She had thrown up another roadblock.
“Yes, I’m quite looking forward to it,” Heath
said before the buzz of his phone caught his attention. He glanced at the
screen. “Excuse me. It’s my sister.”
“No worries. Take your time, I’ve got a
couple of those myself.”
Heath nodded and stepped away. Anabelle
stepped closer and before he could enjoy her proximity, she hissed, “What are
you doing?”
He lifted an eyebrow and she flushed.
“Just go away. It’s awkward enough.”
“No can do. Think of me as your fairy
godmother, but instead of keeping you in glass slippers and a poufy dress, I’m
here to keep you safe,” he drawled next to her ear.
She growled in frustration and he grinned.
By then, Heath stepped closer. “I’m very
sorry Anabelle, my sister has locked her keys in the car. I can’t let her wait
for the locksmith this late by herself when I can run by with the spare.”
“Of course not,” Anabelle said. “Go take
care of your sister.”
Heath gave her a grateful smile and Derek
felt a bit grateful himself for this stroke of fortune. Heath glanced toward
him. “You’ll see she gets home, won’t you?” He looked at Derek in question, as
if he hadn’t just handed Derek a golden ticket.
“I’ll see to it personally.” Derek knew he
should feel guilty for honing in on the guy’s date, but he couldn’t dredge up
even a hint. He was too busy stifling the urge to fist pump.
“I’ll be in touch, shall I?”
“Sure,” Anabelle said.
Not if
he could help it.
Chapter 5
Heath walked away and Anabelle wanted to
call him back, his presence provided a sense of security. Not that she was
worried about her physical safety, it was more about
her emotional equilibrium.
She met Derek’s gaze and swallowed at the
look he leveled at her. It wasn’t anything overt in what he said or did, but
she got a sense that he was pleased at the turn of events, which made no sense.
Something about him reminded her of the big bad wolf rubbing his hands with
pleasure, not that he was literally rubbing his hands; it was more in his gaze.
It was dark and very hungry.
The notion was ridiculous because she was
no little red riding hood. She was a grown woman and successful businesswoman
at that. He was her business acquaintance. It was all above board, nothing
lecherous.
She shook her head and turned to leave.
Silly thoughts weren’t helping. She needed to go on another date with Heath. He
was the type of guy she should be thinking about. If she were preoccupied with
thoughts of Heath, Derek would no longer dominate her fantasies.
At least that was her theory.
“Feel up for a game of pool?”
She turned back and wondered at his game.
“I should head home.”
“It’s not nine yet.” He gestured to the twinkling
stars above them. “It’s a beautiful night.”
“I know but—“
“Come on. You know you want to.”
She flushed. Had he figured out her guilty
thoughts? “I’ll even spot you a handicap.”
She grinned. The offer awakened the
competitive side of her. She thought of the hours she’d spent in her mother’s
family room and the antique billiard table where her father first taught her
the game.
“I’ll give you a three game handicap.”
“Well, I don’t know,” she said as if
uncertain. She knew she shouldn’t let him assume but it was too easy. Did she
not look like a pool player?
“Come on. Let’s go to Finn’s.”
“I don’t know.”
He sensed her capitulation and grinned. He
leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Think of it as a belated birthday
treat.”
She started at the reminder of her birthday
resolution and need for change. She felt his warm hand at her back through the
thin jersey dress and all thoughts disintegrated.
While Finn’s Bar and Grill was seedy enough
to be interesting, the design wouldn’t grace the cover of Hospitality Design.
There was a distinctive flavor to the place with its dark lighting, low metal fixtures
centered
“Yes, I’m quite looking forward to it,” Heath
said before the buzz of his phone caught his attention. He glanced at the
screen. “Excuse me. It’s my sister.”
“No worries. Take your time, I’ve got a
couple of those myself.”
Heath nodded and stepped away. Anabelle
stepped closer and before he could enjoy her proximity, she hissed, “What are
you doing?”
He lifted an eyebrow and she flushed.
“Just go away. It’s awkward enough.”
“No can do. Think of me as your fairy
godmother, but instead of keeping you in glass slippers and a poufy dress, I’m
here to keep you safe,” he drawled next to her ear.
She growled in frustration and he grinned.
By then, Heath stepped closer. “I’m very
sorry Anabelle, my sister has locked her keys in the car. I can’t let her wait
for the locksmith this late by herself when I can run by with the spare.”
“Of course not,” Anabelle said. “Go take
care of your sister.”
Heath gave her a grateful smile and Derek
felt a bit grateful himself for this stroke of fortune. Heath glanced toward
him. “You’ll see she gets home, won’t you?” He looked at Derek in question, as
if he hadn’t just handed Derek a golden ticket.
“I’ll see to it personally.” Derek knew he
should feel guilty for honing in on the guy’s date, but he couldn’t dredge up
even a hint. He was too busy stifling the urge to fist pump.
“I’ll be in touch, shall I?”
“Sure,” Anabelle said.
Not if
he could help it.
Chapter 5
Heath walked away and Anabelle wanted to
call him back, his presence provided a sense of security. Not that she was
worried about her physical safety, it was more about
her emotional equilibrium.
She met Derek’s gaze and swallowed at the
look he leveled at her. It wasn’t anything overt in what he said or did, but
she got a sense that he was pleased at the turn of events, which made no sense.
Something about him reminded her of the big bad wolf rubbing his hands with
pleasure, not that he was literally rubbing his hands; it was more in his gaze.
It was dark and very hungry.
The notion was ridiculous because she was
no little red riding hood. She was a grown woman and successful businesswoman
at that. He was her business acquaintance. It was all above board, nothing
lecherous.
She shook her head and turned to leave.
Silly thoughts weren’t helping. She needed to go on another date with Heath. He
was the type of guy she should be thinking about. If she were preoccupied with
thoughts of Heath, Derek would no longer dominate her fantasies.
At least that was her theory.
“Feel up for a game of pool?”
She turned back and wondered at his game.
“I should head home.”
“It’s not nine yet.” He gestured to the twinkling
stars above them. “It’s a beautiful night.”
“I know but—“
“Come on. You know you want to.”
She flushed. Had he figured out her guilty
thoughts? “I’ll even spot you a handicap.”
She grinned. The offer awakened the
competitive side of her. She thought of the hours she’d spent in her mother’s
family room and the antique billiard table where her father first taught her
the game.
“I’ll give you a three game handicap.”
“Well, I don’t know,” she said as if
uncertain. She knew she shouldn’t let him assume but it was too easy. Did she
not look like a pool player?
“Come on. Let’s go to Finn’s.”
“I don’t know.”
He sensed her capitulation and grinned. He
leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Think of it as a belated birthday
treat.”
She started at the reminder of her birthday
resolution and need for change. She felt his warm hand at her back through the
thin jersey dress and all thoughts disintegrated.
While Finn’s Bar and Grill was seedy enough
to be interesting, the design wouldn’t grace the cover of Hospitality Design.
There was a distinctive flavor to the place with its dark lighting, low metal fixtures
centered
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