she looked up at him, trying to hide the jolt of desire zinging through her, his lips twitched in a knowing smile.
“I’ve been thinking, darlin’, if it’s all right with you, maybe we could stay in tonight. I’m not much up for a restaurant. But I sure as hell could go for some great Thai food and a bottle of wine. Let’s face it, darlin’, we’ve had a hell of a day. How about it, sugar? Think you can handle a horny guy who doesn’t want to share you with anyone, especially the vultures circling around anyone associated with the club?”
Lexie breathed a sigh of relief. The idea of going out where they were sure to meet curiosity seekers horrified her. Everyone on the base knew Jake. And, of course, after her escapade dancing at the bar, she had a following of her own. So far, her relationship to Anthony hadn’t surfaced, but she knew it was only a matter of time. She tried to decide if the twinge in her belly telegraphed fear or excitement at the thought of spending the evening alone with Jake. Seeing the wicked grin on his face, she decided it was some of both.
Determined not to let him intimidate her, she tossed her head and gave him a sly smile. “Sounds, great, Jake, I love Thai food.”
His laugh was low and deep. Words weren’t necessary. His smile and that soft sexy laugh said it all. Her body responded as if he’d kissed her. In a way he had.
Chapter 29
The alluring aroma of Thai food drew Lexie forward. Her mouth watered at the smell of curry, coconut milk and lemon grass. The silky spiciness of the subtle aromas was intoxicating. Just what she needed, she thought, with a shiver for a night alone with Jake. He was crouched in front of the fireplace, fanning the beginning of a small fire. He smiled at her over his shoulder.
“I know it’s ninety degrees outside, but this is why we have air conditioning, right? So we can have a fire in the middle of the desert in May. ”
She smiled at him, intent on ignoring the way his uniform hugged his strong thighs and strained across his broad shoulders. She chastised herself. She had to keep her wits about her. She was already embarrassed that it had taken her over an hour to shower and dress, especially since the shower had taken no more than five minutes and the rest of the time she’d agonized over what to wear. She didn’t want to give away the trepidation she felt. How much she cared about what he thought. Seeing the appreciative look in his eyes as he looked her up and down, she was reassured. Apparently, the flirty short skirt and lacy camisole did the trick. The five inch platform sandals were over the top, but she’d seen the way Jake looked at her red stilettos. Clearly, the guy liked women in sexy shoes.
He stood up and slowly walked toward her. His penetrating blue gaze held her as tightly as if he held her in his arms. His voice was low, seductive.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are, Lexie?”
She tried to appear nonchalant, but her stammer gave her away.
“Yes. Um…yes, you have, Jake. But…but thank you.”
He stood a few feet away from her, a slight flush rising on his neck.
“And, sugar, I thought that Thai food I picked up smelled good, but it doesn’t hold a candle compared to you.”
He raked his eyes over her.
“How about we eat first and then decide what we want to do with the rest of the night?”
Lexie felt her face flame. But she managed to nod and walk by him into the kitchen.
She called out over her shoulder, “Shall we eat in front of the fire? I hate to waste it.”
“Great idea, sugar. Let me help. I just realized that neither one of us has eaten today. I hope you’re as hungry as I am.” He winked at her, underscoring the double entendre.
~~~
Jake kept up a patter of conversation throughout dinner. After they cleared away the plates and cartons, they lounged in front of the fire. Little by little, Lexie allowed herself to relax. They hadn’t had a conversation like this since that challenging night at the restaurant. She thought to herself how far they had come. She found herself telling him about the Strong Women Survive program. He asked a dozen questions, mostly interested in the kind of women she’d attracted.
“Damn, Lexie. You’re saving lives. I hope you know that.”
Remembering the faces of the women at the center, their pride in their accomplishments, let alone the skills they were learning, she nodded.
“I…I know that, Jake. I guess I should be more modest. But if you could see how far some of these women have come since I started the program, you’d be amazed.”
“Anthony told me that the FBI wanted to hire you?’
She was surprised that he knew that, but then remembered how proud Anthony had been when they approached her.
She said with a shrug. “Yes, getting my master’s degree helped, but more than anything, they wanted me to train other women. Maybe start programs like SWS around the country.
“You’re quite a woman, Alexis Beloi. No wonder Anthony was so proud of you. I know you both experienced hideous things when you were young. It’s a credit to you both what you achieved.”
She looked away, not wanting to let him see the pain on her face.
“Darlin’, just so you know, Anthony did tell me about some of the things you experienced, some of the men who took advantage of you being a kid.”
He held up his hand when she shook her head and frowned. “Hear me out, sugar. You never have to tell me a damn thing about what went on in those years that Anthony was looking for you. But if you do, if you want an understanding man who, like your brother, would kill anyone who hurt you, I’m that guy, Lexie.”
She looked down at her hands, realizing that she had ripped her napkin into small pieces. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.
“I’m much better than I was, Jake. Master Wan and Anthony insisted that I do counseling. And the martial arts made all the difference. I’m not defenseless any more, Jake.”
He laughed that infectious laugh that made her heart sing.
“You can say that again, sweetheart. I haven’t told you this yet because I was so goddamned angry that you went off last night by yourself, but I’ve never been more impressed with a fighter than I was watching you last night. One more thing, Lexie. I meant it when I said that if you hadn’t killed that motherfucker, I would have.”
He raised his glass and saluted her, then reached over and refilled her glass. When he turned to look at the fire, Lexie noted that the frown lines on his forehead were more pronounced. Even though he’d been talkative and a perfect dinner companion, she saw signs of distraction.
“You look tired, Jake.” When he glanced up in surprise, she added, “Maybe not tired, but you do look troubled.”
“Am I that transparent, Lexie?”
She shrugged. “You haven’t said. How did the meeting go with the generals?”
He nodded, confirming that she was on target.
“About what you’d expect. What did you call them? The ‘cover your ass’ meetings the military are fond of? The best way to sum it up is that they pulled me off the investigation. As General Peters put it, “When I say it’s done, it’s done.”
“So…so is it over?”
Jake snorted. “Hell, no. And those fuckers damn well know it. But it’s over as far as the army is concerned.” He looked pensive.
“I can’t go into detail, Lexie, but I’m right on the edge of something that can only be termed a full scale bomb. If I’m right, it’s going to turn everything we’ve learned so far on its head. ”
Lexie was shocked.
