The Defender (The Carrier Series Book 2) (9 page)

While he was gone, I finished my chili and sipped on my Diet Coke.
I replied to a text message from Elaina, and then looked at the dessert menu
for almost ten minutes before Adam came back to the table.

“So sorry, Ava. Please forgive me. It was my mother and I just
couldn’t get her off the phone.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, she was just complaining about—” Then he paused a moment.
“You know what? It’s no matter. Anyway, I’m back here now with you and off the
phone.”

“I guess I’ll forgive you. Just don’t do it again.” I winked and took
another sip of my soda, my eyes still holding his.

“Ava, I’d love for you to meet my family.”

I almost choked on my drink.

“You need to come back to London with me sometime. You haven’t
lived life until you’ve taken a turn on The Tube.”

“The what?” I said, picking up my napkin and wiping the dribble
from the corner of my mouth.

“The Tube. The London Underground.”

“Is that a band?”

He snorted. “The Tube is the oldest underground railway system in
the world!”

“Really? And it still works?”

“Well yes, but they’ve been working on updating it for the past
few years. It’s quite slick, actually.”

He paused and pushed some food around on his plate. Was he nervous
about something?

“You’ve been on a subway, right?”

“Yeah. When I was younger, my parents used to take Laura and me to
Chicago once a year and we’d ride the subway down to the theater district to
catch a musical.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s nothing like The Tube. You just have to
come.”

His sweet smile was adorable. Was he really asking me back to
London to meet his family? The nerves had returned in full force.

As dinner finished, Adam graciously picked up the check before I
could grab for it, and when I offered to pay for half, he refused.

Definitely a date.

I was surprised to see Adam getting out his car keys as we left
the restaurant.

“Pioneer Park is only three or four blocks down the way. Why don’t
we leave the car here in the public lot and take the sidewalk following the
riverfront down to the band shell?”

Adam smiled at my suggestion, but then said, “Are you sure? With
the sun set it’s pretty cold outside.”

I estimated it was barely forty degrees as a chill ran down my
back. “Yeah, it’s nice out,” I lied, as I put on my hat and mittens, shivering
again.

The sidewalk was pretty empty this time of night, but I could see
a crowd of people up ahead at the park. Old-fashioned black metal streetlights
handsomely lit the way, and the sound of the river lapping up on the bank set a
very familiar romantic mood. A warm yellow glow radiated from the stage in the
distance and the sounds of instruments warming up was quite inviting.

Fallen leaves crunched under our feet as an autumn wind blew off
the river and past our faces. I shivered again and Adam moved in close to put
his arm around my shoulders. “Here, borrow some of my heat,” he said.

I rested my head in the crook of his shoulder. It was nice to feel
attended to and our position was warm and very comfortable. I closed my eyes
for a quick second and took a deep breath. He smelled like a scent I’d smelled
before, but I just couldn’t put a finger on what. I slowly turned my head into
his shirt and discreetly took another deep breath.

Instantly, as if there was poison in the air, my brain felt like
it was on fire. I stopped dead in my tracks and bent over in pain.

“My head!”

And then I saw him again, the man from my visions—the drop-dead
gorgeous guy with dark hair and incredibly beautiful blue eyes.

“Ava. Ava, come back to the present.” Adam had bent down near my face
and was coaxing me away from my dream man. My vision was getting hazy, and the
burning pain in my head was fading away.

I stood up rubbing my temples and breathing heavily. “God, I hate
when that happens.” As soon as I had stepped away from Adam and tried to focus
on the present, my throbbing pain was almost diminished.

“Are you with me?” Adam had concern on his face, but he tried to
hide it, smiling inauthentically. “You’re going to be okay.”

“I hope so. I’ve been having fewer of these painful visions
lately.” At least it seemed that way.

“Well, that’s good. No. That’s great!” He took a few steps closer
to stand facing me, hands on my shoulders. He was studying my eyes, searching
for any leftover pain. After a moment I moved my hands down from my head and
stared deep into Adam’s face. I really was thankful for his patience.

“Now,” he said, “I think I can hear the band starting. Are you up
for some jazz?”

“Of course. Let’s go. That’s why I came!”  

“Aww, and here I thought you wanted to spend time with me.”

“Well, that too, Prince Adam.” We smiled at each other and then
continued down the walkway. Before we could get a few paces in, I felt Adam’s
palm find mine and take hold. I was wearing mittens, so the whole thing felt a
little muted, but I knew I was wanted and needed in that moment, and I realized
that was a feeling I sorely missed.

Whatever happens, happens. Just go with the flow, Ava.

The band was in the middle of a song when we arrived at the park.
Many couples had brought picnic blankets and lawn chairs, but suddenly I
realized Adam was unprepared. Were we going to have to stand for the entire
concert?

Adam held my hand and led me through the maze of blankets and
chairs as if he knew exactly where he was going. Over to the right side of the
crowd, somewhat near the back, I noticed a green fuzzy blanket laid out with a
small picnic basket and another felt blanket neatly folded on top. There was a
little sign that said, “Reserved for Royalty.”

Adam stopped us right in front of the blanket. “Well, Princess
Ava, here we are.”

“You did this?”

Adam sat down on the blanket and I followed his lead, picking a
spot right next to him. With our shoulders touching, he leaned over and grabbed
the extra blanket, held the corners, and spread it out over our legs.

We sat and listened to the smooth jazz for a while. Adam was a
perfect gentleman and asked if he could put his arm around me—to keep me warm,
of course. I snuggled in and enjoyed the good music with a good friend.

He’s becoming more than a friend
, my heart
yelled.

“What’s in the basket?” I asked, trying to distract myself from
the truth of my heart.

“Dessert,” Adam said smiling. He leaned over and pulled out a
small plastic container of various cheesecake samples. There was a thin slice
of strawberry on each piece. “I hope you like cheesecake.”

“My favorite! You didn’t make those, did you?”

“I’m sorry, I cannot take credit. The best baked good I can make
is a box mix of chocolate brownies.” Adam took two forks out of the small
basket and offered me the plate of dessert. “Dig in!”

I took my fork and dug a bite off a slice. “This is so delicious.
Thank you for bringing it.”

Adam nodded, his mouth full of his own delectable bite. The music
played in the background as we sat and indulged. Beyond Adam’s head I could see
the sky full of beautiful sparkling silver stars.

“Here, try this one.”

Adam’s fork slowly approached my lips, a bite of chocolate
cheesecake on the end. I opened my mouth and closed my eyes, slightly smiling
as I waited for the fork’s cold metal to touch my tongue. Finally I tasted
chocolate and closed my mouth around the fork as he gently slid it out.

Pleasant tingles ran down my spine.

Uh-oh.

“Ava,” he said quietly.

I opened my eyes.

“Did you ever mistakenly discover something wonderful, and then
realize that was why you were put on this Earth?”

I looked at him nervously. “Are you talking about cheesecake?”

Adam chuckled. “No, Ava. I’m talking about you.”

Uh-oh
.

He moved his fingers over the blanket and grabbed my hand. We were
in our own world, unaware of the fifty people around us. His eyes were locked
on mine, obviously searching for some kind of affirmation of my feelings.

My cheeks turned pink and my heart began to race, but I couldn’t
find a clear answer in my heart.

Suddenly the song ended and the audience began clapping, bringing
us back to reality. The band started playing the first ballad of the night, and
we noticed several couples standing up to dance in the grass.

“My lady, would you give me the pleasure of this dance?”

My heart felt like it was beating in my ears. “Sure,” I replied
quietly. I swallowed loudly. This meant we were going to get closer to each
other.

Adam stood up and held his hand out to help me up, and then led me
off the blanket to a free patch of grass nearby. Keeping perfect eye contact,
Adam slowly took the hand he was holding, placed it around his neck, and then
carefully ran his palm down my arm, ending at my shoulder. I eased my other
hand up to his shoulder as he gracefully inched his fingers around my waist.

He pulled me in close as we swayed to the music, our eyes
comfortably locked. His face was perfectly handsome in the moonlight, and I
began to feel my heart drop its wall of protection. Maybe I could let myself
fall for him. It felt pretty wonderful being wanted again. I suddenly realized
how lonely I’d been.

As we danced, he hummed the tune in my ear and whispered, “You are
so beautiful.”

I could not stop the smile from my lips.

Adam carefully brushed a piece of hair from my face with his thumb
and tucked it behind my ear. Then, still holding my head in his hand, he slowly
moved his face closer and closer to mine. My eyes instinctively closed, waiting
for what I knew was coming next.

Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

I wanted to kiss Adam. It felt right. He let his nose touch mine
and then I could feel his breath so close to my lips, hovering there with
careful anticipation.

“Adam,” I whispered, surrendering to my feelings.

BOOM!

I screamed as some invisible force blew our bodies back several
feet. My head slammed into the ground, and I looked up to see pieces of glass
and flaming plastic shoot through the crowd. I felt one whiz by my head seconds
before I covered it with my hands. A bright, fiery blaze and thick, black smoke
poured out of the place where a car had been in the lot behind the bandshell.

“For the love of the Queen,” I heard Adam say. “They know we’re
here.”

There was mass chaos. People were screaming and running
everywhere. Others were injured on the ground, some even on fire. My head
started to throb and panic filled every part of my body.

Adam pulled me up from the ground. “We’ve gotta get out of here,
now!” he yelled in my ear.  

He grabbed my hand and I ran right alongside of him, confused,
horrified, and scared.

“Adam, what’s going on?” I hollered, my head aching.

“I don’t know. But we’ve got to get back to the car as fast as we
can!”

I knew it was true. If there was some kind of psycho car bomber on
the loose, I was in no mood to stick around to see him. We finally arrived back
at the parking lot and quickly jumped in the car. It was pretty quiet this far
away from the park, but we could hear the fire trucks approaching and I could
smell the smoke in the air.

Adam spent no time waiting to catch his breath or for me to buckle
my seatbelt, but started the car instantly, squealing the tires and almost
running over the stop sign at the exit. My body slammed into the passenger side
window as Adam took the first corner out of the parking lot rather sharply. I
quickly clicked in the seatbelt, and then braced myself with both hands on the
dashboard in front of me.

“How’s your head?” he asked as he drove like a maniac through the
back roads of Point.

I ran my hand over the back of my hair. “Hurts like hell. I think
I whacked it pretty hard when I fell down from the blast.”

“I’ll take a look when we get out of this neighborhood. Put some
ice on it when you get home and take two acetaminophen.” He cranked on the
wheel, turning unexpectedly into an alley and I slammed into the door again.

“Please! Slow down!” I begged. Tears began to form behind my eyes.
My head ached and I felt incredibly shaken. I moved my hand over the console
and placed it firmly on the middle of his thigh.  

Adam slowed down and looked over at me. “You’re right. I’m sorry
to scare you, Ava. I just need to make sure you are safe.”

“I’m fine, Adam. I just think I’d like to go home now. I’d like to
be safe in my bed.”

“Right. I bet you are as anxious as I am.” Adam drove the rest of
the way home in silence. I could hear his phone vibrating several times in his
pocket, but he ignored each call. When we got to my house he didn’t say
anything. Was he simply feeling uneasy because we almost got bombed out of the
park? I stared at him for a few seconds, but he just looked out the windshield.