Hearts on Fire 5: Loving Frankie(14)

“She’s a damn goddess.”

But Nate just watched her and watched the men checking her out as she smoothed her hand down the strapless blue sundress she wore, gripping her purse and a sweater in the other. Some guy said something to her, and she gave him the evil eye and then continued to walk toward them. Mike stepped forward to meet her first.

“You look stunning, Frankie.” He pulled her close and kissed her cheek. She smiled shyly and looked at all of them.

They just stared at her in awe then each gave her a kiss hello. Nate held back. She locked gazes with him.

“Hi, Nate.”

“Hello, Frankie. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. You guys look great, too.”

They just stood there a moment. She looked away from them and toward the restaurant.

“So this is Galileo’s? It’s pretty big.”

Rye placed his arm around her waist and escorted her toward the door. “It is big, and we reserved a nice spot on the upper deck. That way the view will be amazing like we described.”

“I can’t wait.”

She ran her fingers along her star necklace. It seemed she wore that all the time. Nate wondered who’d given it to her. Then he thought perhaps a guy, and he felt angry and jealous.

The hostess escorted them all to the top floor. Nate absorbed the scent of Frankie’s perfume and her sexy figure as she climbed the stairs along with Mike and Rye.

The table was just as they’d asked. One close to the balcony, private in its own corner away from any prying eyes. It paid to know people, and apparently Turbo knew a lot of them around Treasure Town.

Rye held her seat out for her, and they all gathered around.

“This is so nice up here, and very private. How did you get reservations? I thought this place was booked up months in advance.” She placed her purse on her lap and her sweater on her chair.

“Turbo seems to have those extra law enforcement connections,” Rye teased then winked at Turbo.

Nate watched her eyes widen, and then she glanced at Turbo before looking down to her lap. She was nervous, and he wondered if she was intimidated by Turbo’s profession.

“Did you work really late last night?” Nate asked her.

“I didn’t get home until four.”

“In the morning?” Rye asked.

Turbo sat forward.

“That’s dangerous, coming home that late at night to your neighborhood,” he told her.

She looked at him and swallowed hard. “There’s always danger, Turbo. It’s being prepared and aware that keeps people from becoming victims. You should know that. Being a deputy and all.”

The waitress came over to take their drink orders and to tell them about the specials. Frankie ordered a glass of white wine, and the men all ordered beers.

“So, tell us about yourself. What do you like to do when you’re not working at Prestige or shopping with your friend Cassidy?” Turbo asked her.

“Not much. I catch up on my sleep, work out a bit, and keep busy.”

“You work out at a gym?” Rye asked her.

“No, I run and had a bike until recently.”

“What happened?” Nate asked.

“It was stolen.”

“At your place?” Turbo asked.

She leaned back and gave him a hard expression.

“Actually, no, it was outside of the juice bar on the boardwalk. You know, where all the clean-cut teenagers hang out.”

Rye chuckled.

Turbo held her gaze. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Sure you did, Turbo. I get it. You don’t like where I live, but it’s none of your business,” she snapped at him.

Nate cleared his throat.

Turbo scooted closer, placed his arm around Frankie’s chair, and whispered firmly to her.

“I’m making it my business. You’re a very attractive woman. Gun or no gun, you live in a bad neighborhood with criminals everywhere. I don’t like it. I’m worried about you, and I’m sorry if that upsets you.”

“It sounded insulting,” she whispered.

Turbo ran his hand under her hair and moved closer.

“I didn’t mean to insult you. I meant to express that I care.”

Turbo pressed his lips gently to hers, and Nate watched, feeling his whole body tighten. He wondered if she would pull away, and he realized that, if she did, he, too, would be disappointed. But his guard was up. Nate still didn’t like the secrecy and not knowing who Frankie really was.

Nate released her lips and then smiled.

“Just as I thought. Delicious.”

She swallowed and turned slightly to reach for her glass of wine. Nate pulled back but kept his hand on the back of her chair as he stroked her bare shoulder.



* * * *



Frankie wanted to guzzle the wine in the hope that it would calm her nerves. Nate was intense and seemed to be watching her every move and analyzing her answers to their questions. Turbo, as usual, put her on edge. It was the whole deputy thing. She didn’t want to go down that path and trust another cop, yet she was interested, attracted to Nate just like she was to his brothers.

She felt Rye place his hand on her knee under the table as they looked over the menus. She bit her lower lip as the wine slowly traveled through her body. Nate ordered her another one, as if he knew she needed it.

“So is it just you and Rye who work construction or Mike, too?” she asked Nate.

Mike held her gaze as he leaned back in his chair looking so damn sexy she wanted to kiss him, too. She cleared her head as Rye talked about the small construction company they owned and the minor home improvements they did.

“Mike’s a firefighter in Treasure Town,” Rye told her.

She held Mike’s gaze and imagined how sexy and capable he must look in uniform.

“As a matter of fact, I was thinking that maybe we could all go to the Station after dinner tonight. Maybe show you around the place so you can see all the memorabilia there. It might be nice for you to meet some of our friends,” Mike suggested.

“Cassidy has been trying to get me to go there with her for the past few weeks,” she admitted as the waitress set down another round of drinks and then took their orders.

“You haven’t wanted to go?” Mike asked her.

“She just has a thing for first responders and doesn’t mind flaunting herself to meet someone new.”

“How about you? Don’t have a thing for first responders?” Mike asked her in a sexy tone as he eyed her over. He lifted his bottle of Bud.

She licked her lower lip as she held his gaze. “Don’t want to be just another notch in some cop’s belt or on a firefighter’s suspenders. I’ve learned to stay clear of men like that.”

“Sounds like you had a bad experience,” Turbo told her, and she looked away and out toward the water.

“We’re not all the same. We first responders,” Mike said, grabbing her full attention.

She looked back at him, hoping they weren’t like Kevin then having that sensation in her gut, that fear that warned her to keep her distance.

“Have you all lived around here all your lives?” She found it safer to change the subject, and Mike took a slug of his beer.

Rye lifted his hand off her knee and sat forward. “Mike and I have been around here the longest. Turbo came back here after going to college for criminal justice. He joined the sheriff’s department twelve years ago, right, Turbo?” Rye asked.

Turbo nodded.

“That’s a long time. Did you join fresh out of college?” she asked.

“No, once I graduated and came back to Treasure Town. Jake talked me into applying, even though I’d already put my papers in for the state police. I was twenty-three.”

“How old are you now?” she asked.

“Thirty-six.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and lowered her eyes.

“And you? How old are you, beautiful?” Turbo asked her, leaning closer.

She glanced up at him, knowing she should ignore the attraction and how appealing they all seemed. So much older and experienced. Was that really what she wanted?

“Twenty-three,” she whispered.

This time Rye clutched her chin and leaned closer. “You do need looking after, beautiful.”

He pressed his lips to hers, and she closed her eyes and forgot why she should keep her distance from these older, more experienced men, and then the food arrived. Rye released her lips and winked at her. He was so handsome. How could all four of these men be so appealing and want her?

The aroma of food and the way the night seemed to roll in at such a perfect time as the waitress lit the candles on the table added to the ambiance. The waitress lit more candles along the balcony by the telescopes, and with a glance up toward the evening sky, Frankie could tell it was going to get even better.

They ate and spoke about the area, about Galileo’s, and, of course, about the Station. Rye would cover her knee and squeeze it while Turbo ran his fingers along her shoulders and bare skin making her feel flushed and overheated. She thanked them for dinner and wasn’t surprised that Nate handled the check. He seemed to be the one in charge, the leader, although Turbo asked the most questions and seemed like the interrogator of the bunch.

Mike got up and then walked around to her chair.

“Take your wine with you. We can move closer to the railing so we can see the stars better.”

She stood, feeling the light buzz from the wine, or, perhaps, it was the spell these four men were putting on her. She wasn’t certain. She struggled between wanting to give in to the attraction she felt and being fearful of her past, not knowing if the danger was behind her or if she was still at risk. How badly she wanted to believe that she was safe now and could move on with her life. But what if she was wrong? What if Kevin got out of jail and was looking for her or even Carlotto, too? After all, she did know a lot about Carlotto that, at the very least, could destroy his fortune. It made her wonder why he hadn’t just killed her when he had the chance.