Loch and Key Read Online Free PDF Page A

Scottish?”
    “Aye. Edinburgh. Though I’ve actually lived more of my life in America than I did Scotland.”
    “Scotland would be amazing to visit.”
    “You’ve never been? I’m sure you’ve traveled extensively with the Navy.”
    “I’ve traveled a lot, yeah, but not necessarily the places you’d hit up as a tourist spot.”
    “Ah, that makes sense.”
    A waitress, an older woman who looked like someone’s grandmother, appeared to take their order and Brett glanced at Kenzie.
    “What’ll you have to drink?”
    She hesitated. With friends, she’d order a beer without missing a beat, but since this was the first time she’d been out alone with the man, she wasn’t sure it was such a good idea.
    “A Sprite would be great.”
    “All right.” The waitress nodded. “Anything to eat?”
    “Mozzarella sticks,” Kenzie replied immediately.
    She glanced at Brett, curious to see whether he’d be shocked or surprised. Amusement flickered in his eyes, but that was it.
    “And an order of wings with the hottest sauce you have,” he added.
    The waitress nodded. “All right, I’ll put that in for you guys and bring you your Sprite and another iced tea.”
    “Wings hmm?” Kenzie murmured.
    “I love them, I don’t care how bad the sauce is that they put on it.”
    Well, there you had it. The man had a taste for crap food as well it seemed, but, shite, he must work it off fast. Again her gaze was drawn to the broad, muscled chest beneath his shirt.
    Something stirred inside her. Interest mixed with awareness in the opposite sex that she hadn’t let herself feel in a long time.
    “Why are you here with me, Brett?”
    Mid-sip of his iced tea, he took a moment to swallow before setting his glass down.
    “I told you back at the pub, but I’m happy to say it again.”
    “Right, no, you did tell me. I just…I don’t get it. All right, so you think I’m pretty—”
    “It goes beyond the looks.”
    She shrugged. “You don’t really know me, how can you say that?”
    “You’re right. I don’t. But even if I’d been blind and simply gone by the couple times we’d spoke, the sound of your laughter, I would’ve been drawn to you, Kenzie.”
    Despite her reluctance to be charmed, a little bit of pleasure slipped into her bloodstream, making her pulse skip faster and her head feel lighter.
    “But surely you’re looking for something more at this moment. I mean, there had to be a dozen women at the pub who were prettier than me, some with outstanding personalities to match, who would’ve taken you home in a heartbeat. You’re dead sexy.”
    “Dead sexy?” The slow, pearly white grin he gave in response only confirmed her dead sexy remark. “And what makes you think that’s all I’m looking for?”
    “Really?” She barely avoided rolling her eyes as she laughed. “Look, I’m not daft. You’ve just told me you were only recently off the ship. Surely you’re looking to have sex. As are most of the sailors in the pub. Can you tell me, honestly, that you weren’t hoping I’d go home with you tonight?”
    He cradled his iced tea in his hand and stared at her over the rim of the glass. “No. I can’t actually.”
    It was both a relief and a disappointment to hear it. If she were honest with him he might walk right out that door and want nothing to do with her after this. But half the reason she’d offered to take him to dinner was to give it to him straight. Help him realize what he was getting into if he were truly interested.
    “I understand the whole having needs bit,” she said carefully, “but I must be honest too. I don’t move that fast. I’m not the sort of girl who simply goes home with a guy. I’m pretty careful with who I sleep with.”
    “That’s respectable.”
    His words made her laugh silently. Somehow she’d become the respectable girl. A decade ago that would’ve been a joke.
    “Thank you. I think.”
    The waitress returned with her drink and set another iced tea in