Defeat the Darkness by Alexis Morgan Page B

favorite.”
    â€œWhat to wear, what to wear?”
    Sometimes she wished she had a cat. At least then she’d have someone to talk to besides herself. Tate stared at the three outfits she’d picked out.
    She put the jeans back in the drawer. “Too hot, too casual.”
    The shorts and matching top went next. “They’d be cool enough, but they’re white. With my luck I’d drip something down the front.”
    That left the sundress. She held it up in front of her and stared at the mirror. The color played up her tan and made her eyes look bluer. Slip on the white sandals and she’d be set. Besides, she was running out of time if she wanted to shower.
    Twenty minutes later, she stood at the window watching Hunter start down the steps from his apartment. Butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach, mostly because she wasn’t sure exactly what this was supposed to be. Two friends going Dutch treat? That would be okaywith her, but she suspected he was planning on paying for both of them. A steak dinner was a tad extreme for an apology for his short temper. Besides, that’s what the blueberries had been for.
    Which left a date. Did that even make sense, when he’d been working so hard to keep her at arm’s length? But here she was, all dolled up. Hunter had on khaki pants and a sports shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his powerful forearms. Her heart did a double flip. Even with his cane, there was no mistaking the masculine strength in the way he moved—or the way her body reacted to him.
    Time to go. She stepped outside and locked the door behind her. Rather than wait, she met him halfway. He tried to be subtle about checking her out, but his smile had too much heat in it for her not to notice.
    â€œYou look great.”
    â€œThank you.” She warmed, basking in his approval. “So do you.”
    His expression said he doubted that, but he didn’t comment. “Are we ready?”
    â€œI am if you are.” For dinner. Just dinner .
    They walked over to the passenger side of Hunter’s massive pickup truck. Oh, dear. She hadn’t been thinking about the logistics of climbing up into the cab when she’d decided to wear a dress. She reached for the grip and pulled herself up, all too aware of how high her skirt rode up as she did so.
    When she was settled, she expected Hunter to shut the door, but he seemed mesmerized by her legs. She tugged her skirt down a bit farther and then reachedto close the door herself. When she moved, Hunter blinked and shook his head. Then he slammed the door.
    O-kay, then. They’d been together less than ten minutes and already he was mad. That should make the rest of the evening interesting.
    Hunter followed Tate’s directions to the restaurant, doing his damnedest to keep his eyes firmly on the road. One glimpse of those tanned legs as she’d climbed into the truck and he already had a world-class woody. Hopefully she’d assumed the trouble he had walking around to his side of the truck had been due to his usual limp. A bit of black humor had him smiling: At last he had a reason to be thankful to the Others for the damage they’d caused.
    He doubted anyone else would find that funny, including his companion.
    â€œThe restaurant is at the end of the block on the right.”
    â€œI see it.”
    They rode in silence while he found a parking spot. He got out of the truck and considered his options. If he let her climb down, he’d be right back where he started the trip—hard and hurting. To forestall that event, he handed her his cane and picked her up by the waist, lifting her down to the ground.
    His unexpected move startled a gasp out of Tate. “Next time warn me!”
    He liked crowding her a bit, so he held his ground, trapping her between himself and the truck. “What is it they say? It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for