and human females, Tony?” Slade’s
voice was soft and right next to her ear. Carly jumped slightly when Slade
touched her. He ran his forefinger from under her ear to her shoulder. “They’re
so frail and they break so easily.”
Tony’s growl reached Slade and Carly at the same time. He
moved more quickly than Carly thought possible.
Tony was out of his chair and behind her before she was even
aware he had started to move. For a brief moment she’d had the impression that
he had leapt over her but that was ridiculous. He couldn’t have gone from a
sitting position to standing behind her by jumping over her. That wasn’t
humanly possible.
Carly refused to consider anything else. She quickly turned
in her chair to watch the two men.
Tony had his hands fisted on Slade’s shirt. Slade was simply
standing there, smiling at Tony with his own hands at his sides. His brown eyes
were positively glowing at Tony. “You want to fight me, Pantera? You want to
take me on? Name the place. Here I am offering to help and this is how you
react?”
The maître d’ suddenly appeared. “Gentlemen, please.”
Tony was still growling softly but Carly could see him
regaining control. “Stay away from me and mine, Slade. All of mine.”
“You had your shot, Pantera. You should have taken it.”
Slade backed up a step with a grin on his face. He met Carly’s eyes and winked
at her with his grin still firmly in place then left the restaurant. Tony stood
with his hands fisted at his sides as he watched Slade leave.
“Mr. Pantera, really, I cannot allow this sort of behavior.”
“I’m sorry, Maurice. I didn’t mean to cause a disturbance. I
believe the lady and I will leave now.” Tony turned to look at Carly. She was
still somewhat shaken but she took the hand he offered. They left the
restaurant without looking back.
When they arrived at Tony’s car a short exclamation from him
drew her attention to the car. Both rear tires were flat. Tony cursed softly in
Spanish as he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket.
Carly waited until he had finished his conversation then
stepped in front of him. “Who was that?”
“His name is Slade. Carly, listen to me, I want to give you
some phone numbers. If you ever see him again, call me or one of the other
numbers I give you. Slade is dangerous. Don’t try to take him on.”
“You think I can’t handle him?” Carly had her hands on her
hips as she glared at him. Tony almost smiled but stopped as though he knew it
would be a mistake. Instead he reached out and ran his fingertips down the side
of her face then gently pushed her hair off her shoulder. He ran his hand the
length of her arm then took her hand and raised it to his mouth.
“I’m not sure I can handle him, cheré .” Tony placed a
kiss on her knuckles then released her hand. Carly simply stood there watching
him. Confusion and desire warred within her. Confusion about this particular
man and his effect on her.
The desire could be easily explained. The air of danger that
suddenly surrounded them kept her grounded in reality. There wasn’t any way she
wanted part of whatever feud those two had going on.
Carly saw the shutters come down over his features even as
her hand tingled from the contact with his mouth. What was his deal? One minute
he acted like he wanted to ravish her on the spot, the next he was like a human
iceberg. Just as she opened her mouth to call him on it a brown van pulled into
the parking lot.
The logo on the side was of a clock with the words “Changing
Times” in flowing script across the face of the clock. A young man jumped out
and grinned as Tony walked over to him. She watched Tony hand the young man his
keys then Tony motioned her toward him.
“Louis will take care of the car for me. I’m afraid this isn’t
quite as luxurious but it is dependable transportation. I apologize about
lunch.”
“It’s okay. I think I lost my appetite anyway.” Carly jumped
into the conversation
voice was soft and right next to her ear. Carly jumped slightly when Slade
touched her. He ran his forefinger from under her ear to her shoulder. “They’re
so frail and they break so easily.”
Tony’s growl reached Slade and Carly at the same time. He
moved more quickly than Carly thought possible.
Tony was out of his chair and behind her before she was even
aware he had started to move. For a brief moment she’d had the impression that
he had leapt over her but that was ridiculous. He couldn’t have gone from a
sitting position to standing behind her by jumping over her. That wasn’t
humanly possible.
Carly refused to consider anything else. She quickly turned
in her chair to watch the two men.
Tony had his hands fisted on Slade’s shirt. Slade was simply
standing there, smiling at Tony with his own hands at his sides. His brown eyes
were positively glowing at Tony. “You want to fight me, Pantera? You want to
take me on? Name the place. Here I am offering to help and this is how you
react?”
The maître d’ suddenly appeared. “Gentlemen, please.”
Tony was still growling softly but Carly could see him
regaining control. “Stay away from me and mine, Slade. All of mine.”
“You had your shot, Pantera. You should have taken it.”
Slade backed up a step with a grin on his face. He met Carly’s eyes and winked
at her with his grin still firmly in place then left the restaurant. Tony stood
with his hands fisted at his sides as he watched Slade leave.
“Mr. Pantera, really, I cannot allow this sort of behavior.”
“I’m sorry, Maurice. I didn’t mean to cause a disturbance. I
believe the lady and I will leave now.” Tony turned to look at Carly. She was
still somewhat shaken but she took the hand he offered. They left the
restaurant without looking back.
When they arrived at Tony’s car a short exclamation from him
drew her attention to the car. Both rear tires were flat. Tony cursed softly in
Spanish as he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket.
Carly waited until he had finished his conversation then
stepped in front of him. “Who was that?”
“His name is Slade. Carly, listen to me, I want to give you
some phone numbers. If you ever see him again, call me or one of the other
numbers I give you. Slade is dangerous. Don’t try to take him on.”
“You think I can’t handle him?” Carly had her hands on her
hips as she glared at him. Tony almost smiled but stopped as though he knew it
would be a mistake. Instead he reached out and ran his fingertips down the side
of her face then gently pushed her hair off her shoulder. He ran his hand the
length of her arm then took her hand and raised it to his mouth.
“I’m not sure I can handle him, cheré .” Tony placed a
kiss on her knuckles then released her hand. Carly simply stood there watching
him. Confusion and desire warred within her. Confusion about this particular
man and his effect on her.
The desire could be easily explained. The air of danger that
suddenly surrounded them kept her grounded in reality. There wasn’t any way she
wanted part of whatever feud those two had going on.
Carly saw the shutters come down over his features even as
her hand tingled from the contact with his mouth. What was his deal? One minute
he acted like he wanted to ravish her on the spot, the next he was like a human
iceberg. Just as she opened her mouth to call him on it a brown van pulled into
the parking lot.
The logo on the side was of a clock with the words “Changing
Times” in flowing script across the face of the clock. A young man jumped out
and grinned as Tony walked over to him. She watched Tony hand the young man his
keys then Tony motioned her toward him.
“Louis will take care of the car for me. I’m afraid this isn’t
quite as luxurious but it is dependable transportation. I apologize about
lunch.”
“It’s okay. I think I lost my appetite anyway.” Carly jumped
into the conversation
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