be seated and he has arranged a bottle of wine to
start.”
“Great,” Jules said. She looked over at Charley and raised
her eyebrows. Once they were seated in the corner of the room with two walls
around them and the least amount of possible disturbance, she added. “He’s really
trying to impress you.”
She ignored the comment.
“You have to give the guy credit for the effort.” Drew
looked around the room and nodded appreciatively.
She had her back to the door but she still knew the moment
Kyle approached. Jules eyes widened with appreciation, and Drew’s mouth turned
down in a frown, noting his date’s perusal of the other man. Even if her
companions had not seen him enter, she would have known he was there. The air
in the room changed when he walked in. She found herself wondering if it was
only her reaction or did everyone feel the intimacy of his presence?
Kyle stepped so that he was in her view before he spoke. He
wasn’t in uniform but the jacket and tie fit him perfectly, showing off his
broad shoulders. Her mouth watered, and it had nothing to do with the fabulous
scents wafting from the kitchen. “I’m glad you made it. I worried that the
reservation would go to waste and I would owe Dmitri a big favor for nothing.”
He gestured toward the maître d’ smiling.”
“I said I would be here,” Charley said.
He pulled out the empty seat adjacent to her. “You’re manner
of agreement didn’t inspire my confidence.” He took her hand and kissed the
back. A shiver ran down her spine. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He reached across the table toward Drew. “Kyle Macintyre.”
Drew shook his hand. “Drew Tolbert.”
“Nice to meet you. Nice to see you again, Jules.” He shook
her hand as well.
“Hello, Kyle.” Jules had a seductive smile plastered on her
face. She leaned forward exposing even more of her boobs in her straining
spaghetti-strapped cocktail dress. Another half an inch and areola would be
joining them for dinner.
Charley’s annoyance with her friend was uncustomary. Jules
was Jules. She liked to show off the boobs she’d paid good money for. She liked
to flirt with men. She made no excuses for her behavior. She was a “take me as
I am” kind of person. It was one of the things that Charley had always loved
about her friend. Still, Charley didn’t like the way she was looking at Kyle.
If she wasn’t careful she would be clawing at her best friend in the middle of
the restaurant. She took a deep breath.
“How are you enjoying the cruise?” Kyle sat and looked from
Drew to Jules.
“It’s been wonderful so far,” Jules preened.
Kyle had the good sense to smile and turn to Drew. “You’re a
police officer?”
“Yeah, from New Jersey.”
“I saw that you are here with a group. Other officers, I
presume.”
“We all went to the academy together. We try to meet every
so often and catch up.”
“That’s nice. I should try to arrange that with some of the
guys I went through the academy with.”
“Did you go to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy?”
Kyle smiled.
Charley felt that smile down to her toes.
“How did you know?”
Drew shrugged. “The accent, Boston or just outside.
Educated, but it’s still there. I just put two and two together. I’m a cop,
that’s what we do.”
“Well done,” Kyle said.
Charley watched Jules as her attention turned to Drew. She
liked this cop from New Jersey. There was no doubt in her mind. Any flirting
her friend did with another man was strictly to make Drew jealous. Suddenly she
felt much better.
The food was delicious and the conversation throughout
dinner flowed easily. She couldn’t think of a more exquisite evening. She was
surprised by how well Drew and Kyle got along. They both knew a lot about the
military. Drew was well-versed in the law of the land while Kyle impressed with
his knowledge of the laws governing sea travel. It was interesting to hear
where all of those things crossed each other.
An
start.”
“Great,” Jules said. She looked over at Charley and raised
her eyebrows. Once they were seated in the corner of the room with two walls
around them and the least amount of possible disturbance, she added. “He’s really
trying to impress you.”
She ignored the comment.
“You have to give the guy credit for the effort.” Drew
looked around the room and nodded appreciatively.
She had her back to the door but she still knew the moment
Kyle approached. Jules eyes widened with appreciation, and Drew’s mouth turned
down in a frown, noting his date’s perusal of the other man. Even if her
companions had not seen him enter, she would have known he was there. The air
in the room changed when he walked in. She found herself wondering if it was
only her reaction or did everyone feel the intimacy of his presence?
Kyle stepped so that he was in her view before he spoke. He
wasn’t in uniform but the jacket and tie fit him perfectly, showing off his
broad shoulders. Her mouth watered, and it had nothing to do with the fabulous
scents wafting from the kitchen. “I’m glad you made it. I worried that the
reservation would go to waste and I would owe Dmitri a big favor for nothing.”
He gestured toward the maître d’ smiling.”
“I said I would be here,” Charley said.
He pulled out the empty seat adjacent to her. “You’re manner
of agreement didn’t inspire my confidence.” He took her hand and kissed the
back. A shiver ran down her spine. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He reached across the table toward Drew. “Kyle Macintyre.”
Drew shook his hand. “Drew Tolbert.”
“Nice to meet you. Nice to see you again, Jules.” He shook
her hand as well.
“Hello, Kyle.” Jules had a seductive smile plastered on her
face. She leaned forward exposing even more of her boobs in her straining
spaghetti-strapped cocktail dress. Another half an inch and areola would be
joining them for dinner.
Charley’s annoyance with her friend was uncustomary. Jules
was Jules. She liked to show off the boobs she’d paid good money for. She liked
to flirt with men. She made no excuses for her behavior. She was a “take me as
I am” kind of person. It was one of the things that Charley had always loved
about her friend. Still, Charley didn’t like the way she was looking at Kyle.
If she wasn’t careful she would be clawing at her best friend in the middle of
the restaurant. She took a deep breath.
“How are you enjoying the cruise?” Kyle sat and looked from
Drew to Jules.
“It’s been wonderful so far,” Jules preened.
Kyle had the good sense to smile and turn to Drew. “You’re a
police officer?”
“Yeah, from New Jersey.”
“I saw that you are here with a group. Other officers, I
presume.”
“We all went to the academy together. We try to meet every
so often and catch up.”
“That’s nice. I should try to arrange that with some of the
guys I went through the academy with.”
“Did you go to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy?”
Kyle smiled.
Charley felt that smile down to her toes.
“How did you know?”
Drew shrugged. “The accent, Boston or just outside.
Educated, but it’s still there. I just put two and two together. I’m a cop,
that’s what we do.”
“Well done,” Kyle said.
Charley watched Jules as her attention turned to Drew. She
liked this cop from New Jersey. There was no doubt in her mind. Any flirting
her friend did with another man was strictly to make Drew jealous. Suddenly she
felt much better.
The food was delicious and the conversation throughout
dinner flowed easily. She couldn’t think of a more exquisite evening. She was
surprised by how well Drew and Kyle got along. They both knew a lot about the
military. Drew was well-versed in the law of the land while Kyle impressed with
his knowledge of the laws governing sea travel. It was interesting to hear
where all of those things crossed each other.
An
Similar Books
