Page 24 of Allegiance
“Where did you grow up?”
“San Francisco. My parents and I used to come here on vacation. We’d rent a bungalow on the beach for a month or so.” Memories of her father building sand castles flitted through her mind. “It was fun times.”
“Are both your parents still together?”
“Were. Past tense.”
A moment of silence enveloped them, and Tank shifted in his chair. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
She looked at their mostly finished food and noticed the empty tables and chairs as the remaining night staff started bussing and cleaning up the place. There wasn’t another customer in sight. Their waitress was inside, leaning up against the bar, apparently flirting with another server, her phone out in her hand.
“I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.” A weak laugh escaped her lips. “I know my staff and I hate it when we’re dead tired and want to go home, but customers keep sticking around.” She checked the time on her phone. “I really didn’t think we were talking for that long.”
“Me neither. I rarely talk this much.” Tank rose from his chair and pulled hers out, offering his hand. “I’ll get the check, and then we can take a walk on the beach.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
As she rested her palm in his, she was struck by the sizzle of physical awareness that jolted through her from the simple contact.
Squeezing her hand, he walked over to their server to pay the bill. As much as her feminist side hated to admit it, she liked it when Tank took charge.
“And what if I wanted to pay my half?” she asked as he walked back across the deck toward her, stuffing his wallet into his pocket.
“I wouldn’t have let you.”
And that was the end of that.
Tank’s intense gaze pinned her to the spot. Easing his hand behind her head, he cupped her neck and took her lips.
