“Good night, ladies. Thanks for your help.” Merc ducked out the door as soon as Harriet waved a hand in his direction, dismissing him from their conversation.
Unable to do anything but grin now, he strolled back to the front door, intent on assuming his previous pose. Merc caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, glanced up the staircase, and forgot how to breathe.
Caroline slowly descended, allowing Kate and Celine to precede her. Her honey blonde curls had been swept to the side and cascaded around her shoulder. A sinfully simple red dress that followed the curve of her waist and flared out over her hips, swayed with each step. She wasn’t real. This had to be a dream.
Drawn to her, Merc walked as if in a trance, stopping right in front of her. His teammates and their girlfriends forgotten, he traced her jawline, taking those precious seconds to inhale her sweet scent.
“Hi,” he said, unable to think of another word.
“Hi,” she whispered back.
“You look stunning.” Only dimly aware of the others now, he had to hold himself back from sweeping her into his arms.
“So do you.”
Someone cleared their throat and Merc glared over his shoulder, irritated that someone had broken their moment, only to see Harriet and Francis hiding in the shadows and gesturing to the flowers in his hand. Merc yanked the flowers from behind his back and shoved them forward.
Caroline clasped her throat and then gasped.
He faltered. Had they been wrong?
Then she smiled a brilliant wide smile that lit up her entire face. “Are those for me?” Her voice was a sensual caress.
Merc had to clear his throat before he could answer. “Do you like them?”
Caroline's eyes glistened. “They're beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you.”
She leaned down to smell the flowers and Merc watched, completely enthralled. “They smell so good. I can't believe you did this. Thank you.”
Merc would definitely have to get Francis a present, something really big and really nice.
As if his thoughts summoned them, Francis and Harriet were suddenly at his side. Francis held out her hand. “I'll take those for you. If you don't get a move on it, you’ll be late.”
Merc nodded his thanks and passed the flowers off. Then he held out his hand to Caroline. She took it, her hand so small in his. His chest swelled with a fresh surge of protectiveness. “Are you ready?”
“More than you know,” she said.
Harriet sniffled and lifted a corner of her ever-present apron to dab at the moisture in her eyes. “I finally get to see my Caroline go out on her first real date.”
Their animosity toward each other obviously forgotten, Francis, a head taller than Harriet, wrapped her arm around the other woman’s shoulders. “Come on, I’ll make us a cup of coffee. You two have fun.”
Harriet and Francis disappeared down the hallway leading to the kitchen, and the rest of the group went outside. Ethan and Kate got in the front seat of a large black SUV, Aaron and Celine in the back, and Merc managed to squeeze in the middle row, his hands tangling with Caroline’s the whole time.
They made it to the movie just in time, some new chick flick he had absolutely no interest in watching. But then again, this wasn't about him. He needed to be on alert, aware of their surroundings at all times.
Although he was bored to tears by the movie, Caroline nearly drove him crazy tracing his palm and gently tickling his rough skin with a caress he felt through his entire body. By the time the movie was over, he was rock hard and aching to the point of pain.
He held the door open for the girls to exit out into the movie theater lobby.
“Oh my God, can you believe it? That ending will take me a full week to get over.” Celine dramatically slapped a hand flat over her chest.
Kate arched a black brow. “Really? Come on. You knew that's exactly what was going to happen after the first five minutes of the movie.”
Celine pursed her lips. “Then why were you sniffling so much at the end?”
“Allergies,” Kate lied baldly.
