by Lynn Story
“No.” His voice was hoarse. “That’s it exactly.”
I gave him a small smile.
“You can always talk to me.” I shrugged one shoulder. “I mean if you want…need…to.” I attacked my fries again. When I looked at him again, he was smiling.
“What?” I asked.
His smile widened. “I like watching the range of emotions that can cross your face in such a short amount of time.”
I felt my cheeks heat up immediately. I was sure they were bright red.
“It’s okay.” He reassured me.
Toni appeared then staying me from further embarrassment. “Would you like a box for that?” She looked at the remains of my burger.
“No, thank you. I’m staying in a hotel I don’t have any place to keep it, but it was delicious.”
She smiled and nodded and removed all the plates. She came back with more coffee and then pie.
“Oh no, I couldn’t.” I protested. Mac was shaking his head no at me without Toni seeing him. I frowned at him. Toni put her hands on her hips.
“Don’t tell me you ain’t going to eat this homemade apple pie that I was up at four thirty this morning baking.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. Mac started nodding at me.
“Oh, well in that case, I’m sure I can, I mean I’d love some apple pie.”
“That’s better.” Toni nodded and set the plate down. “You want a scoop of ice cream?”
“God no!” I let it slip out before I thought about it. I hated ice cream anywhere near my pie. I held my breath and waited for Toni’s indignation to resurface.
“Okay then. Enjoy.” She turned and walked away.
I let out a long breath and gave Mac a curious look.
“Sorry, I should have warned you.” He said picking up his fork and attacking the pie.
“Yeah, that would have been nice.” I said following suit.
We both laughed. We sat drinking coffee and talking until Toni started putting chairs up on top of the tables.
“I guess we’d better go.” I said taking the hint.
“Yeah, she’ll spray and clean us too, if we don’t go.”
I knew he was joking but I also didn’t doubt she’d do it either.
As we walked outside the night was still warm and I really hated the thought of the evening coming to an end. To be honest, I was enjoying Mac’s company way more than I thought possible. It has been years since I had dated anyone and these days, I was too busy to even consider it. But, Mac? Well he was different.
Mac opened the car do for me and we were nearly at the hotel when he broke into my thoughts.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he said.
“Oh, I am so sorry. That was rude.”
“No, it’s not. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.”
“No, the idea was to spend time with you and have a conversation that didn’t have to deal with work and here I’ve been drifting off in thought.” I admonished myself.
“You can’t just turn it on and off. No matter how much we might try work follows us home.” He was right about that.
“Well, I’m afraid I don’t have much practice at turning it off.”
He kept his eyes on the road and I could see he was considering my words. We pulled in front of the hotel and he sat for a minute causing the valet to pause on his way to the car.
“I had a nice time at dinner, thank you.” He said.
I felt terrible about drifting away and I doubted he had a very nice time at all. I felt the need to make it up to him. “Would you like to come up for coffee?”
He considered me for a long moment, and I thought he might say no. I was okay with that because I asked him on impulse and I honestly didn’t know what I would do if he agreed.
“I really don’t want this night to end.” He admitted.
“Me either.” I said staring down at my lap. “Come up. I promise to be fully engaged and have the most riveting conversations.
“Okay, since you put it like that.” He turned off the car and got out. He looked at the valet. “Treat this car carefully as if your life depended on it. Which it does.”
I laughed to myself as I waited for him to open the door for me.
Chapter Fifteen
Kay
Mac sat in the chair in the corner while I made coffee in the small pot provided in the room.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer room service?” I asked.
“No this will be fine, and I can do that for you.”
“I’ve got it.” I laughed. Once I got everything figured out and the coffee was brewing, I joined him in the living room.
“This is a nice room.” He said looking around.
“It’s one of my favorite hotel chains. “I don’t come to DC often or at least I haven’t in the past, but we do have facility in three locations. My office is in Gates Point and I try to visit the other locations a couple of times a year at least and I always try to stay in the same hotel.” I was nervous and rambling.
“So, what does Port City Industries do exactly?”
“Well, we do a few things. We are in the manufacturing business mostly.”
“And you do all of that here in the U.S?”
“Yes, we do everything in the U.S. No labor force or plants in other countries.”
“Wow, that is pretty rare these days.”
“It is and it is still a family business albeit a large one and some of our employees have been with the company for generations. I wouldn’t dare take their jobs away just to save a buck on a bolt or something.”
“That is very impressive.”
“Yeah, it shouldn’t be. It should be the norm.” The coffee machine indicated it was done and I got up to get the coffee.
“Let me help.” Mac offered again, standing.
“I’ve got it.” I smiled.
He sat back down.
“So, what sort of things do you make?”
“We make components for various engines. Large engines. We have a lot of defense related contracts especially with the Navy for various components to ship engines. We don’t make the whole thing; we just provide integral pieces. We then send them to the shipyards for the final assembly.
I returned and handed him a cup of coffee. I brought over the caddy of essentials from the counter sweetener, non-dairy creamer and stir sticks.
“And now you’re branching out into the medical field?” Mac inquired between sips of coffee.
“Yes, to manufacture the components of a prosthetic and provide them to the hospitals. Same general idea, we will make the parts and someone else does the final assembly.” I paused for a sip of coffee in an effort to control my senseless rambling. “That’s the business side of it and I want to help wounded veterans.” I added.
“You seem to feel pretty strongly about that; do you have someone close to you that was wounded in that way?” He wanted to know.
I blinked at him. I wasn’t sure how to answer. “The short answer is, yes.” I said deciding to be honest just not too honest yet.
“I’m sorry to hear that, I do too.”
I looked at him in surprise. Although I don’t know why I knew he had been a marine. So of course, he was bound to know people who had been injured. “Someone you are close to?”
“Yes.”
He too was being vague. Fair enough. “I see.”
“So, your idea wouldn’t help someone after they lost their limb, correct?”
“Correct, the prosthetic is a replacement of the internal components of the limb so that from the outside everything looks normal, skin, hair etc. A replacement limb after the fact would be more of a robotics thing.”
He nodded. “Do you have a degree in this field?”
“No, it was developed by a doctor I met. If it gets accepted and implemented, then I will hire Dr. Klaus full time and we will hopefully start helping more people.”
He leaned forward in the chair.
“You mean you’ve a
lready tried this on a human?” He looked surprised.
“Yes.”
“Wow, how did it work?”
“Very well, actually.” I smiled more at the secret that the success story was sitting in front of him.
“Are they able to use the limb normally?”
“Oh yes and you’d never even know they had an implanted limb. Well, except for maybe the scar.”
“Amazing.” He leaned back in his chair looking thoughtful.
“Well, yes, actually it was. It took some convincing of the doctors at the time.”
“You must be very persuasive.”
“I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
He laughed. “I bet not.”
I shrugged not willing to venture down this particular rabbit hole. “How’s the coffee?” I asked hoping to change the subject.
“Not bad for hotel coffee.” He smiled. He had a warm and charming smile that reached his eyes.
“Tell me a little more about you.” I said.
“What is there to tell? I am a marine and I work for NCIS.” He smiled.
“Okay, how long were you in the marines, do you see any combat, what unit were you in? Besides being an agent afloat and now the director what else have you done, how long have you been the director, and do you like it?” I sat back after my litany of questions.
He raised his eyebrows at me and sipped the coffee. “Okay, wow.”
I smiled.
“Yes, I saw combat in the marine corps. I was a sniper.”
I involuntary drew in a breath. A sniper. Those guys, at least in our unit, were hard core and our heroes.
“What?” He paused.
“I have a lot of respect for snipers.”
He nodded. “Being the director is okay, but it really wasn’t my idea. I got saddled with being the interim director and then your grandfather talked me into staying in the position.”
I nodded. Grandpa could be very persuasive. “He wouldn’t have asked you to stay in that role if he didn’t believe you were good at it.” I reassured him.
“Being good at something and enjoying it are sometimes two different things.”
“So, tell him you don’t like it.”
“I have.”
“And?”
“He laughed and told me to suck it up.”
“That sounds like him. That is a front for what he is really thinking. If he told you that it was because he didn’t or couldn’t tell you why he needs, you in that role.”
“Maybe.” He sipped his coffee.
“So, what don’t you like about it?” It was my turn to lean in and hang on his every word.
“I don’t like sitting behind a desk all day. I miss being out in the field.” I could see it in his eyes that he did truly miss it.
“Well, if you want, you’re welcome to come over and kick in my door and demand coffee if you need the adrenaline rush.”
He laughed a genuine laugh. I liked the way it sounded. “I could ruin a lot of doors.”
“I think I know a couple of people who could probably fix them.” I laughed.
“So, you’re headed back to Gates Point.” It was more of a statement then a question.
“Yes.” Was all I could manage to say. I suddenly had the urge not to return but to stay right here in this hotel room with Mac and watch many more sunsets.
He nodded. He stared into his coffee and I got the feeling he wanted to say more was holding back.
“What?” I said softly.
“I wish you didn’t have to leave so soon.” His voice was a whisper like he was fighting not to say the words.
He stood up abruptly. “I should go.”
I stood up too, surprised. So many thoughts and feelings flooded my mind. I didn’t want him to leave. And what reason did I have for him not to stay? I was an adult I didn’t live in anyone’s shadow and I had feelings for Mac that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I suddenly had a flashback to a similar evening in the guest house with Ethan. He had stood up and left that night. But Mac wasn’t married, and Ethan had been a long time ago.
“You don’t have to go.” My voice was a whisper now, too. What was I saying? Was I inviting him to spend the night? It was like I was having some sort of out of body experience. I heard the words coming out of my mouth, but I had no control over them.
He looked at me for a long time. I could see he was thinking my invitation. He stepped in close. “I don’t want to leave.”
“Then don’t.”
He leaned down and ever so gently brushed his lips against mine. Again, my mind was flooded with images of Ethan. I pushed them aside.
My head felt like a flash bag had gone off inside it. I saw only white lights. I couldn’t see or hear anything else. I wasn’t sure if I should kiss him. Images of Ethan flashed before my eyes. Mac must have felt my hesitation because he pulled away ever so slightly. He searched my face. I was breathless and couldn’t speak. I wanted to kiss him.
Again he gently brushed his lips against mine. This time the kiss became more passionate.
We stayed locked in an embrace for several minutes before he scooped me up carried me back to the sofa. He deftly reached over and turned off the lamp on the table and the room was light by the lights of the city at night.
“Kay you are so beautiful.” He whispered.
I wanted to answer him, but he was nuzzling my neck and I wasn’t able to form any coherent words. I moaned and kissed his ear.
I felt his hands slide down my arm, he stopped at my elbow and moved to my breast. It had been so long since anyone had touched me like this, I was trembling with the excitement of the moment.
“You okay?” Mac whispered.
“Yes.” I managed to squeak out.
“Good.” He growled and began unbuttoning my shirt. “Is this okay?”
“Yes.” I breathed. I wanted him to stop wasting time with the buttons and rip my shirt the rest of the way open, but I controlled myself. I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted this to last forever. I let my hands start to explore more of him. When I had worked my way to his jeans, he slowly stood up. I was afraid maybe I had gone too far and for a moment I panicked. Then felt his arms around me and lift me from the sofa. I concentrated on his neck and bare shoulder until he sat me down on the bed.
The room was dark, and I let my eyes adjust. The sound of clothes being removed let me know he was ready for me. I stood and slid my jeans off. I felt Mac’s hands on my waist. My skin quivered at his touch.
“Kay.” He sounded out of breath.
“Mac.”
“I want you.” He breathed against my skin.
I answered him by running my hand down his flat stomach until I reached what I wanted. Mac moaned.
“I want you.” I answered him. He didn’t waste any more time. He gave us what we both wanted. An hour later I lay clinging to him.
“You are an extraordinary woman.” He whispered.
I turned my mouth to his and kissed him deeply. I felt his lips smile against mine.
“You’re not sleepy?” he asked.
“No.” I said as I rolled him on his back. “It’s my turn.”
The next morning the phone on the nightstand rang. I fumbled to answer it. “Kay Dandridge.”
“This is your 6:30 wake up call, Ms. Dandridge.”
“Thank you.”
I rolled over to see Mac still sleeping. For a brief moment I had second thoughts about what we had done last night. Then I quickly erased it from my mind. I regretted nothing. I leaned over and kissed him gently on the shoulder.
“Mmmm, what time is it?”
“Six-thirty.”
His forehead creased and he frowned. “I have to go to work.” He mumbled.
“I have to go home.” I let the disappointment show through my words.
He finally opened his eyes. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“Yeah, me too.” I agreed.
“When can I see you again?”
“Really?” Mac looked hopeful.
“Yeah, are you?”
“Yeah,” He smiled “I think I am.”
I smiled down at him. “You’re place or mine?” I asked.
He laughed. “Yours?”
“Sounds good to me.” I smiled feeling excited at the prospect.
“I could drive down Friday night after work.”
“Oh, that would take you hours! Friday night traffic is awful.”
“I could leave early Saturday morning, and make better time.”
“I have a better idea.”
He sat up and studied my face. “Yeah?”
“Why don’t I send my plane for you. You can meet Dennis at Reagan National.”
“Your plane?”
I laughed at the look on his face. “Yeah, I have a company plane, I really don’t use that much, and Dennis will be happy to have the flying time.”
He thought about it for a moment.
“Is there some sort of problem?” I thought maybe some sort of conflict of interest with his job and my grandfather or something.
“No, I don’t suppose there is.”
“Perfect, then it is settled. I’ll have Dennis fly in earlier in the day and he will be on standby for whenever you are able to leave work. I’ll give you his cell number so you can give him a call and let him know when you are ready to leave.”
“Okay.” He agreed.
“Do you need a driver? I could send Eddie up with the plane?”
“Whose Eddie?”
“My driver from last night, you met him.”
“Oh, I thought maybe he came with the car service or something.”
I laughed lightly. “No, Eddie has been with the company for thirty years, he was my father’s driver. He insists on accompanying me on trips. I don’t use him or the company car at home. Drives him nuts. He is very traditional; doesn’t think I should be driving myself around town.”