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Chatter in the section was about the woman who had been drugged. Rumor had it she wasn’t the first, but Lesley put little stock in rumors. Either way, after seeing the effects on that woman, and thinking about what could have happened had Antony not gone to help, well, Lesley was considering staying at home indefinitely.
Except staying at home would mean she’d never run into him again.
She looked at her watch. Lunchtime. She shoved back from the desk and stood, looking over the short walls of the room. A couple people were busy with their projects, and things were quiet. Stina, one of her closest friends and fellow instructor, was off teaching a class, so Lesley wouldn’t catch up with her until later. She grabbed her hat and left out after she slapped a sticky note on her monitor.
Ten minutes later, she walked through the door of the food court. She stood just inside and scanned her options. Nothing looked appetizing. She recognized she was over-tired and distracted by thoughts of the dance the night before and shook her head. It had been a long time since she’d been that close to a man, and she couldn’t remember feeling that kind of heat. It was tantalizing. It was also over. Sierra Vista was small, but not that small.
A voice sounded behind her. “Well, hello, Lesley.” She shivered and turned. Fate, it seemed, had a great sense of humor.
“Antony, hi,” she said. Her heart raced. His hair was wet like he’d just showered and was wearing a bright blue t-shirt. “How’s your friend?”
Antony smiled. “She’s fine, thanks. They’ve got her under observation for another day or two while they figure out what she was given.” He looked her over, and she felt a little self-conscious about being in her uniform. His eyes landed on her nametag, and his brow furrowed slightly. “Will you join me?”
Lesley nodded. “Yeah, sure. No clue what to have, though.” She looked around at the sea of people in uniform milling about. “What do you do here, Antony? Contractor?”
Antony smiled. “Nope. Active, just like you. CID.”
“I thought you guys weren’t supposed to advertise that stuff,” she said.
He laughed and shook his head. “Nah. Only during undercover stuff. I haven’t done that work in quite a while.” He glanced around at the rapidly filling courtyard. “I know a place just off post. Best brisket around.” He waited. He could have stayed in the food court and asked her the questions he need answers to, but one look at her and the memories of her in his arms flowed through him. He wanted to take her somewhere a little quieter.
“You know, that sounds good. Better than anything here,” she said. He smiled and turned to walk out of the court. She admired the muscles in his shoulders and back. He’d felt solid under her fingertips during their brief dance. Her eyes slid down, and she noted the prosthetic on his left leg. Huh. He must have had it awhile because she couldn’t tell at all when they were dancing. The only sign now was a slight stiffness in his gait, and she could see that only because she was looking for it.
He pushed the door open and stood aside to let her through and then pointed the way.
Antony led her to his car, a white Trans Am. She whistled. “Nice ride.”
“Got it from my dad. We worked on it when I was young, and I finished the project after he died.” He watched her eyes roam over the body of the car, taking in the lines and the deep blue and silver bird on the hood.
Lesley settled into the seat and ran her hands over the soft, black leather. The engine came to life and the deep rumble traveled through her. “How old were you when you lost him?” she asked.
“Nine. Oil field accident,” he said.
“I’m sorry. Where are you from?” she asked.
“Small town in Texas. Seminole. Ever hear of it?” he asked.
Lesley nodded. “Of course. Southwest is big, but the towns aren’t.”
Antony looked over at her. “And where are you from?”
“Los Alamos,” she said. “Land of Enchantment and all that.”
Antony smiled. “I’ve been up that way a few times. Family all over that area on Dad’s side. Mostly Santa Fe and Albuquerque.”
By the time they pulled up to the Hog Shack, Lesley had learned that Antony had two younger sisters and his mother still lived in Seminole. His admiration for them shone in his voice, and it warmed her.
Antony pulled into the mostly empty lot. They beat the lunch rush, and after ordering, seated themselves in a corner booth. Antony, she noticed, seated himself with his back to the wall, and unconsciously scanned the room. Finally, he focused back on her, his gaze intense.
“I’m sorry our dance ended so soon,” he said, his voice dropping half an octave.
Lesley’s face flushed, and she looked down at the big red plastic tumbler of ice water. His voice tickled parts of her brain that made her warm and tingly inside, and the way he regulated his speech told her he knew it. “I am, too.”
He chuckled, a low rumble from deep in his chest, and she picked up the tumbler and drank deeply.
“I hope you’ll let me take you out some time,” he said, letting the question stand as a statement.
Her brain scrambled a little, and she took a moment before answering. “Yes. I’d like that.”
