Grace for Drowning

Even in the simple act of walking along the street, he looked dangerous, like a lion on the prowl. I still couldn't believe he was mine. That chiseled face and those powerful muscles never failed to set my heart racing.

He had a curious smile on his face as he approached. "Well, as far as I can see, there's nothing to do for miles around here. What the hell are you planning?"

"That is top secret information, soldier," I said in my best "military superior" voice.

He grinned. "Is that right? Well then." Wrapping his hands around my waist, he leaned close so his lips could brush my neck. "Is there anything I could do to improve my security clearance?"

With his body pressed against mine, a whole lot of things came to mind, but I was enjoying the element of mystery too much to give the game away just yet. With more than a little regret, I replied, "Unfortunately, it's out of my hands."

His mouth lingered on my skin for several seconds, before saying, "That's disappointing, although that does mean your hands are free to do other things."

I laughed. "Pervert." He seemed in a good mood tonight, which made me happy. I just hoped he liked what I had in store.

Peeling myself from his grip, I nodded down the nearby street. "Come on, it's this way."

It didn't take long for us to hit the edge of town. He raised an eyebrow when I continued across the road and up a narrow dirt trail.

"Planning to murder me and bury my corpse in the wilderness?"

"I wasn't, but if you don't stop asking questions that might change. Trust me."

The trail wound through a group of low hills. It was rocky, but the sky was clear and the moonlight helped us keep our footing. It would have been a little creepy under other circumstances, all shadows and silence, but it was impossible to feel frightened with Logan two steps behind me. The man was a force of nature. I couldn't think of a threat that could topple him.

About two minutes later, we rounded a corner and arrived at a clearing.

"Holy shit," he said. The smile on his face was worth every ounce of preparation I'd put in today.

"Welcome to The Little Desert Cafe," I said.

The area in front of us was set up like a restaurant, complete with a table, two chairs, cutlery, napkins, candles and all the other trimmings. It was a beautiful spot, with a wide uninterrupted view of the Vegas dunes. It had taken me days of hunting to find the right place. Out of the way, small enough to be empty at a time like this, but large and flat enough to hold everything for our little sojourn.

"How did you get all this stuff here?"

"We spent the afternoon lugging it up here, obviously. Joy has a friend with a pickup, which made it easier."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Well, shit. This is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it, sir. Now, shall I show you to your table? We've saved the best seat in the house for you tonight."

He laughed. "You don't say."

I led him over to the table.

"Would you care for something to drink?" I asked, pulling a cooler from under the table and popping the top to reveal a stack of icy bottles. "Sparkling water? Juice? Soda?"

"You actually bought all of those?"

"Of course, sir. This is a real restaurant with a real drinks menu."

"I'll have sparkling water then, I guess." I couldn't help but grin at the way he was looking at me: complete and total awe. "Seriously, this is insane. You didn't have to do all this."

I shrugged, dropping character for a moment. "You wanted us to be able to have dinner out together, well this is about as out as it gets. Besides, I know you like it here."

"I've never liked it as much as I do right now."

I felt a burst of pride. It had hurt to see him struggle so hard to impress me, and I loved that I could return the favor. As excited as I was when I came up with the idea, part of me had been worried he might take it the wrong way.

"Well, I hope you brought an appetite, because there's a mountain of food to get through."