped into him playfully.

  “Do you miss it?” he asked.

  “What, the beach?”

  “No, New York—your job, your life. You’ve been here a few weeks now. Your feet getting itchy to go back yet?” When he realized the thought of her leaving caused a painful squeeze of his heart, a jolt of surprise shot through him.

  Mandy snorted. “What life?”

  “Don’t you have a job and friends back there?”

  “I have a job, but as my grandmother just reminded me, working in a restaurant for someone else was never my dream.” She shrugged. “And as for friends, I work a lot of hours. A few times a month I might go out after work to unwind, but I haven’t really made a lot of close friends in New York.”

  Her wistful tone caused a twinge in his chest. He wrapped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her more firmly to his side. She rewarded his offer of comfort with a sunny smile he couldn’t resist.

  He stopped their stroll along the beach, and confident they were alone on the stretch of sand, he pulled her around to face him. He hesitated just a moment, remembering how their last kiss had ended, but Mandy had no such qualms.

  She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his at the same time she wound her arms around his neck. With a low groan, he dropped his arms to circle her waist and pull her into his body. Still he held back a little, allowing her time to test her comfort level.

  But then Mandy pressed herself even more firmly against him. The soft curve of her breasts against his chest coupled with the sensation her tongue caused as it probed along the seam of his lips pushed his control to the limit.

  She pulled back a little, steadying herself with hands on his shoulders. “Mitch, I want this…you.”

  Those five whispered words were all it took to snap his control. He closed the inches between them and slammed his mouth against hers, immediately demanding entrance into her mouth with his tongue. When she willingly opened to him, he plunged inside, exploring her sweet mouth. He used his hands on her hips to pull her center to his hardness, sliding a hand down to cup her ass and hold her exactly where he wanted her.

  “Mitch.” His name came from her on a soft moan as he moved from her mouth and explored her neck with his lips, teeth, and tongue. Her hands gripped his shirt in clutching handfuls, letting him know she shared his edgy need.

  The cleavage displayed by the V-neck of her top was too tempting to resist. He moved his head down to trail wet kisses and nips along the neckline of her shirt, sliding his hands up along the sides of her body, stopping just below her breasts. He returned his mouth to hers, dipping in with his tongue for one more taste while he splayed his hands over her ribs and slowly skimmed his thumbs over the luscious swells of her breasts.

  He groaned out loud when he felt her nipples pebble under his touch. She shivered in need and he couldn’t he
lp the sensual chuckle that broke from him. One hand skimmed down her side and over her hip, seeking the hem of her shirt so he could get to bare skin.

  Just as his hand moved to the soft skin of her belly, a ripple of laughter carried on the air from the bonfire further down the beach. Mitch broke the kiss and slid his hands back to her hips, safer there than the other places he longed to put them.

  “Mitch?”

  The uncertainty in her voice tugged at him. He pulled back a little to look down into her face. An adorable furrow appeared between her brows, but he was happy to see no trace of tears. He leaned down and kissed that spot on her forehead.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get carried away.”

  She shook her head, and the sea breeze caused a few silken strands of her dark hair to dance around her face and reach out to tickle his neck. It took all his considerable willpower not to pick things up where they’d left off. But she wasn’t one of his one-night stands. She deserved better than having him tumble her to the sand on a public beach.

  At least not on the first date.

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” she said softly, leaning in and laying her head against his shoulder. He pulled her in closer, sheltering her body against his as they cooled down.

  When Mitch felt a slight shiver go through Mandy, this time from the cold rather than arousal, he knew it was time to call it a night.

  “Come on.” He slid his hand down to grasp hers and tugged her back down the beach toward the car.

  Once he had her tucked back in the car and the car back on the road, Mandy suddenly sat up in her seat. “I almost forgot. I was about to tell you my news when…well, when we got a little distracted.”

  He took his eyes off the road for a quick glance at his passenger. The sunny smile that had led to their earlier distraction was back. He turned his attention back to the road before he allowed it to distract him again.

  “What news is that?” he asked indulgently.

  “Remember what I was telling you before about living in New York?” She barely waited for his nod before going on. “Well, Grandma and I were talking the other day and she reminded me that working in a restaurant in a big city was never my dream.”