Sighing, she plastered a smile on her face as she got closer to her table. The girls really were being so good to her. She didn’t want to ruin it.

“Are you enjoying the music, Lins?” Betty asked, her cheeks flushed from the heat and the amount of alcohol she’d consumed.

“Yes. It’s great. I’m so glad you included me,” Lindsey told her, hoping she sounded convincing.

“You know you’re always welcome,” Betty said.

The next hour went by in a blur, and then Lindsey finally saw her opportunity when one of the other nurses made her excuses to leave for the evening.

“I’d better go too,” Lins said with an exaggerated yawn. “My day started too early.”

There were a few protests, but no one seemed upset.

Lindsey quickly made her escape, reveling in her freedom as she neared the exit—that was, until she was grabbed from behind. Instant panic closed her throat as Lindsey’s body tensed. Every nightmare she’d faced in the past year flooded her. But this time Lindsey was more prepared. She’d taken a self-defense class. She wouldn’t ever be taken so easily again. Turning quickly, she raised her fists and got ready to strike.

But her muscles froze when she saw who had grabbed her. The immediate relief turned into frustration. She didn’t want to be relieved. She wanted to fight.

“Maverick?”

She was shaking from the boost of adrenaline before seeing it was only Maverick. Only Maverick. Ha! Those words just didn’t go together.

“I thought that was you, Lins,” he said with his mega-wattage bright smile.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. She hated that she didn’t want to rush past him, hated that she felt safer with him blocking the rest of the people from her protective bubble.

“I came down with some of the guys from the base, and I saw you walk past. You know I can’t let you get away so easily.”

Of course he couldn’t. She didn’t fully trust that it was a coincidence he was there. But she wasn’t going to call him out on it because if it was just an instance of wrong place wrong time, she would be embarrassed to have assumed he was following her.

Before she could say anything, someone passed behind her and pushed her into him. His arms automatically came around her, and her body responded automatically. And it didn’t respond in a negative way. She inhaled his sweet scent before letting out a sigh. She almost wished she’d feel her normal reaction of horror at being touched. Why did it have to be Maverick that made her feel safer?

“I’m on my way out,” she told him, back to being in a hurry to get out of there. She was afraid she might do something stupid if she didn’t leave, especially with how her head was currently buzzing from the liquor. She’d had enough of being stupid to last her a lifetime. She wasn’t going to do anything with Mav again. He was forbidden. She had to remember that.

“Why don’t you join me for a drink first?”

The purr in his tone, the heat in his eyes, and the flexing of his abs pressed against hers told her he was thinking about a lot more than just a drink. She wasn’t a naïve woman. She knew when a member of the male population had sex on the brain. It just so happened to be on their minds quite a lot, but Maverick was looking to score, and it appeared she’d just become the center of his target.

Tempted. She was so dang tempted. It shocked her to feel such a taboo emotion when all she’d felt was fear for a year.

Somehow, even in her muddled state, she managed to pull herself away. When he released her, she was a little disappointed, but it truly was for the best. She ran through all the reasons why she shouldn’t be with Maverick.

“I have a test I need to study for,” she said as she took a step back and then another. He followed her. “I really do have to go.” Her breathing was growing more and more shortened by the second.

When Mav set his mind to something, it was more than obvious he didn’t back down. She needed to tell him that it wasn’t going to happen with them. But for some reason she couldn’t get the words past her closed throat, so instead of being brave she decided once again to retreat. She spun around and practically ran from the club, not stopping until she was on the sidewalk.

“It’s much better out here. Not nearly as noisy or crowded.”

The sound of Maverick’s voice in the quiet of the evening air made her jump nearly a foot into the air.

“You didn’t need to follow me out,” she told him too breathily, wishing her head would quit spinning.

“I want to make sure you get home safe and sound,” he told her. “After all, we’re going in the same direction.” There was too much excitement in his gaze at those words.

“I’m hailing a cab. You really don’t need to leave so early,” she said with desperation. “Go back in with your friends.” She began walking away since there weren’t any cabs out front. She’d go to the corner and then keep on walking if she had to. Hell, she’d walk all night if it meant getting away from the man who tempted her so much.

She really should have known better, though. He was right at her side. She would bet money he wasn’t taking any of the pain meds he’d told her he was on. He didn’t need them. Pain wasn’t something he even thought about.

“Do you really think I would let you wander Seattle alone at nearly midnight? Not you, Lins,” Maverick said before reaching out and taking her hand.