Thursday evening was warmer than it had been for the past week.Dinner consisted of a delicious linguine primavera, which KC had made from scratch.When Moriah complimented him on his culinary artistry, she was surprised to see the macho-looking man blush slightly.He might have been self-conscious, but she thought it was sweet.
Coughing, KC changed the subject.“It’s a beautiful night.Are you up for a walk on the beach after dinner?I always need to move around after eating pasta for some reason.The carbs, I guess.”
Not wanting the evening to end, she nodded as she swallowed the food she’d been chewing and dabbed her mouth with a napkin.“Sure.That sounds nice.”
After they had completed the meal, KC cleared the table as Moriah tackled the pots and dishes.Silently, she marveled at how quickly they had fallen into a domestic rhythm.She had never lived with any of her boyfriends before and hadn’t had a man in the house since her father had left when she was young.It felt odd, yet comfortable, living under the same roof as this strong, handsome man who constantly had testosterone-charged vibes emanating from his solid frame.Not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to caress his sinewy arms, chest, and back.Would he moan at her touch?Would his muscles quiver as he begged for more?
“Are you going to scrub the Teflon off that pan?”
Moriah started at the deep voice just over her right shoulder.Mortified at being caught in a daydream about the man, she quickly rinsed off the sauté pan and placed it on the drying rack.“Sorry, I just zoned out there for a second.Must be the carbs.”
Chuckling, he tossed the sponge he’d used to wipe the table into the sink.“Well, now that everything is clean, are you ready for a walk?”
“I think so.Just let me grab a sweatshirt in case it gets too cool before we get back.”
Five minutes later, they were strolling down the beach on the edge of where the waves peaked on the sand, propelled by the low tide.The sky was dark, but a faint orange and yellow ribbon from the last of the setting sun still lingered in the west.The moon hung high overhead, giving them enough light to avoid stepping on shells or the occasional dead crab that had washed ashore.They were both barefoot and had rolled their pant legs up a few times to prevent them from getting soaked in the gentle surf.While not frigid, the water was cool, but it was easier to trod on the packed wet sand than further inland, where the sea rarely reached.
They traveled in peaceful silence for about a half mile before KC suddenly stopped and grabbed Moriah’s arm, forcing her to a standstill.
“Wha—”
“Look!A shooting star,” he exclaimed.
Following his pointed finger over the dark blue ocean, Moriah was excited to see a celestial light speeding across the night sky.They both stood in awe at the sight until it disappeared into the horizon.
Moriah exhaled a breath she didn’t notice she’d been holding.“Oh, my God.I’ve never seen a shooting star before.It was incredible!”
KC grinned.“I’ve seen many of them, but I still find it cool to spot one.”
They began to make their way down the beach again, yet Moriah continued to glance up, hoping to see a repeat of the phenomenon.“Does that happen here often?I’ve lived most of my life in the city where you’re lucky just to see the stars through the smog.”
“I’ve seen a few here.Mostly, I’ve seen them when the team’s been on ops overseas.”
It was then she realized this was the furthest she’d ever been from Chicago while he’d been all over the world.“What’s it like?”
KC turned his head toward her with a furrowed brow.“What’s what like?”
“Being in a strange land.Fighting the bad guys and risking your life for your country.”
His broad shoulders shrugged, briefly drawing her attention.“I don’t know.I never really thought about it that way before.It’s just my job.Someone’s got to do it, right?”
“I guess so.”Moriah thought he wasn’t keen on the subject, so she changed it.“We’ve gone quite a bit.Should we turn around and start back?”
Without answering her, KC lightly took her elbow and did an about-face toward the direction of the cottage.Moriah’s heart raced at the gentle, innocent touch.She wondered if he felt the electricity that seemed to spark down her arm to her fingertips.She didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved when his hand dropped back down to his side.She silently chastised herself.Get a grip.The last thing you need is an attraction to this man.
By the time they reached the cottage, she almost had herself convinced.
Moriah was sitting on the couch the next morning, tying her sneakers, when KC emerged from his bedroom.He wore his usual training-on-the-beach wear, black sweatpants, and a military green T-shirt, yet he was as sexy as ever.His hair looked like he’d just run his hands through it after his shower, following his routine morning run.He had shaved, and his face was so smooth that she ached to reach out and touch him to see how soft his skin really was.He approached her and seemed oblivious to her wayward thoughts.“All ready?”
“Yup.”
“Tonight, I thought we could meet my uncle at Sassy’s instead of having dinner here.It’s a great little restaurant in town.We’ve been going there since I was a kid.Sassy’s real name is Sara Parnell—a very nice lady.Her daughter and son-in-law took over after Sara retired.Tonight is their famous ‘Friday Fish Fry Night,’ and I try not to miss it when I’m in town.And, no, I don’t suggest you try to say that ten times fast.”
The laughter he could bring forth from her often these days filled the room.“I’ll take your advice, and that sounds great, especially since tonight is my night to cook.”
He let out a little snort.“Well, truthfully, I wasn’t looking forward to doing the dishes either.”
Feeling more carefree than she had in months, she followed him out the door and down the steps to the patio.A short, wooden pathway threaded through the dunes and out to the beach.Striding halfway to the water before he turned around to face her, KC explained that he would approach her from behind and grab her as if he were an assailant.He wanted her to use everything she’d learned in the past few days to escape from him.
