Cassie shuffled clothes hangers across the rail of the closet. "It’s just dinner."He’ll never want a woman like me anyway.In spite of her coping techniques, she could not stop the negative thoughts floating through her mind. Maybe it was because this was the first time she wanted to have dinner with a man.
She settled on a pale peach silk tunic and a pair of black jeggings that fit snugly around every inch of her bottom. Her feet slipped happily into her favorite pair of black Jimmy Choo heels. A spritz of honeysuckle body spray followed by mascara, a hint of blush, and peach lip gloss complimented her hair, which she left down to spill in soft waves over her shoulders.
You’re saving him, she reminded herself.
At precisely seven o’clock, Ian pulled up, his protection detail in tow, in front of Cassie’s home. “You’re right on time.” Her lips lifted into a sweet smile.
Ian presented her with a bag of Halloween candy and a single pink rose. Its fragrance floated in the air. Cassie suppressed her deep-seated reaction to the floral scent.
“Please come in. Can I offer you something to drink?” Her heart rate increased when he brushed past her. “You weren’t kidding?” She sniffed the chocolate, which blocked out the smell of the rose.
“Tomorrow, two hundred bags will be donated to the VA.” He laughed.
Ian wore a green striped short-sleeved button-down shirt that did nothing to hide his built upper body and form-fitting black jeans. She welcomed him into her open-plan living room, decorated with a combination of pastel and primary-colored accents against white furniture. Four large watercolors of single tulips covered one wall.
“You look beautiful tonight.”
“No Knight slobber.” Cassie laughed.
Ian moved toward a white brick fireplace; its mantel filled with framed photographs. He picked up a picture taken in front of Sardis Restaurant in Manhattan. A Mylar happy birthday balloon floated above her head. It had to be the last time her family was together.
“It was taken on my sixteenth birthday.” Her hands shook while she stuck the rose in a crystal vase and placed it on an end table. “Thank you for the rose, Ian. It’s lovely.” She gave her rehearsed smile.Oh god, this is a mistake.
Her dad’s voice countered her fear:If you don’t take the risk, you might miss the adventure.
She bit her inner cheek to shut down the panicked feelings.Look at him.She cataloged his features.
Ian replaced the photo. “Shall we go?” He presented his hand.
Avoiding it, she moved to set her alarm, then stepped onto the stoop with her keys in her still unsteady hand. Wordlessly, Ian placed his hands around hers. With a delicate touch, he took her keys and locked her door. Before he could hand them back to her, she yanked them from his grasp and dropped them in her bag.
Cassie, cool it. You have nothing to be afraid of.“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
“It’s fine.” He held the car door open for her.
Cassie looked around. “I see they’re a little more discreet tonight.”
“Our board of directors demands it, part for my safety and part for a tabloid alibi.” Ian gave a two-finger salute in the direction of the two sedans, and headlights flashed back.
Cassie slid into the passenger seat of the vintage Jaguar XKE. “Wow, you certainly do a meal in style.”
Before she could react, Ian pulled the seat belt across her hips and buckled it. The smell of leather and his sandalwood, verbena, and iris cologne excited her senses. “I bought it after my second tour. Life is too short.”
Powerful hands turned the key and shifted the car into drive. He took sideways glances at her as they weaved through the evening traffic. “How is your favorite evil supervisor today?”
Cassie giggled. “Your call surprised him today. He was not too pleased. How do you know him?”
“We met in California. I was stationed at Naval Base Coronado, and he was at Marine Camp Pendleton. And bless the powers that be, they decided the two branches should combine for a mission.” Ian stopped at a traffic light. “Well, as you can imagine, there was a lot of ego on both sides. I’ll be honest: neither side was too considerate of the other’s skills. I showed up late to the party, got delayed somewhere.”
Cassie’s face was luminous in the streetlight. “I know, if you tell me, you’ll have to kill me.”
“I like you, Cassie Modine. Greg Wilds and I were in line for the leadership position. He was a Marine major. I was a Naval lieutenant commander. Equal rank. Someone had to be in charge.” The tone of his voice gave nothing away.
“Hmm, I don’t have to ask who won.”
“There was never any competition as far as I was concerned. Greg may tell another story.”
After Wilds' reaction that morning and his insolent behavior the rest of the day, she knew where her boss stood. Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough.
