“Listen man, I don’t want to hurt you,” the stranger said, but Glenn wouldn’t listen.
The man suddenly punched Glenn squarely in the face before he lifted him up and pinned him down on the floor with his hand on his chest. It was the kind of stuff people saw on TV with experienced MMA fighters. Maya’s jaw dropped as she looked at the scene that had just unfolded in front of her. By this time, the security guy was already at the table.
“I’m sorry, but I kind of had to do this,” the stranger said to the muscular security guard.
“I would have done the same. I saw how he was treating the lady at the counter.” The security guy picked up a now out cold Glenn and carried him out.
“Wow,” Riley said in what was supposed to be a whisper but loud enough for everyone to hear. “That was amazing.”
“Thanks, but in all fairness I was a marine so, you know. Tools of the trade,” the man said and Riley looked at Maya.
“You served our country… that makes you even more interesting,” she said. “My name is Riley Daniels. This is my best friend Maya Wells.”
“Kyle McCauley,” he said as he shook Riley’s hand and then Maya’s. “Nice to meet you both.”
“Would you do me a favor?” Riley asked and Kyle nodded. “Would you introduce yourself?” she asked and Maya shrugged.
“I thought that was what he just did,” Maya pointed out.
“I mean formally,” Riley said. “Rank and all.”
Maya sighed and shook her head.
“You don’t have to,” she said. Kyle smiled and shook his head.
“It’s fine. First Sergeant Kyle McCauley of the Fifty Forth Brigade,” Kyle said. “Reporting for duty, ma’am.”
Riley grinned widely and looked at Maya.
“If you don’t get him, I will. I don’t care what this ring on my finger says,” she walked to the end of the bar to serve another customer as Kyle looked at Maya.
“I’m sorry about that,” Maya said rubbing the back of her neck. “Can I maybe appease you with some chicken wings?”
He sat down and shrugged.
“Sounds great,” he said smiling. “But are you okay? I mean that guy…”
Maya shook her head and sighed.
“It was just the icing on the cake that was my very bad day,” she said in a low voice.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked and she shook her head.
“You just met me so I want to maintain this thing between us where you still think I am a normal person.” She reached for a chicken wing.
“I don’t think you could ever say anything that could change my mind about you,” he said. “So dish.”
Maya bit into her wing and shook her head.
“Let’s just celebrate you taking down that douche and maybe if I see you again, we can have a different talk.” Kyle nodded.
“You’re on.”
Chapter 2
Maya had not expected to have such a good time with Kyle but she did. As it turned out, meeting Kyle was the best way her crazy Thursday would have ended. She had gone from being tired and blue to being all smiles by the time they were leaving the Boomerang.
“You should probably not drive,” Kyle said when they got to the parking lot.
“You are probably right,” Maya said in a soft voice.
“Don’t worry… I can take you home,” Kyle said as he took the keys from her.
“You don’t really have to,” she said, even though her head was buzzing.
“Come on, I can see how you out of it you are,” he said as he opened the door for her.
“Are you always this nice or are you just trying to get into bed with me?” she asked and he smiled.
“Honestly, I just want to make sure you get home safely.” He opened the car door for her. “That’s all I want.”
“What if I want something more?” she wondered as she climbed into the car. “What are you even thinking about? This is crazy. You literally just met him Wells,”
Kyle climbed into the driver’s seat and looked at her.
“Buckle up,” he said as he looked at her.
Maya pulled the seatbelt and sighed when it slipped out of her hand. A smile played on Kyle’s lips.
“Here. I got it,” he said as he reached for her seatbelt. He secured it into the buckle before he started the engine. “Your address?”
“141 Woodley Lane,” she said as she felt herself getting drowsy.
“141 Woodley Lane,” he echoed. “Got it.”
*****
When Maya woke up the next morning, she didn’t remember much about the previous night. She was having flashbacks of knocking back tequila shots at the Boomerang with Riley and meeting an attractive green-eyed man who saved her from the wrath of one of the Boomerang’s drunks. She pulled her covers off and shook her head when she saw what she was wearing, a pajama shirt worn front to back. She pulled herself out of bed and noticed a note on her nightstand.