“She knew,” she said, collapsing in the front seat with the stack of take-out boxes. “She knew exactly what had happened, that we wanted each other more than food.”
“She did not,” Rafe insisted.
“Oh, yes, she did,” Gina argued. “She actually gave me a thumbs-up signal as we left.”
Rafe seemed vaguely startled. “Oh, really? Now what do you suppose she meant by that?”
“I hope you’re teasing,” Gina said.
He reached over and skimmed a finger along her cheek. “Why is that?”
“Because otherwise I am about to make a huge fool of myself,” she said.
“Oh?”
“I am about to suggest that we take all this food to a hotel room,” she said. When Rafe remained silent, she swallowed hard. “Well, have I made a fool of myself?”
“No,” he said, his voice suddenly husky. Though he’d been about to start the car, he dropped his hand away from the key and faced her. “But I want you to think about this. Is it really what you want? You don’t strike me as the kind of woman to engage in casual flings.”
She laughed at that. “If only you knew.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that I have never engaged in flings of any kind, casual or otherwise.”
His eyes widened. “You’re not…?”
“You can say the word,” she teased. “And, no, I’m not a virgin, though my experience is almost as limited. It’s just that it’s been years since I’ve had the time or the inclination to get involved with anyone. I try my best to forget about the last time I did.”
“Why now?” he asked. “Why me? As you pointed out earlier, this isn’t exactly an uncomplicated situation.”
“No,” she agreed.
“Is that part of the attraction? Because it’s a little dangerous?”
She considered the question, then shook her head. “No. If anything, that would make me run the other way.”
He regarded her ruefully. “I notice you’re not exactly gushing with a hundred reasons why you’ve chosen me to break your self-imposed celibacy.”
“Is that what you want? Do you want me to stroke your ego?”
“No, if there’s any stroking to be done, I can think of other parts I’d prefer to have you touching.”
Heat gathered low in her belly as his words sank in. “Then what is this hesitation about?” she asked.
He took her hand in his, turned it over and kissed her palm. “As much as I would like to take you to a hotel room and spend the rest of the afternoon letting you seduce me, I’m not going to do it,” he said with obvious regret.
Embarrassment flooded through her. When she would have jerked her hand away, he held it more tightly.
“One of these days you and I are going to end up in bed together,” he assured her emphatically. “Make no mistake about that. But when we do, it will be for the right reasons. It won’t be because you’re looking for a temporary escape from your problems.”
“That’s a lousy thing to say,” she told him heatedly, but then the truth hit her. That was exactly what she’d been looking for. She’d wanted a distraction, something to make her feel alive, and a quick romp with an extraordinarily virile man would have accomplished that.
She forced herself to meet his gaze. There was nothing condemning in his expression. If anything, he looked as if he completely understood her actions.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Don’t be. Having a beautiful woman find me desirable, whatever the reason, is never a bad thing. I’m just holding out until it’s perfect.”
“That day might never come,” she said.
“It will,” he replied with total confidence. “Sooner than you think.” He gestured toward the boxes she was clutching with a white-knuckled grip. “Let’s go find some idyllic spot and have a picnic.”
“You’re not afraid to be alone with me?” she teased.
“No way,” he assured her.
“I could get carried away.”
He laughed at the suggestion. “Now, that is something to look forward to.”
Chapter Ten
Gina could have suffered from terminal embarrassment for throwing herself at Rafe, but he refused to allow it. By the time they’d shared their picnic, he had her laughing unselfconsciously again. Because of that, her feelings—and her respect—for him deepened a little more. So did the attraction, even though she couldn’t seem to shut out the fact that their relationship had begun with his insulting belief that she could be a thief.
But as the days wore on with no more calls from Bobby and little for her to do in Winding River, Gina began to feel more restless than ever. She couldn’t go on this way, not with Rafe looking over her shoulder—albeit with less suspicion. Cooking dinner for her parents and baking for her friends wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy her urge to be back in the kitchen cooking for a whole restaurant filled with satisfied customers.
After her outburst in his kitchen, accusing both Tony and Rafe of conspiring, Tony forgave her and let her fill in from time to time, but it wasn’t nearly enough. She was drifting and she didn’t like it. She had to do something to shake things up, something to get her life back on track.
Maybe it was time to get some sound legal advice. No, she corrected, the truth was, it was way past time. She’d been putting it off, pretending to herself that Bobby would show up and prove that it was all some terrible misunderstanding, a mistake that could be easily rectified. She had been deluding herself that he would straighten everything out so that she wouldn’t have to make any of the tough choices. Despite everything, despite all the evidence to the contrary, she hadn’t wanted to believe that a man she’d considered a friend, as well as a business partner, had betrayed her.
Clearly, she admitted with a sigh, she had been wrong. Bobby’s intentions weren’t honorable. And Deidre’s juggling act with the creditors couldn’t go on indefinitely. Gina couldn’t ask her to stand in the line of fire forever. This
