One-Two Punch (11 page)

Beth opened the door at his knock and stared. Harry was gorgeous in whatever he wore—sweatpants, shorts, absolutely nothing—but tonight he was just…amazing. She was almost drooling. It was just dress pants and a button-down shirt, but still. With a shake of her head, she stepped back so Harry could come in.

“God, you look beautiful,” he rasped, cupping her face in his hands so he could kiss her. She wriggled with pleasure at the compliment and then forgot everything as his mouth found hers.

Beth was dizzy by the time he raised his head.

“We should go,” Harry rasped without dropping his hands. His eyes were lit with a hot, blue light, mesmerizing Beth. She couldn’t look away.

“I’ll get my purse,” she breathed, not moving.

He closed the distance between them, his mouth just millimeters from hers when he stopped himself and pulled away, shaking his head.

“No,” he stated firmly. “I promised you an actual date tonight.”

Giving him a sultry smile, she said, “I wouldn’t mind if you broke that promise.”

He took a half step toward her before catching himself. “Nope, we’re actually going to do this. Grab your purse and let’s get out of here before I change my mind.” He turned her in the direction of the door and gave her a light smack on her bottom.

Beth made a face at him over her shoulder. “Fine, fine.”

They made it into the hallway without any other delays. As Beth locked the door, Harry scowled again at the useless light bulbs dotting the ceiling.

“Have you gotten any more cards?” he asked.

“Sure,” she said, dropping her keys into her bag with a little more attention than was warranted.

“What does that mean?” Harry must have caught an uneasy note in her voice.

She tried to blink at him innocently. “The cards come every day,” she told him, not mentioning the fact that today’s card had been different—and a little scary. The card itself had been similar to the others, with a picture on the front of a moony pair of lovers lit by the glow of a fireplace, and a rhyming, preprinted verse on the inside. What had been done to it was the frightening part. Harry was protective enough as it was—if he saw the card, with the woman’s face removed with a hole-punch and a single word,

“WHORE”, scribbled on the inside, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight without an armed guard.

“Uh-huh,” he grunted, still eyeing her suspiciously.

As they descended the stairs, Beth hooked her hand in the crook of his arm, deciding that a change of subject might be wise. “Who’s watching the gym?”

“Dominic. It’s his contribution to the cause.” He grinned.

Looking at him curiously, she asked, “What cause is that?”

“Us,” he answered. “You’re the first girl I’ve dated who he actually likes.”

She snorted. “That’s just because I brought him cookies.”

“No,” Harry disagreed, holding the passenger-side door of his SUV open for her.

Despite the step up into the vehicle and Beth’s short skirt, she managed to swing herself into the seat without exposing too much skin. Proud of her accomplishment, she smoothed her skirt over her thighs and looked up at Harry, who was still holding the door open, staring as her hands straightened the silky fabric over her legs.

Clearing his throat, he shut the door and circled around to the driver’s seat.

“He likes you because you’re nice,” he continued, as if there had been no pause in their conversation.

Beth made a face. “Nice?” she repeated. It sounded so…boring.

Hearing the disappointed note in her voice, he turned his head to smile at her. “I meant nice in a good way,” he clarified. “And I believe Dom also mentioned that you were smoking hot.”

That sounded better, she decided. “Why didn’t he like any of your other women?”

He frowned. “When you put it like that,” he complained, “it sounds like I have a harem. And he didn’t like them because they weren’t very likeable.”

“Really?” Beth asked, pleased.

He laughed. “Really.”

“Huh.” She pondered that for a moment. “Why did you go out with them then?”

Shrugging, he twisted the steering wheel into a turn. “Dominic thinks it was so I wouldn’t get hurt.”

Beth turned a laugh into a cough and he turned toward her.

“What?” he demanded, pretending to be offended although his eyes gleamed with humor.

“Nothing. Just the idea of Dominic as a touchy-feely, advice-giving gal-pal.” She cocked her head. “So you’re saying that I could hurt you? I’ll have to remember that next time I have the gloves on,” she teased.

The light in front of them turned yellow and then red. Letting the SUV roll into a gentle stop, Harry reached across and took her hand. “You could rip out my heart,” he said seriously.

Her eyes widened at his words, fear and exhilaration sending her stomach into a dive. “Oh.”

Beth’s tiny-voiced response didn’t seem to bother Harry. He just kissed her hand and returned it to her lap.

“So how was it?” Sheri asked.

Beth looked up from the card she held with a frown.

“That bad?” Sheri made a sympathetic face.

Blinking at her friend in confusion, Beth shook her head and smiled as the question finally registered. “Of course not—it was great. Dinner, wine bar, a midnight walk across the Millennium Bridge, back to his place…” Her smile widened and her eyes lost focus.

Sheri snapped her fingers in front of Beth’s face. “Stay with me here, girl. Don’t be drifting off into some sickeningly sweet memory just when you’re getting to the good part. So you went back to his place…”

Laughing, Beth tossed a binder clip across her desk at Sheri, missing her target by a good two feet.

Sheri shook her head. “I would hate to see you in any kind of organized sport. So if it wasn’t your man, what’s up?”

“What do you mean?”

Rolling her eyes, Sheri leaned against the desk. “Whatever. Do I have to beat it out of you?”

Beth chewed her lower lip as she eyed her friend. It would be a relief to share this with someone, she decided, and held out the card.

“What’s this?” Sheri asked, turning it over so she could see the front. “A cheesy card? And what did you get on it—jelly?”

Shaking her head, Beth told her, “I think it’s red paint. Read the inside.”

Sheri complied, her frown growing. “This is sick,” she said, holding the card in two fingers like it was contaminated.

“I know,” Beth said, relieved that she wasn’t overreacting. “Someone slid it under my apartment door last night. All the others he brought during the day while I was at work.”

“All the others?” Sheri repeated, her voice sharp. “How long has this freak been bugging you?”

Shrugging, Beth guessed, “A couple months maybe? They were always sweet before though, and harmless. Now it’s like he hates me.”

“Hmm,” Sheri looked thoughtful. “Think he’s seen your Army boy hanging around?”

“You’re right—that’s probably it.” Beth shivered. “It’s so creepy to think about someone watching me.”

Sheri rolled her eyes. “Like smearing red paint all over a greeting card and writing disgusting, violent stuff about what he’s going to do to you isn’t creepy?” she asked incredulously. “Wake up, Beth—you have a full-blown, unstable, pissed-off stalker on your hands!”

Beth swallowed hard and nodded. “What should I do?”

“Tell your muscle man—he’s a boxer, isn’t he? Might as well use that to your advantage.” Sheri gave a bloodthirsty grin at the thought.

Even before the words were out, Beth was shaking her head. “Nope. He’s protective enough without a stalker lurking around. He’d handcuff me to him.”

“Mmm, that sounds interesting,” Sheri murmured, making Beth laugh despite her worry.

“Really,” she said, sobering quickly. “He’d go nuts. What’s option number two?”

Sheri shrugged. “So don’t tell him. Just hang around him a lot. Think he’d mind?”

As she thought about the wild nights with Harry, a feline smile touched Beth’s mouth. “I think he wouldn’t mind at all,” she purred.

“God, you’re making me miss sex,” Sheri groaned. “I’m off to see if someone will get freaky with me in the supply closet. Don’t worry about Mr. Creep-tastic—just make an effort to never be alone. I’ll walk you to your bus stop after work and then just keep soldier boy in bed the rest of the time. Got it?” Walking backward away from Beth’s desk, she pointed a stern finger.

“Got it,” Beth grinned. When put like that, this stalker thing could actually be fun.

Beth wiped her sleeve across her forehead, mopping at the sweat that threatened to run into her eye and sting like hell. She had just finished a grueling workout and looked a mess.

It’s worth it though
, she thought, grimacing at her reflection in one of the mirrors that lined the wall. She might be red-faced, her skin gritty from drying salt, but her arms were starting to show definition—nothing too bulky, just a firm, rounded line along her shoulders and upper arms.

Harry had been coaching her on the free weights during her training sessions, demystifying the torturous equipment that filled the gym. It was hard to remember her first intimidating moments amid the heavy bags and grunting men. Now she bounced around, exchanging nods and smiles with the regulars and a few smart-ass quips with Dominic, feeling like she actually fit in.

Flexing a little in front of the mirror, she had to grin at her reflection.
Try to get me
now, creep
, she thought, cocky in the safe confines of the gym. She was spending almost every night at Harry’s loft and any stalker worries had retreated to the back of her mind.

The cards continued to arrive each day, scattered on the floor for her to find when she stopped by her apartment to check her mail or collect more clothes. She gathered them up quickly, shuffling them in with her other letters and bills, but Harry would give her a look—that you’re-not-fooling-anyone eyebrow lift—and walk a little closer to her on the way back to his place.

Automatically her eyes searched the gym, finding him quickly. He was giving a tour to what looked like a new member, a chubby man with awkwardly new athletic shoes. Beth realized that she was smiling just from looking at Harry. He glanced up at that moment and winked at her before turning back to his new client.

Her stomach rolled in excitement and Beth laughed at herself for being so easy.

Even after having been together constantly for almost a month, he could make her soaking wet with just a glance or the light touch of his palm against her shoulder blade.

The memory of his hand on her skin brought another surge of desire flashing through her and she pressed her thighs together. Shaking her head at her infatuation, Beth headed for the front of the gym for a fresh towel.

“Hey, Dominic,” she called out as she passed him. Busy doing squats, he just gave a red-faced grunt and nod in response. The front door swung open as she reached for a towel and Beth turned, mildly curious. She was starting to know the regulars, especially the evening and weekend crowds, and she craned around the towel rack to see who had just entered.

It was a stranger. The man wasn’t very tall but he was built hard. The sleeves of his ratty Army t-shirt strained to cover his thick biceps. Beth could only see the black buzz-cut back of his head until he turned in a slow circle, obviously looking for someone.

When she saw his face, she almost fell over. Catching her balance on the rack, her towel dangling forgotten from her fingers, Beth just stared.

He was beautiful.

Harry was gorgeous, of course, but this man was…unworldly. His skin was the color of creamed coffee and his slanting cheekbones narrowed his eyes, which were shadowed by the longest lashes, so thick and dark that Beth noticed them from fifteen feet away. His full lips had a sulky twist that just made him that much hotter.

Completely blown away, it took a moment for Beth to realize that he was staring at her. Staring at her staring at him. She shook her head a little to clear it, although it didn’t make the man any less outrageously pretty, and headed toward him.

“Looking for someone?” she asked, a friendly smile curling her lips as she approached.

“Yeah,” he grunted, his expression remote. His eyes dismissed her, wandering away to scan the room again.

“Anyone in particular?”
Okay, he might be a beautiful, beautiful boy, but he’s an awfully
rude one too
, Beth thought.

“Yeah.” The silence stretched and the man glanced at her again. “I can find him on my own. Off you go, Barbie.” He turned completely away from her, leaving her gaping.

“Barbie?” she repeated, startled and a little flattered—with her short, round figure, comparisons to a Barbie doll were few and far between. “Do you really think I look like Barbie?”

“Are you still here?” Annoyance flooded his voice. “Fine.
I’ll
leave.” Shouldering the strap of his duffel bag, he weaved in between equipment and people. Beth found herself admiring his tight, denim-covered ass for a second before she caught herself. She shook her head—what a shame. Such a good-looking outside and such angry innards.

Harry, new member in tow, emerged from the locker room and Beth hurried over to them. Harry gave her a quick smile, resting an easy hand on her lower back.

“Do you have any questions?” he asked the chubby man with the glowing new shoes.

“Nope, looks great—can’t wait to start,” the man enthused, flushed and shiny. He shook Harry’s hand and smiled at Beth before heading for the front door.

“I bet you can see those shoes from space,” she murmured.

Harry laughed. “Blinding, aren’t they? Oh well, they’ll get dirty fast enough and then the astronauts will have to find their own way home.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her in a sideways hug. “’Sup, my sweaty sweet pea?” he asked cheerily and Beth wriggled a little as she remembered what she had wanted to tell him.

“There’s a super-hot and really cranky guy looking for someone and he won’t tell me who and I’m dying of curiosity!” Twisting around, Beth spotted the stranger and pointed. “There! Do you know him? He called me
Barbie
.”