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She had no idea the monster I really was, but again, I was not worried. Destiny led me to Martina Harbor, but that was just to create the spark. This insane attraction I had towards her was growing by the second, and that was all her.
“I, um, noticed you got a haircut and a shave. Was that for me?” she asked, grinning.
“Maybe. Or maybe it was just time,” I replied evasively.
“If I confess I spent most of today in face masks and doing my nails, will you tell me the truth?”
“Face masks? Clay or gel? My sisters like this peel off cucumber shit, and they did that to me once, but it got all caught in my eyebrows and facial hair. Fine, I got a haircut and shave to impress you. My brother said I looked like a lumberjack.”
She laughed then, and I smiled. My chest puffed up like a proud peacock, and the animal inside me rumbled pleasantly. It felt good being the cause of her smiles, the reason for her laughter. There was something sad behind her eyes, and I wanted her to share it with me. But I wouldn’t rush her. Trust was a slow earned thing for Martina Harbor, but I was gonna win hers. It was a promise I made to myself and my beast.
“Well, I happen to love lumberjack romance novels, so tell Tim to mind his own business next time,” she replied, after her giggles had died down.
“Is that so? I’ve got a flannel in the back of my truck I could put on for you?—”
“You’re incorrigible! But maybe later,” she murmured, and her cheeks turned a dusky rose color I really liked.
After dinner, I drove down to the old movie theater everyone in town still went to. I held her hand, and Martina allowed it, sending chills of awareness rippling through my body. Her spicy cinnamon apple scent was driving me crazy, but her constant shivering had me worried.
“Cold?” I asked while we waited in line for tickets.
She smiled tightly, looking down as if she were embarrassed by that fact. Hell no. I was not okay with that, so I wrapped my arm around her and tucked her into my side, letting her feel some of my own natural heat.
“Wow, you are really hot,” she whispered, and I grinned.
“You ain’t so bad yourself, sweetheart.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she replied and rolled her eyes, but she stayed put. And that meant everything to me.
“Popcorn?”
“Oooh, yeah. Popcorn, and a box of Snowcaps, and Sour Patch Kids. Oh, and a large Fanta,” she ordered and pulled out her wallet.
“Nope,” I said, grabbing it and tucking it into my back pocket.
“But it’s my turn. You paid for dinner,” she said, frowning.
I knew I’d struck a nerve with her, but I could not help myself. There were just some things a man didn’t allow a woman to do, and one of them was pay for his movie theater candy.
“I asked you on this date, so I’m paying. Of course, you could wrestle me for your wallet,” I said, eyebrows arched in open invitation.
The cashier chuckled, and Martina sighed. She rolled her eyes again, and I sizzled inside. It was fast becoming one of my favorite expressions on her. Damn, but she wore exasperated well.
Sexy woman. I got my eyes on you, sweetheart. 100%.
The movie was one of those comic book action flicks, and I worried she wouldn’t like it. But that changed the second she started shouting at the screen and clapping with the rest of us.The theater itself was older, and the crowd was mostly local kids, but I only had eyes for Martina. She was laughter and light. And when her hand touched my leg or brushed against mine when we went to grab popcorn at the same time, hell, I trembled like a kid on his first date.
We sat together while the credits rolled, waiting for the little Easter egg at the end of the film. It was a good one, promising more from the series of super funny superheroes. Martina chatted on and on about what she thought of the actors and the story line, and I was shocked when she pointed out the not so obvious flaws in the plot line. Smart as a whip, she was.
“You know, you sound sexy as hell when you talk comic books, woman,” I growled, and my eyes raked over her possessively.
She was taking up space in my head, planting roots in my heart. I wanted her with a ferocity that was damn well frightening, but I worked hard to control that part of me. Of course, there was nothing I could do about the raging boner clearly outlined in my jeans, and yes, I caught her staring.
“See something you like?” I teased.
“Oh my God, I was not just staring at your dick,” she muttered, and I laughed out loud. “So,” she declared with false brightness. “I liked the movie!”
“Well, looks like this hometown boy is full of surprises. And here I thought you were going to turn your nose down at my taste in food and movies, Miss New York City,” I said, teasing her as we walked hand in hand back to my truck.
