“No, really.” She backed into her apartment to clear him a path. “Come on in.”
Aidan closed his own door and moved through hers, ignoring the bombardment of sensations sent his way from merely entering her private residence. He focused on maintaining the mental wall he’d erected. He didn’t want her, subconsciously or not, trying to read him.
As she put the pizza box on the table in front of the large overstuffed sofa, she glanced up at him and said, “I just moved in a couple of days ago myself. The apartment belongs to a friend who’s living in France for a year. I’ve been checking on the place for her from time to time. I might as well live here.”
She made no mention of her recent troubles, which didn’t surprise him. “Your friend has good taste.” He walked around the room, assessing the quality of the furnishings and the artwork. “Is this her work?” He studied a vivid piece that reflected the building’s courtyard at night.
“Yes.” Darby came over to stand beside him. “She’s studying art from the masters.” She looked up at him, without fear, surprisingly, though he noted the curiosity in her eyes. “Would you like water or a soft drink?”
“Whatever you’re having will be fine.”
She disappeared into the kitchen, sensing that he was watching her but that didn’t stop him. What man wouldn’t watch a beautiful woman as she walked away?
When she’d returned with two bottles of cold water and plenty of paper napkins, she was careful to sit opposite him in a chair rather than next to him on the sofa. She passed him a slice of pizza and selected one for herself.
“Are you new to the city?” she asked before taking a bite of the heavily embellished pie.
“Yes,” he answered truthfully.
Now she was really curious. He liked that her eyes reflected her every subtle shift in mood. “So what do you think of our wicked city?” Her smile brightened. “We do have a certain reputation, you know.”
Aidan found himself returning the smile without conscious effort. It felt strange at first, but not entirely unpleasant. He thought of the two men who’d tried to mug him last night. “The jury’s still out on your fair city’s reputation.”
She laughed. The soft, throaty sound pleased him. He wanted to hear it again.
“I’ve lived here forever. Any questions you have, feel free to toss them my way.” She sipped her water, her gaze never leaving his.
“Forever?” he repeated. “That’s a long time, Darby Shepard.”
Darby kept her smile in place in spite of the little trickle of uneasiness she felt at the moment. Why had she invited this stranger into her apartment? She’d certainly never done anything like that before. If she’d ever had a reason to be more careful, she had it now. What had she been thinking?
The answer was simple—she hadn’t.
She’d been so intrigued by the intensity of the attraction between them that she hadn’t given any thought to a single thing, not even her own personal safety.
She’d felt him on that balcony even before she looked his way, just as she’d felt…something…when she woke up in the middle of the night. She’d felt his presence. Not once in her life, that she could recall, had she been so aware of another human being. It thoroughly undid her on one level and drew her on another.
When he’d taken her hand in his to shake it, the sizzle of attraction had been so profound it had stolen her breath. Even now, those dark, dark eyes emanated something…a magnetism she found irresistible. The connection wasn’t about how good-looking he was, and he was that. Tall, athletic build. Nice wide shoulders. Long, black hair, almost too long. And the hint of beard—goatee, actually—made him look like a pirate who’d just come ashore. But then when she considered the way he dressed, all in black and with that long duster, his very presence had made her shiver. Had she not seen him standing in the sunlight on that balcony, she’d have sworn he was a vampire straight out of popular fiction.
But he was neither of those things. He was a man, her new neighbor and a mere mortal. Maybe the uproar and uncertainty in her life right now made her want to cling to something solid and strong. If she’d ever laid eyes on a man who looked more solid or strong, she had no memory of the encounter. In fact, Darby felt certain he was like no one else she’d ever met.
“I grew up here,” she explained finally, having almost forgotten his question. “My parents—they died in a boating accident a few years ago—loved this city.”
“I’m sure you have many happy memories of growing up here,” he offered with a smile that took away her breath all over again.
Darby held on to the bottle of water in her hands and tried to think rationally. How could he upset her equilibrium so easily?
“Yes,” she replied, though it wasn’t completely true. “I have many happy memories. How about you?” She turned the tables, desperate to get out of the spotlight for a while. “Where did you grow up?”
“Out west,” he said vaguely. “We moved around a lot.”
Something changed in his expression, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint the subtle variance. “You have any brothers or sisters?”
He shook his head. “No one. Only me.”
Then she understood the change. His parents were gone, too. God, how did she always manage to ask the wrong questions?
“How about more pizza?” she offered in hopes of diverting the sore subject.
“I should go.” He pushed to his feet and Darby felt suddenly overwhelmed.
She stood, matching his stance. “I’m glad we could take this opportunity to get acquainted.”
That analyzing gaze roved her face, finally settling on her eyes. “Me, too.”
Darby followed him to the door, her whole body reacting to the way he moved. There was something incredibly sexy about the way he walked. She shook the silly idea from her head and chastised herself for being
