Out of Character. Diana Miller

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СКАЧАТЬ living room, she pointedly avoided the oversized mirror on the dining room wall. She didn’t need to look to know her ponytail was limp yet frizzy and her supposedly all-day blush and lipstick had faded from her pale skin. She wasn’t the perfect type. Her lips twisted as she loosened the bottle top. Perfect women didn’t get dumped for twenty-year-old file clerks.

      “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad,” Kristen said with a sincerity Jillian knew was genuine. They’d been best friends since college. “I was simply explaining why this date is so terrific.”

      Jillian sat down in a beige and brown striped armchair next to the fireplace. “It’s just one date. Mark lives in New York City. After tonight I’ll probably never see him again.” She took a long drink of water.

      “Andy lives in Denver.”

      “So?”

      Kristen’s satisfied smile telegraphed she was about to top Jillian’s date in the big deal department. “He called me a couple days ago. He’s broken up with the Barbie doll.”

      “Why? Did he find someone even younger?”

      “He’s clearly realized there’s more to a relationship than tits and ass. He’s going to call you after we get back. Would you consider getting back together with him?”

      Jillian opened her mouth to say of course, but closed it before the words emerged. Andy had hurt her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to risk that again. More important, while she’d thought she’d loved him, had even thought they’d end up married, after the initial shock she hadn’t been as devastated as she’d expected. She wasn’t sure how much of the hurt was from a broken heart as opposed to the humiliation of being dumped for Tiffany. “I don’t know.”

      “Andy’s been my friend since law school, but he was a jerk to you, and I hate him for that,” Kristen said. “I don’t want you to risk trying again with him unless you’re sure. I’ve been worried that if you haven’t been near another man in six months, you might mistake lust for love when you see Andy. But now that you have a date—” She waved her hand.

      “I’m not sleeping with Mark.” Jillian took another drink of water then set the bottle on the fireplace hearth. “To be honest, I’m not sure I should even go out with him tonight. Something about him makes me nervous.”

      Kristen’s forehead creased. “Do you think he’s dangerous and might hurt you?”

      “That’s not it.” It was more the way Mark had gotten her to ski then convinced her to meet him for dinner when she’d meant to refuse. It was as though he’d used his mesmerizing eyes to hypnotize her into doing things she’d never have considered otherwise.

      “I think the only thing making you nervous is that you haven’t been on a first date for more than two and a half years,” Kristen said. “You’ve got first date jitters. Suck it up and go out and have fun.”

      Chapter 2

      Mark scanned the dining area one last time. All clear. He dropped the hand he’d held close to the gun hidden under his sport coat then strode to the black lacquer podium the restaurant hostess was stationed behind.

      “Jillian isn’t here yet, but thanks for letting me check,” he said. “Either she’s even later than I was, or I’m being stood up.”

      “If she doesn’t show, let me know.” The hostess smoothed her wavy dark hair with both hands in a movement that accentuated her impressive bust. “My break’s in fifteen minutes, and I’d be happy to keep you company.” She smoothed her hair again.

      “I’ll remember that.” Although Mark had no doubt Jillian would be here, since she wasn’t late at all. He’d told her he’d make a reservation for seven-thirty then made it for seven. He’d arrived at ten after seven and told the hostess he wanted to check whether Jillian was waiting in the bar occupying one side of the restaurant. He’d actually surveyed the entire place, the bar, the dining area, even the men’s room.

      His friend wasn’t here.

      The hostess shifted her attention to a tanned, silver-haired couple who’d come in.

      Mark positioned himself against a wall in the shadow of the coat check, with a prime view of the double glass doors serving as the only public entrance.

      Funny how things worked out. When he’d gotten to the ski area, he’d realized that good as his disguise was, it would be better if he added a woman. Someone might have been bribed to pass on his current description, but that description would fit many men on the slopes. Being with a woman would prevent him from standing out as a conspicuous lone male. It might even be uncharacteristic enough to keep his friend from giving him a second glance. He had a reputation for liking women, but also for treating them considerately and certainly never endangering an innocent one. No one would expect him to be with a woman now, under these circumstances. As long as he just skied with her, the woman would be perfectly safe. Even if he were recognized, no one would risk shooting him on a busy ski slope.

      He rubbed the beard he’d finally gotten used to. When he’d bought his lift ticket, he’d spotted Jillian in the meeting area for group skiing lessons, talking to a woman he’d bet had been a Longhorns cheerleader thirty years and pounds ago. Jillian had confessed that despite dozens of lessons, she freaked out whenever she got near a chairlift, was only there because she’d promised her best friend she’d give skiing one last chance, and had been so agitated she’d spilled coffee on some poor man at a gas station on the drive to Keystone. Her nervous chatter had convinced him that she was exactly the kind of woman he needed, slightly timid, pretty but not hot enough to attract universal male attention. The kind of woman an accountant would like. So he’d signed up for Jillian’s class, taken the chairlift in front of her, and made sure she’d run into him. After that, it had been easy.

      The outside door opened, admitting two men and a woman. Mark slid his hand underneath his sport coat and grabbed his gun. He didn’t recognize any of the trio, and they went directly to the hostess without sparing him a glance.

      Jillian certainly hadn’t turned out to be the sweet, fragile type her appearance implied. She was an ER doctor at Denver County Hospital, for God’s sake, a place that treated the kind of guys who ended up in his business. He’d only offered to help her so she’d ski with him outside of class, which had given him freedom to look for his friend. Even though she wasn’t at all his type, he’d enjoyed talking to her much more than he’d anticipated. He’d figured he could safely take her to a crowded restaurant, have a few hours of intelligent conversation, and a decent meal, then send her on her way.

      The glass door opened again. He stuck his hand under his sport coat then relaxed when Jillian stepped inside. She’d left her blond hair loose tonight and with her small frame and wide, pale blue eyes, she looked more like a preschool teacher than an ER doctor. Then again, he knew firsthand how deceiving appearances could be.

      He smiled and stepped toward her.

      * * * *

      Jillian slipped from the frigid outside air into the restaurant’s aromatic warmth. Mark stood against the wall right inside the entrance, wearing a gray tweed sport coat over his black jeans and shirt. He smiled, and her relief—and increased temperature and heart rate—proved Kristen had been right about the first date jitters. Of course she was nervous. She hadn’t been close to a man without her stethoscope in more than six months.

      After СКАЧАТЬ