Arms of Promise (5 page)

Her body tensed at the thought of what she must smell like after dancing up a sweat this morning. Anna eased away from him until her heels leveled with the pavement.

A self-conscious laugh slipped out in response to his confused expression. “Sorry. I just realized I probably stink.”
And must look like a blubbering idiot draping myself all over you.
Did she have no control whatsoever?

He rubbed a knuckle across his brow. “You smell distinctly you.”

Like a sweaty dancer? Fabulous. She curled a strand of hair around her finger and brought it to her nose. “My own smell, huh? That can’t be good.”

As if his smile couldn’t get any more attractive, it deepened until the slightest dimple emerged beside a tiny scar she didn’t recognize. He moved her hand and let her hair slide through his fingers. “Trust me. It’s a good thing.”

If her diaphragm would listen to her brain for a change, maybe she could conjure enough breath to form a reply.

A pink hue dusted the tops of Evan’s cheeks as he stepped back. Poor guy. She seriously had to stop putting him in awkward situations. She pointed behind her. “I should get to work.”
And pick up some self-control along the way
.

He gestured to the Accord with his eyes.

“It’s practically around the block, Evan. I’ll be fine.”

“We’re not really gonna have this argument again, are we?”

Anna tapped her foot, prepared to have a stare down. With Mr. Hazel Eyes? Bad idea. She should know better than to go toe-to-toe with a soldier. Her bag was in his trunk, anyway.

“Okay, fine. You win.” He’d drop her off, and she’d go on her way with yet one more thing to pretend never happened. What was new?

Beside a metal garbage can, Evan intercepted her empty cup when she went to toss it. “We can recycle that.”

She stared at him.

“What?” He flattened the cardboard. “You don’t care about the environment?”

“No, I do. I just didn’t peg you for a tree hugger.”

Evan hit the unlock button on his key fob and opened the door for her. “I defend the country. Might as well save the planet while I’m at it.”

“An everyday hero, right there.” A laugh followed her into the car.

Behind the wheel, he cranked the engine. “I do what I can.”

Probably more than he was admitting. No doubt, he’d finished at the top of every training he’d gone through. Evan was an all-or-nothing kind of guy. Always had been.

The possibility of what danger that put him in on the field terrified her. She didn’t need to add any more strain to his life. Burying her feelings, she buckled her seat belt and faced forward.

He hadn’t fully answered her question about not coming home before now. Chances were, he never would. His classified missions were one more reminder she didn’t fit in his world anymore. If she weren’t such a glutton for punishment, she’d leave it at that and let the rest go.

Anna directed her thoughts to the work she and Mom started at the rec center instead. Just thinking of the lovies there, and the way art impacted them, brought life back into perspective. Mom wouldn’t want her to give up on that.

“Sometime before you leave, you should stop in and tell the kids about the army. They’ll eat it up. But I gotta warn you. They’ll have you wrapped around their little fingers in seconds.” Anna laughed. “The girls in my Ballet One and Two classes are utterly adorable. And don’t get me started on the tykes who come play basketball through the week. I’m telling ya. There’s no way you’re going to resist their charm.”

Evan rubbed his smooth jaw. “I don’t know. We go through hardcore discipline training in the military. You think these kids can break me?”

“Hands down, Sarge. You’ve met your match.”

“If you only knew,” he mumbled softly.

Sunlight broke through the clouds and cast a glare over the windshield. He flipped down his visor, something in his demeanor drooping with it. “It’s great what you’re doing here, but teaching a couple of classes at a rec center doesn’t sound like much of a salary.”

She scoffed. “They taught you some mean deduction skills at Ranger School, didn’t they?”

“You’re lucky I’m driving right now.” Grinning, Evan circled the wheel.

Her laughter petered into a sigh. “It’s hard to pay the bills, but I don’t care about making money. I care about making an impact. We’re supposed to be the paintbrush—”

“That cheers this dark world. I know. Your mom’s words left their mark. Believe me. I haven’t forgotten.”

Except he had. Just like Anna had for a time. Even now, some moments made it all feel pointless. Realigning her life with the original vision they’d shared would never be enough to make up for losing time with Mom the year she died, but it was all Anna could do.

“I wasn’t given the chance to stop someone from stealing my mom’s paintbrush, but I refuse to let someone rob me of mine.”

Evan idled the car in a parking spot and held her with those unsearchable eyes of his. He shifted into park, severed their connection, and cut the engine. “I never thought you would.”

And she never thought she’d be doing this alone. What happened to their plans? She stamped down the disappointment, climbed out, and welcomed the cool air hitting her flushed face. There was no point harboring resentment. She just had to say good-bye and move on.

He hustled around the bumper. “I would’ve gotten the door for you.”

She pushed down her emotions and smiled away things he didn’t need to see. “Can’t have you cramping Casanova’s style.”

His sobered expression wasn’t letting her off the hook. “Anna . . .”

Up the street, a woman resembling Marissa sauntered out of a building and cozied up to a clean-cut guy in a suit, who wrapped his hand around her hip. Anna did a double take.

Evan pinned a questioning look on her.

Shoot
. She grabbed his sleeve to keep him from turning. “Why don’t you run inside with me to meet the kids real quick while you’re here?” She’d blurted it out so fast, he probably thought she was desperate to keep him near. Latching on to his arm like a groupie definitely didn’t help. But the possibility of his seeing his girlfriend cheat on him was worse.

Anna backed off once a peek behind him showed Marissa had rounded the corner.

Evan sent a scrutinizing glance around the street and zeroed in on something over Anna’s shoulder. Probably his car.

Couldn’t blame him. They were supposed to be saying good-bye. “Listen, you really don’t have to come in. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that. Thank you for the ride and the coffee. But we should both get on with the day.”
And our lives
.

A flicker of something unreadable passed his eyes before he secured a grin back in place. “You kidding? I’m dying to meet the kids able to crack the United States Army’s toughest men.”

Great. Resigning, she plodded inside.

Of all the schools available to train a soldier to defend his country, why wasn’t there a single one able to train a girl to defend her heart?

Chapter Five

Shrapnel

Evan kept a smile painted on until Anna passed under his arm and through the doorway. He cast a subtle glance toward the Suburban parked on the opposite corner. As hard as it was on him to be close to Anna again, he wasn’t leaving until he got some leads on who’d been tailing her.

Inside the rec center, he took advantage of the stroll down the long hallway to iron out his composure. The squeak of sneakers gliding across a floor led them around the corner and into the musty smell of an old gym. Pockets of kids occupied the basketball court—an older bunch playing a pickup game at one end, younger ones messing around at the other.

Evan glanced at his cell. “Are they always here this early?”

“On the weekends, they basically live here.” Anna’s smile competed with the overhead industrial lights. “What did I tell ya? Cute, right?”

A kid, probably about nine years old, with one pant leg hiked up and a backward ball cap on, turned when they approached. He jogged to the sidelines and flung a once-over up and down Evan’s profile. “Dang, Miss Madison, you didn’t tell us you was bringing the Hulk with you today.”

Evan barely squelched a laugh. Anna’s pinched lips weren’t helping. One look from her amused eyes to the kid’s expectant ones, and he couldn’t resist. He squared his shoulders and busted out a series of exaggerated pec bounces.

Anna shook her head. “You did not just do that.”

“Couldn’t help it.” His mouth quirked.

The kid jumped up to touch his bicep. “Yo, you think you can arm curl me?”

“Let’s see.”

The kid locked his fingers around Evan’s hand, and Evan curled him in the air.

Anna rolled her eyes. “Show-off.” She reached to tickle the kid’s sides. “Better be careful, Shaun. You’re leaving yourself wide open.”

Shaun’s laughter joined the echoes of conversation bouncing around the high ceiling.

Evan lowered him back to the ground and picked up a basketball. “So, what do you think, big guy? You ready to ball?”

Shaun adjusted his tattered sweatshirt, stole the ball, and dribbled it between his short legs. “All those muscles gotta slow you up.” He pivoted around Evan. Twice. “And since I’m, like, a hundred times faster than you, I’d say you got no game, old man.”

Evan blinked. Who was this boy, Kid President?

“I tried to warn you.” Anna visibly fought a satisfied grin.

Pec bounces weren’t the only thing he couldn’t resist. Eyes on her lips, he sidled closer. “Oh, yeah?”

A middle-aged woman with a headband holding back her puffy hair strolled up to them. “It’s about time you brought a good-looking guy up in here.”

Anna darted her a look of warning. “Evan, this is my outspoken coworker, Robyn Thomas. Robyn, this is Evan O’Riley, a childhood
friend
.”

Evan tipped his head. “Pleasure, ma’am.”

“Oooh, and he’s got manners, too.” Robyn swatted Anna’s arm. “Girl, you better keep this one.”

Anna’s cheeks flamed. “You’re seriously trying to embarrass me right now, aren’t you?”

“Aw, don’t you worry about that, Miss Thang.” Robyn bobbed her brows toward Evan. “The color on your face is only attracting that boy even more.”

Anna’s jaw dropped.

Shaun folded in half, laughing. “Ms. Robyn just called you out, yo.”

“Miss Madison!” A spindly-legged redhead, who looked slightly younger than Shaun, skipped across the floor wearing a worn tutu over her jeans. She sprang into Anna’s arms. “I’ve been practicing my pirouettes.”

Anna diverted her attention from Robyn to the little girl, clearly thankful for the interruption. “You have? I can’t wait to see them. You think they’ll be as pretty as you are?”

The girl blushed, nestled her face into Anna’s shoulder, and shook her head.

As if seeing Anna’s heart come to life earlier hadn’t already threatened to undo Evan, watching her with the kids did him in.

“Megan, I’d like you to meet my friend.” Anna’s lips curled to the side. “Mr. Hulk.”

Another bashful look colored Megan’s expression as she said hello. Keeping her chin down, she tugged on Anna’s hand. “Can we start class early?”

“Of course. Let me just . . .” Anna looked around. “Shoot. I left my bag in the car. I—”

“I’ve got it.” Evan lifted a hand and backed up. “I need to make a quick phone call, anyway. Give me five minutes. Is there a bathroom I can use first?”

“Sure.” She motioned behind him. “Just down that hall on the left.”

“Perfect.” He strode in the direction she pointed. Once out of view, he passed the bathroom and traversed a series of hallways and corners until he reached a side exit.

Evan scanned the alley without opening the door all the way. With his hood swept up, he slinked between two brick buildings across the street and approached his Accord from the back.

Inside the car, he grabbed his Nikon D3300 from a bag in the back, swapped the regular lens for the telephoto zoom, and focused on the Suburban. “You’re not the only ones with tinted windows, boys.” He zoomed in on their license plate and shot a handful of photos, including a few of a crater-faced guy pacing the sidewalk beside the SUV.

If Evan had to guess, he was the one who’d scared Anna this morning. Even in broad daylight, the guy could startle any woman with pure ugliness.

He lowered the camera and called his buddy at the police department.

“Corporal Harris.”

“What’s up, man, it’s O’Riley.” Evan scrolled through the pics. “I need a favor.”

“Nothing like cutting to the chase.” Harris laughed. “You gonna stop by the station while you’re in town, or what?”

“Maybe next week. I need you to run a plate for me.”

The pause on the end of the line stretched.

“On what basis?”

“Friendship.”

Harris breathed into the phone and lowered his voice. “All right. Give it to me.”

Evan held up the camera. “Bravo Two Five Foxtrot Romeo Six Three. Call me when you have something.”

“Roger that. But stay out of trouble while you’re here, huh?”

Evan’s job led him into the heart of trouble every day. That was one promise he couldn’t make. “Later, bro.”

He hung up and rifled through his bag for the tracker he’d picked up last week. From the backseat floorboard, he snatched a ball cap and exchanged his sweatshirt for a coat. The jokers might be packing guns, but he’d gamble brains didn’t come with the gear. He didn’t worry a second over blowing his cover.

Quietly easing out of the car, Evan tugged the bill of his hat tight over his eyes. He circled back the way he came and approached the SUV from behind. With Maps pulled up on his cell, he glanced up and down until he bumped into the guy.

Evan gripped the dude’s shoulder, pretended to catch his balance, and tucked the tracker under his coat collar. He turned on the Texas drawl he’d learned from his boy Hernandez. “Sorry. I’m supposed to meet a friend. You by chance know how to get to . . .” He looked at his phone. “Grant Park?”

Crater Face shoved him back and readjusted his coat. “Screw off, man.”

“A’ight. Easy. Just looking for some directions.” Evan kept walking with his cell out.

Behind him, a car door closed, followed by tires screeching around the corner.

Evan pulled up the GPS app and watched the dot on the screen pulse down South Calumet Avenue. “Yeah, keep driving, buddy.”

He slid the phone into his pocket, grabbed Anna’s bag from his car, and hustled back to the rec center. He’d deal with Tweedledee and Tweedledum after nightfall. Right now, he had someone even more intimidating to tackle.

Inside, he spun his ball cap backward and shed his coat while jogging onto the court toward Shaun. “Let’s ball, big guy.”

Amazing how quickly the hours passed while interacting with the kids. Evan hadn’t meant to spend the entire day at the rec center. But after the way Anna had completely mesmerized him while teaching her ballet class, he doubted he’d be much use doing anything else, anyway.

Standing beside him, Anna rearranged some things in her bag without looking his way. Whatever was on her mind confiscated her smile. Did he want to ask?

She rolled up a pair of tights. “Thanks for staying today. It meant a lot to Shaun. He desperately needs a male role model in his life.”

“Looks like the kid’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

“He really does. If life would give him half a chance, he’d go places.” Another frown emerged.

Evan cupped her hand to stop her busywork and lifted her chin. “You give him that chance every day by caring about him.” What would it take for her to see the difference she made just by being who she was?

She inhaled softly, and he let go before he lost the last thread of restraint preventing him from crossing a line.

Anna kept her head down while zipping up her bag. “How long have you known Marissa?”

The question sank dead into his gut. He could kick himself for being in the predicament of ever needing to have this conversation. “Four months.”

Her hand stalled over the bag. “You love her?”

One sucker punch after the other. He raked a hand through his hair. Anna deserved his honesty as much as Marissa deserved him to be honest with himself.

“No. Truthfully, we hardly know each other. Between my trainings and her travels, we’ve gone out only a handful of times. I’m not even sure how it got to the point of her calling herself my girlfriend.” He faced the industrial ceiling. “I need to set her straight. I was going to before I came. But when she asked to join me on this trip, I guess I thought it’d make things easier.”

“Make what easier?”

She really had no idea, did she? He leveled his gaze with hers and dug inside for the bravery he staked his life on. “Seeing you again.”

Her lashes gave a flutter as she looked away.

He searched the room, dying for a topic changer.

Anna clutched her bag. “How’d you meet?”

A topic change wouldn’t be that easy. “On deployment. She was in Afghanistan, covering a story.”

“And she ended up in danger.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.”

Comprehension touched Anna’s face. She inched forward, lowered his hand from his hair, and met his eyes with piercing compassion. If she moved any closer, he’d have absolutely zero chance of hiding how fast his pulse was thrumming.

“You’re a protector, Evan. You can’t help it.”

She was wrong. Both of their moms were proof of that. But with those green eyes showering confidence over him, he almost let himself believe it.

A twinge of discomfort furrowed her brows. “It’s why you looked out for me like a big brother all those years. I’m not surprised you were drawn to her. It’s easy to confuse protection with something more.”

Even though he knew Anna would eventually realize that was the same thing she did the night she almost kissed him, his heart sank at hearing her say it. He couldn’t blame her for reacting in the moment. Caught up in leaning on his comfort and protection during such a tumultuous time, it was easy to confuse her feelings. But she would’ve regretted kissing him later when the emotions of losing her mom settled. Even more so when she found out why she died.

He wouldn’t have risked ruining their friendship. Still wouldn’t. Even if he didn’t deserve it any more now than he had then.

Evan backed up, and Anna’s forehead creased deeper.

Megan bulldozed between them and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Ready?”

Anna wiped any trace of their conversation from her face and ruffled Megan’s hair. “Yep. Just give me a minute to say good-bye to . . .” Her lips pulled to the left. “
Mr. Hulk
, and then we’ll go.”

Megan scurried off toward the door, and Anna stalled in front of him. “Miss Allison’s a single mom. Basically a kid herself. She’s never around when I come by. So, I walk Megan home each night.”

Of course she did. In the dark. To a sketchy neighborhood, no doubt. And she wondered why she needed security. With how easily his feelings for her undermined his steadfastness, maybe he wasn’t the best one to offer it.