A Major Connection Read Online Free PDF Page B

about you and I become friends?”
    “I think she said no, pal.”
    Recognizing the voice, she dropped her forehead to the table. I’m in hell.
    “Fuck off, buddy,” the dickhead said. “The lady and I were talking.”
    She lifted her head to see Thorn, of all people, step around the table, yank the jerk up by his collar, then slam him against a nearby wall. “You deaf? She said to get lost.”
    The noise around them seemed to swell. A few people pointed their way.
    “Don’t make a scene,” she warned Thorn. “I’m not in the mood.”
    Matt chose that moment to return to the table. He took one look at the situation, one look at her, and turned on his heel and bailed.
    She gaped. “Well, fuck.”
    A glance at Thorn told her he’d overheard her. But then the dickhead’s friends joined him and threatened Thorn bodily injury if he didn’t let their buddy go.
    “By all means, let’s take this outside.” Thorn gave them a mean grin. “I don’t want to get blood on the major’s dress.” He lifted the dickhead higher, so that his toes barely touched the ground.
    Holy crap, Thorn was strong.
    The other guys swore at him but quickly backed away. Thorn tossed the jerk on his ass, and she watched him scurry after his friends until all four of them had been swallowed up by the dancing crowd.
    Thorn sat and waved at a waitress, who brought him a beer. “And one for her,” he told her.
    She nodded and left, returning in moments with a bottle she placed in front of April.
    “Thanks, Barb.” Thorn gave Barb a killer smile and a few bills.
    Barb left with a wink and a grin.
    April didn’t want to look at him. She didn’t want to look at anyone with a penis for at least a few days. First boring Matt, then jerky Marines, then jerky civilians, and now Gunnery Sgt. Arrogant. What had she done to deserve any of her night?
    “So,” Thorn said.
    April chugged half the beer and tossed him a warning growl. “Do I thank you for the beer?”
    “You could. Or you could explain what the hell’s going on. You’re the woman from the parking lot, the one who had the cops nail a busted-up jarhead, aren’t you?”
    “So what if I am?” She downed the rest of the beer and would have ordered another if she hadn’t wanted to keep her wits about her.
    Thorn frowned. “You okay?”
    “I’m just dandy. My boring date did little more than crumple and heave while I dealt with obnoxious drunken Marines trying to cop a feel. Then I had to deal with more asshole men while my date ditched me. And then there’s you.”
    “Me? What did I do?”
    “Give me time. I’m sure I’ll think of something.” She sighed and fished out her cell phone.
    He leaned closer to be heard over the blaring music. “Who are you calling?”
    She didn’t answer him. Leaving the table for some quiet, she found it by the front door and stepped outside.
    “Who are you calling?” he asked again, having followed her.
    “A cab. I’m tired, and I want to go home.”
    “I guess your date was your ride?”
    “Yep. Gee, Gunny. You should have gone intel. Imagine all that vast knowledge simmering in your tiny brain.” On second thought, maybe she shouldn’t have downed that beer so fast. Especially since she’d had nothing but two glasses of wine and a few stuffed mushrooms for dinner—all she could tolerate with Matt blathering on.
    “Come on.” He sighed and grabbed her hand.
    “Hey.”
    “I won’t molest you. I promise.”
    She could have sworn he’d added not tonight under his breath, but then they were at his car and he was bundling her inside and driving off before she could blink.
    “You’re fast.”
    “When I have to be.” He continued to glance at her as he drove her home. “You’ve had a hell of night, eh?”
    “I hate men.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool window.
    He chuckled. “Now, Major. We’re not all bad. Not like that fuckhead who ditched you in the bar. I can’t believe he did that. Or maybe