Rendezvous (Renegades 5)
She laughed, but the realization that he was leaving in the morning after she’d just reconnected with him sucked so hard, it created a physical pain beneath her ribs. One she tried to ignore, because there was nothing she could do about it, and she didn’t want it to ruin this small window of time they did have.
“And your nephew?” Keaton asked. “How old is he now?”
Just the mention of Justin made Brooke grin. “Eight. He’s so awesome.”
Keaton looked concerned. “Hard time to lose his dad.”
“It was. But he’s adjusted well. Marc died his sixth year overseas, so he really spent most of Justin’s life away. I don’t mean to say that makes it easier to have your dad suddenly taken. Tammy said they Skyped almost every night, and Marc
helped him with homework and read to him. But somehow that distance created a gap that allowed Justin to disconnect.”
“And your sister? You sort of skated over all that in the beginning.”
“Yeah, well, I feel a ticking clock on my time with you. I was trying to keep the conversation light.”
“You’re still always thinking of other people first. I’m sure that makes you an awesome assistant.”
Brooke grinned and tipped her head both ways. “My current boss would probably disagree. But then she disagrees for the sake of disagreement, so…” She shrugged. “Honestly, Tammy’s doing well, considering she’s raising her son on her own with next to nothing. In fact, she just started her second year of nursing school. I’m really happy for her. She’s got a rock-solid future ahead. I’ve just got to see them both through this last stretch.”
“Damn impressive.”
“Very.” Brooke lifted her brows and shook her head. “The sheer number of hours she studies boggles my mind. She has classes on top of that, and her internship. It would overwhelm me.”
His smile was soft. “I meant you.”
Brooke laughed and was about to tell him that Tammy did all the work, but Lashonda stopped by the table.
“All right, lovebirds,” she said, “I’d love to watch the stars twinkle in your eyes all night, but I’m sure you two have somewhere better to be locked up all night than here.”
Brooke tapped the face of her phone and read the time: 12:05 a.m. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize—”
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” she said, her voice smooth and sweet. “You two made my night. Haven’t seen a couple as happy as you two in so long, I’m gonna be floating on air for a week. Now go on an’ take all that lovin’ home.”
Embarrassment slid through Brooke’s skin and heated her cheeks, but Lashonda’s comment made Brooke realize that the instant heat between her and Keaton upon meeting again had cooled back down to a comfortable simmer while they’d been talking.
Keaton stood and took out his wallet. Brooke slid from the booth and put a hand over his as he placed three twenties on the table. “Keaton, no. Let me—”
“Sweetheart,” Lashonda said, tapping her arm. “This is Texas. Let the boy pay.”
She didn’t have much of a choice unless she wanted to stand there and argue, which was the very opposite of how she wanted to spend any of her time with Keaton.
As they left the restaurant, Keaton swung his arm across her shoulders, and they started toward the sidewalk. Brooke thought ahead and realized if she wanted more than an awkward good-bye in front of her hotel, she was going to have to brush some of the cobwebs off those seduction skills she hadn’t used since well before she’d moved to Florida.
3
Keaton held back a moan of pleasure as Brooke leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist, but he closed his eyes, squeezed her shoulders, and pressed his face to the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.
Then asked, “Which way? Where are you staying?”
“Right. Four Seasons.”
He let one of those “aren’t you fancy?” sounds roll from his throat as he turned that direction down the sidewalk and strolled past the darkened commercial businesses toward the river. “Certainly coming up in the world, Miss Dempsey.”
“If I could work for someone like Ellie again, I’d take a Motel 6 in a heartbeat.”
He’d noticed that she’d shied away from any kind of negative conversation tonight. And he still couldn’t believe they’d sat there and talked for three hours. Three freaking hours. He didn’t talk to anyone for three hours. Not even his Renegade buddies. Not even about their jobs. Which were like a religion to them. Yet the time with Brooke had flown by. Just as if the year since they’d seen each other had never happened.
Keaton couldn’t remember the last night he’d enjoyed as much as this one. If they only had more time. Or lived closer. Or…shit. He didn’t know. So he stuck with safe subjects.