Read Online Hold On (Delos Series Book 5) by Lindsay McKenna - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lindsay McKenna
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placing her black leather bag over her right shoulder and opening the door.
Beau whistled. “You clean up mighty purty, Ms. McKinley.”
Callie felt the heat rush into her cheeks. “Thanks, Beau. So do you.”
“I managed to grab a shower, too,” he said, opening his hand toward her. Would she take it?
Wanting to touch this man, Callie slid her smaller hand into his. She felt the calluses on his fingers, the dry warmth of his skin against hers. “Thanks for the compliment. It’s kind of nice to clean up, put on some nice clothes, and feel pretty every once in a while.”
Beau was drinking her in as if he were seeing her for the first time, and he was obviously impressed by the changes in her appearance. Callie couldn’t help but preen a bit. On her part, she observed a man who could no longer disguise his desire for her.
Beau felt the soft warmth of her hand in his and felt those small calluses she’d collected working hard around the orphanage. His nostrils flared, catching her female scent along with the subtle fragrance of jasmine. He closed the B-hut door and it automatically locked. It was dark and windy. When Callie drew her wool hood over that mass of beautiful red hair, he grimaced. His fingers practically itched to thread through those strong, shining strands. “Ready?” he asked.
Curving her fingers around his, she said, “Ready.”
“I feel like I’m the pumpkin in some fairy tale,” he teased, cutting his stride for her sake. “You’re the beautiful princess, and I’m the country bumpkin.”
“You’re hardly a bumpkin—maybe more like a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” Callie liked the way they seemed to casually sway against one another as he led her to the Humvee parked along the curb. She could hear the jets taking off and some helicopters at the other terminal coming in to land.
The air was always filled with the smell of kerosene used by the choppers. And sometimes, when the wind would change direction, she’d get to inhale the dry desert scents instead. Tonight, the sky was dark and forbidding; it would probably rain soon.
Beau chortled as he opened the door for her to step inside. “You’re a woman with intelligence, no question. I’m probably closer to that wolf you’re talking about than a bumpkin.”
At least he was being honest with her. She settled into the seat of their cold vehicle, and once Beau climbed in and shut the door, she was aware of a shift between them. This was their first real “date.” They had both gotten dressed up in this part of the world, and they both knew they were curious to discover what the possibilities were for a relationship.
She looked at him and reflected on his rugged profile. She could certainly see the warrior within him. She just had to make sure her heart didn’t betray her by falling all over itself whenever he looked at her.
Her pulse ratcheted up when he gazed down at her thoughtfully, almost as if he were looking through her. Could he actually reach into her heart to see how she felt about him?
Beau drove onto the two-lane street. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Starving, to tell you the truth.”
“Good, so am I.” Hungry for you , he thought, but Beau kept the words trapped in his mouth. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thanks,” Callie whispered, a catch in her voice, clasping her hands over her black leather purse in her lap.
“I notice you’re wearing different shoes. How are your feet feeling now?”
“These are my ‘good’ shoes,” she said, “and they have a nice arch in them. My feet are still smiling from the massage you gave me today.”
“Good,” Beau murmured. He drove down another street, stopped, and made a left. Restaurant row was always the busiest place on this base, and tonight was no exception. He’d phoned ahead and gotten a reservation and a very private booth for them.
“They’ve got sweet potato fries here, and they’re a personal favorite of mine. My ma makes the best
Beau whistled. “You clean up mighty purty, Ms. McKinley.”
Callie felt the heat rush into her cheeks. “Thanks, Beau. So do you.”
“I managed to grab a shower, too,” he said, opening his hand toward her. Would she take it?
Wanting to touch this man, Callie slid her smaller hand into his. She felt the calluses on his fingers, the dry warmth of his skin against hers. “Thanks for the compliment. It’s kind of nice to clean up, put on some nice clothes, and feel pretty every once in a while.”
Beau was drinking her in as if he were seeing her for the first time, and he was obviously impressed by the changes in her appearance. Callie couldn’t help but preen a bit. On her part, she observed a man who could no longer disguise his desire for her.
Beau felt the soft warmth of her hand in his and felt those small calluses she’d collected working hard around the orphanage. His nostrils flared, catching her female scent along with the subtle fragrance of jasmine. He closed the B-hut door and it automatically locked. It was dark and windy. When Callie drew her wool hood over that mass of beautiful red hair, he grimaced. His fingers practically itched to thread through those strong, shining strands. “Ready?” he asked.
Curving her fingers around his, she said, “Ready.”
“I feel like I’m the pumpkin in some fairy tale,” he teased, cutting his stride for her sake. “You’re the beautiful princess, and I’m the country bumpkin.”
“You’re hardly a bumpkin—maybe more like a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” Callie liked the way they seemed to casually sway against one another as he led her to the Humvee parked along the curb. She could hear the jets taking off and some helicopters at the other terminal coming in to land.
The air was always filled with the smell of kerosene used by the choppers. And sometimes, when the wind would change direction, she’d get to inhale the dry desert scents instead. Tonight, the sky was dark and forbidding; it would probably rain soon.
Beau chortled as he opened the door for her to step inside. “You’re a woman with intelligence, no question. I’m probably closer to that wolf you’re talking about than a bumpkin.”
At least he was being honest with her. She settled into the seat of their cold vehicle, and once Beau climbed in and shut the door, she was aware of a shift between them. This was their first real “date.” They had both gotten dressed up in this part of the world, and they both knew they were curious to discover what the possibilities were for a relationship.
She looked at him and reflected on his rugged profile. She could certainly see the warrior within him. She just had to make sure her heart didn’t betray her by falling all over itself whenever he looked at her.
Her pulse ratcheted up when he gazed down at her thoughtfully, almost as if he were looking through her. Could he actually reach into her heart to see how she felt about him?
Beau drove onto the two-lane street. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Starving, to tell you the truth.”
“Good, so am I.” Hungry for you , he thought, but Beau kept the words trapped in his mouth. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thanks,” Callie whispered, a catch in her voice, clasping her hands over her black leather purse in her lap.
“I notice you’re wearing different shoes. How are your feet feeling now?”
“These are my ‘good’ shoes,” she said, “and they have a nice arch in them. My feet are still smiling from the massage you gave me today.”
“Good,” Beau murmured. He drove down another street, stopped, and made a left. Restaurant row was always the busiest place on this base, and tonight was no exception. He’d phoned ahead and gotten a reservation and a very private booth for them.
“They’ve got sweet potato fries here, and they’re a personal favorite of mine. My ma makes the best
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