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other arm. “Wait, Trina. After last time… I thought…maybe there was something between us. Admit it, you wore that dress for me. Not this asshole.”
    She hated that he was right about the dress, but he’d never hear that from her. She tried to jerk her arm from his grasp and failed. “Sorry, Perry. Not interested.”
    Keith stepped closer to Perry. “Don’t do this, man. This isn’t the time or place.”
    “You think I’m afraid of you?”
    “I don’t give a shit if you’re afraid of me. I’m not the one with something to lose here.”
    Perry released her arm. She rubbed her bicep, certain she’d have matching bruises tomorrow. “Let’s go,” she said to Keith.
    “Uptight, dippy bitch. Hell, you aren’t my type anyway. I prefer women with curves.”
    Keith stopped and closed his eyes as if seeking patience. He opened them and said, “Trina, can I hit him? Please? ”
    “He’s drunk. And an ass. Not really worth the trouble it would cause.”
    Keith nodded and took a step toward the game room.
    “Pussy,” Perry said.
    They’d given the man every opportunity, and he’d squandered each one. Somehow, insulting Keith crested her breaking point. She twisted on her heel and took a swing, only to be stopped by Keith’s quick grasp. His hand curled around her wrist and gently pulled her back. “As you said, he’s not worth it.”

C HAPTER T HREE

    K EITH WAS STUNNED Trina had taken a swing at the prick. He’d managed to stop her on instinct alone. He shifted his hold on her forearm—far more gently than the guy she’d tried to deck—and led her through the garden to the house and out through the front door.
    She shook her head as if just realizing her surroundings. “We can’t leave.”
    “You sure as hell aren’t staying.”
    “My friends—”
    “Saw that you’re with me when we passed through the house.”
    She glanced back at the front door. Nothing was going as planned today. “I can’t leave with you.”
    He couldn’t let her go back. She was riding adrenaline, and he’d bet good money she wasn’t used to it, didn’t realize a crash was coming. Plus the last thing she needed was to explain the bullshit she’d put up with from whoever that prick was to her friends, especially since one of those friends was her boss.
    She turned to head back into the house.
    “If you come with me, you can ask me three questions about Somalia,” he blurted. It was the only thing he could think of to stop her.
    She paused. “You have a car?”
    He nodded and darted down the steps to the valet stand. “Black Toyota Land Cruiser. No top.”
    The boy took off to get his rig, and moments later, Keith was behind the wheel with Trina in the passenger seat. He maneuvered down the twisting drive and pulled out onto the rural road on the outskirts of Annapolis. The late-afternoon summer sun shone down, he had the top off his Cruiser, and there was a beautiful woman in his passenger seat. He felt more anticipation for… life… than he had in months. Certainly since leaving the navy.
    She flopped back in the seat, turning her face toward the sun. Her half smile lit an unfamiliar fire in his belly.
    “Have you ever punched someone before?” he asked.
    She glanced at him through the corner of her eye. Her mouth curved another fraction of an inch. “Yes.”
    He did a double take. Trina was full of surprises.
    “I was impressed with how you tried to defuse him,” she said. “That you didn’t rise to his bait. Sorry I blew it.”
    He shrugged. “Better men than him have baited me. And I held back for you. I figured you didn’t want a scene. Not with your boss there.”
    She lost the content smile and sat up straighter. “Yeah. I didn’t.”
    “Odds are, no one saw you take the swing. There was a gigantic mermaid in the way. And the guy sure as hell won’t mention it.”
    “I’m screwed if Dr. Hill saw us. He consults with the navy a lot, and Erica was trying to convince him to share some