The Man Next Door

Strapped into her own seat, she exaggerated a shiver. “The look you gave that woman over the back of your seat. I could almost feel the cold waves coming off you. It’s no wonder she got up and nearly fell over herself trying to move to another part of the theater.”

“She was kicking my seat. And text messaging through the first ten minutes of the movie. All that beeping wasn’t driving you crazy?”

“Well, yes. And she was kicking my seat, too. I’m glad you got her to move. I’m just impressed that you did so without saying a word. All you had to do was turn and look at her and she bolted. Do they teach you that glower in FBI training?”

He laughed and shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just glared at her the same way anyone else would. She got the message that she was annoying us, so she moved. Which made it much easier to concentrate on the movie after that—not that there was much plot to keep up with,” he added wryly.

“No. But it was entertaining, anyway,” she agreed. She didn’t bother to argue with his assertion that he didn’t look any more dangerous than anyone else. But he was wrong. As charming and friendly as Teague could be, when he turned serious, there was a definite air of danger around him.

They talked about the movie for a couple more minutes, and then Teague asked, “Are you hungry? Because I could go for a burger.”

“Yeah, sure. A burger sounds good.”

He chose a locally owned restaurant that he swore made the best burgers in town. Since she’d never eaten there, she told him she would judge that after she’d had one.

“I like the pepper jack burger, myself,” he advised as they slid into a booth. “With seasoned fries on the side.”

“Hey, Teague.” A chubby bottle-blonde set a large glass of iced tea in front of him with a flirty smile. “Where’ve you been?”

“Around. You’re looking good, Annie.”

She patted his cheek. “Sweet talker. What can I get you to drink, hon?”

Realizing the server was talking to her now, Dani replied, “I’ll have the tea, thank you.”

“Coming right up.” Leaving a menu with Dani, Annie sashayed away.

Dani looked at the selection of burgers and other casual food on the laminated menu. “Not a lot of low-cal options here.”

“No. That’s not why people come here. Everyone deserves to be bad every once in a while, don’t you think?”

She wondered if he was only talking about food, then decided she was trying too hard to read between his lines. “I suppose so. I’ll have the mushroom Swiss burger.”

“Good choice. The onion rings are superb here. They make them with sweet onions and serve them with ranch dip.”

Sighing as she thought of how many salads she was going to have to eat to make up for this meal, Dani said, “Then I’ll have to order them.”

“Good. You can have some of my fries and I’ll take some of your rings. That way we get the best of both.”

Setting the menu aside, she nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

She was actually having a good time, she decided as they chatted a bit more about the lightweight film, of which the special effects had been the only particularly notable feature. It was nice being out with a man who seemed to want nothing from her but companionship. Friendship.

She was under no pressure to try to impress him or please him. If, for some reason, he decided not to ask her to join him for another outing, she wouldn’t have to interpret it to mean that something was lacking in her.

She wouldn’t date him, because he was just the kind of man who just might make her return to those unhealthy habits—but she could be his friend. She was taking a bit of a risk in letting him get even that close.

Since she couldn’t deny the attraction she felt for him, she would have to be very careful.

No problem, she assured herself, and then crossed her fingers beneath the table.

During the next few days, Teague came to some very interesting conclusions about Dani. Her trust issues went even deeper than he had originally realized, and he had an uncomfortable suspicion that her wariness was based on experience. Had some jerk hurt her…? Physically, in addition to emotionally?

She’d told him once in passing that she’d taken six months of self-defense classes when she’d first moved to the area, stopping only when her schedule had gotten too hectic. Even that fit into the pattern of a woman who had learned the hard way that she had to prepare to defend herself.

That would explain her preference now for dating men she could so easily control, he mused. And the way she got all prickly when it seemed that anyone was getting a bit too bossy, the way she had when he had made a comment one evening in the elevator that she should be careful when coming in by herself late at night. She had informed him in no uncertain terms that she was fully capable of watching out for herself.

They had been together a couple more times since their movie outing. Once to share a pizza and watch a football game on TV. Another time to play a board game with Mrs. Parsons, who had been so pleased at having company that she’d giggled like a schoolgirl all evening.

He and Dani talked quite easily, now that he’d convinced her he thought of her only as a friend. Their conversation consisted mostly of small talk and teasing. He kidded her about being high maintenance and dating guys she could lead around by the nose—to which she cheerfully admitted. She ribbed him about his job as an agent and made good-natured “007” jokes at his expense.

Anytime the subject got a bit too close to her past relationships, she cut him off abruptly. She asked very few questions about his own past, maybe so as not to encourage him to inquire about hers.

He tapped on her door on a Wednesday afternoon a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. She opened it with a distracted expression that, along with her ultracasual sweatshirt and grubby jeans, told him she’d been studying.

“Test tomorrow?” he asked, recognizing the look by now.

She nodded. “Big one.”

“I won’t keep you, then. I just wanted to give you this.”

She lifted her eyebrows in question when he pressed a brown paper bag into her hand. “What is it?”

“Two bananas and a pear.”

She laughed in surprise. “Um…okay. So, why?”

“Because I’m going to be extremely busy for the next few weeks and I’m not sure I’ll be home to eat them before they go bad. I’d hate to see them go to waste.”

“Trust me,” she said. “They won’t go to waste.”

“Good. I hope you enjoy them.”

“You want to come in for a few minutes? I can make hot chocolate.”

He shook his head with regret. “As tempting as that sounds, I have to pass. I’ve got to work tonight.”

“Work? That’s what you’re going to be doing for the next few weeks? I thought maybe you were finally getting away for that vacation you’ve been talking about taking.”

“I wish,” he muttered, thinking of the unsavory assignment he was about to dive into.

She searched his face, then spoke lightly, “Do I have to warn you again to be careful?”

“Probably not a bad idea.”

“Then I will,” she said, her smile just a little strained now. “Be careful, okay? I don’t have that many friends around here.”

“How about a friendly kiss on the cheek? For luck?”

She shook a finger at him, but then placed a soft kiss on the cheek he offered hopefully. Her lips were as warm and inviting as he’d always imagined them to be. It was all he could do not to turn his head just that couple of inches required to make their mouths meet. Instead he managed a casual smile when she drew back. “That ought to do it. Thanks.”

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