Perfectly Exposed (Command Unit Book 1) (10 page)

“Serra, I’d really like to thank you for saving my life. Doing it to your face makes it feel more proper and well, grateful.”

Her head bounced a bit and he heard a muffled laugh. “Really backwards, hero.”

“What was that?” he pressed her. Acting like he couldn’t hear her would surely get her off the floor.

“You heard me. You’re the hero. I’m the…incredible idiot.” Her head came off the seat but hands covered her face as she inhaled deeply then dropped her hands. Arms straight out on the seat, she remained in the foot well and looked up at him. “I’m so sorry, Mr. White. Really. And thank you for saving my life, too.”

“Most people just call me Mike. I’d really like it if you quit putting Mr. White in your sentences when you mean me,” he requested without taking eyes of the road. Not looking at her might make it easier for her to get up on the seat. “And I’d also like it if you weren’t sorry we get to spend some time together. I’m attracted to you and didn’t have the bal— courage to get your number. You’ve only spoken to me that one time and well, it seemed like you avoided me since. I assumed you were seriously not interested.”

Serra pulled herself up onto the seat, but she did it slowly, as if dreading having to sit beside him.

Nothing for it, he would confess to the Kennedy shooting if it made her want to sit by him, so what he was going to say next was suddenly painless. “Look, I can tell you’re embarrassed about having to tell me what you said, but really, it was far braver than I was willing to be. And it saved my life. If you hadn’t told me, I might not have seen the target beam and we would be having this conversation in the ambulance. This way we get some privacy for me to confess my cowardice.” Mike grinned at her but she was studying her hands in her lap.

“Buckle up, Serra,” he said softly.

“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Serra grabbed the seat belt and quickly pulled it on.

“One more favor I’d like from you.” Mike paused as they took the ramp onto the freeway. It wasn’t really necessary to drive all the way to the mall, but hell, they were talking. She was trapped in a car with him and if there was even a scrap of luck left in the world, no one was getting out of this vehicle until they were dating. Exclusively.