He said it with that velvet voice of his. While the British accent had always been sexy, I’d never noticed just how deep his voice was. How sexy, enticing, almost like a constant invitation to lean in and lick something. “Um, I just… I don’t know. Somehow it feels different. You know, when you almost get killed with someone.”
He chuckled softly. “You mean when you’re dating someone.”
I laughed. “We are not dating. This is not what dating looks like.”
He shrugged. “This is what dating looks like for me. Doing something nice, walking the woman I’m dating to work if I have the chance. I don’t have to get started till ten or so.”
I wanted to tell him I was capable of doing this by myself. But of course he knew that, and that would just be me acting ornery. He was being nice. I could do nice.
I wasn’t kidding when I’d told him there was something more interesting about him now. I kept thinking about last night when he’d literally stepped in front of a gun with his body to protect me. The only people that did that for me were my partners. People I worked with. You trust each other in the field, like family. I’d never had anyone else do that for me.
You’ve had it. Your parents.
I swallowed that stinging burn of pain.
“Well, it’s nice. And I appreciate it.”
He casually threw an arm around my shoulder, and I glanced down at it, willing the electric lightning bolts in my body to calm their tits. It was just a casual arm across the shoulder. Totally casual. This was not a time for my libido to finally jump to attention.
Not to worry. We already jumped to attention last night.
God.
“You know, I feel like we need a re-do of all of our dates. I feel like we didn’t really get to know each other.”
I swallowed hard and watched him warily. “What do you mean?”
“Well, for starters, you’re a badass. All your badassery came out to play, and I dug it. I mean, I’d prefer you didn’t chase homicidal muggers, but still, total badass. It was hot.”
I laughed. “What, because I am reckless and took off chasing after an armed psychopath, you want to date me?”
He shrugged. “Well, it showed you had spunk. I get the impression you hold yourself tightly together all the time. You hold a façade in place. But underneath is someone lively, maybe sometimes a little reckless. But it’s someone who has spirit to live. It made me see you in a whole new way.”
My steps faltered. He saw too much. All the things I didn’t want him to see.
He needed to see the bland, boring, nice girl who watched too much reality TV, which I did, and perhaps drank too many Nationals on my couch with Addie. That was my idea of a wild night out. He was supposed to see that woman, not anything deeper.
His gaze searched mine. “You’re sad now. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable.”
My nose stung from the sudden well of emotion. “No, you’re not—” I shook my head. What the fuck was wrong with me? I was getting gushy just because someone saw me a little too clearly? “You’re not making me uncomfortable. It’s just that I remembered the story about how my parents met. Some guy was harassing my mom near where she lived. And my dad happened upon it and shooed him off then walked her to work. They used to talk about how they fell in love on that walk, you know?”
“That’s a beautiful story.”
“Yeah, it is. Just… You doing this reminds me of that.”
“So that’s a good memory, right?”
I nodded with a smile and then started walking again. “Yeah, it’s a good memory. They passed away when I was eighteen, so it’s bittersweet.”
“Shit. I’m so sorry.”
“No, you’re fine. I guess I never told you that.”
He shook his head. “No. But do you see what I mean? We’re going to have to do our first and second date, at the very least, all over again.”
I laughed. “You’re not what I expected.”
“Well, neither are you. Which I’m pretty sure is fantastic.”
“You’re more stubborn than I thought. Chivalrous, yes, but a little commanding. You like to be in charge. You are concerned about my safety. It’s nice to be worried about.”
He grinned. “Who doesn’t like to be in charge?”
“I don’t know, someone out there over the rainbow, I guess.”
He chuckled. “Those aren’t the words.”
I shrugged. “I know that.”
He lifted a brow. “Do you?”
At the light, he took my hand and we crossed the street. I expected him to let it go, but he didn’t. A zing of electricity shot up my arm, making my body vibrate and my thighs clench together as something pulled deep and low in my belly. “So, we’re holding hands now?”
“Yep. I decided I wanted to hold your hand on the second date, but then obviously we were interrupted.”
I wrinkled my nose and laughed. “Oh God. Because of your food poisoning. I’m so sorry. That sushi restaurant was supposed to be the best.”
His brow furrowed. “Yeah, you know I’m not opposed to trying it again.”
I laughed and shook my head. “No, no, no, no. Don’t you get that thing where if something makes you sick you can never look at it again?”
He shook his head. “No. Because what if you’re wrong about the thing that made you sick?”
“No, really, we don’t have to.”
He laughed. “Well, for you I’d be willing to risk it. And I do want to finish that bowling match. Although you were kicking my arse.”
“I was, wasn’t I?”
His laugh was deep and rich, and to me it felt like a sip of smoky brandy by the fire on a cold night. It was the most outstanding thing I’d ever heard in my life.
“I was letting you win.”
“You were not,” I squeaked out with a laugh.
God, this was dating? This was nice. Why had
