Page 19 of Rescuing Brinley

Brinley shrugged.

The anger Shadow felt was out of proportion for how long he’d known her, but he couldn’t stop the indignation from rising within him.

“It’s okay, Dash,” she said, obviously seeing how upset he was on her behalf. “I met my best friend when we were in the fifth grade, and she taught me how to give great comebacks whenever someone said something mean. She’s awesome, and I wouldn’t be where I am now without her.”

“I’m glad you have a friend like her.”

“Me too. We’re roommates to this day, which is awesome. She pretends to be outgoing, but she’s not really, because of stuff that happened to her as well. We’re each other’s support, you could say. So much so that when she got a job in Alaska, I didn’t think twice about going with her. I mean, I can do my job from anywhere.”

Shadow almost choked on his own spit, which would’ve been embarrassing as hell. “Alaska?”

“Yeah. Fairbanks. Sometimes it feels like the end of the world, but I love it. And before you say that it’s too damn cold—you aren’t wrong. But since I don’t have to leave the apartment most days, it doesn’t matter to me what the weather is outside.

“Now, Cypress, she works outside—she’s a scientist studying the effects of the changing climate on glaciers, insects, plants, the land, and the weather. She has to be outside all the time. But apparently she’s part polar bear, so the cold doesn’t seem to bother her in the least.”

He couldn’t believe this.

Couldn’t fucking believe it.

Was she kidding? She didn’t seem like she was messing with him, but it was almost unbelievable that the first woman he’d felt even a smidgen of interest in not only lived in the same state as him, but the same freaking city! And even crazier when you consider that state was Alaska.

It was a sign.

Not that he normally believed in that kind of thing—but how could he not?

“What? Alaska isn’t that bad,” she said, misunderstanding his shocked silence.

“I know it’s not,” Shadow told her. “Because I live there too. Alaska. Fairbanks, specifically.”

“Seriously?”

“Yup. My team and I are stationed there on a special assignment. In the winter, we conduct arctic training for Army units.”

“Wow.”

The blush was back on her cheeks, but this time Shadow also saw a hint of desire in her eyes. It was all he could do not to put his arms around her and taste the plump lips he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off since he sat down.

He wasn’t able to keep the next question from popping out.

“You want to go out to dinner or lunch or something when we get home?”

She stared at him for a long moment. “Really?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t serious.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Shadow repeated, confused about the question.

“Yeah. Why? Why would you want to go out with me? I mean, I’m not exactly beauty pageant material.”

Shadow did his best not to show his anger. Not at her, but at anyone and everyone who’d ever made her feel less-than because of her looks.

“Thank goodness. I don’t want to date any of the contestants I’ve met here this week. They aren’t the ones who’ve caught my attention. They aren’t the ones who’ve had me struggling to pay attention to my assignment, the reason why I’m here. Who have me scoping out every room I enter—not for danger, but to see if a certain redhead is there, and wondering if I might be able to finagle a way to talk to her again. None of them are the woman I haven’t been able to stop thinking about ever since we first talked.”

Brinley licked her lips uncertainly. Then blurted, “I’m not experienced.” She blushed a fiery red. “I mean, I haven’t been on many dates. I don’t know what the protocol is here.”

Shadow was more than glad it was evening, and his hard dick wasn’t as obvious as it would’ve been in the daylight.