“It’s my job. It’s why I do this job. To help people,” he said, his eyes going hard. He tightened his grip in my hand and cleared his throat, dropping his gaze to the beer like he was counting the condensation droplets running down the bottle.
“No, Mark. It’s not. You could have called someone else to handle it, but you didn’t. You helped your neighbor and my friend when it was out of your jurisdiction. You patrolled her neighborhood. You took the time to talk to her until she felt safe. This is the absolute least I could do for you.”
Mark kept staring at our hands until I gave his a firm squeeze. Those onyx eyes met mine, and I took a breath, putting as much feeling as I could into my next works.
“Thank you, Mark.”
He nodded and mumbled, “You’re welcome.” Before glancing back at the beer and pushing it further to me.
His lips fell into a tight frown, and he pulled his hand away, crossing them around his barrel chest. “It’s good you can repay a favor then.”
What? A favor? No!
I wanted him to move in before I knew about him helping Annaleigh, but sincerity might as well have been useless babble because Mark had closed himself off, glaring at the beer like it had offended him.
“Not a fan?” I said, simply to break the tense silence.
“No, it’s good, but I don’t drink when I’m in my squad car.”
“I didn’t think of that. Here, try the bubble tea.” I pushed the large mason jar with tapioca pearls to him, and he looked at it, then back at me. “Just try it. I don’t have cooties.”
Mark leaned forward, keeping his eyes fixed on mine, and took a drink from my straw. It was by far the sexiest thing that had happened to me in a month. Maybe a year, as I watched him hollow his cheeks and his prominent Adam’s apple bob as he drank.
“Delicious, thank you, but there is one issue with me moving in.”
He gave me a smile that was so tight it looked forced. I clasped my hands in my lap to keep me from touching him again, but then I remembered dinner at Olivia’s, and my confidence rose. I reached for the bubble tea, intentionally brushing my fingers with his as I took the glass back.
“What’s that?” I said, leaning down and wrapping my lips around the straw. Mark shifted in his seat, propping one elbow on the table. Just like at the clinic, I wanted him to see me. I wanted him to notice me purposely putting my lips where his were moments before.
Binh chose that moment to drop off the steaming bowls of soup and plates of veggies, breaking whatever awkward seduction I was attempting to play.
“I can’t in good conscience move in with someone who doesn’t tell me upfront if I’m eating squid. So, what’s really in this soup?”
Mark winked and pulled the bubble tea back, using his spoon to take out a tapioca pearl. He held the spoon out to me, and I took the offered bite.
I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled both bowls to me.
“This one is chicken,” I said, pointing to the bowl on the right. “And this one is beef. Not a tentacle in sight. But how do you feel about spice?”
“I love anything hot and spicy.”
“Me too.”
I tore up the bean sprouts and mint leaves, adding siracha to one bowl and hoisin sauce to the other. I mixed both and squeezed lime on top before pushing them back to the center of the table.
“Cheers,” I said, lifting my beer. He clinked the tea to my glass and eyed each bowl, pulling the beef a little closer.
“Cheers,” he answered back, taking another sip of tea. “Here’s to the start of a beautiful friendship.”
I smiled with the cheesy line, plating the spring rolls and hoping that’s exactly what this was.
10 - MARK
“Ican’t believe the place has termite damage,” Maverick said.
“I can’t believe you ripped up the porch steps, and now you have a freaky floating porch,” Miller added.
“I can’t believe you’re staying with a girrrrllllll,” Magnum drew out the syllables until Miller leaned over and punched him in the arm.
