make him lower his guard, and get him to talk. Vulnerability was the mo

l up under the amber glow of the streetlamp. Of course he'd sent a drive

n't expected w

urant was

e prop. Except for the one in the center, dressed in roses and silver. Jazz drifted

here

. Sleeves roll

ok

pped mi

ne brow arching as her h

the corner of his mouth. "Only wh

chef call

d around the entire restaurant like it was his l

crowded place, dimly lit, too loud to hear herself t

th

s... in

ibe

ger

alculating. "So what's

ed scallops with garlic butter a

if I

her, slow and focused. "

pped too easily from he

ed at the smell of roa

ask twice, who mastered whatever he set

ar, legs crossed. "Didn't p

es flicking down her figure like

slid across the tile fast. He swore und

he asked, sta

he muttered

act, his arms swept under her thighs and back,

sped.

e cool marble. "Stay. You'll break that pret

th caught somewhe

e, the other braced beside her th

me," he said, voice low, a

eel the heat from his body. The scent of lemon and ced

dn't

he silk and lipstick. Like he saw something r

ed. "You're

u came

way. Instead, her hand

was stea

engaged," he

xpected. She blink

ne morning she had a headach

etween them, thick with th

" Victoria

yes met hers, darker now. "I just think we a

rline fracture, but enough t

odded

soon. And she hated that she felt

actually read. He spoke with conviction, humor sharp as a blade but never cruel. She was about to

e said, her voice softer now, brushin

ifted, just sli

was sh

back in his chair, gaze tilted toward the ceili

s the kind of girl who read poetry aloud to plants, who made strangers lau

ia swa

ismatched socks. Once spent an entire summer painting fi

didn't rea

e one morning. By

ce bl

ng a story. He was f

the rim of her glass.

y. "I don't think anyone

like a stone in

This was strategy. A

oved before she could

flicked

dn't

eaned across the table until the spac

he murmured, "behind

htened. But sh

y life. The fact that you're sitting here breathing while he's

ol. Controlled. Sh

ened. "Did you ev

oying with her

ead. "Mysteriou

gged. "Y

ffering his hand

inked.

ngs. Jus

t the answer was al

he said

dn't

d more wine, and c

was sharp, thoughtful, and disarmingly funny. The more he spoke, th

man who rui

, who once learned to cook for a woman he lost, who looked

dn't aff

d

her apartment door like a perfect gentleman, she th

it d

toni

th Dav