Breeze off the Ocean by Joan Hohl Page B

reaching for Regina’s. “We’ll be discreet and give you some privacy.”
    The bell sounded again and Micki started for the door, her steps betraying her trepidation. Her father’s soft laugh sounded from the stairs.
    “You’re not going to the gallows, honey,” he chided. “Just give him your sweetest smile and he’ll forget why he’s angry.”
    I’ll bet, Micki thought grimly, her hand shaking as she reached for the doorknob. She swung the door open bravely, then bit her lip fearfully. Wolf, looking hard-jawed and cold-eyed and madder than hell, stood, hands thrust into his pants pockets, staring balefully at her. Stepping out onto the porch, Micki closed the door softly behind her, her mind searching for something to say. Wolf brought her search to an end.
    “I don’t believe it.” His cool tone, so opposed to the hot anger in his eyes, sent a tremor bouncing down her spine. “I really don’t believe it.”
    “What?” Micki was almost afraid to ask.
    “You did it again.” A touch of wonder colored the cool tone. “Do you get your kinky little kicks out of standing up many of your dates, or do I alone hold that honor?”
    “Wolf.” Micki had to fight to keep her voice even. “I’m sorry.”
    “Yeah.” Wolf smiled crookedly. “I’ll bet you are.”
    “All right, I’m not,” Micki snapped. “If you’ll recall, I didn’t want to go out with you in the first place.”
    Angry herself now, she moved away from him, down the porch steps, and along the front walk to the pavement without the slightest idea of where she was going.
    “But you did agree to have dinner with me.” His long strides brought him alongside her before she’d taken six steps on the pavement. “Didn’t you?”
    “Yes,” she admitted, turning south when she reached the corner.
    Matching his stride to hers, Wolf walked beside her silently. At least he didn’t ask me where I’m going, she thought wryly.
    “Where the hell are you going?”
    His impatient words followed on the heels of her thought and Micki couldn’t repress the smile that tugged at her lips.
    “I said something funny?” His tone was not amused.
    “No,” Micki sighed. “It’s just that I don’t know where I’m going.”
    “That’s pretty damned obvious,” Wolf drawled sardonically, leaving little doubt in her mind he meant the direction of her life, not her impromptu walk.
    “I just felt like walking,” Micki shrugged in annoyance.
    “I see,” Wolf drawled softly.
    “You didn’t have to come along,” she snapped irritably.
    “True,” he agreed, with a maddening calmness.
    Their quick stride ate up the blocks during their exchange and when they had to stop at a corner to wait for traffic Micki realized with surprise that they were near the city’s shopping district. Grasping her arm, Wolf began walking east.
    “Where the hell are you going?” Micki flung his words back at him.
    ‘To the boardwalk,” he answered imperturbably.
    “Whatever for?” she demanded.
    “Why does anyone stroll the boards?” He shrugged, elegantly. “To gaze at the ocean, to feel the sea breeze against the skin, to wander in and out of the shops.” He slanted a barbed look at her. “To have something to eat. At least those who have been stood up and didn’t eat any dinner do.”
    His hand placed firmly at the back of her waist propelled her up the ramp and onto the boardwalk still crowded with people at ten o’clock at night.
    “Come on, babe, I’ll buy you a slice of pizza at Mack and Manco’s.” His eyes raked her face. “Not exactly what I’d planned but,” he shrugged, “I like the pie and it will fill up the hole in my stomach.”
    Unsure if he was telling the truth or not about not having eaten, Micki allowed him to lead her to the pizza stand. The stand’s outside counter was three deep with people and, grasping her hand, Wolf edged around the bodies and drew her inside the shop. While they waited for two seats to become vacant Micki