Page 21 of Oz
Laura
“This is Laura.”Oz, in his booming voice made the introduction to his friends before we had even reached his table. “She’s mine.”
I frowned. What a strange thing to say. I blushed. It was almost like he was staking some kind of claim to me. Like if he didn’t his friends would be interested.
“Nice to meet you, Laura.” The nearest dark-haired man with a beard neatly trimmed thrust out a hand for me to shake. God, up close they were so much better looking than I had expected. More male models than trained soldiers. “Why don’t you pull up a chair and join us?” His eyes flicked to Oz at my side. “Settle down, soldier.”
I blinked between them. It was like they were communicating something in secret and yet no words left either of their mouths. The tension was suddenly almost unbearable.
“Thanks, but I should get back to my friend, Lainey will...”
“Hey, Lainey?” Another dark haired man called out and I watched as my friend’s head lifted from her phone, her face bunched with confusion. Then she spotted me, my hand firmly in Oz’s and she grinned, giving me a cheery wave. “Want to join us?”
“I really should get back to her.”
“No, you stay with me, she will understand.” Without waiting for my response, Oz folded his frame into one of the chairs and pulled me firmly onto his lap.
“Oz.” I rolled my eyes. “I can pull up a seat. I don’t need to sit on your lap.”
In answer, his arms tightened around me. “Yes, you do, you are a proven flight risk, Laura.”
Laughter filled my ears as the others agreed. “Yeah, keep hold of that one, Oz, she seems like a keeper,” said a blond guy almost identical to the one who had been driving the car Oz had arrived in. His blue eyes were the kindest out of the bunch and they crinkled in the corners as they stared at me. “I’m King,” he introduced himself. “And that’s my little brother, Leo.” He motioned to the man who was almost identical to him. The one who currently had his tongue in a woman’s mouth but gave a small wave anyway and I smiled before I could help myself.
“Little?” I queried.
“By twenty-one minutes.” He shrugged. “Anyway, it's good to finally meet you, Laura. Oz hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
I bushed even harder.
“It's all we have heard since he first saw you. Laura, Laura, Laura.”
I stared at the other man, my brow creasing. “I know you.” I was sure I did, I just didn’t know where from.
“I carried you down the mountain when you fell. Names Ash.” A flash of white teeth in a tanned face. “You really shouldn’t be up there hiking alone, you know?”
“I don’t hike.” I closed my mouth with a snap. I had spoken without thinking about it. Of course, they would have assumed I was hiking. What other reason would there have been for me to be in the middle of nowhere before dawn?
“I was just taking a walk, to clear…”
Something passed silently between Oz and his commanding officer. Who hadn’t been formally introduced to me yet. Oz looked troubled but nodded his head.
“Laura, can I talk to you alone for a bit.”
“He means he wants to make out in the back alley.” Leo chuckled.
That sounded kind of gross, but I had a horrible feeling that making out was the last thing Oz had on his mind.
Oz led me away. His fingers were tight around my hand so I couldn’t slip away. And I wanted to. Every atom of my being was telling me to get away from him. That this wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with him.
The moment we stepped outside and into the street, he pushed me gently against the wall. His arms came down either side of my head, so I was trapped.
“We need to talk.”
I shook my head. That was the last thing I wanted to do. “It's cold out here, Oz. Can’t we talk inside?” Or never I added.
His jacket was shrugged down his arms and placed over my shoulders in a movement so fast I could barely follow it. “There, you should be warm now…”
Reaching up on tiptoes I tried to bring my lips to his.
