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“I know better than to think you can be trusted to clean up after yourself.” She tried to mask the sudden insecurity spreading over her, but that look in Holden’s eyes didn’t go away. It was the same one he’d had when he looked at her in her bed…the same one that sent panic and fear racing through her bloodstream like poison.
“Anyway, we should probably get going. Like I said, the slot tournament starts soon, and we don’t want to miss the chance to see the old ladies fighting over who gets the Dolly Parton machine.” She dropped some money on the table, scooted from the booth, and started to leave the restaurant, but when she turned to talk to Holden again, he wasn’t with her. Instead, he was sitting in the booth, his billfold open as he reviewed its contents.
She stalked back to the table. “What are you doing?”
“Paying the check.” He pulled some bills from the wallet and placed them on the table, then picked her money up and handed it back to her.
She stared at his outstretched hand, but didn’t move. “No, you’re not. I already took care of it. Tip and everything. The slots—”
“Can wait. Now don’t be silly. Take it.” He extended the money farther toward her, but she sidestepped him. “Why don’t we split it, huh? I’ll cover—”
“Avery.” The lightness in his tone was gone now. She glanced at him to find the Holden that his fellow Marines probably saw.
“Holden.” She put her hands on her hips.
“Either you can accept that I’m paying this bill, or we can stand here all night. I have no preference.”
“Why do you have the sudden need to cover my bill? We always split the check. You never—”
“Just accept it.”
She looked at him for a long moment before she snatched the money from his hand and stuffed it back into her purse.
“Fine. But I’m going to be really frivolous with this money.”
“Good.” He nodded, sliding from the booth to join her.
“I mean super irresponsible.”
“Even better.”
“Rodrigo might get some kitty costumes out of it.”
“I’m sure he’ll be adorable.” Holden said, then he looped his arm around her waist, and she startled again as a jolt of awareness traveled up her spine and fizzled through her.
She walked a little faster, and his loose grip on her fell. “We’re going to have to hurry if we want to make it—”
“Actually, I’m not sure I do,” Holden said.
Avery stopped just outside the restaurant’s doors to turn and face him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I’m not sure I want to go to the slot tournament.”
“But it’ll be so much fun. They even have a Power Rangers machine and—”
“Oh, I’m sure it would be fun, but I didn’t fly across the country to play slots. I came to see you.” That look was back again, all dark and smoldering and ready to weaken her knees until she buckled.
She blinked. “We’ll be together, though. We can even make a game out of it. You’ll see, we can—”
“No,” he said. “We’re in California. Let’s go to the beach.”
“It’s almost dark,” she argued.
“Even better.”
Avery chewed on her bottom lip, considering. She’d had a wild week planned for them—full of clubs and casinos and adventure. Maybe one night on the beach wouldn’t hurt. Besides, if the tide was forgiving enough, they might be too busy riding the waves for her to see that look in his eyes again.
It was possible, right?
