Dolby(4)
Author: Maryann Jordan

 

His gaze followed her hand wiping, then moved back to her face, his expression holding concern. “Ma’am, you don’t—”

 

“Marcia.” Sucking in a deep breath, she let it out as she straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “My name is Marcia.”

 

If she thought his earlier grin was attractive, the drop-dead gorgeous smile he beamed her way nearly caused her lungs to seize. As dots scattered across her vision, she gulped in another breath, determined not to faint. She hated the weakness, but deep breathing was the only response she’d found to work because she sure as hell couldn’t control her body’s reaction to nervousness.

 

He slowly turned and faced her, keeping his body as far away from her while staying out of the rain. Inclining his head toward her, he kept grinning. “Dolby. Jonathan Dolby is my name. It’s nice to meet you, Marcia.”

 

Searching deep inside, she once again ascertained no threat. While that might not count for much, she was willing to offer a slight smile in return. Not sure what to say, she breathed a sigh of relief when words seemed to come easily to him.

 

“Why don’t we sit while we wait?” he suggested. “You pick the spot you’re most comfortable with, and I’ll sit on the opposite side.”

 

Considering the inside of the building was nothing more than a large concrete square with wide openings on two opposing sides, she couldn’t imagine that one place would be any more advantageous other than to stay close to one of the entrances. Licking her dry lips, she inclined her head to the side closest to where she was standing. “I’ll sit here. Um… with the bird poop over in that corner, you might want to move over there.” She pointed at the other cleanest corner in the space.

 

“Sounds good. That’s what I’ll do,” he said, settling onto the floor next to the other entrance. He stretched his long, muscular legs out in front of him and leaned back against the wall. “And thanks for looking out for me. Not only with the bandage but the bird poop as well.”

 

The grin on his muddy face made his teeth shine out whiter, giving him a comical appearance, but she pressed her lips together to keep from smiling, still uncertain if what she was doing was the smart decision.

 

With his body slightly reclined, she felt safer, knowing that he didn’t appear to be poised to leap toward her. She backed up next to the entrance and stood awkwardly for a moment before she lowered to the floor. But instead of reclining, her body remained coiled, ready to jump up at a second’s notice if needed. She kept her gaze on her tightly clasped hands in her lap and him in her peripheral vision, unwilling to stare but not wanting him to make a move without her noticing.

 

“Smart.”

 

She blinked, her head lifting to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry?”

 

“You’ve generously allowed me to stay out of the rain, but you’re playing it very smart in the presence of someone you don’t know.”

 

She shrugged and wished she had been a little more discreet. “Habit, I suppose.”

 

“That’s a good habit to have.” He shifted again, settling deeper. “I’m in the security business and am well aware of how we all need to stay safe in unfamiliar situations with unfamiliar people.”

 

“Security business?” She’d always hated small talk, feeling self-conscious, but at his comment, her curiosity piqued, and she couldn’t hide her surprise.

 

He nodded toward the backpack on the floor next to him. “I’ve got identification if you’d like to see it.”

 

It was on the tip of her tongue to deny the offer, torn between wanting to see his identification and fear of what he might pull out of his backpack. She pressed her lips together, rubbing them back and forth before nodding. “Okay.”

 

He kept his eyes on her. “It’s in the small, zippered pocket here in the front. You can watch me pull it out, and my hand won’t go into the deeper part of my backpack.”

 

It was uncanny how he could read her mind, seeming to know her fears. He waited until she nodded again. He unzipped the small pocket in the front with one hand, keeping his other hand resting on his side, clearly in sight. Using only his thumb and forefinger, he pulled out nothing more than a thin wallet, and her breath left her lungs in a rush.

 

He tossed it toward her, aiming it so the leather rectangle expertly landed beside her thigh. She didn’t move until he shoved his bag out of reach and placed his hands on his thighs in plain sight again.

 

Her fingers wrapped around the wallet, and she hoped he couldn’t detect her shaking hands as she opened it to see a California driver’s license on one side. The non-muddy face staring back stole her breath. Blue eyes. Light-brown hair. Fun smile. Handsome. Actually, handsome doesn’t even start to describe him! Jonathan Everest Dolby. How can a driver’s license photograph look so good? She started to trace his image with her finger but caught herself in time. An employee identification card for Lighthouse Security Investigation West Coast was on the other side.

 

With a small dip of her chin, she tossed the wallet back to him, but her aim was not nearly as accurate. It would’ve hit him squarely in the face if his hand hadn’t snapped up and caught it in midair.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she rushed out, blushing again. “I’m not… um… not a very good… um…. tosser.”

 

His grin widened. “No worries. I’m glad you let me show it to you. So now you know for sure who I am.”

 

“Yes,” she agreed, dipping her chin slightly. “Jonathan Everest Dolby.” She’d spoken his name to prove she’d paid careful attention to his identification but found the words slipping easily from her lips, liking their sound.

 

He chuckled, and his amusement reverberated against the concrete walls of the empty building. It was deep but not as smooth as his speaking voice while still managing to wrap itself around her.

 

“Jonathan… for my dad’s dad. Everest… for my mom’s maiden name. But honestly, my friends just call me Dolby.”

 

She tilted her head to the side. “What was your military call sign?”

 

Now it was his turn to blink as his head jerked back slightly. “What makes you ask that?”

 

“You… you have veteran listed on your driver’s license.”

 

His eyes widened, and he grinned again. “Good catch. And you’re right. Army Ranger.”

 

She wasn’t surprised he’d been in the special forces.

 

“How do you know about call signs?”