Peril in Pensacola by Lucy Quinn

Author:Lucy Quinn [Quinn, Lucy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Seaside Story Productions, LLC

17

Dora woke with a start. A sound from outside the bedroom had her on edge and she strained to listen, her heart pounding against her breast bone.

“What is it?” a sleepy Evie said from beside her.

They were lying on Luke’s bed, where he’d deposited them after they’d bathed Sunshine and showered off the stink of the alligator enclosure. “Nothing,” Dora said, patting her friend on the shoulder. “I probably just heard Luke milling around in the kitchen. Go back to sleep.”

Evie mumbled something and tightened her arm around Sunshine. Within moments her breathing had deepened, and Dora knew she’d fallen back to sleep.

Dora got up, anxious to talk to Luke about what he’d seen at the gator park. She found a clean T-shirt and jeans in the bag of clothes they’d purchased at Target and made her way down to the kitchen to find Luke.

He was sitting at his kitchen bar, his pen gliding over a piece of paper. She shoved her hands into her pockets and said, “Hey.”

His head jerked up as if she’d startled him, but a small smile claimed his lips. “Hey, sleepyhead. Did you get enough rest?”

Dora shrugged. “I don’t know. Coffee would be good, though.”

He popped off his stool and headed straight for his cappuccino machine. “Have a seat. I’ll have this right up and then I’ll heat up something to eat for you.”

Dora sat on the stool next to his and rubbed her eyes. It had been a heck of a couple of days. Her vision was blurry after she pulled her hands away, and she blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the paper he’d been doodling on. The cappuccino machine buzzed, and she picked up the paper and waved it at him. “What’s this?”

“A map of the alligator park. I figured Evie and you’d both want to understand where we’re headed when we break in to get Billy tonight. It’ll be good to know where all of the exits are.”

“You seem… experienced at this kind of thing,” Dora said not sure if she was serious or teasing. “Have you rescued a mailman from an abduction before, Luke Landucci?”

He snorted. “Hardly. My specialty is in rescuing damsels in distress. Especially really gorgeous ones who insist on using me for my bed.”

Dora laughed for what felt like the first time since before that gun had accidentally gone off. “Thanks. But you probably need an eye exam if you’re calling me gorgeous.” She’d meant her comment to be lighthearted and self-deprecating, but Luke’s grin fled as his eyes darkened with something that looked an awful lot like irritation. “I mean—”

“Don’t do that, Dora,” he said softly, making his way back over to her with the cappuccino in his hand. “You are gorgeous. I mean, look at you. Tall, curves in all the right places, shiny dark hair, and full pink lips that… um.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway. My comment was a compliment. I wish you’d just accept it and say thank you.”

Dora swallowed, rather impressed and a bit curious about his assessment of her.

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