Suddenly they were alone, and Ellen was aware of the rapid beating of her heart, of the way her breath caught in her throat as Travis looked down at her.
His eyes shone with approval and appreciation along with an intent focus on her.
“You look great,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said softly, blushing, and looked down.
He likes the red top. I should wear it more often. And makeup and the curlier hair.
“Ready for your private lesson?”
She glanced up again, fast. “Yes,” she said in a rush.
His words curled around her, making her think of other, more intimate things.
“I’ve been thinking about it all night,” she said.
His smile turned into a deep and devastatingly handsome grin and his eyes lit up with a spark of desire.
Oh dear. Did I just say that instead of thinking it? Oh no. I did.
“I, I, I mean I thought about these guns all night,” she spoke, fumbling the redirection of the conversational tone, “and shooting them.”
She couldn’t let him know what she’d really been thinking about. That she’d barely thought of the guns at all.
“All night?” His eyes showed how delighted he was with this conversation. “I hope you didn’t lose any sleep over it.”
Oh no. Do my raccoon eyes still show? The makeup should’ve covered that.
“No,” she shook her head. “I didn’t lose sleep last night.”
“Good,” he said.
Oddly she’d slept quite well for a change and no thoughts of her stalker had crept in. Not even once.
“Let’s get started,” he said.
“Okay,” she said.
“I brought three handguns to show you,” he said. “A nine-millimeter Glock 19, a Smith and Wesson M and P Shield, and a Colt 1911,” he said. “Hank is going to bring you his wife’s Sig Sauer today so you can try it.”
“Okay.” She’d been watching him as he touched each gun before telling her its name. “Are all these guns yours?”
She asked the question, looking up at him with those wide brown eyes.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a nod.
“Why do you need more than one?”
“I like guns,” he said. “And this isn’t that many.”
“Most people don’t have three handguns,” she said.
He smiled at her. “I’m not most people.” The gentle reminder that he was a SEAL was in his words without him coming out and saying it.
She knew. He was just reminding her.
“And three isn’t that many. You should see my knife collection.”
