meant it when he’d invited her along to the wedding. He’d figured there was a fifty-fifty chance. She’d either accept as a means of calling his bluff or she’d tell him to stuff it. Her “no, thanks” had been the abbreviated version of shove-it-where-the-sun-don’t-shine-buddy.
What he should want was a soft warm woman with a ready welcoming smile to take the edge off. He’d been deployed the past several months and his upcoming assignment, which was still up in the air, was sure to include hot sun and desert sand, as that was the hotbed region now. But, in keeping with his contrary nature, he’d taken one look at the blonde with the spiked hair, cool demeanor and even colder dismissal...and he’d wanted her. She was a challenge. She was the undetonated device who silently dared him to approach at his own risk.
His mother, however... He knew some shit would go down at the wedding. Seeing as how the nuptials were scheduled to commence less than twenty-four hours after they were all reunited in one spot, Lars supposed there was a fighting chance the caca wouldn’t hit the fan until after the newlyweds rode off into the honeymoon sunset. However, the odds were against it. His mother had to be the center of attention—all day, every day—so he really didn’t see her making it all the way through a wedding and reception where Liam and Tansy were the focal point. At least his younger brother, Jack, wouldn’t be here to witness any “incidents.” And he was sure there would be several.
His mother would either wig out and stomp off in a snit or suffer some medical malady. Given the number of people around, he’d lay money on the illness. That was usually her M.O., not that he could do anything about it. He’d learned evasive maneuvers a long time ago. It all just worked out best to avoid any kind of skirmish with Janie Reinhardt.
The sound of the engines, more of a drone with the headset on, were soothing. Blondie was hell-bent on staring out the window. The dog was snoozing—definitely the right idea. He might as well catch a few winks before they landed.
Settling his head against the window, he drifted off to the engine’s lullaby.
He awoke instantly, courtesy of years of training, when the pilot spoke. “We’ll be landing in five minutes.”
His forty-five-minute catnap had literally flown by. Righting himself, he looked outside.
Evergreens rushed by in slow motion against a backdrop of blue sky and mountains. Lars glanced across the aisle. Delphi Reynolds maintained her position, her shoulders stiff, her eyes trained on the scenery outside.
His eyes were drawn to the expanse of her neck, the graceful curve of her shoulder. When, not if but when, he got her alone, he would trace those lines with his finger and then tease his lips along the same path. Something about her struck a chord in him, resonated, drew him in. He would have her. But since he was here only for a week, sooner rather than later would be better.
Within minutes they were on the ground. “Nice landing,” he said to Juliette.
“Thanks.” After the plane had rolled to a stop, they all unbuckled and stood up in the cramped quarters, stretching their legs. Even though he was closest to the door, Lars hung back. He made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Ladies first.”
“Thanks.” Delphi squeezed past him in the tight quarters. She smelled good. Her arm and shoulder brushed against his chest and her hip jostled his. “Sorry. Excuse me.”
The effect of her touch was like being zapped with a low-voltage stun gun.
“Tomorrow,” he said. “Eleven a.m. See you then.”
She tossed him a glance over her shoulder. “Good-bye, Sergeant. Good riddance.”
“We are indeed here,” he said, deliberately misunderstanding her. She turned her back to him again. “And, Blondie—” she didn’t turn around, but paused momentarily on the plane’s threshold “—it’s not goodbye—it’s au revoir.”
3
DELPHI SIDESTEPPED THE GROUP of people hotfooting it toward the plane, smiling and waving at the man behind her. She would forget about him, or at the least, ignore him, his twinkling brown eyes and charming prattle, as well as the zing of sexual awareness that had arrowed through her when she touched him. Now that they were out of the airplane’s close confines, she’d go her way and he could go his.
She looked around as she walked across the expanse separating the landing strip from the office, soaking in her surroundings. She’d been so intent