They were taken to a corner table and sat down across from each other in the booth. Beth opened her menu before ordering a drink and didn't notice the waitress approach. Immediately this concerned Sean. If she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and she couldn't hear, she left herself vulnerable to harm. It would seem to him that someone who couldn't hear would be more aware of their environment.
Sean reached across the table and gently tugged on the menu. Her eyes swung up, and he jerked his head in the direction of the waitress.
"What can I get you to drink?" the young girl asked politely.
"Ummm," she looked to him.
"I'll take whatever bottled beer you have on special tonight," he answered.
Beth turned back to the girl. "I'll take a margarita on the rocks."
Unexpectedly she turned to him as if asking for approval. Nodding his encouragement, he considered how odd that was for a woman who was extremely independent, as far as he could tell.
When the waitress left, he couldn't help himself, he had to ask, "Do you live alone?"
She tilted her head to the side, confused by the question. Absolutely adorable. She furrowed her brow. "Yes, why do you ask?"
"Curious," he answered factually. Clearly self-sufficient, yet she sought approval. Why?
They perused the menu for a few minutes, and when the waitress returned with their drinks, they both ordered steaks for dinner. Sean was impressed Beth decided on a healthy meal. How many women had he gone out with who ate like rabbits?
After the waitress left, Sean and Beth settled in. For the first time in years, Sean felt his palms and pits sweat. What. The. Hell. Closing his eyes, he calmed himself. When he opened them, he caught Beth scanning the room until her gaze swung back to him. Those full lips curved upward in a small smile. Man, he wanted a real taste of her. Those small pecks were nothing more than horrible teases.
"How long have you worked at the hospital?" she asked, her voice quiet.
"Ummm … " How long had it been since he started at the hospital? "A little over five years now."
She nodded. "Do you like it?"
"I do, though there are times when it's exhausting." He leaned back a bit, feeling more comfortable and less anxious. Funny he could take down a group of terrorists without blinking an eye, but come face to face with this gorgeous woman, and he lost his common sense. "My cousin is pushing me to open my own clinic so I don't have to work the awful hours, but I'm not sure I want to take on that task at my age."
"Thirty-nine isn't old," she argued.
"Said the beautiful woman eleven years younger," he joked.
Beth smiled bashfully and looked away. "It really wouldn't be that hard for you. Depending on where you decided to open an office, you could do quite well."
Caught up in her soft, angelic tone and her profile, he considered she should model. Well, except for the fact she barely registered five feet tall. But her striking look he could see on magazine stands everywhere.
While he stared, her face turned a lovely pink, which he noticed happened often. The poor thing wouldn't be able to hide any embarrassment. "How long have you worked at the hospital?" he asked, when she turned back to him.
"Eight years," she answered. "I started right after I graduated from business school. I worked as an administrative assistant for the president."
What was she doing working in the insurance department? Wasn't that a demotion? He wanted to ask, but wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Change the subject. "Do you have any siblings?"
She shook her head. "No. I'm an only child." She smiled indulgently, her eyes lighting up, causing the blue to look as if it glowed. "I'm a daddy's girl. He worries about me. If I don't check in at least every other day, he'll hunt me down, scream and yell. It only took one time for that to happen for the lesson to be learned."
Sean chuckled with her. "My brother and I are mamma's boys. She's the best. We felt terrible leaving her when we went into the navy together, but she handled it well. She's a tough woman."
Beth grinned. "I like that in a mom."
"Absolutely," he agreed. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out, he checked the caller ID. Courtney. Shit, she was going to be pissed. He'd canceled on her again tonight. Afraid of her wrath, he'd done it by email instead of calling. It was a dick move, but he knew her too well to know the guilt trip that would be laid on him. Well, maybe if he explained what his plans were she'd understand. He should give her the benefit of the doubt. Courtney did have her moments of compassion...recently.
"You can take that if you need to," Beth said softly.
They were in the middle of a date, but she didn't pitch a fit over his phone call like the countless women he'd gone out with tended to do. She probably considered it was the hospital, yet she was all right with that.
"It's just my cousin. I'll call her back later," he said.
"Are you close to your cousin?" she asked.
"Very. She's more like a sister to me. We grew up together and took on the big brother roles while my uncle was away in the Marines. We were raised to watch over her. Of course that changed when we went into the Navy. But when we returned, we picked up like we'd never left. Ryan and I are the godfathers to her two kids. I love those two," he said. He could hear the joy in his own tone as he spoke of Courtney and her two babes.
While he spoke, he watched her keep a close on his mouth. He liked that...a lot.
"I'm not very close to my cousins," she said, her voice hushed. Was that a result of her hearing loss?
"That's too bad," Sean said.
Shrugging, she said, "They all live in different places throughout the US, and my parents didn't like to travel, so I never really got to know them."
"We lived within biking distance of each other," he said.
"Are your mothers sisters?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No, our fathers are brothers. They're just as close as Ryan and I are." Which was why he and his brother were bonded the way they were. Their dads instilled it into them since the day Ryan was born. In fact, they re-enforced that at every opportunity. Sean and Ryan did everything together while growing up. Football, puberty, baseball, dating, weight lifting. At a young age, they'd decided to share a bedroom even though it wasn't necessary. They worked at the same supermarket together while in high school. He wanted money for his mustang, and Ryan wanted money for whatever he felt like blowing it on. As they grew, their bond grew stronger, like they shared one mind. They woke at the same time in the mornings. They became tired at the same time at night. They finished each other's sentences and even knew what the other was thinking without having to speak a word. When Sean needed to join the military, the only way he could afford his medical doctorate, it was a no-brainer that Ryan would follow. Sean would have done the same if the roles were reversed. They were two halves of a whole that couldn't be separated.
She glanced away, a small downturn of her mouth. "I wish I had a brother. You know, someone who I could go to when I need to talk. A brother who'd wrap me up when I got picked on in school, then beat up the jerk. A guy who I could call to fix the toilet or change the oil in my car." She snorted and turned back to him. "Kind of wrong, huh?"
"Not at all," he said. Ryan would totally fit that bill. Hold up. Where did that come from? "You wouldn't want a sister?" Courtney would totally fill that role. WTF, Sean? Knock off the nonsense thoughts. It's only one date.
Beth toyed with the wrapped silverware. "I don't get along with women too well."
That didn't surprise him. Look at her. A raven-haired beauty with a voluptuous hourglass figure. Women could be wicked jealous.
They were interrupted by the waitress serving their salads. They continued light conversation throughout dinner, but Sean didn't really learn too much about Beth. She refused to divulge any mundane, detailed information about herself. They did discuss minute topics like favorite tv shows and favorite movies, though he felt himself sadden at the fact she hadn't been to a movie theater in over four years. She admitted she waited for DVD's to come out and rent the movies with subtitles.
"It's difficult for me to read lips on someone when they're not right in front of me. I'm still learning," she said.
"Excuse me for asking," he said hesitantly. "How long ago did you lose your hearing?"
"Not long over four years ago," she answered.
"I see," he said.
Thankfully the waitress interrupted with their dessert. Sean watched in total fascination as Beth dug into her rich chocolate cake, took a huge bite, then moaned and closed her eyes in sheer delight. Fork held still in mid air, his warm apple crisp steamed and melted the vanilla ice cream. He watched her take another bite, oblivious that she held his attention. She was centered on that piece of chocolate. Another small moan escaped her lips, and this time the sound made his body stand at attention. The way her lips wrapped around that fork was purely sensual. He could envision her mouth doing the same to him, down on her knees, while he pushed inside that mouth, those full lips sucking him while that pink tongue laved at him.