“Yes, please.”
Before I could say anything else, he slammed his lips down on mine. Cupping the back of my neck, he pulled me closer and deepened the kiss. His tongue tangled with mine until my heart was racing. Then he drew back slightly, running his tongue across my bottom lip before nibbling on it.
“Yes, exactly like that.” I licked my lips, trying to capture the taste of him, and he moaned.
“You really don’t have a clue what you’re doing to me, do you?”
“Nope, but I’m going to enjoy figuring it out.”
His eyes flared with heat, so it surprised me when he settled back on his cushion and nudged my bowl of ice cream towards me, handing me the spoon from the table. He dipped the spoon he’d used to feed me into his dish and took a bite. We sat there, eating ice cream like he hadn’t just kissed me senseless, for a couple minutes before he started talking.
“Like you, I was an only child. When my parents died in a car crash during finals of my senior year of high school, I wasn’t left with many options. So I joined the Army and served for eight years. I met my best friend and business partner, Gaige, there.”
“I’m sorry about your parents.” As difficult as my relationship with mine was, I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to lose them the way Vaughn had lost his.
“Thanks, beautiful, but it was a long time ago.”
It was obvious he didn’t want to discuss them further, so I let it drop and switched to a safer subject. “What kind of business are you and Gaige in?”
“Consulting. Security mostly.”
Thinking about the security staff my father employed, it was hard to believe Vaughn earned the kind of money that allowed him to drop a quarter of a million dollars like he had at the charity gala. My skepticism must have shown on my face because he offered up more details.
“I was a sniper in the Army. Gaige was my flanker. We both learned a unique set of skills that command a high price when needed in the civilian world. I didn’t just learn marksmanship and long range shooting. They taught me how to avoid detection, target range estimation methods, camouflage, infiltration, special reconnaissance and observation, along with surveillance and target acquisition.”
I only followed about a quarter of what he said, but his time in the military certainly explained the confidence with which he carried himself and the aura of danger surrounding him. One thing did jump out at me as being odd, though. “What brought you to the charity gala?”
“Business.”
“Your client didn’t mind that I distracted you from your work?”
“My client”—he paused oddly on the last word—“doesn’t have any objections with how I get the job done.”
“Good,” I sighed, feeling relieved. “I’d hate to cause you any problems.”
“I have no doubt you’ll be worth any trouble you bring my way.”
“I only hope you’ll be worth the difficulties I’m going to face,” I mumbled under my breath. Only I wasn’t as quiet as I thought I’d been because Vaughn heard exactly what I’d said.
“You don’t face anything on your own because of me, beautiful,” he told me as he helped me to my feet.
“My parents being mad at me because of this date isn’t your fault, though,” I insisted. “It isn’t even mine. The blame rests totally with them.”
Dropping down on his knees to slide my strappy sandals back on my feet, he glared up at me. “I mean it, Carissa. I’m damn good at fixing problems. If you find yourself in trouble of any kind, you call me to take care of it.”
“How can I call you when I don’t even have your phone number?” I grumbled.
As soon as he had his shoes on, he yanked his cell from his pants pocket. After a couple of quick jabs of his finger against the screen, my cell started ringing in my purse. When he jerked his head towards my bag, I pulled out my phone and a number I didn’t recognize flashed across the screen.
“Problem solved,” he declared. “For now at least. Until I can get you a phone from me.”
“I already have one.” I shook it at him. “Why would I need another?”
“Whose name is on that account?” he asked. “Yours or your parents?”
“My parents.”
“Exactly. I’m not about to leave my only form of communication with you to the same people who could very well be the reason you need to call me in the first place.”
