her pictures of his wife and kids. It was evident he was proud of them. Bane, she’d discovered, was also married, but from the way the others teased him she could only assume he hadn’t seen his wife in a while, which meant the two were separated. Like Laramie, Viper and Flipper were single and from the sound of things they intended to stay that way.
At the end of the meal when they paid their bill, she was shocked at the tip they left her. She would not normally have earned that much tip money in a week. “Thanks, guys.”
“No, we want to thank you,” Flipper said standing, like the others. “It was nice meeting you, Bristol, and the food was great.”
The others shared the same sentiments as they moved to leave the café. Laramie hung back. “I’ll be here when you get off work.”
She knew now was a good time to tell him that she’d changed her mind about that. However, there was something about Laramie Cooper that made her hold back from doing so. It might have been his smile, or the way he was making her feel, or just the fact that she deserved to have some fun for a change.
For four years she had worked hard at the art academy and come spring she would be graduating. The café would be closing for the holidays and she had the next ten days off work. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing wrong with Laramie being there when she got off. They would just grab drinks at one of the pubs nearby. Besides, after today, she probably wouldn’t see him again.
“I’ll be waiting,” she heard herself say.
She didn’t have to wait. Laramie arrived a half hour before she was due to leave work. He ordered a croissant and coffee while he waited for her. She hung up her apron, wished everyone a Merry Christmas and then headed toward the table where he sat. He stood, smiling down at her.
“Ready?” he asked her.
“Yes” was her reply, although she wasn’t sure what he had in mind and if she should be ready or not.
He surprised her by taking her hand, as if they both needed to feel the sexual chemistry between them. He led her through the doors and onto the sidewalk. Holiday decorations were everywhere. It was hard to believe tomorrow was Christmas Eve. Last year she had gone home for Christmas and had taken her best friend, Dionne, with her. But not this year. Her aunt Dolly had died in her sleep four days into the New Year.
She needed to stop thinking that she didn’t have any living relatives when she had two brothers and a stepmother. She knew they’d only tolerated her while her father was alive and now, with him gone, they had let her know—by not returning her calls or letters—that they didn’t have to put up with her anymore. That was fine. She’d adjusted to being a loner. At least she had Dionne and Dionne’s family. The thought had even crossed Bristol’s mind that she should not return to the United States after graduation and make Paris her home.
“Which pub are we going to?” she asked the man who was walking beside her and still holding her hand.
He smiled down at her. “Which one do you suggest?”
“Charlie’s is a good one. It’s right around the corner.”
They didn’t say much as they walked to the pub. They talked about the holidays. He told her that he and his team would be headed out in four days and they were in Paris for a little R and R.
“Your friends are nice,” she said.
He smiled down at her as they continued walking. “They said the same thing about you.”
She smiled at that, while trying to ignore all that desire she saw in his eyes. She figured if they kept talking it would go away. “The five of you seem close.”
“We are. In fact, we’re like brothers. Viper, Flipper, Bane and I attended the naval academy together and immediately became the best of friends. Mac is four years older and finished the academy ahead of us. He’s been a SEAL longer and likes to think he’s looking out for us.”
They reached the pub and saw it was crowded with no tables available. It seemed everyone had decided to begin celebrating the holidays early. “I have an idea,” Laramie said, tightening his hand on hers.
“What?”
“Let’s go someplace private.”
An uneasy feeling crept over her, but it was overpowered by exciting sensations that settled in her stomach. Their hands were still joined and his fingers felt warm and reassuring.
“I want to be honest with you about something.”
She swallowed. “About what?”
“Usually I spend the holidays alone, but I want to spend them with you.”
She held his gaze a minute and then asked, “What about your friends?”
“They’ll be in touch with their families.”
“But you won’t?”
He didn’t say anything for a moment and then he said, “My parents are still alive. I’m their only child. But we’ve never spent the holidays together.”
She found that odd. Christmas was the one holiday she never had to worry about being alone. Her mother had always made it special and after her mother’s death, her aunt Dolly had been there for her. She’d even spent one Christmas with her father. It had been the first and last holiday they’d spent together. This would be the first Christmas that she had no one. She thought it sad that Laramie had never really spent his holidays with family.
She saw the sincerity in his eyes, in what he’d told her. He wasn’t trying to feed her a pity line but was telling her the truth. She felt it in her heart.
“I can think of a place we can go,” she suggested.
“Where?”
She knew it would be crazy to invite him, a perfect stranger to her home, but she was about to issue the invitation. “My place. It’s not far from here. Just so happens I was going to be alone for the holidays as well and would love some company.”
His hand tightened on hers. “You sure?”
Was she? She had never done anything so daring in her life.
She wasn’t a child. She knew the obvious signs. Desire was thick between them. Spontaneous combustion as volatile as it could get. She dated infrequently and most guys who’d hit on her had tried to work her. But she would say that Laramie was the first guy who’d tried and managed to elicit her interest. He was also the first guy she was trusting to this degree. She had never invited a man to her home before. There had to be a reason for her doing so now.
“Yes. I’m sure,” she said.
From the way his lips spread into a smile, she knew her response had pleased him. “All right then. Lead the way.”
That smile made her heart miss a beat as they continued to walk along the sidewalk. Like she’d told him, she didn’t live far and they arrived at her studio apartment in no time. “It’s small,” she said, opening the door. “But it’s the right size for me.”
She stepped aside and he entered. She
