by Tee O'Fallon
“What’s wrong with it?” Closing the menu, she glanced down at her dress. She’d put it on especially for him this morning and— He thinks I’m beautiful?
“Nothing’s wrong with the dress.” Laughing, he shook his head. “That’s my point. It’s perfect, and I love purple.”
Alex rested the menu on the table and let her hands fall to her lap. She fiddled with the hem of her dress, uncomfortable for a moment from the sudden heat in his eyes. She wasn’t accustomed to that, either. Having a man’s complete attention. But that heat slowly began melting something inside her that had been frozen for years. And it felt sinfully good.
Releasing the hem of her dress, she let out a steady breath. “Well, okay, then. I love that you love purple.”
He smiled broadly, and that simmering heat flickered something else to life that she’d kept buried beneath years of pain, fear, and hardship.
Desire.
Gray returned his attention to the wine list. “Red or white?”
“Red. Something spicy.”
“Spicy?” He lowered his voice and arched a brow. “I had no idea you were so wild and adventurous.”
She arched a brow in return. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.” Like the fact that she hadn’t flirted with a man in so long she thought she’d forgotten how.
“I look forward to learning more.” He held her gaze a moment longer than necessary, then cleared his throat and concentrated again on the wine selection, which only served to draw her attention to his mesmerizing silver-gray eyes. Icy in color, yet warm and gentle when he looked at her.
“You’ll have to help me out here.” He handed her the wine list. “I’m not exactly a wine aficionado. My taste hasn’t changed since I was a kid.”
“Beer?” Alex asked.
“Beer,” he confirmed with a grin.
She wanted to laugh, but not because he didn’t know wine. It was because she couldn’t imagine Gray as a kid. He was a very large, very powerful man. Nearly two hundred pounds, she figured, and judging by the way his arms and thighs filled out his suit she’d also guess he had a body ripped with muscle.
She stifled a giggle as she absorbed the irony of how such a badass New York City detective wasn’t intimidated in the slightest by asking her for assistance choosing a good wine.
“Happy to help.” She reached for the booklet Gray held out, and their fingers touched. Her breath hitched at the smoldering look in his eyes. Alex swallowed then licked her lips as she tugged the booklet from his hand.
Concentrate. Wine. Pick. A. Wine. You used to know good wine.
But right now she could hardly string together a cohesive thought that didn’t have Gray’s body in it. Or the seductive way he smelled.
Hands shaking, she balanced the wine list on the table and tried to focus. She finally decided on a reasonably priced wine she knew well. “How about a Cline Cellars Zinfandel?”
With the slightest flick of his finger, Gray signaled for the waiter. Barely two seconds later, an attentive young man wearing a nametag that said “Eduardo” rushed to their table.
“The lady,” Gray said as he nodded to her, “recommends the Cline Cellars Zinfandel.”
“Excellent choice.” Eduardo seemed eager to please Gray, something she noticed many people did. Gray had an authoritative manner that commanded people to do his bidding, without making it an outright order. “I’ll bring that right over for you.”
Eduardo hustled away so quickly that Alex snickered.
“What?” Gray reached over and clasped her hand.
“You have a way with people.” She glanced down at their linked hands, absorbing his warmth and noting how his callused fingers contrasted with the smoothness of hers.
“Not always.” He began to rub her hand with the pad of his thumb, and her brain stumbled over its own gray matter.
“It’s true.” She focused on his eyes. If she looked at what his thumb was doing, she’d be a goner. “No matter who you’re talking to, you always get what you’re after. You’re so kick-ass and self-assured.”
“I’m not.” He laughed when Alex arched a speculative brow. “Okay, I admit where the job is concerned I’m pretty damn confident. But I seriously wasn’t sure you’d say yes when I asked you out.”
Eduardo took that moment to deliver their Zinfandel. He expertly uncorked the bottle and handed the cork to Gray.
Gray put it under his nose and sniffed it. “Yup, that’s a cork.”
All three of them laughed, then Eduardo poured a small amount of wine into a glass and handed that to him next.
Gray took the glass and passed it to Alex. “I’ll let the lady decide.”
“How gallant you are.” Alex took a sip, allowing the rich, spicy wine to tantalize her tongue. “Perfect.”
Eduardo added more wine to Alex’s glass, then filled one for Gray. “I’ll be right back to take your order.”
“No hurry.” Gray sent him a meaningful look, and the young man scurried away. “Cheers.” He held up his glass and waited for her to do the same. They clinked glasses and took a sip. “And for the record, I wanted to ask you out months ago, but you weren’t ready.”
“I wasn’t?” He was right, but she hadn’t realized he’d picked up on that. She shouldn’t be surprised, though. As a seasoned detective he was exceedingly perceptive. Something she both admired and feared.
Perceptive people—detectives, more specifically—were too good at digging up secrets.
“Nope.” Gray set his glass down and took her free hand in his. “You needed time to settle in and get to know me. You were a little standoffish,” he continued. “Secretive, even.”
Secretive? Alex swallowed.
“So what secrets are you hiding?”
Alex’s stomach lurched. His lips were smiling, but she wasn’t certain it made it to his eyes. “I-I don’t have any secrets.” She pulled her hand from his and took a long sip of wine. “I’m the proverbial open book.”
Liar. And great way to start a relationship.
Gray’s eyes sharpened. “When you first got here, you had more secrets than Pandora’s Box. It took you two months before you put your son’s photo on your desk, then another month before you started talking to me.”
“I’m sorry.” And she was, truly. But being careful about letting people into her and Nicky’s lives had become automatic. She had felt an insanely strong attraction to Gray from day one, but she’d forced herself to keep him at a distance. It was safer that way. It not only protected her heart, but her past.
“Only recently,” Gray said as he swirled his wine, “did I start getting vibes that you might actually say yes if I asked you out.”
Part of her heart melted into a pool of warm honey, but she also knew Gray dated a lot. She’d seen some of the glamorous women waiting for him outside One PP. One was even a movie star from one of those Law and Order TV shows.
“Do you still date a lot?” Alex didn’t really want to hear the answer, but she needed to know if he played the field.
“Still?” Gray grinned. “I never dated a lot.”
Alex shook her head. “That’s not what I hear.”
“Was there a department memo I missed?”
“No. I just pick up on things. Here and there.” Alex inwardly rolled her eyes. She could not believe she was actually having this conversation. Sniffing around like a jealous teenager.
“Where exactly?” He narrowed his eyes. “Fess up, or I’ll go all detective on you. Like you said, I have a way with people.”
“Fine.” She laughed. “It was in the break room. The other women were talking about all the dating you do.”
“I wouldn’t call it dating, exactly.” A sheepish look came over his handsome features.
“So it’s just sex for you?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s that, either.”
“Then what would you say it is?” No matter what she felt, she refused to get involved with a man—even Gray—who was only
interested in sex.
“Unimportant.” He clasped both her hands.
Beneath his hands, Alex tightened hers into fists. “So you’re saying you have sex with women and it doesn’t mean anything?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” Despite her clenched fists, he managed to pry her hands open so he could thread his fingers through hers. “I care about every woman I’ve ever had sex with, but as far as a lasting future with them, they’ve all been unimportant, and I’ve known that before spending a single minute in their beds. Until now I haven’t found anyone I wanted to really spend time with, let alone sit and talk with as much I do with you.”
He shrugged before continuing. “If it goes beyond that, I’ll consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
Alex canted her head, his words triggering a distant memory. Feminine instinct warned that this was a classic line used by every man throughout history. But Gray wasn’t every man. She knew him, and she believed what he’d just told her. Still… “Where have I heard that line before?”
“You got me,” he admitted with a smile. “Lou Gehrig, during his farewell speech.”
“Ah, Pride of the Yankees. You really are a Yankee fan.”
“To the core.”
“You and my son.” She relaxed her hands beneath his.
Gray began caressing her hands with his thumbs. “Speaking of which, I’d rather talk about you and Nicky.”
Alex stilled. She knew this would be part of any real relationship if she ever met the right man. She just hadn’t expected to be so afraid when the moment came. Take the plunge. If there was ever a man to risk everything for, it was Gray. “What would you like to know?”
“Tell me about Nicky,” he said. “Will I ever get to meet the man who is most important in your life?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “If you really want to.”
“I do.” Gray nodded. “As soon as you decide the time is right.”
“Thank you for being patient.” Blossoming warmth spread from Alex’s belly to her heart. “My son is six, and he’s the smartest, most wonderful little boy.”
“What’s he into? The Yankees? Animals? Books?” Gray continued drawing little circles on her hands with the pad of his thumbs, something that was distracting as hell.
Alex could barely concentrate. It was like being caught in an invisible net, one she was powerless to get free of. And she didn’t want to. “Yes to all three. His passions are reading, baseball, and puppies.”
Gray smiled. “Those were my exact favorite things when I was his age. So tell me about Nicky’s father. Were you married to him?”
Alex’s heart thumped wildly in her chest. She tugged one of her hands from Gray’s to brush an imaginary piece of lint from her sleeve. “What matters most is that he’s no longer part of our lives. He breezed into my life like a hurricane…and left just as quickly.”
When she looked up, Gray was staring at her, saying nothing. His eyes bore into her, and for one brief, panicky moment she understood what it must be like to be under his intense, investigative scrutiny. She quickly held out her glass for more wine, though if she wasn’t careful, she’d be buzzed before dinner even arrived.
“Alex,” Gray said as he took the glass from her hand and set it back on the table. “What is it that’s got you so uncomfortable?”
“Nothing. Really.” Except all the secrets in my life.
This time she took the initiative and reached for his hand. “I just need a little more time.”
“Take as much as you need.” He smiled warmly. “You’re worth it.”
As she gazed into the eyes of the man she sensed was her destiny, a clear and poignant sense of hope surrounded her like a protective blanket. But she couldn’t ignore the possibility that fate was playing a very cruel game with her.
Gray was a police detective. To entrust him with her heart—and her past—carried with it great risk. And there was so much at stake.
Get to know him first. If it works out, then tell him.
With that thought she dared to believe what her heart was telling her.
He just might be the one.
Chapter Three
After ordering their meals, Gray caught Alex eyeing the lone couple on the dance floor with a distinctly wistful expression on her face.
Dancing wasn’t exactly his thing. Football and baseball, definitely, but tripping the light fantastic he normally reserved for weddings when he had no choice.
“Would you like to dance?” Christ, he hoped she’d say no. Then again, for her he’d do just about anything, he realized.
No sooner had he made the offer than her eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically. The smile she gave him would make his sacrifice well worth it.
He stood and held out his hand. She placed her hand in his, then he led her onto the dance floor and swung her gently into his arms. At first, their bodies were a few inches apart, maintaining the appropriate distance for two people who had never danced together before. Then several other couples joined them, and the space on the tiny floor became limited. Soon there was barely room to twirl, so Gray tucked her in closer, swaying and rocking in place to the gentle, lilting music.
Soft, silky blond hair tickled his chin, and it was all he could do not to nuzzle the shiny strands. And she smelled all pretty and sweet, like one of the flowers in his mother’s garden. He inhaled deeply, a movement that pressed his chest against hers, reminding him how incredible she really did look in that purple dress. It wasn’t low cut, but it did amazing things to her body.
The dress came to just above her knees, showcasing sleek, slender calves he wanted to run his hands over. The purple sheath was formfitting, hugging her breasts, her tiny waist, and the most perfectly rounded backside he’d ever seen. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told her every man’s eyes in the restaurant were glued to her. Ironically, she was so demure and unassuming that she really didn’t seem to know how exquisite she was. A trait he found utterly charming.
“You’re a good dancer,” she said.
“You sound surprised.” He splayed his hand wider at the small of her back, tugging her even closer, and she didn’t resist.
She linked both her hands around his neck, and her breasts pressed more firmly against him. “I just mean that most men aren’t that comfortable slow dancing, but you have really good rhythm. You know just when to push, and when to pull back.”
That sounds like something a woman says to a guy about his prowess between the sheets.
“I’ve had lots of practice.” He grinned, feeling reasonably certain that she had no idea of just how much sexual innuendo could be perceived from her words.
She pulled away just enough to look up at him. Her eyes narrowed and the cutest little grin curved her lips. “Are we talking about dancing?”
“You tell me.” He lowered his head to brush a brief kiss across her lips.
She uttered a tiny gasp and gave him a slightly startled look. Then she smiled and snuggled against him again, chest to chest, thigh to thigh, as if they’d been dancing this way together their entire lives.
He was about to dip down for another kiss, when he glimpsed Eduardo delivering their dinner. He really should have tipped the kid in advance to give them more time alone. With a groan, he nodded to their table. “Hungry?”
“Starved, actually.” She placed a hand on her flat belly, and Gray reluctantly led them back to their table.
Forty minutes later, after their dinner plates were cleared, Eduardo handed them dessert menus. “I hope you have room for dessert. We have many specials tonight.”
“Hmm.” Alex twisted her lips as she eyed the menu. “There are so many wonderful things I can’t decide.”
“Allow me.” Gray handed both their menus back to Eduardo. “The chocolate fondue.”
“Excellent choice, Mr. Yates.” The waiter beamed a smile. “I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with the rest of your evening here at La Rosa. I have
one ready to go and will have it out in less than a minute.” Eduardo disappeared through the double doors leading to the kitchen.
“I love chocolate,” Gray said as he reached for Alex’s hand. He also discovered that he loved dancing with her and wished they were back on the dance floor so he could hold more than just her hand. “It runs in the family.”
“As family traits go, that’s not a bad one to have. Along with your twinkle toes.” She winked at him.
“Very funny, lady.”
Eduardo arrived with a large plate and a small pot perched above a flame, which he placed on the middle of the table. Surrounding the warm pot of chocolate were thin wooden skewers and piles of raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. “Enjoy,” the waiter said as he once again scurried off.
“Wow. I’m impressed.” Alex’s eyes sparkled with delight as she wasted no time in skewering a raspberry and dunking it in the chocolate.
Gray couldn’t take his eyes off her as she lifted the skewer from the pot then twisted it back and forth to catch a runny drip of chocolate before popping the berry into her mouth. When she licked her lips and moaned, another image involving her mouth came to mind, and he about choked on his tongue.
“Try one.” Alex pointed with her empty skewer to the plate. “Eduardo’s right, you won’t be disappointed.”
Yeah, no kidding.
Gray shifted in his chair to accommodate the painful pressure against the zipper of his slacks. He skewered a strawberry, dipped it into the chocolate, then into his mouth. He chewed slowly, savoring not only the rich dark chocolate and sweet fruit, but the intimacy of the moment. And damned if this night wasn’t getting even better.
“You’ve got to try a raspberry.” She jabbed her skewer into the largest of the raspberries, drenched it in more chocolate than it could possibly hold, and held it out to him.
Gray leaned in and bit the berry off the skewer. He swallowed, eyeing the thin line of chocolate dribbling down Alex’s middle finger. He gently grabbed her wrist, took the skewer from her hand, then leaned over and closed his mouth around her finger. Locking gazes with hers, he proceeded to suck off all the chocolate.
