“I’ll call to let you know which restaurant we’re going to. I’d call around now, but you seem a little harried.” His eyes and face were bright with their flirtation.
“You can tell so easily that it’s been a rough week for me?”
“Trust me, I’m smarter than I look.”
Lena was prepared to let the comment sit between them as she sashayed out of his shop and back into the sunshine, but she couldn’t let it stand. The question bounced around in her head until it was flying out of her mouth.
“Who says you aren’t smart, Tank?”
Chuckling, he stepped out from behind the desk so that they were only a few inches away from each other. “Not anyone who knows what’s good for them. It’s the usual first impression I give off to most people, though. You know, big, dumb jock, or scary enforcer.”
He didn’t look away when he said it, and she could tell he didn’t care one way or the other what people thought of him, and she liked that.
“I’m sure the women get a very different impression.” She tilted her head, almost daring him to call her a liar.
“It can go both ways, but a majority of chicks dig me.” He ran a hand over his head, his grin spreading even wider. “I like how chatty you are when you’re not at work. Maybe I should take advantage of my good luck and take you to dinner tomorrow night. I wouldn’t want whatever this is to wear off and be sitting across from a mute all night.”
“First of all, that’s mildly insulting,” Lena scoffed, adjusting the stack of papers. “Second, let’s meet at Crawley’s on Saturday.”
He hesitated, which caught her by surprise. “Why the fuck are we meeting at a bar? I’m taking you out for dinner.”
“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, and this keeps things casual. We can go to the restaurant from Crawley’s.”
“That’s ridiculous, and back-assed as hell.”
She shrugged. “That’s my condition.”
Tank moved his hand from his head to the back of his neck. “All right, whatever. I don’t normally make it a habit of being with women who are so…”
“Demanding? Controlling? Intelligent? Superior?”
“Insistent.” He rocked back on the heels of his boots and crossed his arms as he studied her. “Just so you know, casual is my only mode, so you don’t have to worry your gorgeous little head about that, Lena.”
Her name slipped off his tongue like a seductive caress. For a heartbeat, she could only stand there as his voice echoed between her ears, teasing and full of promise beneath the deep tenor that sent a single shiver down her spine. She had to watch herself around him, because he was definitely dangerous. She’d bet he was lethal between the sheets, with his lips caressing her bare flesh while he whispered every little detail of what he wanted to do to her body. She could almost feel his tongue and teeth tracing glistening patterns on her flesh that dried against the teasing air—
“You still with me?”
Jumping at his voice, she nodded absently, swallowing past the sudden arousal that was flooding through her body.
“Thanks for the flyers. That was kind of you, but I’ve got to get back to work now. I’ll see you Saturday.” She spun around and marched out the door without a backward glance.
Forget the blue sky, the pungent smells, the lulling breeze. None of that mattered at the moment. The only thing on her mind was Tank.
There was no doubt about it—the man was turning out to be the biggest complication ever.
Lena
Saturday
Many of the Santa Teresita bars lined the streets on lower Union Street, and Crawley’s sat on the corner, its yellow neon sign a beacon for those in search of good bar food and cheap drinks.
Lena folded one leg over the other, dangling her high heel, and brought the cocktail glass to her lips. Crawley’s was known for its all-night happy hour, and sometimes she’d stop by after a long day at work and order one of the bar’s famous drinks—Snarky Ghost Breeze, a concoction of tequila, Strega, lime, and cinnamon.
Laughter drowned out the jukebox, and Lena tuned out the noise by going through the numerous emails cluttering her inbox. She’d arrived earlier than their agreed upon time, and she had to do something to quell the first date nerves that’d been wracking her mind and body for most of the day. Never had she been this anxious about going out with a man, so it irritated her that her emotions were getting the best of her.
Maybe it wasn’t the date, but the thought of the two hoodlums coming back into the bistro to snatch up her hard-earned money with their grubby hands. Her anger spiked every time she thought about those bastards.
“Another Ghost Breeze?” the bartender asked as she picked up Lena’s empty glass.
“Yes, please.” Opening her satin clutch, she took out two singles and laid them on the counter.
Normally, one cocktail would’ve been her limit, especially if she was meeting up for dinner and more drinks, but the sweet, tangy beverage worked wonders on helping her to relax. And most people would agree that she’d had a really shitty week. Bile rose in her throat at the memory of the two thugs pressing up against her. Lena squeezed her eyes shut, willing the carousel of images from that night to evaporate. There was no way in hell she’d let those cruel animals ruin her night out with Tank.
Tank. Just the thought of him pushed the ugliness of that night into the shadowed corners of her mind. Despite her somber mood, a small smile lifted her lips. The man was captivating, but at the end of the day, he was just a man, and there were plenty of handsome, muscular men out there. A walk along the beach any day of the week attested to that fact. But no man had intrigued, or had such an effect on her as Tank had, and she didn’t know why. Maybe tonight, she’d be able to unravel the mystery.
“Here you go.” The bartender placed the drink down in front of Lena. “Is your party late?”
Lena picked up the glass and took a sip. “My party?”
The black-haired woman smiled. “You keep looking at the door.”
She laughed. “It’s a habit, but I am meeting a friend. I’m just early.”
The woman nodded. “If you need anything else, let me know.” She rapped her knuckles on the bar top and left to attend other customers.
Another wave of anxiety washed over her. Maybe coming early wasn’t a good idea.
Maybe this whole date thing is wrong. Every doubt she had about going out with him bombarded her, and she fought them off one at a time. I’m being ridiculous. This is just dinner, and I am hungry.
When Fe had spasmed over the news of her date, Lena acted like it was no big deal, and she kept up the façade for the rest of the week. Though she kept telling herself that it was just a casual dinner and not a big deal, Lena had asked Adalyn to close the bistro that night so she could rush home and get ready. She’d taken extra care by blow-drying her hair and putting on eye shadow before slipping into a mid-length swingy chiffon sundress with spaghetti straps. The floral pattern was in shades of orange, which complemented her olive complexion, and the thigh-high front slit was sexy, but not in a trashy way.
Looking down at her bare leg, she tugged the fabric of her dress over it and downed the rest of her cocktail.