Here And Now (American Valor 2) by Cheryl Etchison Page A

like it. Far more than I did the blond. Curtis would always tell me I was beautiful, but that I would be even more beautiful as a blonde. So I changed it to make him happy.” And like before, her smile disappeared and her demeanor changed in a heartbeat as she spoke about him. “But then he’d find something else to change. He even told me he didn’t like women who talked too much, so . . .” She dropped the fork on her plate and scooted the plate a few inches away from her. “Pathetic, now that I think about it. Embarrassing, really. I shouldn’t even be telling you all of this.”
    The more she talked about this guy he’d never met—this . . . asshole—the more he wanted to go back to that apartment and pound his face in. “Have you heard from him?”
    Just give me one good reason. . .
    “He texted me a few times last night. Nothing major.”
    Out of habit, he twisted his neck, trying to relieve the growing tension in his spine and shoulders.
    “Okay. Here’s the deal.” He leaned his forearms on the table and lowered his voice so only she could hear. “I need you to be completely honest with me, for my own peace of mind at least. I need to know how much of an asshole this guy is. Is he a ‘get a restraining order’ kind of asshole or a proximity asshole?”
    She mimicked his posture and whispered, “What on earth is a proximity asshole?”
    “The kind of guy who is an asshole whenever you’re around or easily accessible via phone or text, but is too fucking lazy to actually go out of his way to be an asshole.”
    Here he was being serious and the corner of her mouth lifted as if she were on the verge of laughing. “I’m pretty sure he’s not the restraining order kind.”
    “So . . . no chance of him showing up at the hospital or following you home from work?”
    She shook her head slowly. “No. Like you said, he’s too lazy. I think he’ll move on to someone else pretty quickly.”
    “You’re sure?”
    “Why? What were you planning to do?”
    “Become your personal bodyguard. Drive you to and from work. Spend the nights sleeping on your living room sofa with a loaded gun.”
    Now she didn’t even bother trying to hide her smile. “But I don’t have a sofa, remember?”
    “I would have bought one.”
    And that made her laugh, which made him feel like a superhero of sorts. Especially after the head games this guy had obviously played on her.
    Without warning, she reached across the table and touched his wrist. “What time is it?”
    Damn. He had about twenty minutes to get to class when he could easily spend another hour just talking to her. Hell, he’d be happy to just sit there and listen to her talk the entire time. “Unfortunately, it’s time for me to go.”
    When the waitress brought the check, he insisted she let him pay; after all, she had kept him company until it was time to go to class. They walked out of the diner together, stopping just outside the doors when they realized they were parked in opposite ends of the lot.
    “Any classes with Brittany today?”
    “Not today. Thank God.”
    She smiled at him while slipping on her sunglasses. “Well, if you’re ever in need of a bodyguard, feel free to give me a call.”
    Then, with one last goodbye and a little wave from her, they went their separate ways. And he knew he’d be counting the minutes until he saw her again.
    A FTER HER UNEXPECTED run-in with Lucky at the diner, Rachel found herself singing along with the radio as she drove to her parents’ house. She couldn’t remember the last time she was in such a good mood.
    There was just so much to like about the guy. For one, he was nice. Two, he was protective without being controlling or overbearing. Three, well . . . he was really good looking without even trying. His dark hair was a little long and could use a trim, but it worked with the not-quite-a-beard thing he had going on. And then there were those hypnotic dark brown eyes. During breakfast, she