The Awakening

His gaze caressed her. 'I think it looks even sexier on you than I imagined.'

'Yeah, well I think you must've been too long without or something, because you've got sex on the brain big- time.'

'Me? I'm not the one who was ogling a hooker giving a blowjob in a parked car.'

Gaby went rigid—until she realized Luther was teasing. Then she relaxed again. 'It was educational.'

'But also revolting?'

'Pretty much.' She idly ran her fingers along the music player dials. 'It wasn't at all as nice as when you'd described it.'

'Right.' Luther cleared his throat. 'Time to change the subject again.'

'Or you'll get hard?'

'Exactly.' Luther pulled up to the curb and put the car in park. He took a few seconds to compose himself, then turned off the engine and pulled out the keys. 'We're here.'

Gaby looked out the window. They were in front of the theater.

Granted, it was a cheapie, run-down theater—which suited her, but still…

'They only play old movies, and this is one I really like.'

'The Big Easy,' Gaby read on the lighted display. 'Never heard of it.'

'Cop show. Well, about dirty cops. But Ellen Barkin is a favorite of mine. She's super-sexy in this role.'

Gaby scowled over that disclosure. 'I've never been to the theater.'

Glancing her way, Luther opened his seat belt. 'I figured if you hadn't watched much TV, you probably hadn't taken in movies either. This place is low key and relaxed, but they have fresh popcorn and a variety of candy and colas, so I thought we'd start with it. If you like the experience, we can try stadium seating at a nicer place with a first-run movie next time.'

Next time.

Luther made an awful lot of assumptions. But then, she'd admitted so much to him, how could he not?

'This place is fine.' Or at least, better than the alternative he'd just described. She wasn't the type of woman who fit into 'nicer' places.

Gaby started to open her door, but Luther got there before she could.

Though she didn't need it, he helped her out and took the music player from her. 'You clip it onto your jeans like this.'

Heat and age had curled the denim waistband so that it rolled out away from her skin. Going under her shirt, Luther slipped his fingers inside the waistband to attach the player. His skin was warm, his touch firm, and suddenly Gaby realized he was looking at her.

She didn't meet his gaze, but chose instead to watch his fingers. He drew his hands up, opening his palms against the bare flesh of her waist. His big thumbs nearly met over her navel.

'You are so slender.'

'You mean skinny,' she said, noting the thickness of his wrists, the sprinkling of hair on his arms.

'Mort said you haven't eaten.'

'Mort needs to mind his own damn business.'

Her surliness must have broken the mood for him. He shook his head and said, 'Come on.' Luther pulled one hand a way, but left the other there in a casual embrace against her bare skin as he led her into the theater. 'They serve burgers, too. We'll both get one.'

To Gaby's surprise, her stomach growled, making Luther chuckle. 'I guess I'm hungry after all.'

'That's what I thought.'

They went straight to the concession stand. Above the scent of popping corn, it smelled of grease and salt and onions. Gaby's mouth watered. She was suddenly so hungry, she didn't even argue when Luther paid for their bounty by himself.

Laden with burgers, fries, drinks, popcorn, and candy, they made their way to their seats. Only two other couples were inside, and the lights were already low, the previews already playing.

'This is kind of creepy,' Gaby whispered as she paused in the dark, unsure where to go.

'Relax. Eat. Enjoy.' Luther chose seats for them in the back, in a corner. As Gaby got settled, being careful not to spill anything, he whispered, 'This is the make-out corner.'

The nickering screen lit his face, showing his wolfish smile. 'Really?'

He laughed. 'I thought that'd get your interest. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if lust hadn't been consummated here a few times.'

Eyeing the folding seats, Gaby asked, 'Is that even possible?'

'Very. It just takes a little ingenuity.'

'And you have loads of ingenuity?'

'Right now, yeah. But I want you to enjoy the movie and the food, so we'll put off this discussion for another time.'

Just like Luther to get her curiosity roused, then shut down. 'But—'

He kissed her. 'Shhh. Watch the movie.' He settled his arm around her and, as if he'd read her thoughts, added in a whisper close to her ear, 'After the movie, I promise, we'll pick up on the conversation again.'

Oh. Well then. She supposed that'd be okay. 'I'm holding you to that.' With that declaration made, Gaby settled back in her seat, propped her feet on the seat back in front of her, and absorbed the unique experience of watching a movie on the big screen.

Chapter Sixteen

When the credits began to roll, Gaby roused herself from her lethargic pose and mellow mood. Wow. Never had she felt so peaceful, so… outside herself and her annoying insights. Who knew a little dose of unreality could be so relaxing?

Theater lights flickered on, pushing away the darkness. She turned to Luther only to find him studying her. 'What?'

Rather than share her mellow disposition, an earthy appetite intensified his hard-edged allure. 'I like seeing you like this.'

'This?'

He looked at her mouth. 'Soft.'

That got her back up. 'I'm not. Ever.'

'Yeah you are, Gaby,' he insisted, and his gaze dropped somewhere below her chin and above her knees. 'In lots of places.'

Gaby snorted. 'Now you just sound corny.' But he didn't. Not really.

Luther smiled, ready to say something—and his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Resigned, he settled back. 'Damn, I'm sorry. But even off duty, I need to take this.'

While he lifted out the phone, Gaby stood and let her seat fold. 'No problem.'

Into the phone, he said, 'Hello?' He listened, frowned, and a second later, his gaze settled on Gaby again.

'Hang on, Ann.' Covering the mouthpiece, he searched Gaby's face. 'I need to take this in private.'

So he could talk to Ann. Gaby's lip curled. 'Yeah. Right.' She made no attempt to hide her scorn. 'I need some fresh air now, anyway.' Shoving past him, she said, 'I'll be hanging out front.'

'You won't wander off?'

Like a halfwit? Or a child? 'If I decide to leave, I'll tell you first.' As she walked away, she heard Luther snarl something, then go back to his conversation on the phone.

Grumbling her way through the theater lobby, Gaby shoved open the front doors and stepped out into the drowning humidity.

She paced.

Up one side of the sidewalk and then back again. Disgusted with herself, she dropped down to sit on the dirty curb and stared at her feet.