Blown Away: A Small Town Military Romance (The Moore Brothers Book 1) (11 page)

Ian hopped into the driver’s seat, threw the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. They chatted amicably as he wound his way through the streets of Bliss, pointing out landmarks along the way. It wasn’t long—or at least it didn’t feel too long—before he pulled into the parking lot of a little seaside restaurant, very unassuming in its exterior.

“Welcome to Moore Good Eats,” Ian said as she got out of the car, and he offered her his elbow before leading her towards the entrance. “I promise you’ll love everything you order or I’ll personally drag the owner out of the kitchen and give him a noogie.”

“That sounds a little extreme.” She made a face. “Extreme and strange.”

“I promise you, the owner has earned his fair share of noogies in his lifetime.”

“I take it this is a friend of yours?”

“Friend, brother. Potato, po-
tah
-toe.”

Juliet paused just inside the door, took in the simple yet elegant decor, unassuming and gorgeous. “This is James’s place?” Somehow, she couldn’t see the gregarious and tattooed James pulling off this level of understated sophistication.

“Nope. Harry’s.” Ian nodded at the hostess who greeted him warmly and led them to a table with a view of the ocean.

“Just how many brothers do you have?” she asked as Ian slid out her chair for her.

“That’s it. James, Harrison, and me. That’s all the Moore men Bliss could handle. Of course, our sister has had the
worst
time finding a guy at least one of us didn’t want to pummel for some reason or another.” Ian took a seat.

“Can I bring you something to drink?” asked the hostess, mostly addressing Ian.

“What do you think about red wine, Juliet?”

“Haven’t met one I didn’t like.”

“Perfect,” replied Ian before turning to the hostess and ordering a bottle of something that sounded trendy and expensive.

“You sure know how to spoil a girl,” she said as the hostess disappeared in the maze of candlelit tables.

“Or maybe you’re just the kind of girl who deserves spoiling.”

Juliet blushed and opened her menu, desperate to hide the goofy grin that slid across her face. “What’s good here?”

“It’s run by a Moore. Everything’s good here.”

Julz couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, what’s better than good here?”

“Do you trust me?”

Juliet eyed him. The honest answer was yes, she trusted him. For whatever reason, she felt completely at ease with Ian and she wasn’t even sure what it was about him that made her feel that way. Trust wasn’t something she handed out easily, certainly not to men she’d only known a handful of days. But, she nodded despite herself, going for the truth rather than what she thought the truth should be.

“Good,” he said, taking the menu out of her hands. “Then I’ll order for you.” Juliet’s heart went to war with her head. There was something so appealing about letting Ian order for her, about placing herself in his hands. Yet, she was a strong woman, a capable woman, a woman who shouldn’t let men lead her through life. Just look what happened the last time she signed her decision making rights away to someone else.

“You think you know me well enough to order for me?” she asked, keeping her tone light, hoping it hid the battle of intellect and emotion raging inside her.

“You think you’re such a closed book that I can’t make a decent stab at it?”

“Okay, Mr. Confident,” she said, closing her menu and placing it on the table. “Show me what an open book I am.”

Ian pursed his lips and pretended to study her, slitting his eyes as if he intended to see through her into her soul, to discover her deepest secrets and truest truths. When the waitress came back with the wine, Ian ordered them both the same thing.

Juliet took a sip of wine and raised her eyebrows. “Wow,” she said, nodding. “That actually sounds delicious.”

“Of course it does.”

“But you didn’t really take a chance and order what you thought I’d like. You just ordered me what
you
like.”

“And who’s to say I don’t think you’d like the same things I’d like?”

There it was again, that crazy happiness that just bloomed out of nowhere and made every single moment seem important and precious. She looked through the window at the ocean, the lights and the patrons of the restaurant reflected in the glass, superimposed on the water. Here she was, surrounded by the sounds of many people gathered in one spot, being made to feel beautiful and special by this handsome man. This handsome man whose kiss had been so deliciously rough and commanding this afternoon. She just wanted more.

More kissing.

More contact.

More Ian Moore.

Julz took another drink of her wine. “Wow, this is wonderful!”

“It’s my favorite.”

“I can see why.”

Ian tilted his glass her way before taking a drink of his own. “Okay,” he said, putting his glass down and folding his arms on the table. “Let’s play a game.”

“What kind of game?”

“The
Get to Know You game.”

“And just how do you play the Get to Know You game?”

“It’s pretty simple. I ask you a question, you answer it truthfully.” Ian held eye contact with her, his face light and open.

“And what if I don’t like the question?”

“Why wouldn’t you like my question? Do you have a deep, dark secret you don’t want me knowing about?”

You mean like I was a subservient sex slave to the CEO of Tech Lord? Yah, I don’t want you to know that.
“We all have things we want to hide, don’t we?”

“I suppose,” said Ian as if he were taking her words into deep consideration. “You can have one pass. But,” Ian held up a finger, “you have to realize that a pass will only make me more curious about the question.”

“Of course.” Juliet nodded, folding her own arms on the table and leaning forward. “I won’t pass lightly. And what about me? Do I get to ask you questions?”

“Of course. And I’ll bet I can do it without having to pass once.”

“You don’t have anything you want to hide?”

“Nothing I want to hide from you. I fully intend to wow you tonight.”

I fully intend to be wowed by you tonight,
she thought to herself.

“Alright. The Get to Know You game. Who starts?”

Ian smiled and sat back, extending his hands in a gesture of concession. “I’ll even let you go first.”

“How very chivalrous of you.” Julz took a moment to consider her question. She didn’t want to get too personal too quickly. That would be better left for when they were deeper into the bottle of wine. “What’s your family like?”

“Hmmm. Interesting choice.” Ian nodded and narrowed his eyes again, before smiling and leaning forward, elbows on the table. “My family is wonderfully boring in that we love each other and our family gatherings are pleasant and easy. On the other hand, my family is extraordinary in that we’re all fast-paced and successful in our own rights.” He flared his hands. “No great secrets there.”

“Sounds wonderful, actually.” Juliet sat back as their salads arrived, folding her hands in her lap while Ian thanked the waitress and watched her leave.

He picked up his fork and stabbed a tomato. “My turn,” he said, popping the bite into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. “What inspired you to ask about my family?” he asked after he swallowed.

Juliet took a bite to give herself a moment to think. She’d expected to have to give him her favorite color or something simple like that. “It seemed like a good place to start,” she finally said, uncomfortable for some reason.

“No.” Ian lifted his eyebrows and pointed his fork at her before using it to hunt another tomato. “I want the real reason. No cop out answers.”

The real reason? Did he think there was some kind of underlying something or other hiding inside her question? “I just think family is important is all. I was curious about one that managed to raise a man like you.” His question had her feeling flustered and defensive, even though there was no real reason to feel that way.

“Family
is
important, Juliet. A tree with deep roots laughs at storms.”

She tried not to let him see how his words punched her in the stomach. She had no true roots. Had never felt safe or secure in her family. Never felt cherished or adored. She had always been that obligation in the way of her parents getting what they wanted out of life. Keeping her face light, Juliet chose her next question. “What earned you the title of Lieutenant?”

“I was a naval aviator until an injury earned me an honorable discharge.”

“A naval aviator? Like, you flew planes?”

“I did.”

“So, the Top Gun quote wasn’t just by accident then?”

“Might be one of my favorite movies.” Ian held up his hands. “Might be part of the reason I wanted to fly planes in the first place.”

“What happened?” Juliet picked at her salad. “How did you get hurt?”

Ian tsked and pushed his empty salad bowl away. “By my count, you just asked four, maybe five questions. It’s my turn.”

“But there’s no way I have any answers as interesting as
I fly planes
.”

“Let me be the judge of that, thank you very much.” Ian paused as the waitress came to clear away their salad plates. “Do you consider yourself a risk taker?”

I signed a contract that gave a man complete and utter power over me. I think that’s a pretty decent sized risk.
Juliet took another drink of her wine and Ian reached across the table to top off her glass. “Yes. I’d say I take risks.”

“Name a few.”

She held up her hand. “Nope. It’s my turn. Besides, that’s not a question.”

“Exactly, so, we won’t be skipping your turn if you tell me. Plus, you already owe me like six questions as it is.”

“I thought you said four or five.”

“Interest rates are a bitch.”

“Fine.” She thought back. “I went bridge jumping with my friends once. That was pretty risky.” She told him all about the time they’d gone out to some old railroad tracks and walked out over a bridge that stood about thirty feet above a river. “It was all I could do to climb over that railing, to feel it against my back and know that there was nothing between me and a free fall into the water. I was the last one to jump. But when I did, all I can say is wow! I had enough time to think about how long I fell before I hit the water. And then, I was supposed to keep my arms wrapped tight around me, but at the last second I flung them out to my side. They slapped the water so hard it broke blood vessels all up my arms. Had some nasty bruises.”

“Ouch.” Ian cringed. “Ever jumped out of a plane?”

“Nope. Have you?”

He widened his eyes and looked at her like she’d missed something big. “Naval aviator...?” he said when she didn’t make the connection herself.

“Oh! Right! Was it amazing?”

“Imagine your experience stretched out over many minutes. Well, minus the bruising, I guess.”

Juliet felt her eyes go wide. “Wow. I’ve always considered it. I used to wish I was a bird. They always looked so peaceful and free, up there in the sky. Looking down on us all.”

“Maybe I’ll take you sometime.”

Juliet’s stomach started flip-flopping and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the thought of actually skydiving, or because of the thought of getting to spend more time with Ian. “I’d like that,” she managed to say, lowering her eyes and looking up at him through her lashes.

Ian continued asking questions and answering hers, and it felt like she’d known this man all her life. Like her heart had known he’d existed this whole time and was just waiting for them to finally meet. Like a missing piece of her soul finally fit itself into place. She’d never felt so at ease, so real, so … happy.

Chapter Fifteen

Ian

Watching Juliet talk about herself was like watching a strange version of peekaboo. There were these glimpses of pure exuberance that poked through her practiced exterior, filled with such vivid emotion it was like watching a child. Not because she was childish, oh no. Not like that at all. But because she had these moments of uninhibited joy and delight. Like watching her sing and dance in the car while he led her to the house she was going to call home for a while. But she also had so much sadness. This tense jawed, dark eyed sorrow that she tried to hide behind an easy smile.

Ian wondered how many people had been fooled by that smile. Or worse, how many people had decided not to care. He wasn’t going to be another one who let her get away with hiding behind her practiced answers and perfectly cultivated responses. Whatever had her so disappointed in her life, whatever it was that hurt her, he was going to find it. And when he did, he’d eradicate all traces of it. There was something special in this woman. Something more than just a gorgeous little body and quick mind.

“Oh my God,” she said around her first bite of dinner, one hand covering her mouth. “This is amazing.”

Ian had known she would love it, but not because he was fool enough to think he knew her tastes after a handful of hours spent together. This particular dish was his brother’s specialty and there’s not been one person in Bliss who didn’t crave it. “Was I right?” he asked.

Juliet nodded emphatically. “This might be my new favorite meal of all time.”

Ian smiled and watched her close her eyes and moan over the next few bites.
I’ll give you something else to moan about.
And suddenly he was picturing her stretched out on that bed he’d brought her, naked and open to him, her wrists captured in his hands…

“What?” she asked, catching him looking at her.

Ian took a breath and shook his head. “Just like watching you is all.”

She dropped her eyes to her plate as a blush flared across her cheeks. Damn, she was so beautiful. “Okay, I’ve got a question for you,” she said, smiling as if she had a wicked little secret. “What did you find when you Googled me?” She shrugged and flared her hands as if to say she wasn’t offended, just curious.