“Why?”
Sean barely smothered a laugh. He was tempted to suggest that she must not date much if she couldn’t figure out the answer to that one herself, but he decided that would probably just infuriate her. If Ruby was telling him the truth, she really didn’t date much.
“So we’ll have time to talk,” he said instead.
“About what?” she asked suspiciously.
This time he did laugh. “The weather. Kevin. Hank and Ruby. The Red Sox. Whatever we decide we want to talk about. We’re adults. We have varied backgrounds. The possibilities are endless.”
“Oh.”
“Deanna, this isn’t a trap,” he said gently. “I just thought you might enjoy a night out with somebody waiting on you for a change. There’s no hidden agenda.” He hesitated, then, unable to resist teasing her just a bit, he added, “I won’t even kiss you again unless you ask me to.”
He waited for a response, but she remained perfectly quiet. “Would you be more interested if I said I would kiss you?” he asked.
She laughed, although it sounded to him as if her laughter was a little choked.
“That’s what I was waiting to hear, of course,” she said gamely. She drew in a deep breath. “This invitation of yours—it’s not very specific. Are you just testing the waters, or did you have a particular night in mind?”
“First night we’re both free,” he said at once, ridiculously pleased that she was considering the invitation. “I’m off tonight and tomorrow night, then again over the weekend. How’s your schedule?”
“I’m working tonight and tomorrow night and over the weekend,” she said.
“Including Sunday night?”
“No. Actually I’m off by three on Sunday afternoon, but I’m usually pretty beat. I don’t know what kind of company I’d be. And that’s usually the time I reserve for Kevin.”
“Then bring him along,” Sean said, seizing on the excuse to avoid risking another one of those sizzling kisses. “I don’t mind.”
“You don’t?”
“Of course not,” he said with total sincerity. “He’s a terrific kid. Besides, you know I’d be the last person to want to steal some of your time with him.”
“Then Sunday sounds good,” she said.
“I’ll pick you up at five. We’ll make it an early evening, since Kevin has school the next day.” It also meant less time with Deanna on a sultry spring night when the senses tended to take over.
“Perfect,” she said, sounding oddly relieved, as well.
If they weren’t a sorry pair, Sean thought wryly as he hung up. He wasn’t sure which of them was worse. Bottom line, they were both cowards.
Which raised an interesting point. Neither of them would have a thing to fear if there were no attraction at work between them. That meant they were both terrified for a reason. And it went back to that kiss.
So, he concluded happily, he had absolutely nothing to fear as long as he didn’t kiss her again.
Of course, as soon as he hit on that as the perfect solution, the desire to do the exact opposite and kiss her senseless slammed into him and wouldn’t let go. Sunday night began to loom as a monumental test of his willpower. He had this gut-deep feeling he was going to lose.
Chapter Six
Ruby listened to Deanna’s announcement that Sean was taking her and Kevin out to dinner on Sunday without saying a word.
“Well, say something,” Deanna finally said. “I thought you’d be dancing around the room. This is what you’ve been hoping for, isn’t it?”
“Actually, what I was hoping for was you and Sean, all alone in some romantic setting where you could pick up where that kiss left off,” Ruby retorted. “Have you lost your mind? The first sexy man you’ve been attracted to in years asks you on a date, and you’re taking your five-year-old son along?”
Deanna frowned. “Sean didn’t seem to mind.”
“No, I don’t imagine he did,” Ruby scoffed. “He may be the only person in Boston more terrified than you are of having a real relationship.”
“And you reached this conclusion how?”
“By talking to him,” Ruby explained with exaggerated patience. “It’s a fascinating concept. You should try it sometime.”
They were interrupted by the sound of the buzzer from downstairs.
“That’s probably Sean,” Deanna said, actually relieved by the interruption. For once, seeing Sean seemed preferable to listening to any more of Ruby’s analysis of her cowardice. “Will you get it, while I go and hurry Kevin along?”
“If it weren’t for the fact that your son would be disappointed by having to stay home after you’ve promised him an evening with his hero, I would never let you get away with this,” Ruby said, her expression grim.
Deanna frowned at her. “It’s not your call.”
Ruby sighed. “No, sadly, that’s true.” She waved Deanna out of the room. “Go. Fetch Kevin. I’ll get the door. Maybe I’ll have more luck explaining to Sean how real, grown-up dates are supposed to work.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Deanna warned, almost afraid to leave her friend alone with Sean. Ruby rarely hesitated to speak her mind.
“Oh, go on,” Ruby ordered. “I promise I won’t embarrass you.”
Deanna left the room reluctantly. To her relief, when she returned—without Kevin, who was still in the bathroom—Ruby and Sean were discussing baseball, not the rules of dating.
“Hank’s a big baseball fan, too,” Sean said, his expression completely innocent. “Maybe we could all go to a Red Sox game sometime.”
“Sure,” Ruby said easily, surprising Deanna with her ready agreement.
Sean seemed taken aback, as well, but he rallied quickly. “I’ll talk to Hank and work on getting the tickets, then. You and Kevin up for it, Deanna?”
“Kevin would be thrilled,” Deanna said honestly.
Sean’s gaze locked with hers. “And you?”
She flushed under the intensity of his gaze. “Sure. I’d love to go.” What could be safer than a ballpark, surrounded by thousands of screaming fans, one of them her five-year-old son? If there was a
