“Oh, then what can I do for you? I, um, did the hotel bill you a lot for room service?” Gillian moved back, her eyes darting around nervously. He caught the tiny nibble on her bottom lip and groaned slightly.
“I was hoping we could get together again.” Jack brushed a lock of hair back from his forehead. “Get a chance to talk, maybe dinner?”
Gillian shrugged, her cheeks darkening with another blush. “I don’t usually, um, do what I did at the wedding. Perhaps it would be best if we just pretended it didn’t happen.”
Jack stared at her for a second. His heart dropped at the flare of shame in her eyes. Not for the first time he wondered why she was so afraid of herself. “Dinner, Gilli, nothing more. Say, Saturday, I’ll pick you up at six?”
“I was going to work Saturday night.”
“Gilli, its dinner, nothing more.” Jack leaned closer. “Sure, we had a hot night in bed, and I’d love to repeat it, but let’s take it a lot slower? I want to get to know you and to do so means we start out with dinner.”
“Sure. Uh, do you need my address? Or I could meet you at the restaurant.” Her voice rose with a faint tinge of hope at her suggestion.
“I’ll pick you up at your place.” Jack wiped his knuckles along her cheek. “Where do you live?”
Gillian prattled off her address, her eyes dancing past him nervously. She plucked at the folds of her jacket before adjusting her glasses. “I can just as easily meet you wherever you’d like.”
“Nonsense.” Jack grinned, elation filling him at her hesitant agreement. He strongly suspected if he let her meet him, she’d stand him up. It was written in the hopeful expectancy on her face. “Dress comfortably. We’re not going anywhere fancy.”
“Okay.”
“Gotta run, but I’m looking forward to Saturday night.” Quickly, before she could move away, he pressed a kiss to her cheek, winked, and trotted toward the main building. His heart raced at the notion she’d said yes.
As timid as a newborn kitten, but she said yes! Now I just have to get her to relax around me.
He paused at the door, holding it open a couple of inches to glance behind him. He felt a flare of disappointment to see Gillian already scurrying away, but it was quickly washed away by pleasure. Saturday couldn’t come soon enough.
* * * *
Her pulse racing, Gillian all but ran the short distance to her office. She closed the door with a soft click, stumbled into a chair, and stared at her desk. “No, no, no. This can’t be happening. Oh, why did he have to come here? What to do, what to do.” Nerves ate at her belly until she couldn’t sit still. Moving the pencil holder around helped somewhat but did little to control her need to run.
She collected her purse and grabbed her keys on her way out the door. Closing and locking it, she pulled her coat tighter around her as she navigated the corridor and out into the parking lot. Her breath caught at the red and white fire pickup parked several slots down from her.
“No, I won’t go. I’ll be here on Saturday night.” Her hand trembled as she unlocked the door and slipped in. A quick glance revealed the interior was just as she left it. Gilli started the old car, pulled out of her parking spot, and headed for downtown. There was no going home; not yet anyway.
You can do this, Gillian. You’re not some weakling. Come on, stiff upper lip and all that jazz. Remember, it’s just dinner. He probably wants to talk to you about the bill at the hotel. Your mother sure had a fit with you leaving before paying for your share. Perhaps he wants to collect on the debt for the room. It’s just dinner. Oh, God, I have nothing to wear. No, no, just don’t go. Make up an excuse when he shows up.
Gillian parked in front of the rustic-looking shop she frequented and sighed. She simply wouldn’t go—then why did she feel like the lowest thing in a sludge pond? Her eyes burning, she pushed her glasses higher on her nose and shuffled into the store.
“Morning, Miss Gillian, how are you?” Bright, cheery, the shop owner, an older, round woman with short blonde and green hair, waved at her.
“I’m well, just came to get a pair of shoes today. How are you, Betty?”
“Well now, I’m doing okay. Just got word this morning my grandbabies are coming for a visit. We’re going to take ’em to the Dinosaur Dig—you still working out at the museum?”
“Yes, I’m there Monday through Wednesday.”
“Well, we’ll just come by on them days. What shoes are you looking for?”
“I have a business meeting on Saturday night.” Gillian swallowed against the rising horror. A strange tingle raced along her nerves, pooling hotly in her gut. She shivered at the faint memories of excitement flowing through her mind. Ruthless, she clamped down on them. There’d be time for that later—much, much later. “Dinner and such, need something…”
“Far from sensible, girl. Come on along with me.”
An hour later, Gillian tossed the bags onto the car seat and gripped the steering wheel with hands that shook. “Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?”
Chapter 7
“Hey, I hear you told Brad off.”
Jack glanced up with a grin at the familiar bass. “Glad to see you back. Was startin’ to wonder if your new wife had done you in.” He chuckled at the man leaning against his office doorjamb.
“Naw, not yet anyway.” Lenny straightened, a quick grin crossing his face before a more somber expression settled over him. “How’d it go here?”
“Same old…” Jack tossed the pen down on his desk and leaned back in his chair. “Same shit, different day. You know how it is.”
“Yes. So Brad’s whining about you making
