Hard to Come By by Laura Kaye

in a thin layer of brown scruff as if he hadn’t shaved in a day or two. Full mouth that always looked seconds from breaking into a smile, just as it did now. Intense brown eyes with corners that crinkled when he smiled or laughed. Add all that to how helpful and friendly he’d been at lunch—not to mention what a good listener—and any woman would be lucky to have him show up on her doorstep.
    “Well, uh, okay,” she finally said, her head whirling from the surprise and the headiness of having a man like Derek show such interest.
    “Okay?” he asked, stepping closer. “As in, you’ll go out with me?”
    Emilie laughed. The guy was kinda adorable in a totally masculine way.
    When she didn’t answer fast enough, he said, “I told you some things were harder to resist than others. Turns out you’re one of them. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, and about how much I wanted to keep talking to you.”
    Her heart raced and her stomach flipped. When was the last time a man had talked to her like this? One of the signs of Jack’s infidelity that she’d missed or explained away had been the disappearance of theflirtatiousness they’d had earlier in their relationship. Damn, it feels good to experience that again .
    And, truth be told, she’d been a little sad to see Derek leave the coffee shop.
    Grasping the strap of her computer case with both hands, she tilted her head and looked at him. “I enjoyed talking to you, too,” she said, her stomach giving a little flutter.
    He grinned. “Well, then, we’re agreed. We are damn fine conversationalists.”
    Emilie burst out laughing and nodded. “That we are.”
    Derek held out his hands. “So have dinner with me. Tonight. It’s a beautiful Tuesday evening. Save me from wandering the streets of Annapolis all alone.” His eyes sparkled with mischief, and his humor was infectious.
    “Oh, well, I wouldn’t want that,” she said. Was she seriously considering this? The attention was totally flattering, but the whole thing with Jack had left her heart feeling more than a little beaten up. But Jack was the past. Was she going to let him rule her future, too?
    “So, is that a yes?” he asked, stepping closer again, close enough that she could reach out and press her hand against the hard plane of his chest if she wanted. And truthfully, she wouldn’t have minded touching Derek. Or him touching her. God, but she missed the warm, strong hold of a man’s arms.
    “Come on. We can walk downtown. I’ll take you to your favorite place. Wherever you want. And then I’ll walk you back to your car.”
    Butterflies whipped through her belly, but what did she have to lose? Except for a disastrous blind date one of her cousins had arranged, she really hadn’t dated since she’d gotten divorced. What better opportunity would she have than with a man who was as gorgeousand fun as Derek? “You know what? I’d love to have dinner with you.”
    He clasped a big hand over his heart. “You’ve made me a happy man.”
    Smiling, she nodded. “Just let me throw some things in my car first?”
    “Of course,” he said. “May I?” Before she realized what he was doing, he gently removed the bags from her shoulder.
    “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” she said as he was already putting the straps over his own shoulder.
    “No,” he said, looking down at her. “But I want to.”
    Emilie swallowed, sure she must be imagining the way his gaze seemed to flicker to her lips and away again. “Well, thanks.”
    “After you,” he said. His fingertips lightly touched the small of her back as he guided her across the porch and down the steps.
    I can’t believe this is happening! I can’t believe this is happening!
    And, God, did he smell good. Clean and soapy and a little spicy. As they crossed to the parking lot, she took a deep breath and tried to hold it together. But on the inside, she was almost giddy.
    “Mine’s the white one,” she said. At the car, she