there,” Bryce said. “Would you like to get something to eat?”
Yes. No. Life wasn’t fair.
Why had she met him now?
She found Bryce to be intelligent, nice and totally hot. He was exactly the kind of man she wanted to meet in, say, five years, when she had her career established and was ready to make a commitment. She wasn’t ready for that at the moment, with her life in such disarray.
“Thanks, but I need to go home.”
Far, far away from the sexy and attractive Bryce.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
She’d had to sell her car after she’d got laid off. “I took the bus.”
He swept his hand through his hair. “Would you like a ride home?”
What a stupid move.
Some idiot had accosted Dani, and Bryce had asked her to get into a car with him, someone she barely knew. He wanted to kick himself. That was what he got for acting impulsively.
But he hadn’t been able to help himself.
Dani brought out his impatience. Bryce didn’t like that.
Nor did he like how she had been constantly on his mind since having coffee and how he couldn’t stop staring at her now.
But damn, she cleaned up well, even if her clothes still looked a couple of sizes too big. If he weren’t careful, he was going to blow this.
The investigation, he meant.
“I can call you a cab,” Bryce offered.
“I take the bus all the time.”
“It’s late,” he countered. “My treat.”
“I’m a big girl.”
“I know you can handle situations after seeing you in action. But you shouldn’t have to deal with anything else tonight.”
The determined set of her jaw reminded him of his sister when she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Bryce knew when to surrender.
“If your heart is set on riding the bus home, I’ll walk you to the stop.”
That was the least Bryce could do. He felt guilty for using information from her e-mails. She’d called his being at the restaurant a coincidence. Good thing she didn’t know that no chance or luck had been involved in his witnessing her date-gone-bad.
Frustration gnawed at him. Bryce hated how guys like Gregg could slip through the system without being weeded out. He felt protective over Dani, the way he did with all his customers, and right now a part of him wanted to hold her. Though he normally didn’t hug clients.
A hug would probably go over as well as his offer of a ride home had so he kept his hands to himself.
“I’m sure the last thing you want to do is get into the car with a total stranger. Or a player or a liar.” Bryce remembered what she’d said. “Not that I’m strange or any of those other things. But you wouldn’t know that.”
“I wouldn’t,” she admitted. “It’s hard to separate the good guys from the psychos these days.”
He fell in step with her. “Unless one happens to be carrying around an axe or a chainsaw.”
“That would give them away.” She walked toward the street corner. “Still, I can’t imagine you wielding a knife with a crazed look in your eyes.”
“Once you get to know me, you’ll realize I’m harmless.”
Dani stopped at the corner and hit the crosswalk button. Traffic zipped across the intersection. “When I get to know you?”
Bryce nodded. “That’s the only way I won’t be a stranger to you. You never know when you might need another ride home.”
“You’ve got this all figured out.”
“I’m working on it.”
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
She was tempted. He could hear it in her voice. Good.
“Dinner and conversation,” he said.
The light changed. The walk sign illuminated. She stepped off the curb. “As long as nothing else happening will be assumed.”
“I never assume anything.” Bryce didn’t want to let her go without getting a commitment from her. He wanted to know when he would see her again. “How does Friday sound?”
“This Friday?” she asked.
He nodded. Waited. Reminded himself that patience was a virtue.
“Okay,” she said after what seemed
Yes. No. Life wasn’t fair.
Why had she met him now?
She found Bryce to be intelligent, nice and totally hot. He was exactly the kind of man she wanted to meet in, say, five years, when she had her career established and was ready to make a commitment. She wasn’t ready for that at the moment, with her life in such disarray.
“Thanks, but I need to go home.”
Far, far away from the sexy and attractive Bryce.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
She’d had to sell her car after she’d got laid off. “I took the bus.”
He swept his hand through his hair. “Would you like a ride home?”
What a stupid move.
Some idiot had accosted Dani, and Bryce had asked her to get into a car with him, someone she barely knew. He wanted to kick himself. That was what he got for acting impulsively.
But he hadn’t been able to help himself.
Dani brought out his impatience. Bryce didn’t like that.
Nor did he like how she had been constantly on his mind since having coffee and how he couldn’t stop staring at her now.
But damn, she cleaned up well, even if her clothes still looked a couple of sizes too big. If he weren’t careful, he was going to blow this.
The investigation, he meant.
“I can call you a cab,” Bryce offered.
“I take the bus all the time.”
“It’s late,” he countered. “My treat.”
“I’m a big girl.”
“I know you can handle situations after seeing you in action. But you shouldn’t have to deal with anything else tonight.”
The determined set of her jaw reminded him of his sister when she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Bryce knew when to surrender.
“If your heart is set on riding the bus home, I’ll walk you to the stop.”
That was the least Bryce could do. He felt guilty for using information from her e-mails. She’d called his being at the restaurant a coincidence. Good thing she didn’t know that no chance or luck had been involved in his witnessing her date-gone-bad.
Frustration gnawed at him. Bryce hated how guys like Gregg could slip through the system without being weeded out. He felt protective over Dani, the way he did with all his customers, and right now a part of him wanted to hold her. Though he normally didn’t hug clients.
A hug would probably go over as well as his offer of a ride home had so he kept his hands to himself.
“I’m sure the last thing you want to do is get into the car with a total stranger. Or a player or a liar.” Bryce remembered what she’d said. “Not that I’m strange or any of those other things. But you wouldn’t know that.”
“I wouldn’t,” she admitted. “It’s hard to separate the good guys from the psychos these days.”
He fell in step with her. “Unless one happens to be carrying around an axe or a chainsaw.”
“That would give them away.” She walked toward the street corner. “Still, I can’t imagine you wielding a knife with a crazed look in your eyes.”
“Once you get to know me, you’ll realize I’m harmless.”
Dani stopped at the corner and hit the crosswalk button. Traffic zipped across the intersection. “When I get to know you?”
Bryce nodded. “That’s the only way I won’t be a stranger to you. You never know when you might need another ride home.”
“You’ve got this all figured out.”
“I’m working on it.”
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
She was tempted. He could hear it in her voice. Good.
“Dinner and conversation,” he said.
The light changed. The walk sign illuminated. She stepped off the curb. “As long as nothing else happening will be assumed.”
“I never assume anything.” Bryce didn’t want to let her go without getting a commitment from her. He wanted to know when he would see her again. “How does Friday sound?”
“This Friday?” she asked.
He nodded. Waited. Reminded himself that patience was a virtue.
“Okay,” she said after what seemed
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