“My name is Matto Taktuq.” He extended his hand.
“Renee James,” she said, accepting his handshake. His hand bore calluses. A surprise because he and his brothers were businessmen. Filthy rich, since she recognized the surname. How did a millionaire get hands like that?
“I hear you’re a pilot.”
Renee shot him a look, concern stealing her breath. “Who told you that?”
Her abrupt reply held a hysterical edge. Even she heard it as her words settled between them. The truth, since she’d heard about Hunter’s death, she kept waiting for a bullet to strike and cut her down too.
“We were chatting with Tim last night after you left.” Matto’s expression remained impassive. Businessman cool.
Renee’s panic subsided. Of course, they had. Tim was an outgoing guy. He’d never met a man or woman who wasn’t a friend.
Emily arrived with Renee’s coffee and muffin plus a menu for Matto. By the time Emily left, Renee had regained her equilibrium. She sipped her coffee, and when Matto studied her instead of his menu, she knew she had to say something.
“Yes, I fly helicopters for the same company as Tim.” There, she’d done polite. He could return to his menu and she’d eat and run.
“Tim suggested we take a flight while we’re here.” Matto flashed a smile—a flirtatious and practiced one that quickened her heartbeat and, to her chagrin, left her breathless.
An idea popped into her head. She shoved it away, but like bad trouble, the notion lingered. Was he trying to flirt with her?You should let him, a little voice whispered. Weirdly, the wee voice sounded like Hunter. Renee swallowed, yanked her gaze from his handsome face with its sculpted cheekbones and intriguing dimples. The morning stubble and the smiling brown eyes. His long black hair. She swallowed a second time. He looked way too healthy and alert for this time of the morning.
“You’re one of those morning people,” she blurted. “Disgustingly cheerful and wanting to spread the joy around.” And now she sounded plain rude. “Sorry,” she apologized almost immediately.
He studied her intently, and Renee picked up her knife to dissect her blueberry muffin.Move along. Nothing to see here.She wasn’t pretty. Her face wasn’t symmetrical enough for that. Her nose was a little too big as was her mouth. A sexy Julia Roberts mouth, Hunter had informed her. Not that they’d ever used their mouths on each other. Hunter had been her best friend and clashing lips would’ve been plain weird. She bundled her brown hair into a tight ponytail most of the time. During her soldier years, she’d kept it short to make it difficult for others to grab her by the hair. But Hunter had always told her she had a great smile, and she beamed with her entire face. He’d told her one drunken night, when they were celebrating a successful mission, that she could pull any man she wanted. She knew about makeup stuff to make her eyes big. All she needed to do was smile and a man thought of sex.
She’d punched him, but the next time she’d dressed to go out for the night, she’d taken heed. Hunter had been right. Men liked her smile. Heck, maybe that was why she’d failed the previous evening. She hadn’t bothered to try. The truth—not much fueled her smiles these days.
Renee cut her muffin in the other direction and picked up the smallest portion. She popped it into her mouth.
“Do you have any recommendations for breakfast?” Matto asked after she’d washed down the bite of muffin with more coffee.
“Everything is tasty, hot and plentiful. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but if I ever order breakfast, I go for a blackboard special.”
Matto who had slanted his chair, so he had a view of the entire café, glanced at the blackboard. “Blueberry pancakes. My favorite. I wonder if they’re as good as the ones my mother makes?”
“Only one way to know.” Instinct had her practicing a smile, and heat gathered in her cheeks when he cocked his head and stared.
“Would you go out to dinner with me tonight?” he asked abruptly.
Renee stared, her coffee cup halfway to her mouth. “I can’t afford to pay for another dinner out.” In her haste, she’d spoken the truth and wished she hadn’t. She set herself a strict budget and saved as much as she could. Next year, she hoped to go to New Zealand. She’d get work easy enough and hopefully outrun the man who’d placed a target on her back. They’d gone after Hunter, and she wasn’t dumb enough to consider herself bulletproof.
“It’s a date. I’ll pay for your dinner.”
“Why?” Renee cringed. Good grief. Talk about uncouth. This man rattled her, and he kept drifting into her head. She needed to keep her wits about her. Perhaps she’d go home and change into her running gear. She hadn’t run for two weeks.
Matto grinned. He placed his order when Emily arrived. “Another coffee for Renee too,” he said after ordering a stack of pancakes and a side of bacon.
“No, thanks. I’m going for a run before I head to work.”
Emily hurried to the next table to take another order.
“I’ll pay for your dinner because I want to spend more time with you. You intrigue me.”
“Why?” Renee shoved muffin into her mouth since her mind stuck on the same question—a cringe-worthy one—and she was making a fool of herself.
“Do you usually interrogate the men who ask you out on a date?” He smiled, which made her stare. His smile did magic things to an already handsome face, digging those dimples deeper.
“I, no,” she admitted. “Thank you, I’d enjoy having dinner with you.”
