A Deadly Love by Jannine Gallant Page A

uncomplicated friendship, but he couldn’t do it. Brooke Wakefield was just too damned tempting.

Chapter Four
    The aroma of artificial butter and Coca-Cola filled the air, teasing Brooke with memories of past movie dates. On those occasions, had she been so hyperaware of the other guys who sat by her side? She didn’t think so. When it came to igniting her senses, Dillon was in a class all his own.
    She ate salty popcorn and watched Liam Neeson flee from a mysterious assassin on the big screen. When Dillon’s knee pressed against hers, her blood heated. Their fingers touched at the bottom of the popcorn tub, and their gazes locked in the darkness of the theater. Her heart rate accelerated.
    Lowering the tub to the floor, he threaded her fingers through his and rested their clasped hands on the hard muscle of his thigh. His thumb rubbed the back of her hand, sending tingles up her arm. Brooke finished watching the movie without having a clue how it ended. Finally, the credits rolled and the lights came on.
    Still holding her hand, Dillon led her outside, following the crowd of Friday night movie-goers. The full moon was just visible through the shifting mist as they walked to his truck. Out over the ocean, a fog horn sounded, deep and lonely in the night. She shivered in the damp sea air and leaned against the side of the pickup. Dillon crowded in close, his legs twining with hers. He tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, and his calloused fingers lingered against her cheek.
    “Do you want to go somewhere for coffee?”
    She let out a long, shuddering breath. “What I’d really like to do is get a room.”
    His eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
    She pressed her forehead against his chest. “Yes, but I won’t risk getting hurt again. Not yet.”
    “I respect that, but I can’t imagine a better way to end the evening.” Shifting away from her, he unlocked the truck and helped her in. She slid across the bench seat.
    Brooke studied his strong profile as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. A muscle in his jaw ticked. He headed south out of town past the marina and down the highway toward Woodvale. The road climbed as they left the lights of Crescent City behind.
    “I suppose it’s a little late for coffee.”
    He glanced over at her. “I have something else in mind.” Returning his attention to the road, he pulled into a turnout a few minutes later and cut the engine. The ocean spread before them, waves lapping the shore far below. The water glimmered in the moonlight as the fog receded inland.
    He turned to face her. “Did you ever come out here when you were in high school?”
    She shook her head. “It’s a beautiful spot.”
    He grinned, his teeth a flash of white in the dark. “I never spent much time admiring the view. The kids call this make out point.”
    Brooke laughed. “Dillon Tremayne, what exactly do you have in mind?”
    He unbuckled her seatbelt and tugged her up against his side. “We said we were going to have fun together, right? This is fun.”
    She touched his hair, letting the silky strands slide through her fingers. “Maybe not as much fun as a room, but safer.”
    His lips ran along the side of her neck, sending a jolt of longing straight through her.
    “Definitely safer.”
    His mouth found hers in a drugging kiss that left her hungry for more. His tongue stroked and teased while his hands worked their way under her sweater and spread across the skin of her back.
    She sat halfway across his lap, her breath coming in quick pants. When he cupped her breast, she moaned. “I don’t know how much more I can take. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea after all.”
    His fingers drifted slowly away, leaving her sensitive flesh chilled. His chin rested on top of her head, and she felt his heart thundering in his chest.
    “I’m about two seconds away from stripping off your clothes and finishing this. I had more self-control when I was eighteen.”
    Her hip