muscular build. Now that he wasn’t wearing the Bears cap, she got her first look at the thick brown hair that curled slightly at the back of his neck.
“What are you, 103?” He glanced back at her.
Elizabeth huffed out a breath and followed him. They reached the concrete walkway in front of the rooms, and she sidestepped him to take the lead. She halted in front of 103 and flicked him a glance.
“How did you know?”
He shrugged. “The other ones look occupied.”
She shook her head as she took out her key card. At least she didn’t have to go raise hell at the front desk because they’d given out her room number. But still, she didn’t like him sneaking up on her in a parking lot late at night. What was he doing here? Either he was hitting on her or he had information related to the case. She suspected he was hitting on her.
Elizabeth rested her hand on her holster as she stepped inside and flipped on the light. The room hadn’timproved since this morning. It smelled of mildew and cigarette smoke. She gazed at the faded orange bedspread and sighed.
“Nice digs.”
She turned around, and he handed over the file folders. He’d put her computer bag on the floor just inside the door. Maybe he sensed her uneasiness or maybe he simply had manners, but he hadn’t entered her room without permission. He stood on the threshold, his shoulder propped against the door frame.
Where did they get these guys, Beefcakes R Us? At six-four, he was almost a foot taller than she was. Practically every SEAL Elizabeth had seen today had been almost as huge. She’d watched them doing their morning workouts as she’d waited for Lieutenant Brewer. All of the men she’d seen were impressive, but particularly the SEALs. They seemed to relish pain. And they were distinguishable from the others by their longer-than-regulation-length hair and—in some cases—their beards, which helped them to blend in in countries where American servicemen might not be welcome.
Derek Vaughn was eyeing her now with a look she couldn’t quite read. Elizabeth stacked her files on the table. She tucked her hands into her pockets and saw his gaze drift to the sidearm at her hip.
Some men had a thing for women with guns.
“What can I do for you?” she repeated.
“Let me take you to dinner.”
She stared at him.
“You’re ticked off about earlier. Let me make it up to you.”
She watched him, annoyed now. She was ticked off about earlier. She was embarrassed, too. But she was also starving and it was nearly midnight. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew she’d be safer going on a quest for food with a jacked-up Navy SEAL beside her than she would by herself. Yes, she was armed, but as a young blonde, she tended to attract attention.
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
“Ah, you know. Thought I’d show you some of the culinary adventures San Diego has to offer. Maybe a little international cuisine.”
“You’re talking about the IHOP across the street.”
“Good coffee.” He nodded at her files. “Looks like you plan to be up late. And they’re open, too, which is always a plus.”
Ten minutes later, Elizabeth found herself sharing a vinyl booth with a ridiculously attractive man whose mission tonight was probably to separate her from her tailored gray pantsuit.
She distracted herself by checking out the menu. After a waitress took their orders and filled their coffee mugs, Elizabeth folded her hands on the table in front of her.
He was grinning at her.
“What?”
“Big appetite for a little woman.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Good for you.” He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “So, Liz—can I call you Liz?”
“It’s Elizabeth.”
“Yeah, but what do your friends call you? Liz? Beth? Betty?”
“Betty?”
“No one goes by Elizabeth. Too much of a mouthful.” Derek smiled, and something in his look made her stomach flutter. He had light brown eyes with gold flecks in them.
“What are you, 103?” He glanced back at her.
Elizabeth huffed out a breath and followed him. They reached the concrete walkway in front of the rooms, and she sidestepped him to take the lead. She halted in front of 103 and flicked him a glance.
“How did you know?”
He shrugged. “The other ones look occupied.”
She shook her head as she took out her key card. At least she didn’t have to go raise hell at the front desk because they’d given out her room number. But still, she didn’t like him sneaking up on her in a parking lot late at night. What was he doing here? Either he was hitting on her or he had information related to the case. She suspected he was hitting on her.
Elizabeth rested her hand on her holster as she stepped inside and flipped on the light. The room hadn’timproved since this morning. It smelled of mildew and cigarette smoke. She gazed at the faded orange bedspread and sighed.
“Nice digs.”
She turned around, and he handed over the file folders. He’d put her computer bag on the floor just inside the door. Maybe he sensed her uneasiness or maybe he simply had manners, but he hadn’t entered her room without permission. He stood on the threshold, his shoulder propped against the door frame.
Where did they get these guys, Beefcakes R Us? At six-four, he was almost a foot taller than she was. Practically every SEAL Elizabeth had seen today had been almost as huge. She’d watched them doing their morning workouts as she’d waited for Lieutenant Brewer. All of the men she’d seen were impressive, but particularly the SEALs. They seemed to relish pain. And they were distinguishable from the others by their longer-than-regulation-length hair and—in some cases—their beards, which helped them to blend in in countries where American servicemen might not be welcome.
Derek Vaughn was eyeing her now with a look she couldn’t quite read. Elizabeth stacked her files on the table. She tucked her hands into her pockets and saw his gaze drift to the sidearm at her hip.
Some men had a thing for women with guns.
“What can I do for you?” she repeated.
“Let me take you to dinner.”
She stared at him.
“You’re ticked off about earlier. Let me make it up to you.”
She watched him, annoyed now. She was ticked off about earlier. She was embarrassed, too. But she was also starving and it was nearly midnight. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew she’d be safer going on a quest for food with a jacked-up Navy SEAL beside her than she would by herself. Yes, she was armed, but as a young blonde, she tended to attract attention.
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
“Ah, you know. Thought I’d show you some of the culinary adventures San Diego has to offer. Maybe a little international cuisine.”
“You’re talking about the IHOP across the street.”
“Good coffee.” He nodded at her files. “Looks like you plan to be up late. And they’re open, too, which is always a plus.”
Ten minutes later, Elizabeth found herself sharing a vinyl booth with a ridiculously attractive man whose mission tonight was probably to separate her from her tailored gray pantsuit.
She distracted herself by checking out the menu. After a waitress took their orders and filled their coffee mugs, Elizabeth folded her hands on the table in front of her.
He was grinning at her.
“What?”
“Big appetite for a little woman.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Good for you.” He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “So, Liz—can I call you Liz?”
“It’s Elizabeth.”
“Yeah, but what do your friends call you? Liz? Beth? Betty?”
“Betty?”
“No one goes by Elizabeth. Too much of a mouthful.” Derek smiled, and something in his look made her stomach flutter. He had light brown eyes with gold flecks in them.
Similar Books
