Chapter Four

The game was under way, and Kacy stood with the guys and watched. This has got to be one of the weirdest dates I have ever been on. Fun, but weird. And amazingly, I don’t feel scared.

A skinny waitress came by and Kacy noticed three of the men and Ernst didn’t give her a second look. The others did, especially when she came back with the drinks.

The daisy-dukes–wearing, midriff-showing woman walked up to Ernst to hand him his drink, but he nodded towards Kacy.

“He says he wants you to hold it for him,” the waitress said.

Kacy took it wordlessly and kept watching. The drink was pulled from her hand as Ernst appeared beside her. “Bored?”

Shaking her head, Kacy smiled at the man next to her. The scent of cologne mixed with his unique smell created one hell of an aphrodisiac. “No, I like watching pool. You’re very good.”

“You have no idea,” he whispered in her ear, giving birth to a whole swarm of butterflies in her belly.

“Ernst,” Dimitri said as he approached. “It’s your turn. I’ll stay here with Kacy and keep her safe.”

Narrowing his glacial eyes, Ernst quipped, “Whose gonna protect her from you? She’d be safer with Scott, Tyson or Ross.” As if it were so natural, he leaned in for the second time that night and brushed his firm lips across her soft ones. “Be right back,” he murmured.

Striving to regain emotional control, Kacy asked Dimitri, “Why would I be safer with those he mentioned?”

“’Cause two are married and Ross is hopelessly in love,” Dimitri said with an eye roll.

“That’s wonderful. And none of the rest of y’all are married?” Kacy asked.

“Correct,” Dimitri said, “Wanna get married?” He winked.

Kacy laughed; she couldn’t help it. “Sorry, I don’t know you well enough.”

“So? Tyson married his wife and they hadn’t known each other much more than twelve hours.”

Her eyes grew wide. “And they’re still married?”

“Disgustingly and happily so,” Dimitri admitted.

“Wow. I don’t think that would work for me.”

“Marriage or that short of time?” Dimitri asked.

“The time.”

“What are you two talking about?” Ernst queried when he returned, butting in the conversation.

“Marriage.” Dimitri smirked as he walked off.

Ernst’s gaze locked on hers as he stepped in close. “Out with me and talking marriage with another man?” he asked in a deceptively calm voice.

Arching a brow, she leaned in even closer, her eyes falling to his lips before returning to his eyes. “You asked me out when you were on a date.”

“I don’t want to marry her,” he growled, reaching for her arm and pulling her closer.

“Who said I wanted to marry him?” Her fingers trailed along his exposed forearm.

“Thought you were discussing marriage.” Neither of them noticed how those around them were watching avidly.

“We were.” She smiled brilliantly. “He was explaining why I’d be safer with Scott, Tyson, or Ross.” Kacy nodded in the direction of the table. “I believe they are waiting for you.”

His eyes turned to blue fire as he looked over her body seductively. “The question is will you wait for me?”

Something in his tone made her feel he was talking longer than the pool game. “For the evening,” was all she could allow herself to say.

“That’s a start,” he said with a predatory look in his eyes. “Here.” Ernst handed her the beer. “Do I get a kiss for luck?”

“Do you need one?” She was no dummy; she knew he was an excellent player.

“Definitely,” he answered immediately.

“Well,” she purred, “I wouldn’t want you to lose to a couple of Deltas.” Quickly, she leaned in and kissed him. “Even if they are good looking,” Kacy said as she began to move away from his lips.

His eyes flashed with what she could only describe as possession. Ernst pulled her back in and kissed her again. This kiss was different. It wasn’t to save her from unwanted attention, it wasn’t just because.

This kiss claimed her. His thick tongue swept into her mouth, tasting her, branding her. One hand slid around her waist as the other held the back of her head.

There were sparks flying between them as he teased her tongue. Her body trembled as did his. Never before had Ernst lost control like that. He almost lowered her to the ground right then and there. The chill of his beer against his arm as she clung to him snapped him out of the haze.

Drawing her full lower lip into his mouth he slowly ended the kiss. His teeth grazed her lip as he released it totally. “Don’t go anywhere,” he rasped as he picked up his pool cue and walked to the table.

Don’t go anywhere? It was by the grace of the good Lord she didn’t collapse into a puddle on the floor. Without thought, Kacy took a drink of his beer and leaned back against the wall to watch the rest of the game.

“What do you do?” a voice asked her.

Kacy turned to find herself staring directly into the black eyes of the man next to her. Aidrian. “I have my own business.” A big cheer went up and she looked back at the table to see Ernst and Dimitri taking money. Ernst met her gaze and raised a finger. She nodded.

The man handed her a stool. “Here, have a seat.”

“Thanks.” She climbed on. “So, do all of y’all work together?”

“Aye. Dinna he tell you what he did?”

She smiled over his accent. “No, just that he was in the Navy.”

“Dinna you want to know more?”

Kacy grinned even as she shook her head. “Look, I’m only here because he asked me out. I didn’t need to know his life story.”

“I’m thinkin’ he’s gonna be wantin’ more than one date,” the large man said, breaking into a smile.

If only. “Well, people want a lot of things.” Kacy shrugged it off. A relationship was not some-thing she was after right now.

Ernst sank three balls and lifted his eyes to see Kacy talking easily with Aidrian. She wasn’t even looking in his direction, just keeping her warm gaze on the handsome black man beside her.

A growl rose from deep in his chest. They made a very attractive couple and he hated it. Two seconds before he could quit the game and march over there to put his fist in the senior officer’s face, she turned, meeting his gaze and smiling as she toasted him with his beer.

“Relax, man. She’s been watching you. Don’t worry. And you know Hondo isn’t like that.” A Southern voice broke in.

Ernst looked to see Ross standing beside him holding a longneck. “They look good together.”

“So do the two of you,” his friend assured him.

“I think I understand what you feel for Dezarae,” the blond said, “I wouldn’t hesitate to protect Kacy.”

Ross nodded. “It’s a scary feeling because you don’t want to leave them in case they need you.”

“She doesn’t know I’m a SEAL,” Ernst admitted as he lined up for his next shot.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know what she does, either. But she knows I’m Navy.” He sank the ball and moved to the next one.

“Worried about her reaction?” Ross questioned.

Turning his head, he met the gray eyes of his friend. “I don’t know. I do know I don’t want her smiling at Hondo that way. I don’t want her looking at anyone but me. I don’t get it. I just met her yesterday!”

“Sometimes, our hearts and souls know before our brains can catch up,” Ross said.

Ernst sank the eight ball and said to the others, “I’m done playing. I’m not spending my evening with a bunch of men when that gorgeous woman is waiting for me.”

The Deltas paid up what they owed and Ernst took his cut. Then, he gave his pool cue to Ross and walked over to where Kacy sat still talking to Hondo.

“Hey,” Ernst said as he approached.

“Hey, yourself,” Kacy replied, handing him his beer.

“Let’s get outta here,” he uttered, nodding to Aidrian.

Sliding off the stool, she put her hand in his outstretched one. “It was really nice talking to you, Aidrian. Goodbye.”

The large black man flashed her a smile. “It was my pleasure. Goodnight, Kacy. Ernst.”

“Goodnight, Aidrian. Let’s go, Kacy.” Ernst led her away, smiling as she waved to his teammates. After a stop off to pay for dinner and drinks, he pushed open the door, walking into the night.

Placing his pale eyes on her warm beauty, he asked, “Where would you like to go?”

“How about the park that overlooks the water?” Kacy suggested.

“Okay.” He took them a few steps and spied the ice cream stand, “Do you want some dessert?”