style="font-size:15px;"> Rainey came back to the bleachers. “Lena’s neighbor,” she said. “Jacob works at the district office and brought tickets to the ballet tonight at the San Luis Obispo Theater for everyone here who wants to go.”
He held out his hand.
She stared at him. “You want to go to the ballet.”
Okay, true, he’d rather be dragged naked through town, but hell if he’d admit it. “Yes.” And if he had to go, so did James and Casey. “I’ll take three, unless this is a private date.”
She slapped three tickets into his palm, and it did not escape his notice that she took them from the bottom of the pile. “It’s not a date date,” she said defensively. “And he’s a nice guy. A non-fixer-upper, you know?”
No. He had no idea.
“And I told you,” she said. “I’m looking for someone. Someone who wants me as is.”
Hell, she killed him, he thought as she averted her face and let out a long, almost defeated breath. Not friends, he reminded himself, even as something in his chest rolled over. “You’re perfect as is, Rainey.”
“Says the man who dates big-boobed blonde women from stupid reality shows.”
He laughed. “That was a photo op, that’s all.”
“Every time?”
“Well, maybe not every time.” He reached into her sweatshirt pocket and pulled out her phone, absolutely taking note that doing so caused her to suck in a breath when his fingers brushed her skin.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Programming myself in as your number one speed dial. In case you need another date rescue.”
“I didn’t need last night’s rescue.”
“You going to try to tell me last night didn’t work out for you?”
Their gazes met, and she inhaled deeply. “Why are you doing this?”
No clue.
She looked at him for a long moment. “Are you jealous?”
Fuck, no.
Okay, yes. Yes, he was. “How can I be jealous of someone that’s not a ‘date date’ to a ballet?”
She crossed her arms. “Okay, I’m sure I’m going to regret asking, but what’s your idea of a good date?”
“Depends on the woman. With you it’d be a repeat of last night.”
Color bloomed on her cheeks. “We’re not going to discuss last night. Make that rule number two.”
“Ah, yes. The rules of Rainey Saunders.” He shook his head. “And people think I’m a control freak.”
“Because you are.”
“Hello, Mrs. Pot.”
She made a sound of exasperation, and still seated, she leaned forward, stretching her fingers to her toes. Her sweatshirt rose up a little in the back, revealing a strip of smooth, creamy skin and a hint of twin dimples just above her ass, and the vague outline of a thong.
He didn’t know which he wanted more, to trace that outline with his tongue or dip into the dimples. Before he could decide, she straightened, rolled her neck, and winced. “I have a kink.”
“Yeah? Tell me all about it, slowly and in great detail.”
She snorted. “Pervert.”
Smiling, he slid over, behind her now, and put his hands on her shoulders. “You’ve got a rock quarry in here.” He dug his fingers in, rubbing at her knots.
“I’m fine.” But her head dropped forward, giving him better access. When he found a huge tension knot with his thumbs and began to work it out, she let out a soft moan that went straight through him. “Rainey.”
“What?”
He pressed his face into her hair. Go out with me instead of what’s-his-name. Before he could bare his pathetic soul, Rick came outside and saved him.
“She’s home,” Rick called out to Rainey. “I’m sending you over there with our famous backup.” He waved Casey and James over. The guys had come from the gym, where they’d had their teams at the weights.
“Field trip,” Rick said. “Rainey’s in charge.” He sent a grin in Mark’s direction. “Need me to repeat?”
Mark flipped him off, and Rick’s grin widened.
“Where are we going?” Casey asked.
“You’ll see,” Rick said.
Mark hated that answer.
“Shotgun.” James leapt into the front seat of Rainey’s car.
Casey got into the back.
Mark walked up to the passenger front door and gave James one long look.
James sighed, got out and slid into the back.
Rainey looked over her sunglasses at Mark. “Seriously?”
“No,” he said, putting on his seat belt. “If I was serious, I’d have made you let me drive.”
* * *
RAINEY’S CAR WAS full of more good-looking, great-smelling men than she had dollars in her wallet. Lena would be having an orgasm at just the thought. James and Casey were talking, keeping up a running dialogue about their day. But as she headed into the heart of the burned-out neighborhood, their chatter faded away.
From the shotgun position, Mark didn’t say a word. He seemed to be in some sort of zone, with his game face on to boot. She wished she had a zone.
Or a game face.
Turning his head from where he’d been looking out the window, he met her gaze.
God, he had a set of eyes. Richly dark and deep, she got caught staring, and forced herself to look away before she drowned in him.
He slid on his cool sunglasses. She did the same. Good. With two layers between them now, she felt marginally better. “I don’t know if any of you have seen the extent of the destruction,” she said. “But it covers nearly 100,000 acres.”
“I’ve been through it,” Mark said. “My dad’s new house isn’t far from here.”
Rainey glanced over at him again. “Your dad lost his house?”
“Yes. It’s just been rebuilt.”
“That was fast.”
Mark
