Page 26 of Missile Strike

“Bella.” He shook his head, a teasing smile tugging at his mouth. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

Hurt flashed in her eyes, and he wanted to snatch back his words. Her chin lifted. “I like my life just the way it is, thank you very much.”

“Orderly?” He glanced at his surroundings. “Everything has its place?”

“There’s nothing wrong with having a routine. Not everyone likes to wing it all the time.” There was a bite to her tone.

“I’m sorry.” How many times had he watched her in the hallways of their high school try to make herself invisible on the days Jaynie was out sick? She’d been so small. So vulnerable. He’d made sure the other boys knew better than to mess with Bella, or they’d answer to him.

The irony hit hard, considering he’d been the one to hurt her the most.

A hint of humor chased away the shadows as she peered up at him. “Apologizing twice in one day. Teenage Danny would never have done that.”

His lips tilted. “Grown up Danny doesn’t usually do it either.”

He got a smile in return. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me.”

Her lips pursed, the brief flash of amusement gone as quickly as it had arrived. “Look, no one here except my friend, Talia, knows about…my childhood.” Her gaze lifted to meet his, then skirted away. “You’re bound to meet people here and….”

Danny’s shoulders knotted. She’d carved out a life for herself far away from California and the scars of her youth. Maybe it had been a mistake for him to accept this assignment and come back into her life. “Do you want me to ask your father to assign someone else to the gala?”

Surprise flared in her eyes, and a vulnerability that made his chest ache. “Do you? Not want to be here, I mean?”

“I absolutely want to be here.” He’d never meant anything more in his life.

Her expression lightened. She nodded. Then her stomach growled. Her hand flew to her midriff, and her cheeks flushed a rosy hue.

He laughed, his tension ebbing away. “Let’s go get you something to eat.”

Chapter Six

The Ethiopian restaurant Danny found was in east Charlotte, an area known for its diversity of cultures.

Isabella stared at the white-painted, one-story brick building. “It’s a house.”

Danny’s hand hovered at her back. He didn’t touch her, but it didn’t matter. The space between his palm and her lower back felt like a charged wire, keeping her slightly off balance as they climbed the wooden steps.

He’d changed out of his pink button-down into another pink shirt, this one a short-sleeved Hawaiian print that exposed tattoos he hadn’t had as a teenager.

She’d never been a fan of tattoos.

On Danny?

They worked.

Inside, most of the interior walls had been removed to create a cozy yet open atmosphere. The rest were painted a pumpkin-color and displayed African artwork. Square tables that seated four were evenly spaced, and sheer curtains draped the windows.

A young woman dressed in black approached with a friendly smile. “Dining in?” she asked in a soft, lilting accent that Isabella presumed was Ethiopian. The woman’s light brown skin, high cheekbones, and expressive, deep-set eyes gave her an elegant beauty.

“Yes, ma’am,” Danny replied.

The server led them to a table and handed them two laminated menus. “Let me know if you have any questions.”

Isabella skimmed the menu, and her stomach sank.

Not a single item looked familiar.

“Trust me enough to let me order for both of us?” A small smile played at the corners of Danny’s mouth. Firm, masculine lips that somehow still looked soft. Utterly kissable.