Operation Date Escape

believe how tender it is.”
    “It’s the lieutenant’s secret marinade.”
    She lifted her gaze to his. “Secret, huh?”
    “Top secret,” he replied with a nod . Then he leaned over to whisper against her ear, “Beer and garlic.”
    The warmth of his breath against sensitive curve of her ear sent delicious shudders racing through her. She turned slightly to look up at him. “You don’t say.”
    “It’s true.” He slowly closed the space between them, his mouth drawing ever closer to hers. “But you can’t reveal the lieutenant’s secret recipe to anyone.”
    He was so close she could practically feel his mouth on hers. Wanted to feel his mouth on hers. “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, her words fading off as she gave in to the temptation and pressed her lips to his.
    Cole reached up to thread his fingers in her hair with a low groan, deepening the kiss.
    Closing her eyes, Kelsie returned the kiss, days of longing for just this moment urging her on. She sighed into his mouth as he moved to cup her face with his hands.
    A moment later, Cole pulled away with a long, drawn out sigh. “Sorry. I got carried away.”
    Carry away some more , she wanted to scream. But what little was left of her common sense told her she should be grateful. Lips still tingling, she said, “Thank you for inviting me here today.”
    “So I’m forgiven for tricking you into coming today?”
    She smiled. “Yes. And lucky for you. If I hadn’t, I might have turned Nanci loose on you. She gives new meaning to ‘hitting below the belt’.”
    He feigned a wince. “I’m thinking I’d prefer not to be at the receiving end of Nanci’s anger.”
    “ Smart man. You should’ve seen...” her words trailed off. She forced her gaze to her plate. “Never mind.”
    “Seen what?” he pressed.
    And she thought Nanci had a big mouth. “Nothing,” she said, pushing the food on her plate around with her fork. The last thing she wanted to talk about while sitting there with Cole was her ass of an ex.
    He reached out to push a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “What aren’t you telling me that I’m going to find out about sooner or later anyway?”
    He was right. Nanci had probably already told Joe all about their night out which meant Cole was bound to hear about her run-in with Kyle. She lifted her gaze to his. “I ran into my ex last night when Nanci and I went out.”
    His playful expression sobered. “I see.”
    “No, I don’t think you do.”
    “How did you feel about seeing him again?” he said, his words tight.
    He almost sounded jealous. Wishful thinking on her part, Kelsie quickly decided. That is, until she noticed the rhythmic tick of a muscle at the hinge of his freshly-shaved jaw. He cared?
    “How did I feel?” she repeated, giddy that the thought of her with her ex bothered Cole. The man deserved to be a little bothered after scheming behind her back with her mother to get her there. She smiled brightly, pressing a finger to her lips. “Let me think. That’s a hard one. There were so many things I felt when I saw Kyle again.” She watched his frown deepen and fought the urge to giggle. “But, if I were to describe it all in one word, I guess that word would be – nauseous.”
    His dark brown eyes widened. “What?”
    “ My ex-husband is an arrogant ass. I realized last night when we ran into Kyle just how much better off I am without him in my life.”
    Relief eased his taut expression. “I’m glad to hear it. You deserve better.”
    “ I know.”
    “So where do es Nanci being the giver of pain come into this story?”
    “Kyle was belligerently drunk and, as Nanci put it, invading my personal space, so she put him in his place with a firm kick to the groin.”
    “He’s lucky I wasn’t there with you or he’d have gotten a boot up his ass as well .”
    Cole’s protectiveness towards her felt good. “You’d have had an easy target, seeing as how he was curled up on his side in the fetal position when we left him the club. Unfortunately for my big-mouth ex, Nanci wore her pointiest toed high heels to the club and she knows how to use them.”
    “Nanci’s a good friend,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m thinking I’d better warn Joe to start wearing a cup whenever he and Nanci go out. Just in case he says the wrong thing and sets her off.”
    She laughed softly. “I think your friend’s manhood is safe.”
    H is smile softened as he reached out to