Page 30 of Missile Strike

“Favorite foods? Favorite movies? Favorite color? Do you like to travel?”

Her brain froze. “Uh…”

The fact that she was thirty years old and couldn’t answer those simple questions off the top of her head felt like an indictment of her personality.

“I like Italian food best, I guess. My favorite color is pink, and although I travel for work, I don’t see much of the city I’m in because I’m too busy working. My favorite movie?” She chewed her lip, thinking. “I guess it would be Roman Holiday even though the ending makes me a bit sad.”

“Roman Holiday?” Danny grinned. “A classic. You realize that movie is about a princess sneaking away from her responsibilities to have adventures, right?”

Her back stiffened. “So? What’s your point?”

His laughter filled the Mustang. “No point, princess.”

She said nothing. Silence settled between them.

“She returns to her responsibilities, not the guy,” Danny added.

Isabella kept her gaze firmly on the passing scenery. “That’s why the ending makes me a bit sad.”

Shifting in her seat, she faced him. Time to get this conversation off her. “Your turn.”

Unlike her, he answered immediately. “I like most foods, but I have a hard time with rubbery things like snails, mussels, and calamari. My favorite movie is The Princess Bride. My favorite color is blue but,” he took his eyes off the road and glanced her way with an expression she couldn’t decipher, “I’m also partial to golden-brown. I travel a lot for work, so when I have free time, I like to take Consuela on road trips to wherever the mood moves me.”

Exactly what she would have expected. Adventurous, free-spirited, and her total opposite. Except…

“Your favorite movie is The Princess Bride?”

“Sure. It’s got sword fights, pirates, giants, and it’s funny as hell. Plus, you gotta admire Westley’s determination—the guy gets stabbed, tortured, ends up mostly dead, and he still doesn’t quit until he gets the girl.”

Something warm unfurled inside her. “You’re a romantic at heart.”

He looked away. “Nah. I just appreciate someone who doesn’t give up on the mission.”

They drove until the sun slipped away, and the planes landing at Charlotte-Douglas International were stars lining up in the sky.

He pulled into her driveway and turned off the engine. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Going to my actual job at AegisShield.” She sighed. “I still have work to do preparing for a defense expo in the UK in November.”

Leather creaked as Danny shifted to face her. “Working for a company that sells missile systems. I would have never pictured you in the defense industry.”

He didn’t phrase it as a question. Probably because he had her life story in a file folder somewhere.

Her spine stiffened. Again. She was going to need to do some yoga poses at this rate just to bend over.

“Missile defense systems.” She knew exactly what he was implying. “And I organize trade events.”

The question wasn’t new. Neither was the assumption that Senator Strickland’s daughter had been handed the job. She’d earned her place at AegisShield.

Danny gave a mock shudder. “Which means you’re dealing with too many people with stars on their shoulder boards and government officials who act like they have stars on their shoulder boards. Better you than me.”

The humor in his eyes forced a smile to her lips. “I’ve learned how to handle the egos.”

She stepped out of the car. “Thank you for dinner.”

Danny followed. “I’m walking you to the door, Bella. And, just so we’re clear, I’m not looking to be invited in.”

She was not disappointed.