Page 13 of Welcome Home for Christmas
Chapter 4
Troy arrived at Allison’s town house at six o’clock on the dot. It was that Marine Corps discipline that had been instilled in him. He rang the doorbell and blew out a breath. He’d considered bringing flowers, but this wasn’t a real date. Allison had made that perfectly clear, although he would be paying for tonight’s meal. That was the Matthews family values that had been instilled in him. His mother had taught him to open doors, to never curse in front of a woman, and to always pay for your date—pretend or not.
He heard footsteps inside the town house, then the lock clicked and the door opened. Troy looked up, meeting those green eyes that he’d looked forward to seeing. His gaze traveled the length of her. She was dressed in a knee-length skirt that showcased those long legs of hers. The purple top she was wearing had a flattering cut that didn’t expose any cleavage, but hugged her so perfectly that he wished it did.
“I, um, thought maybe I should look the part,” she said shyly. “You know, dress for the occasion.”
“I’m sorry.” Troy looked down at his jeans and T-shirt. He’d dressed for the occasion of a Saturday evening, which he usually spent at home or at Heroes with a few of the guys. At least he’d showered and shaved.
“No, don’t be. It’s fine.” Allison smiled brightly. “I need to do a few things before we leave, if that’s okay. Why don’t you come inside?”
“Sure.” He followed her and shut the front door behind him.
Allison pointed to the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. There are sodas in the fridge if you want one. I’ll be right back.”
Troy watched her retreat down a long hallway that he guessed led to her bedroom and bath area. He then looked around her living room. It was cozy, with pictures on the walls. He took a closer look, guessing these were the family members he’d be posing for next weekend. They looked nice. Allison’s mother had her same green eyes. Her father looked like a good guy, maybe someone Troy could have a few laughs with. No brothers or sisters apparently.
So Allison was an only child. Which maybe meant she was a little used to having her own way.
“What are you doing?” Allison asked, reentering the room a few minutes later.
“Profiling you.”
Her brows lowered.
“Hazard of the job.”
She shrugged a shoulder. “Okay. So do I fit the profile of a criminal?”
He shook his head. “Not exactly. Do you have a restaurant that you want me to take you to tonight?”
She slipped the thin strap of a purse on her shoulder and shook her head, her red hair scraping along the top portion of her arms. “I like everything.”
Something about that made his mind roll toward the gutter. He reined it back. “Well, then, I think I know where we’ll go. I have a favorite spot.”
“Great.” Allison nodded. “I should definitely know your favorite spot. And favorite food. And whether or not you have allergies,” she added, walking to the front door.
Troy stepped ahead and opened it for her. “I can see tonight’s going to be a barrel of laughs.”
She stopped and turned to frown at him. “This is just research, remember?”
“Research can be fun, though,” he said. He hadn’t meant it to sound suggestive, not completely, at least.
Her eyes widened just a fraction.
Troy winked. “Relax. I’m harmless.”
With a slight nod she continued forward. They walked to his truck and he opened the passenger door for her.
“You don’t have to—”
He started to press a finger toward her lips, stopping before touching her. “Just because this is research doesn’t mean I’m going to treat you like a dude. You’re a lady, and I intend to treat you like one tonight. Is that okay with you?”
She swallowed as she stared back at him. “Okay.” Then she climbed in, her skirt rising up her thigh. She definitely wasn’t a dude. That was conclusive.
Troy walked around and got in beside her. She was quiet as he pulled out of her parking lot and turned down the road toward their destination. “Don’t you want to know where I’m taking you?” he asked.
In his periphery he saw her looking at him. His eyes stayed locked on the road. She was too much of a distraction to entertain while driving. He liked watching her facial responses to everything he said, especially when he was flirting with her.
