by Kari Lemor
She rolled her eyes then sauntered over to straighten his tie. “You’re no slouch yourself, soldier. You clean up real nice in a suit and tie. You should wear them more often.”
“Out by the pool maybe,” he teased winking at her. “Why don’t you slide those cute, little, painted toes into your shoes and we can get going. Our reservation is in a few minutes.”
She gave him a sly look but did as told. Placing a few things in a small clutch purse, she tilted her head at him. “Did you tell them to give me all this extra stuff,” she asked holding up the purse. “You didn’t actually pick out the underwear did you?”
He took her arm and led her out. “No, I didn’t pick out the underwear. Not that I wouldn’t have chosen something nice but I figured I’d leave it to the experts. Plus you didn’t show me the dress. I wasn’t sure what would go right.” And he didn’t know much about women’s lingerie. Except that he liked it.
She didn’t answer just hugged his arm tighter. Her complaisant attitude today surprised him. Not that she hadn’t sassed him a few times, but relatively speaking, it was mild.
They moved through the lobby toward the restaurant and he frowned down at her. “Is everything all right?”
The smile she flashed him sent electricity coursing throughout his body. “It’s wonderful, why?”
He shrugged. “It’s just that you’re much quieter today than normal. And you haven’t given me a hard time about anything.”
Moisture filled her eyes and he swallowed hard wondering what he’d done to make her cry. “You’re giving me an amazing birthday. I haven’t had anyone to help me celebrate my birthday or Christmas or any other holiday in almost two years. If I complain I’m afraid I’ll wake up to find myself back in my dump of a room listening to the cockroaches have a party.”
He stopped right before the hostess stand and reached down to caress her cheek. “This is very real. I hope it makes up for the loneliness of the last few years even if only a tiny bit.” He leaned down to kiss her sweet lips. No one around here knew them; there was no need for pretend. He wanted to make sure she could tell this was real, though. That was his story anyway. The rush that swept through him whenever he kissed her had absolutely nothing to do with the desire to press his lips to hers. No, nothing.
He pulled his lips away then followed the hostess to their table. It was a small one on the covered deck overlooking the ocean. Low lighting and candles decorated the area giving the place a romantic ambiance.
“Is this okay?” he asked as her eyes roamed the scenery.
She looked like she had no worries in the world. Happy. He wanted her to be that way always and to be the one to make it that way for her. And he would as soon as they got Moreno out of the way.
“It’s great. Absolutely perfect. And I’m starving. I haven’t had anything to eat since my breakfast in bed this morning.”
He gave a nod to the waiter who immediately came over for their drink order.
“Would you like a glass of wine? I haven’t seen you drink. I’m not sure if you do.”
She made a face. “I never drink while I’m working and my situation wasn’t ever one where I could afford to. I wouldn’t mind a glass of wine tonight though.”
He ordered a glass for each of them plus an appetizer. The waiter left and he told her, “I figured you might need something in your stomach so the wine doesn’t go straight to your head, especially if you’re not used to drinking.”
“Good idea, especially if you don’t want me dancing on the table top by the end of the night.”
That brought visions of her curvy hips swaying from side to side, her breasts bouncing along to the beat and her long legs standing over him as he swigged his drink to stay calm. Down, boy. It’s not going to happen
Their wine came soon along with some rolls and they chatted companionably until the appetizer arrived. They ordered their meal then nibbled on the mushroom caps that overflowed with a crunchy breading and seafood mixture. He was glad he’d arranged for this. It was a night off for him too. Not that this assignment had been a difficult one compared to some he’d been on but constantly being in character, making sure he didn’t slip up, it could get weary.
For tonight he would simply enjoy the company of a beautiful woman. There was no doubt Meg was that. In her elegant dress and styled hair there was more to her than what he’d been seeing. And he liked it. All of it. All of her.
He took a deep breath. Whoa. Don’t forget that wall you worked so hard to erect. It’s there for a reason. Use it and no one gets hurt.
He shushed the voices in his head and turned his attention back to her. It was her special day. He wanted to focus on her.
When the meal came he chuckled as she eagerly sliced into her filet, red juices dripping onto her plate. She cut again until she had a small piece then slid it to pick up some of the garlic mashed potatoes. Right into her mouth it went as she repeated the procedure again and again like a starving man. He loved that she wasn’t one of those women who was afraid to eat in front of a guy. She wasn’t afraid of much. Although Moreno scared the crap out of her. But who could blame her?
They chatted casually on a variety of topics throughout the meal and when she was finished he cocked his head in the direction of the dance floor. “I think I need to work off some of that meal. Care to join me?”
The impish smile returned. “I haven’t had dessert yet, muffin. It’s my birthday and I don’t even get dessert?”
“How do you have room for everything you eat?” he teased then picked up her hand. “I promise I’ll get you dessert. I need a little time to make some room though. Come on.”
She didn’t argue as he pulled her into his arms on the dance floor. She was perfect, they were perfect, like two pieces of a puzzle interlocking together. He stepped to the beat, and she followed his lead flawlessly.
“You’ve done this before, I take it.”
Gliding across the floor with him, she nodded. “I have three brothers who wanted to impress girlfriends. Liz and I were elected to make sure they didn’t look like fools. Where did you learn to dance this well? Older sister?”
“No, some of the guys I was stationed with actually. They said only the good dancers got partners at the USO functions. None of us wanted to be sitting alone on the sidelines so we paid attention to the guys who knew. No repeating this to anyone though.”
“Ooh, blackmail information.”
He loved how her eyes sparkled when she was feeling mischievous, and how her body fit perfectly against his. Her hand played with the hair on the back of his neck and electricity jolted through him. There was no denying the attraction he felt for her. He lowered his hand to the small of her back pulling her closer.
They danced for a few more songs then he led her back to the table. He’d arranged for a small cake and the waiter signaled that it was ready to be served.
“Happy birthday, Meg,” he said as the cake was placed on the table. Her whole face glowed with joy. “You said you wanted dessert. Hope this is good enough.”
Tears glistened in her eyes as she nodded. She licked her lips then chewed on the bottom one. “Everything has been wonderful today. Thank you so much. It’s been like a little vacation away from reality. I needed that right about now.”
“I’m glad. Now let’s eat some of this cake. I think I actually made a little room while we were dancing.”
The dessert was several layers, crushed Oreos intermingled with a fudgy mousse middle, then covered with thick chocolaty frosting. More Oreo cookies were halved and arranged decoratively on top. Meg’s eyes couldn’t get much bigger, her smile matching.
Watching her eat was decadent but he couldn’t wait to get her out on the dance floor again. Holding her in his arms was what he needed right now.
Soon he was gliding to the slow music, holding her close to his heart. She’d been working her way in there with each smile, each kiss… And each day that passed made
it more difficult for him to fight it. He was beginning to wonder if he should give in to his feelings, or fight even harder against them.
He forgot about trying as she snuggled closer, resting her head on his shoulder. His arms held her tight, his nose inhaling her new floral scent, courtesy of the boutique. Usually she smelled like the lavender soap from the hotel and he wasn’t sure which he liked better. On her they both scintillated his senses. Her body relaxed as they swayed to the music and her soft curves pressed to his chest making parts of him hard and unyielding. He’d deal with it later though. He was enjoying this too much to stop.
They were the last ones to leave as the restaurant closed at eleven. The full moon was out softening her beautiful features and he wasn’t ready to go back to the room yet. His control would be tested to the max with her in the next bed.
“Would you like to take a walk along the beach or are you too tired?”
Her feminine laughter tickled his ears. “You forget my inner clock runs a little later than this. I’d love to take a walk.”
“Why don’t we leave our shoes here,” he suggested as they stepped off the veranda on to the fine sand. He kicked his off, stuffing his socks inside as she slipped out of hers. They began walking but she stopped, kneeling in front of him.
“I want to walk in the surf. Let me roll up your pants so they don’t get ruined. I’d like to see you in this suit again sometime.”
He figured he’d be wearing a suit when they testified against Moreno. He liked the idea of getting to see Meg there, one more time. She finished rolling up his pant cuffs then gazed up at him, returning his smile. God, she’s beautiful. He suddenly noticed the close proximity of her face to a certain part of his anatomy. Images of what she could do down there flashed through his mind.
“Come on, let’s go.” He pulled her up before she saw the tenting start below his belt. “You wanted to walk in the waves.”
Taking her hand, he held it tight and they strolled leisurely along the shore. The bright moon hung in the sky illuminating her face. “I hope you enjoyed tonight.”
Her steps slowed as she faced him. “Tonight, today, it was all wonderful. Thank you again. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
“It’s your birthday.”
She reached up to straighten his tie and her hands lingered on his chest. He still couldn’t get over how sweet and innocent she looked. But then she always looked that way, until she opened her mouth.
“Not just tonight,” she added. “Thank you for trusting me enough to help nail Moreno. For getting me out of that dump of a room I was staying in. Feeding me every day, letting me sleep until noon, and having intelligent conversation with me so my IQ doesn’t go down with all the idiots I’m surrounded by at work.”
He chuckled. “Anytime.”
She slid her hand around his elbow and began walking again. “You know last year my birthday sucked. Not because I didn’t have a big party or gifts or anything like that. I think it had finally sunk in that I was trapped here. And it was my own damn fault.”
He leaned down whispering, “You won’t be soon enough. I’ll make sure of that.”
“The first few months I was here I tried to make the best of it. See the glass as half full, you know. It wasn’t an ideal situation but I could hang out on the beach all day, the weather was gorgeous most of the time, and I got to see the night life up close and personal.”
Her eyes moved to some far-distant point as if in memory then turned back to him. She was amazing. Who else would try and see the bright side of working for a criminal?
“Over the time I’ve been here I’ve seen more than a few people go into Moreno’s office and come out bruised and broken. And it doesn’t matter who it is. He’s shaken me a time or two for spilling drinks or showing up a few minutes late.” Her eyes clouded over and she looked away again. Had Moreno done something even worse to her? Like when he’d seen her getting on the bus to Tina’s?
Her eyes filled with tears. “After a while I realized I was stuck here. I tried to find ways to get out of town but it seemed as if at every turn there was some wall I’d come up against. No money, no time, one of Moreno’s henchmen showing up. And there was no way I’d ever subject my family to what Moreno could do to them. I got desperate.”
She looked down and away from him, her voice soft and low. “I actually considered doing what Mr. Moreno suggested. I thought, sure, I can just sleep with a few of his friends and my debt will be paid off, no problem. Then I can go home. What would it take, maybe a few weeks, a month at most? I could grin and bear it for a short time, right?”
He tensed knowing how hopeless she’d become, hating that she’d considered offering herself to pay Eddie’s tab. Her face pinched and he pulled her close until she rested against his chest. Her head moved back and forth. “I couldn’t do it, though. I knew if I lowered myself and became that desperate, I’d never be able to face my parents again. They already thought I was a screw-up. They’d be able to see what I’d done, how I’d disgraced the family, become nothing more than a common whore.”
She drew in a deep breath, letting it out slow. “So, here I am, a year later, still serving drinks to rowdy travelers and businessmen.”
He pressed his lips to her hair. “You made the right choice. Getting to know you, I don’t think you would have been able to live with yourself if you compromised your morals.”
She nodded but continued to lean against his strength. Mist from the ocean swirled around them cooling the air. He threw his arm over her shoulder as they continued walking. Change the subject. Make her forget what she might have done.
“But we’re not talking about Moreno today. Did you forget that little rule? What’s the first thing you plan on doing once you get home?”
He wanted to keep her mind on positive things.
“Besides begging my family’s forgiveness?”
He pressed a kiss to her hair.
“I need to finish my last two classes. Once I get my degree I can start looking for a job; hopefully something other than waitressing. Not that there’s anything wrong with waitressing. My mom’s a waitress; just not at a nightclub where you need to walk around practically naked to serve drinks.”
“You know I haven’t heard any of the customers complain about the uniform,” he teased. She stiffened and elbowed him in the ribs. A breeze blew in from the ocean and she shivered. Slipping off his suit coat, he draped it over her shoulders. “Better?”
She turned her head into the lapel of his coat. Her eyes closed, a soft smile growing on her face as she inhaled. Was she breathing in his scent? Did she like it? He thought about the scent of her shampoo that permeated the towels in the bathroom and knew he liked how she smelled. Was her aroma even now seeping into his coat, mingling with his soap and after shave? God, he never realized how sexy that was; a woman taking in his scent.
“What made you want to be a teacher?” he asked. She’d mentioned it during their daily chats. He wanted to know about this incredible woman he’d been living with for almost a month and more than what was in her file. He also needed something to take his mind off how sexy she looked right now.
He listened as she talked about a teacher she’d had in school that she’d looked up to and how she wanted to be admired also. He did admire her. With all she’d been through she still didn’t want any freebies or handouts. She stood by her word even when she was given a way out of her promises. And she kept her chin up and smiled through her teeth even when she must be screaming inside. Not many people were as strong.
She talked for a while asking him questions about his profession. He didn’t mind sharing with her, certain parts of his job anyway. He could trust her. She’d certainly proven herself to him. She could have turned him over to Moreno for her freedom or screwed him in a million other ways. It’s not like other informants hadn’t tried.
“I work out of the Baltimore field office. The Bureau w
asn’t sure if Moreno had enough contacts to be familiar with the agents in the Miami field office so they asked for us to come down. My department sent about a dozen men. We’re all in different positions to keep an eye on a variety of Moreno’s activities. I happened to luck out and get the plum assignment.”
“And you got me,” she teased, her nose wrinkling as she gave a big grin. “That makes you the luckiest of them all.”
He couldn’t argue with her, though he might have done it for no other reason than to be contrary and get a rise out of her. But it was her birthday today so he’d back off on the sarcasm.
“That’s right. The luckiest of them all getting the fairest of them all.”
She actually blushed then ducked her head into his arm, squeezing it tight. Had he embarrassed her?
When she stumbled again he knew it was time to return.
“Are we driving back tonight?” she asked as they entered the hotel room.
“No, it’s too late. There are two beds so you’ll be safe. I promised you no shenanigans.”
She looked almost disappointed. Was she? Did she want shenanigans? No, it didn’t matter what she wanted. First, she could just be feeling grateful, and he never wanted someone to have sex with him as payback for a debt. Second, she was his informant. Remaining professional was key. You didn’t have a casual fling with someone like Meg. She was a keeper; a forever after kind of lady. He wasn’t looking for that in his life. Right? Some days it was harder to remember than others. Today was one of those days.
She glanced down at her dress and said, “I don’t have anything to sleep in except the clothes I had on earlier.”
He pointed to a few bags on the floor. “I told the ladies at the boutique to throw in a pair of pajamas. They should be in one of these.”
She started going through the bags, her face growing puzzled. “Why are all these outfits in here?”