Chapter 40

As they were driving, he made a mental note to take back the ring he had bought for Mallory and exchange it for another ring for her. He knew he wanted to marry Jocelyn, but he didn't know how she felt about him. But then again, when he kissed her in the limo, she had kissed him back. So, maybe-
At the movie theater, Caden paid for their tickets and they walked inside. "Popcorn and soda?" he asked her.
"Sure. Even though we just ate, you can't watch a movie without popcorn." Jocelyn shoved her hands into her coat pockets.
He placed a hand on the small of her back and walked with her up to the concession stand. "Two large Cokes--"
"Diet for me," Jocelyn added.
Caden chuckled. "Correction: One large Coke, a large diet, and one large popcorn." In the mood for something sweet, he looked over the candy counter. "Candy?" he asked Jocelyn.
She laughed. "Where do you put it all?"
He shrugged, ignoring the question, and turned to the teenage boy behind the counter. "A bag of M&Ms and a bag of Reese's Pieces." Then he whispered over her head conspiratorially, "I'll show you what I'm going to do with these later."
She burst out laughing, but quickly recovered herself. "I'm afraid to ask."
"You'll like it," he said in a low, sexy voice. "Believe me."
She suddenly grew silent, and, for a moment, he wondered if he had overstepped his bounds again.
A broad smile spread across his face. "Come on. The movie's about to start." He walked toward the theater and she followed. He let her choose the movie and was relieved when she had chosen an action adventure movie and not a romance. He sure didn't need any more fuel for his fantasies.
"So, 'Before the Sun Sets?' Really?" he asked as they took their seats in the center of the theater. The movie had been hailed by the critics as one of the best men's movies of the decade.
She handed him the popcorn. "Sure. Why not?"
He shrugged. "I thought you'd want to see a romance movie or something."
"Why would you think that?" One corner of her lips curled into a smile.
"I don't know." He looked into the popcorn and then into her eyes. "Aren't women supposed to like romances or something?"
She laughed, but turned toward the screen a bit too quickly. "That was such a chauvinistic thing to say."
Caden studied her for a minute, tempted to take the conversation farther, but decided against it, making a mental note again to speak with Mallory. He nudged Jocelyn playfully on her arm. "Want to see something?"
She looked at him through her eyelashes, stopping his heart- without even intending to. "Sure. Why not?"
Caden poured the M&Ms and Reese's Pieces into the popcorn box and mixed it up.
"What are you doing?" Jocelyn asked in disbelief.
"Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it." He grinned as he held it out to her and shook the box. "Here. Try some."
She reached in, took a handful, and popped some into her mouth. "Uummm! Not bad!"
"Not bad?" Caden scoffed. "This is the best snack there is! A perfect combination of salty and sweet." He took a handful and shoved some into his mouth. "Yes-," he said between bites and swallowed. "Perfect."
She laughed and then took another bite. "Uummm-."
"Kind of grows on you, doesn't it?"
"Absolutely."
They sat in companionable silence when a white and beige puff of popcorn flew at Caden. He looked over at her and she was turned to the screen, laughing.
"Ha, ha. Very funny." All of a sudden, the lights dimmed and the previews came on. He leaned over toward her and whispered just over her head. "Saved by the movie."
Jocelyn giggled and took another bite of the popcorn and candy mixture.
Caden couldn't resist and threw a piece of popcorn at her without looking.
"Hey! What's the big idea, throwing popcorn at me?" a deep voice rang out throughout the theater.
Then a chorus of "Shush!" "Shut up!" "Sit down!" rang out around them.
Caden looked over and a big brawny man was looking at him, leaning over Jocelyn. She was plastered against the back of her seat, obviously afraid to move.
"Calm down, man," Caden said, trying to be the voice of reason. "My friend here and I were just clowning around."
"So, you decided to throw popcorn at me?" The man's breath smelled of whiskey.
"It was an accident." Despite his calm persona, Caden's muscles tensed, his military training kicking in. "Let's just go back to watching the movie and my friend and I will promise to behave."
"Damn right you will," the man retorted.
Rage started to build inside of Caden, yet he still tried to maintain his calm fa?ade. "Hey, man. Watch your language. There's a lady present."
The woman with the man tugged at his arm, looking at Caden and Jocelyn apologetically. "Henry, stop. The movie's about to come on."
Henry pointed his finger at Caden. "I'll see you after the movie."
Caden held up his hands in an effort to calm the man down. "Man, just let it go. We don't want any trouble."
Henry let out a deep, menacing laugh. "Damn right you don't."
"Henry, don't," the woman with the man stage whispered.
"Mona, I've got this." He patted her hand and the woman recoiled from him. Henry pretended not to notice.
Caden clenched his hands at his sides, but didn't say anything more to the obnoxious drunk. After the time he had spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, he had had his fill of men pushing and ordering women around. But the situation between Henry and his wife was none of his business. If they were anywhere else and Jocelyn hadn't been present, Caden would have already flattened him. But now wasn't the time nor the place. After a moment, Caden took Jocelyn's hand. "Come on."
Caden grabbed the popcorn and his soda and Jocelyn picked up her soda and let him drag her toward the end of the aisle.
"Yeah, you'd better run!" Henry called out down the aisle behind them.
Caden stopped and closed his eyes, as controlled rage filled his veins.