The Perfect Clone by M. L. Stephens

he’d gotten this latest possession, but he’d always had a thing for being fabulous. “So, where are you taking me for breakfast?”
    Richard put his arm on the top of her seat as he turned to back the car out of the drive. With a couple of quick up and down movements of the eyebrows and a fantastic smile, he kept his plans a secret. “If I tell you, then my kidnapping plot would be foiled. You’ll just have to be patient.”
    If ever she decided to fall in love again, she would have to consider this wonderfully intelligent man, who appealed to all five of her senses. If she had a sixth sense, he’d most likely stimulate that too. Laura reminded herself that it’d be a bad idea since they were such good friends, but then again, she’d never been keen on good ideas.
     
    ***********
     
    “IHOP is my favorite weekend breakfast haunt.” Laura loved their waffles.
    Holding the door open as she walked past him, Richard talked into her ear so that only she could hear what was said. “There’s not much I don’t know about you Laura,” the huskiness in his voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
    Not sure she’d heard it the way he’d meant it; Laura turned to look up at him. Peering down at her with those beautiful gray eyes, their gazes locked for an instant. Richard put his hand on the small of Laura’s back, guiding her into the building, breaking the intimacy of the moment. The warmth of his touch burned through her jacket. She must be losing her mind. Slow yourself down girl. You call him Uncle for Christ’s sake. Laura reminded herself of that several times, hoping to block out any ridiculous ideas she was harboring.
    Things had always been casual between them… until now. Thanks to her overactive imagination, she could feel tension rippling in the air between them. Thankfully, after they were seated, Richard took control of the conversation. He made her laugh with his recollections of her dad.
    The breakfast was enjoyable. Neither of them wanted to leave, so they ordered coffee and continued their visit. Talking to Richard had always been easy.
    After an hour or so of light-hearted conversation and laughter, Richard’s face grew serious as he leaned forward across the table. “Tell me about your work, Laura. What does a beautiful scientist do in a stuffy lab all day?”
    Casting her eyes downward, Laura fiddled with her napkin. She’d never discussed her work with anyone, mostly because no one ever asked, and secondly because of the nature of it. “Mostly stare at test tubes and mice all day. What about you? What does a multilingual playboy do with his time?”
    “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” Laura studied his face, trying to determine if he meant what he said or if he was being his normally cocky self. She’d never been told what he did for a living.
    A tense moment passed as they studied each other’s faces, each trying to read what the other was thinking.
    Richard shrugged his shoulders. “What? It’s true. Playboys are sworn to secrecy. Really, you have to take an oath and everything.”
    Laura laughed until tears leaked from her eyes. She dabbed at them with the same napkin she had fiddled with earlier. Laughter wasn’t something that came to her often, but she liked it. “Thanks, I needed that! I’ve missed you, Richard.”
    Leaning forward with one arm on the table, he put his finger under her chin and lifted it upward until they were eye to eye. “I’ve missed you too, Laura.” He held her chin that way for what seemed several minutes before finally lifting it to signal the waitress. “Check please.”
    Laura didn’t remember much about leaving IHOP. Areas of her body she’d forgotten existed, were currently reminding her that she was still a woman.
    Once they were snuggled back into his roadster, Richard turned and placed his hand on her arm. She stared out the window, afraid that her eyes would reveal other intentions if she looked at him. “Would you like