The Darkness Beyond by Alexis Morgan Read Free Book Online Page B

confrontation off as long as possible. After a bit, Reggie started playing tour guide, pointing out her favorite bookstore and several restaurants she thought he should try while he was in town. Finally, true to her promise, he spotted an ice cream shop at the end of the next block.
    As they made their approach, he caught her attention. “So, Reggie, I’ve got a question for you.”
    She gave him a suspicious look. “Doesn’t mean I have an answer, but ask away.”
    He pointed toward the shop. “Do you always order the same flavor or do you like to . . . experiment?”
    Her fair skin flushed. Finally, she said, “Most of the time I keep things simple, boring even.”
    Somehow he doubted there was anything boring about her at all. He held the door open for her and then headed toward the counter to place their order. “Two waffle cones with double scoops of whatever the lady wants.”
    When she started to put some money down on the counter, he shook his head. “My treat. So, Reggie, what’s it going to be? Let’s see what you consider boring.”
    Reggie kept her attention focused strictly on the clerk behind the counter. “Double fudge mocha pecan.”
    D.J. grinned as he paid for their treats. He’d half-expected her to order plain old vanilla just to show him, but she’d been unable to resist the temptation of her favorite flavor. Good. He was having a difficult time resisting temptation himself. Rather than immediately head back out into the night, he took a seat at the one empty booth in the shop. It would be interesting to see whether Reggie sat across from him or if she was up to doing a little crowding herself.
    She didn’t even hesitate, sliding onto the opposite bench. Fine with him. All the better to keep an eye on her. He pretended not to notice when her legs brushed his as she scooted all the way to the far corner of the booth, but her eyes flared wide at the brief contact.
    Good. He’d hate to be the only one who was almost painfully aware of their proximity. Hoping to cool off the direction his thoughts were headed, he tasted the ice cream. The rich combination of flavors exploded on his tongue. “Wow, no wonder you love this stuff.”
    She merely nodded, obviously more interested in her ice cream than she was in him. It was all he could do not to groan as her pink tongue darted out to catch a drip of ice cream running down the side of her cone. How sweet would her mocha-flavored kiss taste? Sadly, all things considered, he figured that wasn’t on the menu for the night.
    Odd how much that realization bothered him. After all, he was there to order a fellow hacker to back off before she got in over her head, relying on the same lies he’d been telling women for years. Somehow, he just couldn’t bring himself to start spouting the usual load of crap.
    So rather than say anything, he ate his ice cream and ignored the double scoop of regret that had settled in his chest.
    When Reggie had polished off the last bite of her ice cream, she wiped her fingers with a napkin. “We should head back.”
    D.J. tossed the rest of his cone in the trash. “Sure.”
    Outside it had started misting, a common enough occurrence in both Portland and Seattle. Like most natives, the two of them ignored it as they walked along. But when he noticed Reggie shiver, D.J. peeled off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
    She didn’t quibble, instead laughing at the way it hung down almost to her knees. She had to really work to shove the sleeves up her arms far enough for her hands to show. She did a slow pirouette to show it off.
    â€œQuite the fashion statement, don’t you think? This thing is big enough to cover three of me.”
    Actually, he liked the way it looked on her, and he strongly suspected one Reggie was more than enough for him. Before he could bring himself to say so, they’d reached her