“I’m sure he’s harmless,” she commented, unsure what else to say.
He shook his head. “No, he’s not. I can’t do anything about him living here, but I can warn the residents to steer clear. And I can keep an eye on him.”
She took in the seriousness of his expression and nodded. “I’ll be careful. Thank you.”
He nodded crisply, and then visibly relaxed. “Are you ready to go?”
“Just give me five minutes.”
Chapter Five
Standing in line to buy their movie tickets, Kellie was glad she’d remembered to bring a jacket this time. There was a brisk chill in the air and she hugged herself to stave off the cold. As he had done earlier, Miles draped an arm around her—warming her up instantaneously.
At the ticket booth, the woman behind the glass eyed her curiously, and then pinned Miles with a look. “Commander Blake,” she said, her voice oozing with blatant interest, “it’s such a treat to see you here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at this theater.” She flashed a quick grin. “Well, except to arrest somebody.”
“I haven’t been to a movie for awhile,” he admitted, as he reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet.
Kellie was quicker to retrieve a couple bills from her pocket book and hurriedly paid for their tickets. He gave her an alarmed glance, which morphed into a resigned smile. “Guess I’m going to have to be quicker on the draw next time.”
“My turn,” she declared with a smile.
He shook his head bemusedly. “You bought pizza,” he reminded her with a chagrined smile. “So, technically, it’s my turn.”
The woman behind the glass watched the exchange, shooting Kellie a look of daggers, which she couldn’t help but notice. Miles seemed oblivious, however, as he tugged her away from the booth, declaring that he was paying next time.
At the entrance into the building, he hurriedly stepped ahead of her and opened the door, bowing theatrically as he held it open for her. “After you,” he declared.
She laughed and stepped inside, and then chuckled when Miles found himself holding the door open for a sea of movie goers. “Finally,” he said with a grimace, when he stepped inside and the door closed behind him.
“Maybe that’s why chivalry is dead,” she mused. “It’s time consuming.”
“Maybe,” he acknowledged with a chuckle, taking her hand and leading her toward the specific theater where their movie of choice was about to play. Suddenly, he stopped. “Popcorn?”
She shook her head. “Still full from breakfast, but don’t let me stop you.”
“Later,” he said crisply, and they hurried to get to the movie. Inside, he asked her where she preferred to sit, and seemed surprised when she headed for the very back row. After settling into their seats, he arched his brows.
She read the inquiry in his eyes. “I’ve always liked sitting in the far back,” she said with a shrug. “Don’t know why, really.”
He eyed her speculatively, and then grinned. “Well, I suppose there are perks to sitting back here. I mean, if I remember right from my high school days.”
She read the meaning in his words, since his blue eyes twinkled with humor.
“That’s not…” Her cheeks flamed. “We’re old,” she said succinctly. “Too old anyway to be necking in the back row of a movie theater.”
“We’re not that old,” he declared, feigning offense, and then startling her when he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.
Taken aback, she raised a finger to her lips. Smiling uncertainly, she glanced around, to see who might have witnessed the kiss. “We need to behave ourselves,” she whispered. “You never know who might see us.”
He shrugged. “It was just a little kiss. Besides, who’s going to see us? And too, whose business is it if we exchange an innocent kiss or two?” he asked, his eyes sparkling.
Kellie glanced around again, noting that several heads were turned in their direction. “Do you know any of those people?” she asked—easily discerning the features on the interested faces of the movie goers several rows beneath them. She knew—if she could see them, they could see her.
He glanced out over the theater, raising his hand in a gesture of greeting. “Mike, Cathi,” he called, and then squinted slightly at two other faces a few rows below the couple. “Dave, Grace.”
“Good to see you, Commander,” one of the men called back, and then another.
“How do you know them?” Kellie whispered.
“Mike works at the mall, and Cathi is his fiancé,” he said. “And Dave is a deputy, and Grace is a dispatcher downtown.”
Suddenly, the man he’d identified as Dave rose from his seat, gesturing at the woman beside him to stand up. The couple awkwardly left their seats and climbed the steps to the back.
“Mind if we join you?” Dave asked when he reached them. Without waiting for an answer, he dropped into the seat beside Miles and then patted the seat beside him. The woman sat down, aiming an apologetic smile in Kellie’s direction.
“Maybe they wanted to be alone,” Grace said pointedly, shooting Dave a look of daggers.
He waved off the suggestion. “They’re not kids,” he declared. “It’s not like they’re going to be locking lips back here.”
Miles turned to Kellie and gave a disheartened smile.
Had he planned to spend the duration of the movie kissing her?—because that hadn’t been her plan at all. She really hardly knew him.
“Sure, join us,” he said, attempting to sound upbeat. Kellie wasn’t fooled, since she heard a disappointed tone to his voice.
Soon, a series of previews played on the big screen, and finally, the feature presentation began. The foursome settled in to watch the movie. There was no mistaking the fact that the movie was a chick flick, and Kellie turned to Miles, noting he was trying valiantly to appear interested in the film. Dave, on the other hand, began fidgeting in his seat. Finally, he groaned loudly. “I’m going to get some popcorn.”
“I’ll … help you,” Miles said, rising and following him out of the theater.
Kellie watched his retreating figure, but turned to Grace when the woman cleared her throat. “Miles is a good guy,” she said, leaning across Dave’s seat so she could better see Kellie’s face in the dark theater.
“He seems like a nice person.” What else could she say? She really didn’t know him.
“Oh, he is. His co-workers just love him, and well, the people who work at the mall feel the same way about him. He would give anyone the shirt off his back.”
Kellie only nodded, unsure how to respond.
“So…” Grace ventured. “Do … you like him?”
Kellie swallowed. “Like him?” She smoothed a hand through her hair. “Well, I mean, I don’t know him well. He seems very nice,” she repeated, neutrally.
“Oh, he’s nice all right,” Grace said. “Too nice, if you ask me. I’d … well, Dave and I both, we’d hate to see anyone hurt him.”
She swallowed again. What was she supposed to say?
“You see, he’s been hurt in the past. His wife was killed in a bad car accident, and from what I understand, the evening of her death, the two had had an argument and she had left the house angry. He, well…” The woman’s words trailed off, as she seemed to watch her for some reaction.
Kellie’s head nodded, almost of its own volition, since she had no real wish for the woman to continue talking. It seemed the information she was about to divulge verged on ‘too personal to repeat.’ She continued anyway.
“He felt responsible for her accident. But the truth is, his wife was young and headstrong. If you ask me, they had married far too young, and it’s a miracle they managed to make it work as long as they did.”
Kellie rose slightly in the chair, situating herself more stiffly on the cushioned seat. She gave a hesitant smile. “This really isn’t any of my business.”
The woman gave her a speculative glance in return. “Talk around the mall is…�
��
She shook her head. She really didn’t want to have this conversation. It was far too soon to have any conversation about the nature of her relationship with Miles, because one, she didn’t have one, and two, she hardly knew him. “I don’t…”
“He likes you,” Grace interrupted. “I can tell. And as I said before, none of us wants to see him hurt again.”
Kellie expelled a long, weary sigh. More words of warning about hurting Miles. “I … I don’t have any intention of hurting him or anyone,” she muttered. “In reality, I have a new job, which frankly, requires my undivided attention.”
“So you’re not looking for a relationship?”
This conversation was becoming far too personal. She had no intention of discussing her love life, or the lack thereof, with a perfect stranger.
“Oh, look, we’re missing the best part of the movie,” she declared, turning her head and fixing her stare on the big screen. Hopefully, the woman would take the hint. She did, and Kellie was grateful. She was also grateful when Miles dropped into the seat beside her, holding a barrel-sized popcorn in his hands.
She met his gaze and laughed. “Hungry?”
He grinned wanly, situating the popcorn in his lap. “It was about a hundred bucks for the small, and this was only three dollars more, so…” He spread his hands expansively.
“A hundred bucks, huh?” she said, smiling.
“No exaggeration,” he declared. “Next time, I’m stuffing my pockets with popcorn in advance.”
“You’re a cop. Wouldn’t that be dishonest? And messy?” she whispered.
He made a disgruntled face. “Yeah, okay. You’re right. We’ll eat before we come next time.”
“We did,” she reminded him.
He glanced at the screen. “Did I miss anything?”
She shook her head. “Not really.” She winced. “This isn’t your cup of tea, is it?”
He appeared shocked at the comment. “Of course, it is. If you like it, then… I mean, I uh…” He winced. “No, not really.”
“And what is your cup of tea?” she whispered.
He gave her a pointed look, and then arched his brows, as if to say, “You.”
She laughed, despite the fact that she spied Grace leaning forward in her seat in order to overhear their whispered exchange. “Well?” she prompted.
“I hate to admit it, but since I am a cop, I tend to like the ‘kick butt—take names’ kind of films. Don’t judge me,” he added with a laugh.
“I like those movies too,” she whispered.
He gave her a startled glance. “You do?”
She nodded. “Yes. I have brothers, remember? Besides, I like all types of movies.”
“Huh,” he said, and to her surprise, took her hand.
She saw Grace lean forward in her chair again, apparently taking stock of any signs of affection between the couple. If she didn’t know better, she would have to think Grace had feelings for Miles.
Could that be it? Had her words of warning come from a desire to date him herself?
Kellie turned toward the screen, but pondered the question. Maybe Grace was warning her off, because she wanted Miles for herself. And maybe, just maybe, the last thing she needed was a relationship right now. She had a job to do, and if she became the object of gossip and speculation, it might affect her ability to manage the mall. It was definitely something to think about—certainly before she got in too deep.
But then, she was being a bit premature in her thinking. She had no idea what his intentions were. Perhaps he was only looking for a friend. That might be it. Besides, she was in control of her own thoughts and feelings. She was level-headed, with her priorities straight. She would simply keep her job responsibilities at the forefront, as she had always done in the past.
That decided, she settled in to watch the movie.
Chapter Six
Monday morning, Kellie checked her calendar. She had several appointments scheduled for the day. She eagerly anticipated two in particular, since she hoped to lease two prominent mall locations. A large, retail chain was toying with the idea of coming in, as well as a small boutique. She was hopeful both would commit, since the sooner she filled the empty spaces, the better for the mall and for her career.
Jill suddenly popped into her office. “Miles Blake is here,” she said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh, send him in.”
He strode in, in uniform, and carrying a clipboard. “How’s the forehead?” he asked, scrutinizing her face.
“Good,” she told him cheerily. “No permanent damage that I can tell.”
“Glad to hear it,” he said with a smile. “Hey, did you get much packing done Sunday night? Daniel tells me he stopped by to help you. He’s thrilled to have a job, by the way. He said you gave him a bonus for a job well done.”
“That little guy is a hard worker,” she enthused. “He not only unpacked several boxes and put everything away where I told him, but he also disassembled the boxes and stacked them neatly for recycling. Also,” she said, raising a finger, “he took out my garbage.”
Miles smiled. “He’s a good kid.”
“He is,” she agreed. “Hey, was there something you needed?”
He nodded. “I know I just gave you that letter about Santa’s Posse Friday, but…”
“Yes?”
“Is there any possibility of distributing it ASAP? I got a call from the coordinator first thing this morning.” He sighed loudly. “She tells me they’ve already compiled a list of needy families that surpasses last year’s list—and that they’ll continue adding to the list until the very day they make deliveries. So … I promised her I’d get busy.”
“Commendable,” Kellie observed. “And yes, we’ll get those letters distributed today.”
“Great. Also, if you don’t mind, we’ll continue to send out letters as the holidays approach.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said agreeably.
An awkward silence ensued, and she smiled nervously. He smiled in return, and then chuckled. “Are you free for lunch?” he asked.
She reached for her calendar. Her lunch hour was clear, but… Should she really consider joining him for lunch? She really needed to focus on her job, and if she were to start meeting him for lunch, people might start talking and…
“Want to join me?” he asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“For what?” she said obtusely.
“For lunch,” he answered, laughing.
She colored in embarrassment. Should she join him? Saturday, during the movie, she had convinced herself she should probably steer clear of him—at least on a personal level. She couldn’t avoid seeing him at work, but he was simply too much a distraction when she really needed focus in her life.
Indeed, it would be the prudent thing to do—steering clear of the handsome commander. It was definitely the thing to do.
“Sure, where?” she said, and then nearly crumpled onto her desktop. Sure, where? Not exactly prudent words.
“Food court, noon,” he said, as if it was as obvious as the nose on her face where they should meet.
“There are about thirty restaurants at that food court,” she reminded him. “I could actually spend the better part of my lunch hour looking for you if you don’t tell me where to meet you. Well, provided you’re sitting down. I mean, if you’re standing, you’re tall, so I’d probably spot you eventually…” Kellie nearly groaned. Why was she suddenly such a motor mouth?
Miles appeared deep in thought. “How about the same place we had lunch Friday?”
“Speaking of that, you paid Friday, so it’s my turn to pay today,” Kellie said.
“Wait, no,” he said, holding up a hand, “you bought pizza. And you paid for the movie.”
“But you assembled my bed.”
Jill chose that exact moment to pop her head into the office. Apparently, she’d overheard Kellie’s remark, since her eyebrows shot up questioningly. She glanced from Kellie to
Miles, and then broke into a surprised smile.
“Yes, Jill,” Kellie said.
Jill passed her a note. “Your eleven ‘o clock just called. He can’t make it until eleven-thirty.”
“Hmmm,” she said, and glanced at Miles, “I may be a few minutes late meeting you for lunch.”
Jill’s eyes widened, as did the smile on her face. She eyed Kellie speculatively, until she gave her a pointed look in return. “Is that all, Jill?”
“Mmm hmmm,” the older woman said, and then backed through the doorway.
“I should get back to work,” Miles said.
Kellie nodded as he rose from his chair. She stood up too, and to her surprise, he rounded the desk. He towered over her, staring down at her face, and she wondered what he intended to do. Surely he wasn’t going to kiss her, she thought in alarm. She was at work. She hardly knew him. She wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. A million excuses ran through her mind—excuses as to why she didn’t want him to kiss her, but when he didn’t—kiss her, that is—she felt a vague sense of disappointment.
She realized with a sheepish awareness that he wasn’t harboring any romantic notions, but was assessing the damage to her forehead. Despite her attempt to cover the bruising with makeup, the bump was still apparent. He visibly winced.
“That’s really bad.” He reached out to gently probe the injury. “You must have really hit me hard.”
“Maybe you should let up on the military presses,” she teased.
He flexed a strong arm for her benefit, and then actually reddened when he realized what he’d done. “I try to stay in shape,” he admitted, “but who knew my pecs were lethal weapons?”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” she said. “I’m not actually dead.”
“And I’m actually quite glad you’re not dead,” he said, smiling into her eyes.
Kellie felt her cheeks flame. She wasn’t sure why her body reacted so ridiculously to his close proximity. He was simply a man, for Pete’s sakes. A friend. A co-worker of sorts. A neighbor. Drop dead gorgeous.
She took a step back, and nearly fell over the chair behind her. “Good grief,” she muttered, as she struggled to remain upright. Fortunately, he caught her arm in time to keep her from taking an embarrassing tumble, and had the good graces not to comment. The sparkle in his eyes, however, alerted her to his amusement.
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