Page 17 of Invincible
“Oh crap, I just thought of something.He’s not going to want to constantly come visit you, will he?”Tyler laughed at the look of horror on Greer’s face.“I swear, that happens.You’re back out on your ass.”
“You know you love me too much to kick me out,” Tyler said, giving Greer a hip bump.
“Whatever.It looks real rough having to spend the day with tall, dark, and silent FBI man.My heart bleeds for you.”
Tyler sat in reflection for a minute.
“Yeah, well, you know how it is.The hot guy acts interested until he sees me bench pressing a car or something less dramatic but equally intimidating.Then he can’t run away fast enough.”
“This one could be different.”
Tyler snorted a laugh, looking over at her best friend.“Do you think he’ll show up to weld in a suit tomorrow?”
“Probably,” Greer said, joining her laughter.“He’d still look sexy.”
“Yeah,” Tyler agreed with a sigh.“He is that.Come on, speaking of hot men, we need to finish our episode of Jack Ryan before bed.”
“I do like a little hot Jack Ryan before falling asleep,” Greer moaned, looping her arm through Tyler’s, turning them toward the living room.
Dex was definitely not wearing a suit when Tyler saw him as she walked into the diner the next morning.When he stood as she approached the booth, she had a chance to take in every inch of him.
He was wearing a pair of older, washed-out jeans paired with a light-blue work shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing very defined muscled forearms.
From somewhere, he had produced a pair of well-worn work boots, complete with steel toes to protect his feet.Finally, as if he didn’t already make her mouth water, he had a pair of wraparound Oakley’s pushed up on top of his mussed, dark hair.
This Dex Tanaka was a far cry from the perfectly coiffed agent of the FBI she had met yesterday.She had thought that Dex had been handsome in a gleaming perfection kind of way, but he had nothing on this Dex.The first one had made her want to go out to a nice dinner to get to know him better.
The man now standing in front of her made her want to scream until she was hoarse as he fucked her up against a wall in a back alley.Crap, this was going to be a long day.
“Is everything all right?”he asked, breaking into her fantasy.She really had to stop spacing out constantly.He looked down at himself before looking back at her with his eyebrows drawn together in concern.“Do I need to change?”
“God, no,” Tyler said before she could stop herself.He smiled at her briefly before motioning for her to sit down.
Sliding into the booth across from him, she tried to cover for her ridiculous answer.“I mean, I didn’t think about telling you what to wear for protection.”No, that sounded even worse.“From sparks or whatnot.”His smile got even bigger.She mentally rolled her eyes at herself.If she could just stop talking.
“Well, I would hate to be unprotected against whatnot.”Able to make her laugh and work the double entendre?He was lethal.“But in all seriousness, is this okay?I took a guess on what would be best.”
“Yes, that’s perfect.I’ll warn you, it gets hot, but long sleeves are a requirement.”
“Good.I did wear a T-shirt underneath just in case.”The waitress walked up, setting down two cups of coffee.
“Hey Ty, I figured y’all were both in need of some coffee.You wouldn’t be seen with a man who didn’t drink coffee after all.”
Tyler had gotten to know the waitress well over the years since she ate here several times a week.“You know me so well, Jill.Let’s see, I’ll have pancakes with bacon.How’s your daughter doing in Italy?”
“Great, she’s getting in a lot of volleyball, but should be home in a week for a little while.What will you have, sweetie?”
“I’ll have the same,” Dex answered, taking a sip of his coffee.When the waitress had left with their order, he set his coffee down carefully.Even out of the suit, she noticed he did everything with precision.
“So what is Dex short for?”Tyler could not understand why she felt so nervous around this man, but figured it might dissipate if she could get to know him better.
“Dexter.My parents gave us all very odd names.I have a brother named Bruno and a sister named Seraphina.I also had a sister named Treana who passed away several years ago.”
“I’m sorry,” Tyler said quietly.
“Thank you.I like the name Tyler.Is it where you’re from, like Memphis and Knox?”
“I was born in Tyler, but grew up in Gladewater, which is a small town not far from there.My mom married my stepdad when I was two and we moved to live with him.It’s where I met Knox.He was doing his student teaching my senior year in high school.What made you become a G-man?”
