Page 4 of Her Marine
Rising from his seat, Killian went down to the other end of the row of tables. They’d had three pushed together so they could all sit together. They’d finished eating, and at this point, a few were having more drinks while others sobered up.
Killian caught his best friend’s eye and watched as Axel leaned over and said something into Kaydence’s ear. He saw her giggle before standing and sitting on Axel’s lap; he then took up the seat she’d vacated next to Journee.
He felt the latter-mentioned woman stiffen, and he wondered if she was actually uncomfortable around him or if she simply didn’t trust herself around him, as cocky as that sounded. But honestly, he was uncomfortable around her too. At least in his pants.
He vaguely picked up on Slate asking Talia who’d taught her to play pool because he seldom lost to anyone, but Killian tuned them out, turning his focus and determined eyes to Journee.
“What have the three of you been down here talking about?” he asked. It was aimed at her, but he knew she would likely not answer him. He was proven correct when the silence stretched for a moment, and Kaydence filled it.
“Just boring work stuff. Journee was telling us about a wedding she may be planning for some billionaire and his future wife.”
“Is that so?” Killian questioned. “Congrats.”
Journee shook her head. “Don’t congratulate me yet. I haven’t officially gotten the job. Alijah, that’s the bride, she contacted me and told me she’s been doing research and had narrowed her decision. She wanted to know when a good time to sit and talk would be. So, I’m meeting with her next week.”
“I’m sure you’ll get it, Journ. Your events are top-notch, and all the weddings you’ve planned have been incredible.” Killian listened to Kaydence praise.
“Thank you, but I’ve never planned a wedding for someone with so much money, so much pull. If she chooses me and doesn’t like how it turns out, that could ruin me. I mean, she’s marrying Kieran Cayman, and I’ve never met him, but his reputation definitely proceeds him.”
“You are your own worst enemy,” Killian told her in Russian, and he didn’t miss how she squeezed her thighs and shifted. He made a mental note that she liked that. Journee turned to look at him for the first time since he’d sat down and raised a brow at him. Killian translated for her, and she nodded slowly.
“You’re probably right. I’ll have to be more optimistic.”
Killian leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Good, girl.” He listened to her gasp lightly before pulling away, doing his best not to smirk.
“So, Killian. I know you’re a marine. You were Axel’s commanding officer, right?”
“For a while,” Killian responded with a nod. “Then we veered to different factions; I guess you’d say.”
“What do you do now?” Kaydence questioned.
Killian smirked at her. “A lot of paper pushing,” he responded, though that wasn’t always the case.
For the next thirty minutes, he attempted to get Journee to engage in conversation with him. She would answer any question he asked her, but for the most part, she kept her responses short. It almost made him laugh, but he was positive now that she was doing it because of how he was causing her to feel.
If he had to guess, from how he’d seen her interact with a few other people than himself, she was far from shy. This led him to believe that maybe she was used to doing the approaching, the one being forward. Not the other way around. Killian was sure the fact that he had, and still was, may have been throwing her for a loop, and she wasn’t sure how to take it.
He had no problem with her playing that role, either. It would make for an even more intense back-and-forth between them. It would heighten their chemistry.
When everyone decided they were ready to leave, Killian lightly placed his hand on Journee’s knee as she started to stand.
“I’d appreciate it greatly if we could exchange numbers,” he informed her, staring into gorgeous deep brown eyes set against hickory skin. He figured he would simmer down his approach a bit. At least for the night.
“I…don’t think that’s a good idea,” she told him, and before he could question her about it, she stood and walked off.
Sighing to himself, Killian rose from his chair and exited with the rest of them. He said his goodbyes and headed to the car he’d rented.
Killian returned to the hotel he was staying at. He was well aware that he could have stayed with Axel when he’d come for his visit, but he had never been one to encroach on anyone else’s space, even when invited. On top of that, he always enjoyed having his own.
When he pulled up to the hotel, he went up to his suite. He had gone to the store earlier in the day before meeting the others and picked up a few things, so he opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, and went to the couch.
He was only supposed to be in town for a week, but he’d stored up an ample amount of vacation time and was contemplating extending it. Killian knew there shouldn’t be a problem with that, and he’d only be called back while he was on vacation if he were needed for a particular assignment.
Deciding that was precisely what he would do, Killian made a mental note to make that happen first thing in the morning. He would spend a few weeks in Colorado Springs, getting to know Journee. Smirking to himself, Killian finished the rest of his beer and then went into the bedroom.
She was unintentionally playing hard to get, though Killian was sure he’d figured out why she was keeping her distance; it didn’t make that fact any less true. Unfortunately for her, he was a predator by profession and personality, and the hunt was always half the fun.
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