Was I a little disappointed with the arrangement? Yes, I’ll admit it. I’d taken some serious effort to make an impression, and his first sight of me was going to be as I dashed out the hotel front door while he waited in the car. Worse yet, when I got down to the lobby the car wasn’t even there. Two vehicles idled out front—a BMW and a Jag.
Then the driver’s door on the BMW opened and Jack stepped out. He started to come around. As he turned toward me, getting a full look for the first time, he stopped. He stared. Then he caught himself and continued striding over to meet me.
I was trying not to stare myself. I’ve seen Jack dressed up. He’d worn a tux for the opera during a stakeout. At the time, I’d wondered how he’d carry off the look—it didn’t seem right for him. I’d been wrong. Jack looked as comfortable in a suit as he did in a biker outfit. It just brought out another side to that dangerous edge, making him look like he was ready to throw down in the boardroom rather than in a bar. Tonight he wore a sports coat and tie, but the effect was the same. Freshly shaven. Black hair gleaming. Wearing that suit like it came from his closet, not straight off a store rack. He looked good. Damned good.
“Something happened to our car,” I said as he reached me. “It must have been sitting in that parking garage too long. The other vehicles rubbed off on it.”
He smiled. He didn’t say anything, though, just put a hand on the small of my back and guided me toward the car as he leaned over to open the door. He didn’t say anything about my outfit, either. I didn’t expect him to. Before the opera, it’d been Quinn who’d told me how good I looked—multiple times. With Jack, I hadn’t even been sure he’d noticed. Now, he noticed. I could feel his gaze on me as I got into the car, and that was more flattering than anything he could have said.
When we reached the restaurant, I could see why he’d switched cars. If we’d driven our economy rental up to the valet, they’d probably have refused to park it. As it was, we fit right in. As we walked inside and through the restaurant, Jack’s hand still resting at my back, we caught some glances. Mostly women, checking him out, as discreetly as possible, given the venue. I earned some looks, too, and held my head a little higher. Most of the time, I’m happy to blend. I want to blend. Every now and then, though, under the right circumstances, a little attention is nice.
I’d been worried dinner might be awkward with both of us out of our comfort zone, but as soon as we were seated, we started talking as we would over any other meal. Except it wasn’t “any other meal.” We both knew that. The car, the restaurant, the dress, the suit . . . it all said that this wasn’t just dinner between friends.
We stayed at the restaurant until there was only one other table of diners left. When we finally stepped outside, the cool night air was as refreshing as any country breeze, and I paused a moment, drinking it in.
“Nice night,” Jack said as the valet hurried over.
I smiled. “It is.”
Jack motioned for the valet to wait. “You want to walk?” He shrugged off his jacket. “Saw a park over . . .” He glanced down at my shoes. “Something tells me those weren’t made for strolling.”
“Actually, on the scale of heels, these are as stroll-worthy as they come. I know my limits. I’d love a walk.”
Jack gave me his coat. I didn’t argue. As I put it over my shoulders, he spoke to the valet. He got the keys back and directions to the parking garage for later. Then he slipped the young man a tip and led me down the restaurant steps. When we reached the bottom, his hand brushed mine. I took it, and we headed out.
CHAPTER 35
We talked a little as we walked, but mostly we just enjoyed the quiet and the empty streets. The park was only a block over. As we entered, I could see Jack’s gaze flickering about. We might be pretending we were just ordinary people out for an ordinary night under ordinary circumstances, but I still had a price on my head and I had just made contact with the guy who might have put it there.
It seemed safe enough, though. This end of the park was so quiet we’d hear footsteps if anyone approached. The thick trees made sniping from nearby buildings impossible. I hated having to even think about that tonight, but I had to.
Jack steered me down the most wooded path, where we’d be best hidden.
“So,” I said as we walked. “Am I allowed to thank you for dinner?”
A soft chuckle. “Yeah.”
“But I’m not allowed to show my appreciation in any way. Correct?”
I glanced at him as I said it. My voice was light, teasing. My look was not. Jack caught it, and I heard a faint intake of breath. His grip loosened on my hand and for a moment, I thought he was going to let go. But he only adjusted his hold, pulling me to a stop and turning me to face him.
“Depends,” he said. “You know that appreciation isn’t necessary?”
“I do.”
“And nothing was expected?”
“I do.”
“Then, if you wanted to—”
“I do,” I said, and I lifted onto my tiptoes and kissed him.
I was sure he’d known how I planned to show my appreciation, but he just stood there, not reciprocating. I saw the jolt of surprise in his eyes and I thought, Oh, shit! I’d screwed up. I’d been so sure, so damned sure. The dinner, the car, the hotel . . . How the hell did that not mean what I thought it meant?
I pulled back fast. “Sorry. I-I thought—”
He cut me off, arms going around me, pulling me into a kiss that took any doubt, shredded it, and set the leftover bits on fire. The last time I was kissed like that— Oh, hell, I don’t know if I’d ever been kissed like that. When it finally broke, I was gasping.
“Okay?” he said.
“Oh, yeah.”
He chuckled and kissed me again, softer this time, his hands moving to my face, holding it in a long, sweet kiss.
When we parted for breath, I said, “I thought I surprised you there.”
“You did.”
“What did you think I was going to give you? A back rub?”
A light laugh. “No. Hoped you meant this. Didn’t expect. Sorry if I—”
“It’s okay,” I said.
I tugged him toward me until my back was against a tree. As my arms went around his neck, his dropped to my waist and then slid down as the kiss deepened, coming to rest on my ass, pulling me to him. Heat shot through me as I arched against the tree, lifting up to straddle him. His hands dropped lower then and pushed my skirt up. I felt a tickling whisper of cold air, disappearing as his hands cupped my ass.
I wanted him. Right there, and I didn’t care if it wasn’t anything I’d done before, if it was something I’d feel guilty about in the morning. The park was empty, and even if I hadn’t been certain of that, I’m not sure it would have changed my mind. All I could feel was the hunger of his kiss and the heat of his hands and the hardness of his body and I didn’t give a damn where we were.
When the kiss broke, I reached for a button on his shirt and murmured, “Yes?”
He hesitated.
I stopped. “Or no . . .”
“Yes,” he murmured, his voice thick. “Hell, yes.” He buried his face in my hair, kissing my neck as his hands gripped my ass, pulling me close. “Just don’t want to fuck up. You want a bed—”
“Next time.”
I undid his shirt as he kept kissing my neck. I couldn’t manage the tie, so I just shoved it aside, then slid my hands under his open shirt, his hard muscles moving under my fingers as he shifted, his lips moving to mine again. His hands shifted, too, tugging my panties down over my hips.
I reached down and pulled at his belt as my panties dropped to the ground, but his fingers moved across my thighs, which completely distracted me from my mission. I paused, realized I was pausing, and cursed as I reached for his belt again.