“I’m a lawyer.”
“Oh, that’s right. I remember reading something in the newspapers. ‘Hotshot L.A. Lawyer Hired by Movie Mogul’ or some such thing.” Her voice carried a slight tone of contempt.
“You got it, sweetheart. That’s me. Hotshot L.A. lawyer.” He studied his fingernails casually, but Helen could tell that his teeth were gritted.
A woman sitting on the other side of Rafe, several seats away, leaned forward, craning her neck to watch them with interest. In truth, it was Rafe she was ogling like a delicious dessert. Heck, who wouldn’t? He was a drop-dead gorgeous hunk. And, much as Helen disliked his values and lifestyle, in all honesty, she couldn’t deny her attraction to him, as well. Even after all these years.
Meanwhile, his insolent eyes, fringed with lashes thick as black feather dusters, were visually caressing some intimate parts of her body. Trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, Helen hissed, “Stop looking at me like that. It smacks of sexual harassment.”
“No, no, no! If there’s one thing I know, it’s the law. Sexual harassment is when I’m the ranking officer and I’m forcing my attentions on helpless little you. I’m just a helpless man here, admiring a good-looking woman who happens to be wearing a uniform. Don’t read anything threatening into that. And, besides, you agreed this was a civilian conversation.”
“I didn’t say I feel threatened,” she said, pursing her lips with disgust, “but your insolence is intolerable under any circumstances, military or otherwise. And tasteless.”
“Stop acting like you’re sucking a lemon all the time.”
Helen had to clench her fists tightly to keep from slapping the teasing smile off his handsome face. “You are truly the crudest, most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”
“Yep, that’s me. Crude, arrogant, hotshot lawyer.” He didn’t look at all upset that Helen had such a low opinion of him.
“Well, at least, you achieved your goal, Mr. Hotshot Legal Eagle. All you ever wanted was to make a ton of money.”
“Right.” His eyes flashed angrily as if he was about to argue with her. But then he deliberately banked their blue fires with a mask of unconcern. “Not everyone gets to be born with a silver spoon in his mouth, like you.”
Rafe’s gaze riveted on the gold oak leaf cluster on her collar. Before Helen realized what he was about, he flicked one of them with the tips of his fingers, grazing her neck. Fortunately, they were screened from the other soldiers, because Helen felt branded by even that mere touch. His eyes held hers for a moment, hot and smoldering, and an unfamiliar heaviness pulled sensuously at her limbs.
She was going to have Rafe removed from her company the minute they hit the ground. She would never survive two weeks of close company with this prime example of walking testosterone.
“I see you went into the career military, like your daddy wanted you to,” he said suddenly, jarring her back to harsh reality. “I thought you wanted to be an artist. Ah, well, Daddy’s girl all the way, huh?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, Prissy, that you still haven’t learned to stand on your own two feet. You do what Daddy tells you to.”
“How do you know the military isn’t what I want?”
He shrugged as if the conversation bored him suddenly. Then he noticed the ring on her left hand. Before she had a chance to protest, he took her hand in both of his and traced the large diamond with one forefinger. Alarmed at her racing pulse, she looked up guiltily to see if anyone was watching, but Rafe’s back and the abutment still ensured their privacy.
“So, who’s the lucky guy?” There was an odd note in his voice, almost like regret, which puzzled Helen. She decided it was probably sarcasm.
“Elliott Peterson. Colonel Elliott Peterson.”
“Colonel. That figures.”
Helen tried to pull away, but he turned her hand over and began to trace enticing little circles in the palm, holding her eyes the entire time. Helen yearned to close her eyes and yield to the sweet thrumming sensations spiraling from the sensitive skin of her hand to all the important nerve centers in her dormant body. At first, she didn’t realize he was still talking to her. “What?”