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Then she felt the large figure behind her, and she hurriedly pressed the book to her chest in fear that someone might see what she was reading. She glanced up and gasped. Michael Phillips? Oh God he is so good looking. When did he return from one of his secret assignments? She had heard the gossip around the club about a large group of Marines and their assignments. Michael and Chad were part of the group.
He raised one eyebrow at her, his dimples so visible they were practically winking at her. He held her gaze. His big blue eyes sparkled as he crossed his arms in front of his massive chest. He was wearing a T-shirt. Was he crazy? It was very cold out here.
She swallowed hard.
“It must be, because you didn’t even hear me approach, Alexa. You need to be more careful and aware of what’s going on around you.”
She furrowed her eyebrows at him. Gosh, he was so uptight and bossy. Who did he think he was anyway?
She looked around them, realizing that they were practically alone. Only an older woman and man walking hand in hand were near the small lake in the center of the park. She pulled her sweater tighter against her chest.
“I don’t think I’m in any danger, Michael. I’m in the park in Delite. What could possibly happen?” she asked as she placed her bookmark then closed the book and tucked it into her small bag. She stood up and realized just how huge and tall Michael was.
“You look cold. The fall and winter can get pretty brutal around here. Don’t you own a warm jacket?” he scolded. She pulled her sweater around her, but she felt the chill. She wasn’t certain it all stemmed from the temperature. He sounded bossy, and was that her belly that quivered in approval of his tone? Yikes, she was definitely reading too many romance novels.
“I’m fine. What about you? You’re wearing a T-shirt.” She got lost in the sight of his massive chest of muscles and the way the cotton of the shirt stretched across them. The man was a work of art. Throw in the dark camo pants he was wearing and he looked edible. She swallowed and knew she needed to focus on reality. This man was not a character in a book. He was the real deal. And after the way Chad looked about to kill her last night, she knew they were dangerous men. She’d had enough of dangerous men. Plus she was twenty-three and still a virgin even though her uncle’s men tried to take that from her, too. She shivered.
“Come on, let’s get you inside where it’s warm. I’ll buy you a cup of coffee,” he stated then reached for her. She stepped away, afraid of him grabbing her, touching her, making contact with her, and she nearly fell over the bench.
She stumbled, dropped her bag, then quickly picked it up and used the bench as a barrier between them.
“I’m good really. Thanks anyway. Enjoy the park.” She practically yelled over her shoulder as she hurried away from him.
She crossed the distance between the park and the street quickly and hurried into Stella’s Boutique. She looked out of the front window and watched as Michael made his way to the café. Two women were walking down the street, and their faces lit up from seeing him. Of course they did. She had the same reaction. He was gorgeous.
“Found something you like?” Sally whispered next to her ear as she placed her arm around her shoulder.
Alexa jumped and gasped, and Sally chuckled.
“Busted!”
Sally looked at a rack filled with sweaters and long skirts near the window.
“What?” Alexa asked as she tried to ignore the feeling of being caught in the act drooling over Michael.
“I saw him talking to you. He was watching you for a few minutes while you were caught up in your romance novel,” Sally teased.
Alexa looked up from the rack of sweaters.
“He thought I was cold. He just said hello.”
“I bet he wanted to warm you up, Alexa.”
“Stop that, Sally. He did not.”
“Oh yes he did. I saw him reach for you, and then you nearly leaped the bench like a track star jumps over hurdles.”
Alexa felt her cheeks warm. How embarrassing. I probably looked like such an idiot.
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it. I am sure that Michael will try hitting on you again.”
“He doesn’t like me like that. He’s older and a lot more experienced. He likes other types of women, like the two he’s talking to right now,” Alexa said as she looked out the window and watched Michael holding the door open for the two women. Now they would be having coffee with him, enjoying a conversation with him, and sitting close to him at those damn small tables in the café.
“Somebody’s jealous,” Sally sang then hummed as she moved on toward the middle of the store and a new rack of shorter skirts. They were beautiful but way too short for Alexa.
“I am not jealous. You can’t be jealous of something that isn’t yours.”
“Sure you can and who said he couldn’t be yours? You’re beautiful and he is definitely interested.”
