Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Power Rangers Lost Galaxy by Heather Ray (free novel 24 TXT) 📖

time with a stronger voice. He grinned sheepishly. "Same ol' Skull, I'm afraid."

Kim relaxed at that, a nostalgic smile crossing her lips. She disregarded the incident as one of Skull's typical bouts of clumsiness.

She didn't even notice that Skull stared at her bracelet in naked amazement.

"As for why I'm in Angel Grove," she continued, "I came to see an old friend off."

She continued twisting her bracelet around her wrist, watching the charms slide past. "Trevor and I had been together for so long, but it never... felt

right, you know?"

Skull nodded wordlessly, but considering her eyes never rose to acknowledge his response, she seemed to be asking the question rhetorically.

"Oh well... what's done is done," she breathed, planting her elbow on the table. She leaned her cheek against her palm, and took another sip of her espresso. "I don't regret not going with Terra Venture at all... the last thing I want to do is force my dreams to align with anyone's

, just to avoid being alone. It's not fair to me, right?"

This time, she did glance to Skull. Skull stared into her eyes, wondering at the question that lurked in their golden brown depths. She needed confirmation... someone to assure her that she hadn't just thrown her life away.

His eyes dropped back to his coffee, staring into opaque blackness.

"Well, you said it yourself- a person can't live their life just to please others," he responded, after a thoughtful silence. "You may not exactly know what you want... but you know you don't want to leave Earth. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me." He shrugged absently. "Besides, if you put your dreams aside for someone else, eventually it'll make you bitter. You don't want to wind up resenting him, especially not for something he didn't actually do wrong."

After an uncomfortably long silence, Skull looked up. He blinked, his cheeks flushing at the abashed expression on Kim's face.

"Did I grow a third eye or something?"

She blinked, recovering her composure. "I'm sorry," she responded, "It's just... when

did you get so wise?"

He felt his cheeks grow hotter. "Uh..."

"May I get you anything else?" the waiter asked, interrupting the awkward moment.

"Just the check," Kim answered. Skull noticed with dismay that Kim's eyes never left him. She gazed at him with widened eyes... almost as if she were seeing him for the first time.

Skull didn't know what to make of it.

"Here you go," the waiter said, laying the leather pad at the center table, "Please come again."

Both Kim and Skull reached for it at the same time. Their fingers brushed at the center, and despite himself, Skull felt his breath catch.

"I've got it," Kim stated with a smile.

Skull looked horrified. "I can't let you pay for me!"

"Skull, if memory serves, I

asked you

to dinner. Therefore, it's my bill."

"I think it was Ed's idea," Skull pointed out, "Sheesh, how many chances do you think I get to treat a beautiful woman to dinner?"

Skull quickly dropped his eyes, biting back an embarrassed grin. He'd always wanted to tell her how beautiful she was... but back in high school, she never took his compliments seriously. Now, it just slipped out... and for once she didn't laugh.

He felt her grip loosen on the bill, and he quickly swept it up before she could offer further protest. He laid the cash in the jacket, and glanced quickly at Kim.

Is she… blushing? Nah, it can't be; must be the light in here or something.

"Ready?" he said aloud.

She smirked at him, rising to her feet. "Yeah."

She waited until he stood up, and slid her arm around his. Skull practically jumped at the physical contact.

"Oh, and don't think you've won or anything," she assured him, "I've got tomorrow's dinner."

He stopped in his tracks. "Tomorrow?"

She released him, and smiled innocently. "I'm not leaving until the following morning at eleven, and I figured you didn't have anything special to do, since you weren't planning on being around anyway."

Skull rubbed the back of his head. "I'd love to, but I really have a lot to figure out… like where I'm going to live and all."

Kim nodded. "I understand. Well, call me if you change your mind."

She then wove her arms under his and hugged him. Skull stood frozen, arms wrapping around her of their own volition as he stared down at the top of her head nestled in his chest.

He couldn't breathe.

She then pulled away, smiled gently at him, and walked to the elevators. He waited until the door slid open, and she turned to him again.

She waved at him, the silver charm bracelet glinting as it bounced around her wrist.

Chapter Seven

Skull had taken about two steps toward the hotel's exit when his mind began swimming... new possibilities creeping stubbornly into his heart.

By the time he was down the block, he was so overwhelmed by irrational excitement that he couldn't think straight.

So he did the only logical thing; he dashed back into the hotel.

"You're kidding me, Gene. You've gotta be."

Skull shook his head fervently.

Edmund's eyebrow rose, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "And you're sure it's the same bracelet?"

"Positive. It has the same charms: the gymnast, the heart, the flower, the bird, and the star. C'mon, Ed... you know I memorized the thing. That week was one of the most... mind-boggling times of my entire life!"

Edmund grimaced. "Right, right. Just when you think you've bonded with the girl of your dreams, it turned out her feelings haven't changed."

Skull's elated smile fell.

"I'm sorry, Gene, but you've got to keep both feet on the ground. Hey, I'm all for you trying your luck with Kimberly, but you can't expect too much. You said so yourself- she just broke up with a longtime boyfriend. You don't want to be Rebound Man."

The younger man sunk deeper into his seat. "Honestly… I'll take her any way I can get her."

Edmund's grimace deepened. "Well, fine. But you've mistaken a little physical contact for the beginnings of love before. Kim sounds like a really touchy-feely girl. She probably greets every old friend with a hug. It may not mean anything more than that."

Skull didn't respond.

"But you do seem to have some

chance," Edmund admitted, "She's wearing your bracelet, and it sounds like you had a fantastic dinner conversation. Your problem last time was that Kim couldn't see past your... well..."

"Goofiness," Skull finished, a small frown on his face.

Edmund's lip quirked. "Fine. 'Goofiness.' But now, things are different. You're more mature, and so is she. She might be ready to start looking at you in a different light. It's too bad she's going back to Miami."

"Oh, she's not going back 'til the day after tomorrow," Skull said off-handedly.

Edmund blinked. "Really? Well, why didn't you ask her out again? Now's your chance to spend more time with her… find out if there's something to work with. After this, it'll be a lot harder, considering she lives across the country."

Skull paled. "Actually, she asked me to dinner tomorrow, but I said no."

Edmund stared at his brother, long and hard. Skull cringed as he watched his older brother rise to his feet, and bend over him.

"You turned her down?!

"

Skull nodded weakly.

"Why?"

"Well, I have stuff to do!" Skull argued, his voice weak, "I've got a crisis on my hands! I have to find someplace to live, something to do with -- OUCH

!!"

He squeaked when his brother's hand slapped the back of his head.

"HEY!"

Skull growled, rubbing his head. He glared at his older brother, but Edmund's face was cradled in his hands, sighing heavily.

Skull froze. "I... I blew it, didn't I?"

Chapter Eight

Skull walked home from the hotel with the sure, determined stride of a man on a mission. He even jogged several of the blocks, anxious to hear her voice again… to catch her before she made other plans.

However, once he stepped into his apartment, and his gaze fell upon the phone sitting innocently on the bed-stand, all the determination that churned in his heart froze painfully.

I'm going to ask Kim on a date,

he marveled, his face pinching with anxiety, Kimberly Anne Hart… the most perfect, gorgeous, graceful creature to walk the Earth. Me? Pursue her? What was I thinking

?

He slowly closed the door behind him, and gradually peeled off his jacket.

Did this afternoon really happen? Did he really have a wonderful dinner with the girl of his dreams? Did she really enjoy his company as much as he had enjoyed hers… or was he only deluding himself?

She did ask me to dinner tomorrow. She wants to see me.

But all she wanted was the company of an old friend. He wanted so much more.

He wanted to impress her. To thrill her. To make her look at him anew, those perfect doe eyes shining with all the happiness he wished for her.

Could he offer her that? Could he make her happy? Even for a short while… could he give her something that she actually wanted?

His mind screamed at him to stop making mountains out of molehills. He wasn't going to ask her to marry him. He was only going to dinner with her.

He was going on a date

with Kimberly Anne Hart.

Granted, he just had dinner with her a few hours ago. But that situation fell into his lap… this time, he had time to think it through.

He spent nearly an hour doing just that.

Kimberly insists that she pay for tomorrow's dinner, so I can't take her anywhere expensive. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable anyway… and stuffy restaurants are hard to just relax in. Somewhere cozy and homey… and fun to be in. Like a