Page 35 of Mr. Dangerous

14

Rob

Itookher to my favorite burger joint when I was in college, a hole-in-the-wall place that stayed open late near BU. "Stay in the car," I told her when we parked. I had a far more romantic setting in mind, even if we were just going to chow down on the best Cajun-spice-dusted fries. "I don't want you to be scared off by the looks of theplace."

"If you don't want me to see the dining room of the place we're ordering from," she said, "Because that's scary, forget the kitchen, I'm not so sureaboutthis."

"I know it's not your style, but try trusting me," I said. "Couldbefun."

"I trust you," she said, unconvincingly. Even when it was just a burger, she couldn't cedecontrol.

While I waited for our order, I texted with Liam, getting the details of Liam's arriving flight that weekend. Even though Liam was a pilot, he was taking a normal commercial flight back east. He had to take a flight into Boston instead of the closer T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island, though, so I would have to break it to Naomi that she would once again be confined to a car with me. I was never very comfortable on long car rides – too much leg, too much shoulder – but I liked being stuck in the car with her, nothing to do but to talk, to catch the flash of her bright smile when she gave in andlaughed.

There was something, too, about the fact she had almost been my girl once. The way Naomi had brushed against my shoulder as we passed each other on the pool, smilinggood luck. Back then I’d imagined long swims on the weekends with her, lying on a blanket on the grass of the beach, kissing the gritty sand off her cheeks, feeling the warmth of her under mypalms.

The thought that I'd hurt her made me ache. I didn't deserve a second chance. But this time, with Naomi, I wanted more than what I deserved. It made me spin back and forth between how I should handle the obvious, sheer lustbetweenus.

"Your food, sir," the server called, putting a paper bag on thecountertop.

"Thanks," I said, snagging the warm bag. The moon was small and pale above as I crossed the parking lot, the night damp-tinged even though the clouds hadpassed.

I swung myself into the passenger seat, settling the bag of grease in my lap. "I've got a favorite spot we can head to. Almost as scenic as thatrooftop."

"That's great," Naomi said, her voice quavering but under control. "I think we've got a problem,though."

"No problem, man," a voice said from the back of the car. From the edge of my vision, I caught the glint of a gun barrel. "We're just going for a little drive totheATM."

"All right.” I felt my heart rate drop–the bizarre reaction to stress that most SEALs developed–as time felt like it slowed. I nodded at Naomi, giving her anencouraginglook.

Her hands trembled on the wheel. I had to keep her and the situation calm until there was a better chance to take out the risk. "Just drive. It's going to be allright."

Naomi nodded at me, her large hazel eyes damp with tears. I felt my guts twist, and I forced the emotion away. I could make this guy pay, later, but for now I needed to stay cool.Protect Naomi.That was all thatmattered.

"There's an ATM two blocks away," the man said. "Gostraight."

Naomi pulled away from the curb. She almost rolled through the stoplight ahead without seeing it, and as we began to pull through the intersection I said gently, "Brake. Redlight."

She slammed on the brakes, throwing us all forward into their seatbelts. The man in the backseat muttered acurse.

I would have liked to curse too. I practiced tight personal security, as a multimillionaire and as a Navy SEAL, but I hadn't seen this coming. And ATM machines? Talk about small potatoes. Or was this just the start? Where the fuck had this guycomefrom?

"Green," I prompted, but Naomi was already easing up on thebrake.

She cleared her throat. Her words came out in a hoarse whisper. "I'm not that bad a driver, Rob. I know what green light, red lightmeans."

It was a shabby attempt at a joke, but it made me smile, aching with both pride and protectiveness. She was onebravegirl.

"Quiet," the guy said. "We're all going to stay calm and quiet and this is all going to beoversoon."

I nodded in agreement. Although it wasn’t going to end in a way that hewouldlike.

"Right here," the guy said, gesturing with the gun angrily. Unacceptable fucking trigger control. "Pullover."

Belatedly, Naomi turned right into the deserted parking lot of a bank. I swayed against my seatbelt with the force of the turn, and then she braked awkwardly alongsidetheATM.

The guy in the back, who sounded young, in his early twenties, pulled his baseball cap lower over his face. "You get out of the car," he said to me. "I'll stay here with the girl. Make sure youcomeback."

"All right," I agreed. I opened the passenger door and walked around the front of the car to the drive-up ATM. The small yellow light of the security camera watched me, but I knew it was not a live feed. That would be toohelpful.

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