"So far it's been very relaxing and wonderful," I summarized. "What about you? Vacation? Visiting your aunt?"
His hand brushed mine, his heat searing straight into my soul. Instead of pulling away, he took my hand in his, finally putting an end to my agony. His hand was warm and strong around mine.
"I used to spend summers here with my aunt when I was a kid," he answered smoothly, as if nothing had happened and he wasn't holding my hand. "Her house is my favorite place in the world. She's up in New York until July, so she's letting us stay here."
"Any reason for the vacation?" I loved the sound of his voice. It was smooth and low and incredibly sexy. Especially while walking hand in hand on a moonlit beach.
"The three of us are on leave." He shrugged, tugging my hand gently upward with the motion. "This was the perfect spot to catch some R&R before our next mission."
The military terms, the eagle tattoo, and the response to Jenny's "soldiers" greeting confirmed it for me. "What branch of the military are you in?"
He laughed, the rich sound mingling with the deep night air. "I guess I gave myself away. So much for appearing mysterious." He turned and smiled at me, his dark eyes catching the moonlight. "Army."
"I've always liked those uniforms," I confessed. "The dress greens are especially nice."
"If I had known that, I would have brought them for you," he replied, responding as if we had known we were going to meet tonight.
"This may sound strange," I said before I could think of the consequences, "But I feel as though I've known you forever. I mean, I know it's only been, what, fifteen minutes? But..."
I fell silent. Jenny was always telling me I was too artsy and into feelings for my own good.
"No, it's not just you," he said quietly. "I feel the same."
My heart jumped. I looked down at my feet and smiled. He felt the same!
"This is my place," he said, stopping at the back porch of a big, beautiful beach house. It was easily worth a million dollars. He dropped my hand and hopped up the back porch steps.
"Whoa." My eyes widened a little. "I'm going to guess our aunts do not run in the same social circles. Our condo is about a mile inland and not nearly this big."
"Would you like a tour?" He grinned and offered me his hand. I took it and stepped up on the wooden porch.
"I would love one." I beamed at him. He went to the door and twisted the knob. Nothing happened.
"Well, this is embarrassing," he said, turning around with a sheepish look on his face. "Matt has the house keys."
"The blonde guy back at the bar, right?" I asked. Tony nodded and tried the door one more time.
I bit my lip. I didn't want to be too bold, but I didn't want to go back to the bar, and I most certainly did not want the night to end yet. I smiled wryly.
"If your friends do as well as you have, that would mean that they're all going to come back here. We can have my place all to ourselves." I was surprised at how easy the words came out. I wasn't the hop-in-the-sack-with-anyone kind of girl. I had one serious boyfriend since high school, and I was very selective when it came to choosing a partner. I always had to feel a serious connection with them.
But there was just something about Tony that did that for me. Something that made me trust him, want him, instinctively. I hadn't been kidding when I said I felt like I had known him forever. I wouldn't have been surprised if I had been able to list off his favorite color, music, and foods without ever having heard them. Being near him just felt right.
He turned to me and smiled. God, I already loved that smile. "Okay," Tony said. He offered me his arm, and together we walked down the street, arm in arm like royalty. I was just glad I got to touch him.
"So what do you do in the Army?" I asked. I felt a little silly, but I wanted to know everything about him. I wanted to stay up all night learning everything there was to no about him.
"Lots of things." He shrugged. "Our team specializes in protecting things."
"You protect things? Then I feel very safe." I stepped closer to him, hugging his arm. "You know, because this is a very dangerous neighborhood and all."
Tony glanced around at the bright streetlights, the well manicured lawns, and nice cars sitting in driveways. Several homes even had their windows open on the ground floor.
"Don't you worry, ma'am. No one will harm a hair on your head," he promised gravely, puffing his chest out and frowning at a sinister-looking bush. "What about you? You said you're a student?"
"I just graduated with my degree in art." I loved the way his arm felt under mine. He was strong. "I'm supposed to go to LA when we get back and intern with a film company. I'm going to help make movie sets. It's what I've always wanted to do."
"Any plans to become an actress?" he asked. I laughed.
"Actress? Me?" I shook my head fervently. "No. Besides a complete inability to act, I'm not exactly what Hollywood actresses look like."
"Bullshit."
I turned to look at him, surprised at the sudden language.
"You're gorgeous," he explained. He dropped my arm and stepped back, looking me up and down. Appraising me. I blushed, knowing his eyes were undressing me. I was pale, heavier than I wanted to be, and yet thin in my arms. My friends always said I was petite and tiny, but I never felt that way. I had never seen myself as beautiful. My best feature was my hair, but I was far from gorgeous. His face said he wasn't lying, though. I didn't know what to do with him looking at me like this, so I tucked my hands in my pockets and blushed.
"Pose for me," he commanded, frowning at my hands hiding in my jeans. "Like an actress would."
My blush deepened, but I struck my best model pose, throwing one hand up in the air and thrusting out a hip. He brought his hands up like he was holding a camera and took an imaginary picture.
"Yup," he said nodding at the invisible camera shot. "Gorgeous. You'd take them all by storm."
I dropped my arms and glared at him. "You have a silver tongue, sir," I teased him.
"So I've been told," he said nonchalantly and gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Well, not really, but I like to think so."
His almost shy smile took hold of my heart as he offered me his arm again and we continued to walk toward the condo.
"So what do you think Dean and Matt's chances are with your friends?" he asked. I frowned, pulling back slightly. He smiled reassuringly at me. "I mean, I just want to know so I can buy them the appropriate ice cream when they get their hearts dashed to pieces."