Real Men Don't Drink Appletinis (2 page)

“So we’re on a
stakeout of some sort?”

“Unofficial,” said
Grady as he typed
NOYB
.

“Oh, the in-between
assignments thing.”

“Look, I’m sorry.
It’s just...” Grady debated whether to answer back to Giordano’s
crude comeback.

“What?”

Leaning forward he
allowed himself to be caught up in those innocent blue eyes,
reminding him of what he was fighting for. “You intrigue me.”

Ava leaned back against
the seat. “If you don’t want to act, I could get you a job as a
movie consultant.”

Grady knew an evasive
tactic when he saw one. Did the magnetic pull between them scare her?
“Don’t you ever stop working?”

“Look who’s
talking.”

Grady laughed. “Well
played.”

The phone twilled and
he expected her to answer it. After taking a glance at the screen she
ignored the call.
Why?
She was an admitted workaholic. Curious
he asked, “Another client?”

“Ex-client.
Ex-boyfriend. He’s a serial cheater.”

“You deserve better.”

With a disarmingly shy
smile she said, “I do.”

Overseas for months at
a time and even when home his mind wasn’t present and accounted
for. A woman needed a man by her side. He decided long ago that he
wouldn’t marry until he was out of the service. “Which is why I
shouldn’t have asked you out for coffee.”

“What? You’re a
cheater?”

“No,” he laughed.
Grady couldn’t remember a woman who made him enjoy the here and
now—who made him at ease. But in combat or in love it was dangerous
to let down your guard. “I’m married to my job.”

“I understand.” She
waved her phone in the air.

He nodded as his
breakfast arrived. He wolfed it down as Ava nursed a cup of coffee.

“Do you sit here all
night?”

“No, my apartment is
upstairs.”

“Upstairs, huh?”
Ava raised an eyebrow and erotically stirred the coffee with a spoon.

God, she was all
shades of sexy.
“You should go home.”

“In real life you’d
ask me up,” stated Ava.

He leaned forward. “In
real life we would’ve skipped the food and I’d be making love to
you right now.”

Ava drew in a slow
breath. She should feign shock at his words, however, he was so right
about making love.
And had several orgasms by now.
“Well,
who says this isn’t real life?”

“That light across
the street.”

What if this was some
sick scam to get women up to his room like that movie True Lies; only
he didn’t need to use deceit for women to fawn over him. All it
took was a lazy smile and a cup of coffee.

The waitress stopped by
to fill up the near empty cup. “So where did you two meet?”

“The bar down the
street,” stated Grady.

‘Well, it’s about
time. Not natural for a handsome man like you not to be getting any.”

Grady laughed up at the
waitress, but Ava’s cheeks flushed. “Hello. Who says he’s
getting some or anything for that matter.”

“Oh sweetie, don’t
take it the wrong the way. If I were twenty years younger I would’ve
wedded and bedded Grizzly Adams here by now. You’d be back at the
bar with those useless pretty boys.” The waitress ripped the bill
off her pad and placed it by Grady with a wink before walking away.

Ava leaned across the
table. “Who’s Grizzly Adams?”

Grady shook his head.
“Google it.”

She typed in the name
into her Blackberry and bit back a laugh at the handsome but scruffy
man who popped up. Dan Haggerty. Scrolling down further a picture of
Robert Redford as Jeremiah Johnson appeared. In his current state
Grady was a cross between the two, “It was a T.V. show back in the
70’s.” She showed him the phone screen.

“Whoa.” A fleeting
look of horror crossed his face. “I need to schedule an appointment
with a barber ASAP.”

“You don’t look
quite that homeless yet.” Ava laughed.

“Thanks.” Grady
reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty and flipped it on to
the table.

“Nice tip.”

“Why do you think she
flirts with me?”

“Because she has a
werewolf fetish,” teased Ava.

Grady’s laugh bounced
off the walls of the diner and the patrons turned to stare as they
walked out into the street. But once at the curb Grady turned silent
and serious. “You should go home.” His eyes told a different
story.

“We don’t want to
disappoint Shelley.”

“The waitress?” He
glanced back to the diner where she peered out the window. “No we
wouldn’t.” Grady’s still unsure gaze returned to Ava.

“And wouldn’t it
blow your cover if you sent me home? Not very believable.”

“Not at all.” His
fingers grazed her cheek and his eyes deepened into a fairytale
forest green. “Let’s go.”

As they wound their way
up the stairwell she wavered. So maybe the guy didn’t need a scam
to get women into bed but it could still be a game to him. Or worse,
perhaps he was stalking someone. Just because he was handsome didn’t
mean he wasn’t delusional. God, he could be an escapee from an
institution for the criminally insane. That would explain all the
hair.

If this wasn’t a game
then was he the good guy in this scenario? It would be her MO to pick
up the bad guy.

They entered the
apartment and after locking the door, Grady led the way into a back
bedroom. Ava stopped at the doorway as he drew back the curtains and
checked the window across the way. An expertly made bed took up much
of the small space. One lone chair sat by the window. No pictures
graced the walls. No personal items what so ever.

What was she thinking?

She should escape while
she had a clear route to the door but then he turned from the window.
His hand swept through his hair in a nervous gesture. Was she the
reason? Was she a chink in his armor? The earlier rampart dissolved;
replaced by a sudden awkwardness and a deafening silence filled the
room.

“Wanna check out my
equipment?” Grady asked.

Ava arched an eyebrow.
Oh she knew he was only talking about the electronics strewn about
the room, but the sudden shy, Boy Scout act charmed her and she liked
ruffling up that calm exterior of his. “Are you going to let me
touch it?”

Confused at the lift in
her brow, clarity soon followed.
Are you going to let me touch it?

Hot damn.

He winced once he
realized what he said and how it must have sounded.
Wanna check
out my equipment? Real smooth. A real lady killer, aren’t you?

Are you going to let
me touch it?

He had to tell his dick
she wasn’t talking about him. Correction, she was joking about
touching him, but his cock didn’t catch the humor in her voice. A
triple threat of beauty, brains, and yes, breasts, Ava used all three
to talk her way up here.
Face it O’Flynn, you didn’t need much
convincing.
With the bed inches away, his brain channeled some
primeval descendent.

“Only if you know how
to work the equipment.”

Her laugh in response
filled his insides with heat. Ava was the type of woman who made a
man feel like a man with just a smile. He imagined Marilyn Monroe had
the same quality. Grady pulled back his mind from the gutter and
explained the various recording equipment. He did his best not to be
distracted by her scent. As the minutes ticked by and the silence at
the other end continued the tension in his neck subsided. Raul must
already be asleep.

“So who are we
casing?” Ava walked over to the window to peek out.

Grady pulled her back.
“We aren’t. I am. And it’s better if you don’t know.”

“Maybe I could help.”

The serious expression
on her face was damn cute and he had to hold back a laugh. For a
moment Grady thought about answering her. What was it about this
woman that made him want him to tell his secrets? He’d already
taken her along, revealed too much. Now they were in this bedroom
where the smell of sugar and spice and everything nice surrounded
him, tempting his self-control.
Screw Raul.

Stupid, stupid move. A
move that could get him killed or worse, her killed. Complacency had
no place in his world. For when it was the most quiet was when
everything went to shit. A wave of exhaustion hit him hard.

He’d been too long
without a woman’s company, never mind sex. Grady could go without
sleep or food for days, turn killer within moments. But this woman
he’d known for less than two hours had him nearly begging for not
the release of sex but for the comfort of it.
Dangerous.
“You
should go.”

“I’ve been here
less than ten minutes. Your neighbors will think you’re a rotten
lover.”

Grady laughed. “Can’t
have them thinking that.”

“No, we can’t.”
Ava reached for his belt buckle and had it undone and off in a flash.

“But—.”

“Shhh,” she
whispered, zipping down his fly. “You said I could touch if I knew
how to work it.”

Reaching into his boxer
briefs, she pulled out his steel hard cock, which was way ahead of
his brain on this development. Releasing her grip, she shoved him
into the chair by the window.

“All you have to do
is sit, watch the window, and come.”

His Navy SEAL training
had prepared him for everything and anything. But they hadn’t met
Ava Gardner who now knelt at his feet stroking his cock like it was
her pet, commanding it expertly to full attention.

I can do this.
Keep an eye on the window while she tortured him.
No problem.
Then her wet mouth surrounded him and it took all his effort not to
look. Not to see that sassy mouth engulfing every last inch. He’d
probably come from the sight. The sound of blood roared in his ears
making it impossible to hear the steady static coming through the
radio. Damn, it was hard to even think. But damn, his whole body
drummed in blissful beats. Work it? No, she mastered it. “Ava,”
he groaned

Ava hummed her
approval. God, he was huge. She loved the feel of him and how he
settled in to let her do what she wanted. No hands tugging at her
hair, no thrusts into her mouth, no instructions.

A loud noise cracked
over the radio and she felt him tense—and not from the
he’s-about-to-explode variety.

“Ava.” Instead of
moaning her name, it was regret that laced his voice.

She lifted her head and
he jumped out of the chair to zip up his jeans. He slid on a jacket
without a word and checked his gun.
Gun?
Where had
that
come from?

Gone was the fun loving
man she met hours ago. Gone was the man she nearly enslaved with only
her mouth. Replaced by a man wearing a deadly mask of intent. “What
happened? Where are you going?”

“Listen to me. Wait
fifteen minutes then call a cab. Don’t leave anything behind.” He
doubled checked the gun. “Ava promise me you’ll do as I say. It’s
important. I need to know you’re safe.”

“Ye…yes.”

Sliding the gun into
the band of his jeans he walked over to where she stood. She blinked
and he turned back into the man in the bar.

“I’m sorry for
getting you involved in this.” He kissed her hard and quick,
stealing her breath. “Don’t worry. I’ll find you.” Walking to
the door, he turned back with a sexy wink. “We have some unfinished
business.”

And with that he stole
her heart.

Ava stood stunned. From
his kiss or from him leaving to catch a bad guy she couldn’t say.
Could be either of those or the fact that she went down on him like a
whore in an action flick. She’d been treating this little adventure
like a movie. Now reality hit hard and a sense of dread seeped into
her bones. But she did as she was asked, not wanting to be the stupid
female who caused more trouble for the hero.

Arriving at her
apartment she turned on the TV in case there was any breaking news.
At four o’clock in the morning, only infomercials ruled the
airways. Ava made herself a cup of Chamomile tea to calm her
jittering nerves.

Who was Grady O’Flynn?
And why did she feel so connected to him? Sure, he was handsome but
she’d been around Hollywood’s finest and none of them came close
to his larger than life persona. And none of them tugged at her soul
the way he did.

The five A.M. news came
on with the usual updates on yesterday’s happenings, the weather
and commuter traffic reports. No news was good news, right? The tea
did its job and two hours later she was woken up by a phone call.

“Ava, are you okay?”

Victoria’s voice full
of fear filled Ava with the emotion. Looking up at the TV she spotted
Grady’s picture, it was a still from a video. Her stomach lurched
and she’d need all the tea in China to settle it. “I’m fine,”
she lied.

“I was up with
Brianna when I turned on the news. I think that hottie from the bar
shot a terrorist in front of the Empire State Building.”

“Is Grady okay?”

“Grady? Yes, yes I
think so. Grady, huh? What the hell happened last night?”

Ava caught Victoria up
on most of the night’s events.

“What was he
thinking? You could’ve been killed!”

“I was in no danger.”
No physical danger anyway. His kiss did more to rattle Ava than
anything else.

“I should’ve never
left you at the bar.”

“Don’t be so
dramatic. We’ve done that sort of thing before.”

“Ages and ages ago,
when we were silly, stupid girls.”

“Gezz, Victoria. He
was the perfect gentleman. I on the other hand…” Ava let her
friend guess the rest.

“Oh my God. Are you
going to see him again?”

“Yes.” She said it
without thought. He said he’d find her and she believed him. How
hard could it be anyway? She was the only agent in this city named
Ava Gardner. She heard the baby start to cry. “I better go. Give
Brianna a kiss from me.” Hanging up, she turned up the volume on
the TV. But there was limited information as reporters scrambled to
find out who the man with the gun was. Ava didn’t care any longer
who he was, only that he found her.