Carol’s Mate: Chapter Four

“Look, I don’t understand what it is about you that has me acting like a crazed stalker. I’ll make you a deal. Have a cup of coffee with me in the student lounge. Just one. Spend a few minutes getting to know me, and if, at the end of that time, you still aren’t interested, I’ll leave you alone.”

Her gaze was uncertain. “You promise?”

By this point, he was beyond ego. It had been a little over six weeks since their first meeting, and his attraction to her was getting worse, not better. Maybe if he could convince himself she wasn’t feeling it too, he could have left it alone. But every time he caught her off guard, when she didn’t think he was looking, he could see a matching hunger in her eyes. “Yes, I promise.” God help him to keep it because he was at the point where he didn’t think even a restraining order could make him leave her alone.

“Okay.” Though she agreed, she still sounded hesitant.

Before she could change her mind, he grabbed her arm and towed her with him to the nearest student lounge. He purchased two cups of coffee and guided Carol to a corner table in the back, where they’d have a bit of privacy.

When they were both seated, he asked, “So what are you studying?”

“Right now I’m in the nursing program to be an RN. I’m considering whether I want to continue my studies and become a nurse-practitioner.”

“What’s the difference?” He gazed intently at her, ignoring the coffee in front of him.

“An NP can do more. What about you?”

“I’m in pharmacy school with a minor in business management. Eventually I’d like to own my own pharmacy.”

Like him, Carol seemed more interested in their conversation than her drink. “Really? How’d you get involved with that?”

“I’ve always liked medicine and studying sicknesses and diseases but didn’t want to be a doctor. This was the next best thing. What about you?”

“My pa—town is small and always in need of trained medical staff. I wanted to help out, and fortunately for me, I’ve always had a fascination with medicine and a desire to help people,” she explained.

“Where are you from?” he asked.

“A small town a few hours from here, up in the mountains. I doubt you’ve heard of it. What about you?”

He took a sip of coffee before responding. “Originally from Philly. My last duty station was here in North Carolina, and I stayed to attend school.”

“You were in the military?” she asked.

“Army. Eight years altogether.”

Carol played with the empty sugar packets on the table. “You didn’t want to go back and be with your family?”

“Nah. With the gangs and stuff, Mom was glad to see me go, make something of myself. She was scared if I returned I’d fall back in with the same do-nothing crowd. Since it was always a possibility, I heeded her advice and came here instead. I take it after you get your degree, you’re going back home to your family?”

She gazed over his shoulder, her eyes unfocused and a little sad. “My parents died in a car accident when I was nine. To my knowledge, there is no other family. I was raised by my court-appointed guardians.”

“That’s sad.” He reached out and touched her hand where it lay on the table, sorry he’d brought up the subject. He could tell their deaths still bothered her.

Carol’s gaze met his. “Yeah, but I was lucky. They treat me like one of their own, even after I was such a horrible pain in the ass to them.”

“I’m sure they understood you were grieving.”

She shook her head. “Back then I was angry at the world.”

“So you were an only child?”

“The only child of my parents, yes. My guardians have a son who’s older than me.” She burst out laughing. “I made Alex’s life hell. He gave as good as he got, though.”

He smiled. “Sounds like you two are close.”

“Now we are. Back then…?” She snickered, shaking her head.

Mark laughed with her, understanding completely what she meant. He was the oldest of three boys and knew what a pain younger siblings could be. The conversation flowed easily between them, bouncing from topic to topic. Before they knew it, it was evening and the student lounge was preparing to close.

“It’s getting late,” Carol said. “We’d better go.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.” He scooped up their empty cups and packets and threw them in the trashcan.

She grabbed her backpack and slid it over one shoulder. “There’s no need—”

“I’m walking you to your vehicle. It’s late and dark. This isn’t optional.”

“All right.”

When they arrived at her car, she opened the door and tossed her pack onto the passenger sea. Before she could slid in, he asked, “Are you busy Saturday? I thought we could catch a movie.”

Turning to face him, Carol stood in the opening, one hand braced on the roof, the other on the door. “Mark, you’re a very nice guy, and I enjoyed our time together, but I haven’t changed my mind. You and me?” She shook her head. “It’s simply not a good idea.”

It was not what he wanted to hear.

Having spent hours talking to her, he was surer than ever he wanted her in his life. He stepped closer, crowding her, ignoring how her eyes widened and the way her pupils seemed to expand. “Before you make your final decision, you need to take this into consideration.” Mark snaked a hand around her nape, used it to haul her closer, and kissed her.