Sunlight cut through the white shutters cracked slightly open in Erin’s bedroom, lending brightness without any real heat. The morning air brisk and cool, she cuddled down into her covers, her head cushioned by a fluffy pillow. Her guest quarters at the Flying E Ranch were like a dream. More cottage than ranch cabin, she was surrounded by a picturesque garden that kept on giving, regardless of season, thanks in part to the groundskeeper, who always had a smile and wave for her.
Tapestries covered the walls in flowery settings, and she focused her gaze on one of them. But the artwork, a cobblestone path leading to a birdbath pond, soon obscured in her mind as an image of Dan entered, popping into her head, just like that.
She smiled. Her discovery that he was Chelsea Hunt’s brother had shocked her, but seeing her hadn’t shocked Dan. He’d seemed glad, although she shouldn’t make too much of his apparent relief at seeing her again. Because, according to her latest tally, most men didn’t live up to the hype, and their meeting again had been purely accidental.
Yet, it had been torture sitting beside Dan during the night, trying to concentrate on files when her mind was going to the secret places Dan had taken her. And then, before she could escape the parking lot unscathed, he’d kissed her, landing a knockout blow that had left her shaking.
Suddenly restless, Erin tossed off her covers and sat up in bed. She had a date with Dan tonight. She hadn’t been on a date since Rex. But he no longer counted. She was removing him from any importance in her life. The floor felt cool to her feet as she rose and padded over to her closet. It wasn’t what she’d call brimming with clothes, she’d left much of her stuff back in Seattle, but after a quick scan, she gave her head a bob. She could work with what she had and put together an outfit for her date tonight.
That settled, she slipped on her robe and ambled into the kitchen to set a pot of coffee to brew. She had approximately ten hours before Dan would pick her up for dinner and she created a schedule to keep herself busy. She’d take her daily jog around the ranch, tidy up the cottage, bake a cake, and continue her job search for a position back in Seattle. Her present situation ended on December 31. After that, she’d have to head home, jobless.
Working on the investigation made her feel useful. She looked forward to solving the mystery of Maverick or at least, lending a hand in tracking the cyberbully down. From what she’d gathered, he’d attacked one member of TCC after another over the months and it was why Will Brady, her ex-employer, had been called to Royal in the first place.
After a breakfast of raisin toast and coffee, she dressed in a pair of faded comfy workout pants and a deep purple sweatshirt marked by the Washington Huskies logo, and went outside. She jogged the ranch grounds stretching her legs and breathing in the crisp cool air. It was warmer than winters in Seattle, and there was sunshine, something you didn’t see in Seattle too often.
Half an hour later, she had her hand on the cabin doorknob, ready to head inside and face her computer, when a familiar voice rang out. “Morning, Erin. Wait up.”
She turned to find Will Brady coming up the path, holding little Faye in his arms. The little one recognized her and bounced in her daddy’s arms. Erin’s heart melted. “Will, good morning to you too.”
When Will reached her, Faye was holding her arms out and Erin immediately grabbed her. “Hello, my little princess. How are you this morning?” Every time she spoke to Faye, her voice rose an octave and today was no different. She gave Faye a big fat kiss on her rosy cheek and set her on her hip. It was as natural as breathing, holding this baby.
“I hope we’re not disturbing you. Are you busy?” Will asked.
“Yes, I’m busy holding your adorable little girl, and offering you a cup of coffee. Come inside.”
Will laughed and entered the house behind her. “Have a seat,” she said. Using her free hand to open the pantry door, she pulled out a box of teething crackers, leftover from when she was Faye’s nanny. “Can she have one?”
The baby spotted the box and was reaching for it.
“Of course,” Will said.
Erin handed Faye a cracker and the baby immediately went to town on it.
“Sit. I’ll pour you a cup of coffee,” she said. She knew how Will liked his coffee, black with two spoonfuls of sugar.
“No, thanks, Erin. But I’ll sit with you.”
He pulled out a chair for her and she took a seat, planting Faye comfortably on her lap. “How are you?” she asked.
“We’re all great.” It did Erin’s heart good seeing how happy Will was now. He’d been closed off before, a widower grieving the loss of his wife, and now that he’d found love with Amberley, vibrancy had come back into his life.
“Wonderful.”
“How are you, Erin?”
“Me? I’m doing fine. Enjoying my time here.”
Will glanced at the papers she had strewn about the other end of the long table, along with her computer ready to be fired up. “I have good news. At least I hope you’ll think it’s good news for you.”
Erin flashed him a look. “For me? What kind of news?”
“A job in Seattle. How would you like to interview for a full-time music teacher position? It’s at a private elementary school in Seattle.”
“Really? That would be perfect. I’ve been doing a job search every day and I haven’t seen this come up.”
“I know a guy who knows a guy,” Will said.
“You pulled some strings for me?” Erin was touched.
“You helped me raise Faye, Erin. I trusted you with my child and you did a great job. So, I owe you. Besides, it’s not all that nefarious. My friend told me the music teacher at his school is going to have a baby. She’s working until the end of the year and then plans on being a stay-at-home mom afterward. I simply put in a few good words for you.”
“Thank you.”
Will nodded. “They will set up a phone interview soon. The rest is up to you. And you can stay on here through the holidays. There’s no rush to go back to Seattle. We want you to have Thanksgiving with us.”
“Oh, uh...this is good news. I’ve been trying to figure out where to go from here. Your faith in me means a lot.”
“Do you need time to think it over?”
She gave her head a shake. “I don’t think so. It seems perfect. I need a job and you know I’ve wanted to get back to teaching kids about music.” She came partly out of her chair, baby and all, to give Will a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks again for the opportunity. I don’t know what else to say.”
“Say you’ll always be in our lives. I want Faye to know you too.”
“Of course. You won’t be able to get rid of me. We’ll always stay friends.”
“Yep,” he said. “I have no doubt.”
“And now,” she said, giving Faye her full attention, “my little princess is about to meet the tickle monster.”
Erin carried Faye to the sofa and the baby gave her a five-toothed grin, knowing exactly what was to come. She tickled Faye under her chin, a sensitive spot that never failed, and the giggles began. They were the softest, sweetest sounds Erin had ever heard. One day she hoped to have a child of her own as sweet and adorable as Faye.
And that day may come sooner than she expected.
She was still late.
And she didn’t want to start thinking about what that could mean.
* * *
Dan knocked on Erin’s door at precisely six o’clock. Erin opened it and her eyes immediately flew to the yellow roses he held in his hands. Her mouth gaped a little and she gave her pretty head a tilt. He didn’t date much, but he knew how to treat a lady. The pleased look she granted him was well worth his effort. He loved how her eyes brightened when something made her happy.
“Hello, Dan.” Her voice was sultry, soft, inviting. A force of nature couldn’t hold back his smile at that greeting. “Come in.”
He stepped inside and offered up the roses, his fingers brushing over hers gently, igniting a spark that traveled the length of him. “For you.”
“Thank you.” She admired the roses and hugged them to her chest. “They’re lovely.”
“So are you,” he said, without skipping a beat. Erin looked dazzling tonight in a pretty sky blue dress that heightened the unusual aqua hue in her eyes and allowed a view of creamy shoulders and nice legs. The dress fit her form, showing off her tiny waist and shapely curves.
Dan removed his Stetson and kept it pressed to his side.
“Thank you again,” she said. “Would you like a drink before we go?”
“Hold that thought until later,” he said.
Her chin rose in question. “We’ll need coffee to keep us awake. I’ve got a huge stack of files to go over after dinner. But first, I must feed you.”
Erin laughed. “Let me get my jacket,” she said. “I’ll just be a sec.”
While she was out of the room, Dan sauntered around the cabin, making note of her view out the parlor window, the stone fireplace and the homey feel of the place. Entering the kitchen area, the only thing not tidied up was a small mound of papers left out at the edge of the table beside her computer. He walked over and gave it a glance, scanning the top paper for a second, feeling guilty for doing so, but curious enough not to let that stop him. Apparently she was looking for work as a music teacher. In Seattle.
The thought of Erin leaving town left him with two thoughts. One was relief, because he knew her departure would guarantee nothing of permanence between them and that steadied his nerves some. His mother’s abandonment when he was a kid had never really healed. He’d been injured more than anyone would ever know because Dan didn’t show his feelings. He didn’t talk about them. He only felt them, down to his bones. As a boy, he’d learned to hide his emotions from his dad, his sister, Chelsea, and his brother, Bradley. They’d been raised motherless by a father so heartsick over losing the woman he loved, he’d died early in life. Dan’s mother was out there somewhere, but she’d never contacted the family again. It was as if they didn’t exist.
Erin was leaving town. But Erin Sinclair was also getting under his skin. Quickly. He’d had no intention of asking her on a date, yet here he was, like a lovesick pup, waiting for her to enter the room so his heart could turn those somersaults again.
Dan was back in the parlor when Erin returned. “I’m ready,” she said, wearing a pretty waist-length leather jacket over her dress.
Looking at her vanquished the darkness inside him and he lit up again.
* * *
Erin sipped Pinot Noir in a cozy corner booth of a restaurant called The Oak House. Dark wood beams above caught the flicker of candlelight from an array of twinkling votives placed around the room. Their table was topped with a textured cream tablecloth and a bowl of deep red roses. Across the room a live band played soft music on a stage and a few couples sashayed to country music on the polished wooden dance floor.
Dan sat next to her, looking over the menu, giving her time to study his profile, the deep angles on his face, the contours defining his masculinity and the scruff on his jaw that always cast him in a dangerously sexy light. His hair curled at the bottom of his collar and she wanted to wrap her fingers around them and give them a hard tug.
She giggled.
Dan’s eyes snapped. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just thinking.”
He stared at her with those blue eyes. Over the flicker of the candles his gaze was mesmerizing. “Of?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Maybe I do.” He gave her a killer smile.
“On second thought, I don’t want to tell you. But it’s a good thing.”
He closed the menu and set it down, giving her his full attention. “A good thing, huh?”
Then he turned to her and gave her a perfect kiss on the mouth. Enough to shock her, but not enough to cause a scene in the fancy restaurant. “That’s what I was thinking.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Imagine what you’d get if you did.”
Her eyes opened wider, the comment suggestive enough to make her melt. Heat burned her cheeks and she blushed. As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, she let out a tiny gasp.
Dan grinned, very happy with himself, and took a sip of wine.
She buried her face in the menu, her momentary hideout, until the color faded from her cheeks.
“See anything you like?” he asked.
She put down the menu and met his eyes. “I see a few things I’d like to set my fork into.”
He laughed wholeheartedly and so did she. Then he rose from his chair and offered his hand. “Dance with me.”
This she didn’t expect. She didn’t peg Dan for a dancer. But then, Dan did express himself more with actions than words. Oh boy, did he. She didn’t make him wait. She placed her hand in his and as he closed over her fingers, a sensation spread across her body like warm honey. She followed him to the middle of the room.
The band played a sweet country ballad, the lead singer crooning mellow lyrics and the soft sounds drifted to her ears. Dan took hold of her waist and she set her hands on his shoulders. Underneath her fingertips she felt his strength and power, but as he began to move, she marveled at how graceful he was. “You’re a good dancer,” she said.
“Surprised?”
“A little.”
He nodded his head, a smile curving his lips.
“When did you learn?”
“A while back.”
“That’s not really an answer, Dan,” she said softly. The more time she spent with him, the more he intrigued her. And the more she wanted to learn about him. But he wasn’t a man who spoke more than he had to and yet she continued to press. “I would love to know how you came to dance so beautifully.”
“Beautifully? No one’s ever said that to me before.”
He moved her around the dance floor, gliding easily and she gazed up at him, waiting.
“My best friend’s mom taught me.”
“What?” she blurted.
He grinned at her reaction. “That’s why I don’t tell people.”
“Please, tell me. I want to hear this.”
He debated a few seconds. “I was big and clumsy in high school, towering over everybody. Couldn’t get a date to save my life.”
She found that hard to believe, but didn’t question him. She didn’t want to distract him from telling this story.
“Peter’s mom had been a professional dancer before she came to live in Texas. She overheard me complaining about how clumsy I was. I mean to say, she could see it with her own eyes. It wasn’t a huge revelation that I was a clod, I tripped over my own feet daily. At that rate, I’d never get a girl to date me, much less go to the prom. I think she took pity on me.”
“So she offered to teach you how to dance?”
“She did. Mrs. Brewer was very kind. She told me, once I felt confident on the dance floor, I wouldn’t be so clumsy at school and that would solve two problems. At first, I declined her offer. I mean, it seemed so weird and all. But Peter egged me on and I finally agreed.”
“Wow, well you can tell her she did a fine job.”
“I think she knows.”
“So what happened to Peter and his mom?”
“Peter is a colonel in the army. He comes home from time to time.”
“And his mom? Does she still live here?”
“She does. She runs a dance studio for underprivileged children.”
“Really? That’s wonderful. What’s it called?”
“I don’t recall, actually,” he said, with a shake of his head.
And then she was pulled close, so that Dan’s big body brushed intimately with hers and she could feel his heat. Her arms automatically roped around his neck and she laid her head on his chest. Rapid beats of his heart pulsed in her ear. “Dan?”
“Hmm?”
“Mrs. Brewer’s place, it isn’t called Dan-cing Dreams, is it?”
He didn’t say a word.
“I remember passing it in Royal. I thought it odd, the way it was spelled. She named it after you, didn’t she?”
Silence.
And then she knew, as sure as she knew her own name. “You had something to do with financing the studio, didn’t you? I bet you gave Mrs. Brewer a place to teach dance.”
She moved her head off his chest to look up at him. But his eyes rested somewhere over her head, refusing to connect with hers. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“You talk too much, sweetness. Anybody ever tell you that?” Then he cupped the back of her head, guiding it back to his chest and began taking long sweeping strides across the dance floor that required her utmost concentration to keep pace.
Which quite effectively shut her up.
* * *
“My folks live in a retirement village in Arizona,” Erin said to Dan. She was taking the finishing bites of her quinoa salad. Dan had arched a brow when she’d ordered butternut soup and salad for dinner. The place was known for their cuisine he’d told her, but he didn’t press the issue at her simple meal. Instead, he’d asked her about her life. And she’d started in the easiest place, telling him about her parents. “They’re blissfully happy and lead a very active life there.”
He nodded, polishing off a tenderloin steak. Of course. Dan was a cattleman. He was probably a connoisseur and knew what a good steak should taste like.
“We’re close, in that we talk all the time. And we try to make time to see each other. But they’re gone a lot. They travel with a group and love every minute of it. They’ve earned it. They worked hard all their lives.”
“What did they do for a living?” he asked, seeming genuinely interested. As far as dates went, this one rose above all her others. Dan was attentive, mannerly, sweet, funny and humble. He’d seemed to get truly disconcerted when she’d guessed, by her skills of brilliant deduction, that he’d built that dance studio for his friend’s mother. Clearly, he didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to take credit for doing something so incredibly generous.
Finally, she’d met a man with integrity.
“Dad was an attorney for most of the thirty-five years they’ve been married. My mom worked as a school administrator. After I came along, Mom took a few years off, but went right back to work as soon as I was in school full-time. They were both workaholics and now, I have to say, they’re playaholics.”
Dan chuckled at her made-up word. He was doing a lot of smiling tonight. It looked good on him. As if the man needed anything else in his favor, now he was granting her luscious smiles.
“And what about you?” he asked. “Have you always been a nanny?”
“Not at all. I’m a music teacher by profession. I learned how to play piano early on. I took to it naturally, according to one of my instructors, and I really did love it. If asked to practice for half an hour every day, I’d practice for an hour or longer. It kind of shocked my folks, pleasantly, I should say. They encouraged my love of music and it’s always been a part of my life in one way or another. I would sing in live productions in high school and college. Sometimes, I’d accompany the orchestra. I haven’t a clue where my musical abilities come from, really, since my folks both are analytical.”
“I would love to hear you play some time,” he said.
“Me? It’s been a while.” She shrugged. “I’m afraid I’m rusty. Haven’t played for a while.”
“But you play when you teach school, right?”
“I did. But I, um... I had to resign my last teaching position.” She didn’t want to discuss Rex. First dates, even if they were doing this all backward since they’d already broken the ice in bed, shouldn’t involve talk of your past heartaches.
Dan’s brow furrowed and before he could ask about her resignation, she quickly moved on. “I was lucky enough to land the position of nanny for little Faye Brady, back in Seattle. She was motherless and poor Will had his hands full. I love kids, and he needed a nanny, so it all worked out for those months I took care of Faye.” She heard her voice softening. “She’s a little sweetheart.”
Dan’s gaze flicked over her, blinking rapidly as if he’d just learned something else new about her. “I hope to meet her one day.”
“I hope you do.”
The conversation died then and the silence was sort of nice. As far as she was concerned, she could stare into his blue eyes all night. But then the real reason for this date popped into her mind. To feed her before they dove into the investigation again.
They’d had drinks, danced, eaten and now she was gawking at him which was pretty darn unsettling because Dan was gawking back. “We should probably get to those files,” she whispered.
Dan’s forehead crinkled, as if he too had lost sight of their main purpose tonight. “Would you like to have dessert before we go?”
“Dessert is waiting at my house. It’s a surprise.” She gathered up her jacket and purse. “You won’t be disappointed.”
Dan cleared his throat. “You’re full of surprises, sweetness.”
* * *
As soon as they arrived at her cottage, Erin set out the coffeemaker and reached into the cupboard for a pair of rose-patterned china coffee cups rimmed in gold that matched the dessert plates. The cabin came equipped. There was nothing she found lacking when she’d set about creating her grandmother’s recipe. The dessert was a family favorite and it was waiting in the refrigerator to make a grand entrance. But they’d both agreed to let the dinner settle a bit before indulging.
Dan set out the TCC files on the table and began flipping through one folder. Deeply engrossed in his work, his head didn’t come up once as he scoured over the pages. She sat down next to him, grabbed a file and immersed herself in the papers.
They’d just had a great dinner date and learned some things about each other. Well, Dan had learned about her life, since he’d asked and she’d answered. But Dan didn’t seem to like answering questions about himself and she’d had to pry and guess her way through some of the conversation tonight. Even with that, it was one of the best dates of her life. Mainly because Dan was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of man. How refreshing. He didn’t mince words and didn’t try to charm her. But his charm came through anyway.
She half feared that they wouldn’t get any work done tonight, repeating the last time she’d been alone with Dan. Hot kisses, soft caresses and then mind-blowing sex. But to his credit, and hers, if she was being honest, they’d gotten down to work immediately, both wanting to help Chelsea more than give in to temptation.
A while later, Dan’s chair scraped back and he got up and walked over to the coffeemaker. Holy crap, she’d forgotten about the coffee.
“Sorry, Dan. I got lost in this file,” she said, standing up.
“Sit,” he ordered her pleasantly. “I can serve you a cup of coffee. Black with one sugar, right?”
He remembered. “Yes. Uh, thanks.” She sank down into her seat and watched Dan move around in the kitchen.
“No problem. You finding anything worthwhile?” he asked.
“No, are you?”
“Nothing yet. Nothing even close.” Dan let go a frustrated sigh as he set the delicate cup down in front of her and took his seat again. “This may be a big waste of time,” he mumbled.
“I hope not. There’s got to be something in these files that might point to Maverick.”
Dan ran his hand down his jaw. “The thought of that guy getting away with what he did to Chels doesn’t sit right with me.”
“I agree.” She shrugged and gave him a sympathetic smile.
His eyes flickered for a second and he leaned over her chair and touched his mouth to her cheek, pressing a kiss there. Then he took his seat, cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze, and opened a new folder.
She did the same, putting her head down to concentrate on a file. Every so often, she would lift her head to stretch the kinks out of her neck or sip coffee and their eyes would meet.
A flash of something hot would stream through her body and she’d force her head down to peer at the file again. They were fully aware of each other, an electric spark that ignited with every glance, stolen or otherwise. Dan, in his dark slacks and blue button-down shirt he nearly muscled out of, looked good enough to eat.
Then she remembered. “Dessert,” she blurted.
“What?” His head was just coming out of the file.
“I promised you dessert and it’s almost midnight. I’m so sorry.”
He turned his wrist to look at his watch. “It’s a little after eleven. And there’s no rule that says we can’t indulge in a midnight snack. Is there?”
“No, of course not.”
“I’m game. If you are.” He patted his flat stomach and her gaze flew there, remembering what that taut skin felt like under her palms. Remembering too many things about being naked with Dan.
“Let me get it,” she said, retrieving the pretty plates and putting them on the table while Dan pushed aside the folders.
“Need help?”
She shook her head. “I’m good.”
She brought out the cake plate and placed her rather beautiful creation in front of him. This time, thank goodness, the cake had come out perfect. She’d had her share of mishaps over the years, but she’d taken more time and care and made a big deal about getting everything just right. For Dan. “Have you ever had hummingbird cake?”
He eyed the tall two-layer tower covered in buttercream frosting and chopped pecans. “Wow. Nope. I think I’d remember if I had. What’s inside?”
She smiled, relieved and it unnerved her how much she wanted to please this man. “Cake.”
His brows lifted and the next thing she knew her hand was snatched and she was tugged down. She landed with a plop onto Dan’s lap. “Don’t be cute,” he said. Then he thought about it and said, “Never mind, you can’t help it.”
“I’m cute?”
Dan nodded, not giving her anything else to go on.
Was it a good thing that a gorgeous man with whom she’d had earth pounding sex just called her cute? Shouldn’t he be saying she was alluring, tempting, stunning? Okay, not stunning, but maybe something along those lines.
Sitting on his lap this way, she peered down into his eyes. They were smiling, so blue and clear.
“Bananas and pineapple and stuff...is inside the cake.”
Dan did that adorable thing with his brows and shook his head.
“It’s my grandmother’s recipe and not all that easy to make, I might add, so I hope you enjoy it. I mean, it’s really good but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, not that you drink tea, b—”
“Erin?”
“What?”
His hand splayed the back of her head and she caught sight of the ceiling tiles as she was lowered down in his arms. His eyes reached hers first, and then his mouth came dangerously close to hers, speeding up her heartbeat. “You went to a lot of trouble for me,” he rasped. “I appreciate it.” Then his mouth was on hers, tasting her, licking at her, as if she was the dessert. As if he couldn’t get enough.
Dan had her at his mercy. She was in a vulnerable position, lying across him this way, his strength and power evident in the way he held her in his lap. He could easily shed her clothes, touch her until touching wasn’t enough, and she would let him and relish every single second. But as soon as that thought struck, her world was upended again, literally. Dan brought her up quickly to a sitting position.
He brushed a kiss to her mouth, tightened his hold on her and gave her a wobbly smile. “Feed me cake.”
She blinked and then a chuckle broke from her chest. “From here?” From her perch on his lap?
He nodded. “Do it, Erin. I’m having trouble being a gentleman here.”
He didn’t need to be a gentleman. Not after that display. He could’ve taken her right on the kitchen table and he had to know that, but there was a look in his eyes, and a tone to his voice that didn’t warrant an argument. “Okay,” she whispered softly.
She turned slightly to pick up the knife. The piece she cut separated nicely and the cake was firm and moist as she carefully held it and swiveled her body back to him. Their eyes met then, his gleaming in anticipation, and she knew then that Dan was wrecking her from enjoying cake in the customary way, ever again. His mouth opened and she pushed the frosting-topped cake into his mouth.
He chewed and groaned and his eyes shuttered closed. “Real good. Too good for me not to share,” he said, reaching out for another piece. He offered it to her and slowly, keeping her eyes trained on his, she opened her mouth. Sugary banana scents wafted to her nose, just as Dan guided the piece inside.
“Mmm,” she muttered and chewed. Just the right texture, just the right taste.
She fed him and he fed her and it was like something out of an erotic fairytale, without the sex. It was wildly arousing sitting on Dan’s lap, feeding him a lush dessert by hand.
Dan was equally aroused; he had no hope of hiding it with her on his lap. Her breaths grew heavy and her heartbeat raced, and just when she thought this night wasn’t going to end with cake, Dan lifted her off him, stood up and brushed crumbs from his shirt. “Thank you,” he said. “It was delicious.”
She stood facing him, wondering what the heck was going on. Dan brought that curious notion out in her more than she’d like to admit. “I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she said more harshly than she intended.
“I, uh, it’s late. I should go.” His face contorted a bit, as if he couldn’t believe he’d just said that. She could gain some comfort in knowing it wasn’t easy for him to leave.
“Okay.” What else could she say? I wish you wouldn’t go. “Thank you for dinner.”
“Thank you for dessert. I don’t think I’ll... Never mind.”
“What?” Anger bubbled up. “Can’t you finish a thought?”
“Hell, yeah, I can finish a thought,” he barked back.
“Then just say it, Dan. Say what you want to say and be done with it.” Her voice rose way above her normal pitch.
“Okay, I’ll say it, damn it. It was the best first date I’ve ever been on. I don’t want to leave, but I’m going, because I want to take you out again. I don’t want you to think I’m just here to—”
God, the man of few words was giving her an encyclopedia of his thoughts. She wouldn’t stop him now. “To...?”
“To take you to bed. Although I want that, more than you can ever imagine. So, I’m leaving now and asking you out again for tomorrow night.”
“What time?” she asked, her voice nearly shrill.
“Six.”
“Fine,” she said and walked to the front door, not entirely sure why she was so darn ticked off.
“Okay, I’ll see you then.” He grabbed the files up in his arms, walked to the door, leaned over on his way out, giving her a peck on the cheek, and then exited.
She slammed the door behind him and then glanced over to the half-eaten cake on the table and the scattering of crumbs on the floor.
Her face cracked into an unwelcome and uninvited smile.
She couldn’t hold on to her anger any longer.
She had another date with Dan.